|
|
|
Discussion Forums
Forum Index
> Rifles general discussion
> 7 mm or 30 caliber?
7 mm or 30 caliber?
@ 04:49 pm (GMT) |
Lane SalvatoGuys, who shoots a 7 mm or 30? Which one? What do you use it for? I'm sure plenty of guys use both as well. |
Replies
@ 04:02 am (GMT) |
David LenziRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?I remember Nathan's advice regarding a one gun battery being based on average game weight... and that most of us would be more than adequately served by a 7mm.I like 7mm a lot, but I just keep them for a little while and then sell them. The logistics just end up being a pain in the ass. I'm not one of those guys that loves spending time at the loading bench and I am constantly pressed for space in which to store components, so that's a factor. I've had a bunch of .30 cal options over the years... I'm sort of focusing in on .308 Win as a work horse because I rarely get a chance to do true long range shooting beyond the capabilities of that cartridge. For more general purpose use in a gun that might have to take some longer pokes, I also really like the .30-06. Objectively, both bore sizes are MORE than enough to lay down any animal I've set eyes on in the field. |
|
@ 06:41 am (GMT) |
Lane SalvatoRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?David, that is so true. I reload my 308 and it's easy. Easy powder, easy brass, lead, etc. 7 mm's are a bit more of a pain especially the 280 AI. I wanted a 7 mm that would do on normal game what the 270 will do, but be farther shooting and harder hitting. I also didn't want a belted round. That said it's much harder to get components for the 280 or 280 AI without paying more or going to a bunch of trouble. Still, I like really flat shooting cartridges and for me the 280 AI just checks all the boxes. |
@ 06:20 pm (GMT) |
VinceRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?I was lucky enough to be given a copy of Maneaters of Kumaon, as an 8 year old by my Grandpa so my course was set long before I understood anything about the merits of various calibres and what they were suitable for, not sure I do now for that matter. In my early teens an Uncle gave me another book called Two Dogs and a Rifle (a kiwi classic about pig hunting). As a result in my ignorance I decided to get a .275 Rigby, and if that wasn't available I would settle for a 7x57!We have seven different species of deer in NZ as well as three types of wild goat and pigs all of which are classed as big game species. The 7mm, either 08 or 57 is comfortably capable of taking them all, with the exception of Sambar. Interesting hearing you have trouble finding components in the USA for the 7 as it is common here in various calibres (not at the moment, but nothing is) with the exception of 280ai brass. I don't really regard myself as a "7mm Guy", it's just what I started with and, as David said it is enough gun for what I do so why change? If I lived in North America, Canada or Africa this would change. For the record I have .275 Rigby wood and blued which is currently being rechambered to 35 to use for Sambar as it had been retired as my main deer rifle. 7mm08 Ruger American hack gun which gets the most use and does most of the damage, a great little bush gun that gets a lot of abuse. 280ai Kimber Montana for open country down south when I need to stretch out the ranges a bit. |
@ 08:05 am (GMT) |
Frank AlbaijesRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?Rather than a 7mm, I use a 270 Win with a fast twist (1:8.5”) 26” barrel. This combination comes very close to 7 Rem Mag performance, and outperforms all the other non magnum 7mm’s. I’m a fan of the 280 AI and 7x64, but brass is hard to find. For me, my 270 Win is the perfect deer rifle. Very light recoil. The rifle has a long throat, so I use H4831SC for most of my loads under 140 grains. For 150 grains and above I like N165.I also have two 300 H&H’s, which I use for hogs, and long range shooting with a 215 grain Berger Hybrid. I also use H4831SC for most of my loads. H4350 also works very well in both of these calibers. |
|
@ 09:42 am (GMT) |
Lane SalvatoRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?Hi Frank, do you use a 165 grain bullet with that faster twist rate? |
@ 03:32 pm (GMT) |
