New Gun Input

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Jun 20, 2011
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I currently own a Howa 270 but am interested in something a little bigger. I am thinking either 7 mag or a 300 win mag to give me a little bit more punch for an elk out at up to around 400 yards, which is the farthest that I would feel comfortable shooting. These two seem to be pretty similar with a little bit more energy from the 300. Any help or something that I may be missing would be appreciated!
 
I currently own a Howa 270 but am interested in something a little bigger. I am thinking either 7 mag or a 300 win mag to give me a little bit more punch for an elk out at up to around 400 yards, which is the farthest that I would feel comfortable shooting. These two seem to be pretty similar with a little bit more energy from the 300. Any help or something that I may be missing would be appreciated!
Price range? Or are you just looking for cartridge recommendations?
 
For what it is worth, I have hunted with everything from a .243 as a kid to .308, 30-06, 6.5, 30-30, etc. and my Tikka 30-06 handles it all but my next all around North American/Western rifle will be a 300 win mag in either the Browning Hells Canyon or a Tikka t3 Rough Tech.
 
The 300 WM is a nice step up in power from the good old 270. It's ability to use much heavier bullets than most of the 270 pills puts it a bit further ahead of most of the 7 magnums.
 
My first rifle was a .264 win mag, I then got a .300 WM.

I agree with @Seamaster it's nice to be able to use heavier bullets.

.270 is really all you need for elk, but there are some states and species that have min caliber restrictions.

To that point my SIL is going to borrow my .300 wm for bison this year.
 
I have both and like both. i do not think you are going to make a bad decision either way between those two. Like @rwc101 says, you can always get both.
 
Like others have said the 7 mag will not be a big enough advantage over the .270. If you're feeling the need for more I would go for the .300.
 
WOW!!!
Elk the whole way out to 400 yards??!!

If i were you i think i'd go.....
Smaller..

Our fearless leader & others have had no problems taking elk to 400 yards with 7mm-08 & 308.

The 270 will certainly get the job done.

But, if you just want a new rifle, my vote is 7mm Rem Mag.

Said by the man that is picking up a Ruger 77 MKII in 25-06 for hunting on the gaslines.
 
I have both. I like the 7mm better less recoil and you can shoot as light as 100gr for light skinned animals like deer or antelope or up to 175 for elk or moose. I like the versatility of the round myself. I killed my first bull last fall with my 7mm @ 315 yds with 162gr Hornady Precision Hunters. He didn't go 10 feet. The 300 Win mag is a great round. "The 300 Win Mag has more recoil than the 7mm Rem Mag when fired from the exact same rifle. A .300 Win Mag load firing a 165 grain bullet has about 25% more recoil than a 7mm Rem Mag load firing a 150 grain bullet at a similar muzzle velocity." I personally don't like the additional recoil of the 300. Just my opinion. 7mm gets my vote!

blacksheep
 
.270 will do the job, but if you handload, .280 AI is a great all around NA game cartridge. If you don’t mind a little kick, 300wm certainly does give you flexible step up from .270.

As for rifles, I would go TiKka or Begara (but not sure if either is chambering 280AI at the moment.
 
I vote 7 mag or 300 short mag lighter rifle.I cared sendero 7 mag for 6 years this year Christensen 7 mag half the weight
 
Remember, you can load a 300WM down to lesser calibers but you cant load the lesser calibers to 300WM performance. Be a man, without the bun!
 
I've always thought the .300WM as a nice compliment to the .270. 270 is a good all around and the 300 can do the dirty work. I'd go .270 with a 130 grain load and then a .300 with a 180 grain load. I shoot a 7mm mag as my "big gun" and have a .25-06 for deer and antelope, but I think the 7mm is too similar to a .270 if those are your two hunting rifles. Following article lays things out pretty clearly.

 

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