Rob BirdRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?So funny, I just now posted in the large game hunting form asking basically the same thing regarding 30-06 AI vs 7mm. |
|
@ 03:38 pm (GMT) |
Rob BirdRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?I was all set to take the plunge on a 30-06 AI, but a combination of working up a preliminary ballistics table comparing it to the 7 Rem Mag and then reading the article "What's wrong with 30 caliber?" (by Bryan Litz, chief ballistician for Berger) made me go back to questioning again.https://appliedballisticsllc.com/education/ Lane, do you consider the 280AI to be a pain simply because of difficulty sourcing brass? Or do you fine it finicky to tune? |
@ 08:51 pm (GMT) |
Ben LawRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?the 7mm's are great. really efficient.but i cant get past the 30cals, probably because sambar deer are the main game i hunt. if your talking about hitting your target at range i think the 7mm's are going to win, and i assume thats what the Litz article is saying? |
|
@ 02:07 am (GMT) |
Rob BirdRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?It's mainly about the idea that the best BCs are in the heavv-for-caliber bullets. So, in 7mm, it's 180gr, in 6.5 it's 142, on down. Following that curve, the theoretical equivalent of those is 229gr for 30 caliber.So yes, it's about flatter trajectory and wind bucking ability which equals hitting your target. But I get hung up on the "hitting and killing are two different things." The thing is, at longer distances, a high BC 7 mm bullet at a higher MV will have greater retained energy than a bigger 30 cal bullet going slower with lower BC. Sooooo...? |
|
@ 02:34 am (GMT) |
Lane SalvatoRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?Rob, yes it's sourcing brass during this time, and this time only. If it's properly designed there is nothing wrong with the 280 AI cycling, etc. I like the 7 mm but don't let someone dissuade you from the 30-06 with an article. It works.My uncle, who was born in like 1942 has killed I don't know how many elk with an old 30-06 AI wildcat. He was hunting with it from the 1970's all the way until about 2 years ago when he got too old to do it. My old boss has killed everything on the planet excluding dangerous game with a Model 700 30-06. If you use the 30-06 with the FMR reamer build it will outpace anything up to the 300 Win. Mag. If you want one, get it. |
@ 07:01 pm (GMT) |
John SmithRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?I use my 7mm08 and 6.5x55 for deer here in the northwest. Mysporterized Mauser 98 in 7x57 for elk. All three have proved very effectlive. |
|
@ 12:50 pm (GMT) |
Lane SalvatoRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?John, I think the 7 mm-08 and 7x57 are fantastic. I've never used a 6.5x55. I know several guys who hunt deer and antelope up to and including elk with the 7 mm-08 and they swear by it. |
@ 06:17 pm (GMT) |
Calvin NickelRe: 7 mm or 30 caliber?I’ve got a thing for fast 30 cals myself. But originally I got a .300 win mag solely because I already have a .270 Winchester and a 7mm of any flavour didn’t seem a meaningful enough step up in performance.No regrets and honestly would sell the 270 were it not my first rifle ever. With my 243, 270, and 300 win mag I can do just about anything except dangerous game which I have no plans regarding. Even more than a 7mm I think a .30 is the most versatile caliber on earth probably. The range of bullet weights and endless choices is even more than with the 7s. And I find they do in fact hit harder sometimes in a field observable way. Love my .300 win mag. 2 loads on completely opposite ends of the spectrum I’ve been using last 3 years. 225 hornady eld m at 2760fps with imr 8133 in Winchester brass and a 120 Barnes tac-tx (originally meant for the .300 black out haha) at a chronographed 4050 fps with superformance powder in Peterson brass. All projectiles and my bore treated with HBN. On my to try list on my bench are federal 180 trophy bonded tips and hawk 250 grain (yes, 250, stabilizes in a 10 twist just fine) round noses…should stomp pretty hard! |
Please wait
ABOUT USWe are a small, family run business, based out of Taranaki, New Zealand, who specialize in cartridge research and testing, and rifle accurizing.
|
KNOWLEDGEBASE |
KNOWLEDGEBASE |