280 Remington or 7 mm Remington Magnum

[alberta.elk]

Hello Everybody,
I am looking for a caliber up to 500 yards shooting for Sheep, elk and moose.( One gun for everything).
I know it is very hard to pick, but between 280 Remington and 7 mm Remington Magnum, which one do you recommend? ( combination of kick management, enough energy,enjoyable for shooting practice, and performance in field as instance killer)
I read some articles that the very high velocity caliber is not very good killer because the very high velocity bullet does not enough time to transfer the whole energy to the animal body unless hit the bone.
I am a hand loader, and not Long rang shooter.

Thanks
Regards
Alberta.elk

 

[kc34]

I would go with the 7mm Rem Mag as it is a fantastic caliber.
I am a little bias of course as that is what I shoot for my main hunting rifle but it has dropped mule deer, whitetails, elk and moose.
With the proper bullet selection and good shot placement you need not worry about energy transfer of the bullet.
That being said the 280 Rem is a fine caliber as well.

 

[Hitzy]

High velocity needs premium bullets like solid copper or bonded cores so they hold together. Cheap bullets tend to blow up and not penetrate properly.
That said, 7mm Rem Mag is a very enemic magnum, very little performance over the 280 Rem.
For elk and moose though, I'd be looking at 300 Win Mag. You can load lighter solid bullets for a little less recoil and they will do the trick out to long distances.

 

[guntech]

High velocity is excellent for flatter shooting and for effective kills... don't shy away for high velocity.

That being said the .280 Remington will perform very well at 500 yards... not quite as well as the 7mm Remington Magnum...

a 7mm 08 will also perform well at 500 yards...

 

[hawk-i]

Go either, however 7 Rem Mag ammo can be found pretty much everywhere. 7 RM is flatter shooting, harder hitting, and a plus for heavier bullets...at 500 won't make all that much difference but there will be a difference.

I say buy both and a 7mm-08....good luck on your hunt.

 

[1899]

I like 7mm of all types. For what you say I would take a 7mm RM. It does give you an advantage over the others, regardless of what the naysayers suggest. A moose has a lot of muscle and other tissue to get through if the angle is off a bit. Of course on a perfect broadside shot it doesn't really matter. The 175gr Partition is a fantastic bullet and I use it regularly. Are you having a rifle built? If so Guntech put together my friend's 7mm RM and he did a great job. These days I also consider availability of components. IMR7828 works very well for 7mm RM and is available. Brass is also fairly easy to find for 7mm RM.

 

[ACKLEY ABE]

The difference using a 10" target as point blank favors the 7MM Mag by............13 yards. Not a bunch of difference considering they are both the same caliber. If you want a 7 that actually ramps it up over a 280, the 7 Rem Mag isn't it. ..and yes I have several different rifles chambred in 7 mm in several different cartridges. That being said, there is nothing wrong with a 7 Rem Mag.

 

[pete dobinson]

Can't go wrong with either one. They're both excellent choices. That said, at 500 yds on elk I would prefer a 7mm rem mag.

 

[ACKLEY ABE]

You are a wise man and rare.175's are optimum for the 7 Rem in my opinion.

 

[chuck nelson]

Flip a coin.

 

[nowarningshot]

Even as a reloader the 7rm will be easier to source components. If you are building or buying new, why not 280AI. Just because....because....and someone was going to say it.

 

[galamb]

Using Nosler loaded 140 gr Accubonds the 7mm RM would give you about 150 more fps and over 200 foot pounds of more energy @ 500 yards (and drop 16" less) then the 280 Rem.

If you are looking for a longer range 7 mil "hammer of thor" you should check out the 28 Nosler. At 500 yards using the same 140 gr Accubond (Nosler factory load) it's still flying @ 2420 fps packing 2080 foot pounds which is almost 200 fps faster and 400 foot pounds harder then even the 7 mm RM.

 

[stubblejumper]

I would go with the 7mm Rem Mag as it is a fantastic caliber.
I am a little bias of course as that is what I shoot for my main hunting rifle but it has dropped mule deer, whitetails, elk and moose.
With the proper bullet selection and good shot placement you need not worry about energy transfer of the bullet.
That being said the 280 Rem is a fine caliber as well.

Given that both the 28rem and the 7mmremmag are the same caliber, neither offers a better caliber.

Even as a reloader the 7rm will be easier to source components.

They use the same bullets, and powder and primers are equally easy to locate. Since you can easily make 280rem brass from 30-06 brass if you can't locate 280 brass,, brass isn't an issue.

 

[hoytcanon]

7mm Rem Mag holds an advantage over the .280... if you are buying a new rifle, I can't think of a good reason not to utilize that advantage... having said that, if someone had a .280, I wouldn't recommend abandoning it in favour of the 7 RM... the difference is not enough... now a .280 and .300 WM would make a pretty dandy pair.

 

[Eagleye]

I have both chamberings in 700 Remingtons. I would prefer the 7mm Rem Mag out at 500, simply for trajectory and the bit of extra oomph
that the big 7 has.

I have always favored the 160 grain bullet in the 7 mag, since it has worked so well for me. Both the Partition [my personal favorite] or the
Accubond in that weight are impressive performers, and can be started at over 3000 in any 24" barreled 7 mag.

Sighted in at +3" at 100, it is only down a bit over 2 feet at 500, and packs 1650 ft lbs of energy. [if that means much, lol]

The big 175 Partition, at practical 7mm Mag velocities, has about the same energy at 500, but is 3-4" lower, which is not a big deal, really.

I favor the 150 grain Partitions in my 280, since they seem to make the best compromise bullet for it. At 500, that 150 will be another 2-3" lower
than the 7mm Mag's 175, and will deliver about 1400 ft lbs, so really not a slouch, either.

Of course, the heavier, longer bullet will penetrate better, all other factors being equal.

Regards, Dave.

 

[Gatehouse]

I read some articles that the very high velocity caliber is not very good killer because the very high velocity bullet does not enough time to transfer the whole energy to the animal body unless hit the bone.
k

Note the author of the article and be sure to ignore any "advice" he gives in the future.

As for your choice, the 7RM is what I would use. Not much more recoil than the 280 (if you can shoot one you can shoot the other) and greater case capacity for launching longer, heavier bullets with high BC.

Not that the .280 wouldn't do the job, too, it will of course.

 

[pete dobinson]

In a good quality bolt action rifle with plenty of freebore could you load the 7 rem mag, to 7 weatherby mag pressure? The cartridge volume is fairly close.

 

[Northman999]

I'd go 7mm rem mag.

"Bullet dwell theory", or other ideas about bullets that stay in the animal longer, are more effective, have kind of gone by the wayside due to lack of evidence at all.

 

[elkhuntr]

Run the lower displacement hard or the larger in spec and you get the same. There is no replacement for displacement.

However, the 7mm RM mag loads identified on the hodgdon site are ....in a word..... anemic.....rather whimpy imo. Guess they are following the intent of trying to recreate 30-06 level recoil. Recently developed a 162gr load with H4831sc using 65.5gr and wow does it print small groups. At a full 1.5gr over listed it remains within my acceptable upper pressure limit. It is close to practical max as 66.0 gr started to show primer evidence and harder bolt lift....stopped there as felt no need to test crappy brass life. No chrony on it yet but I am betting I am in the 2950 to 3000fps range with a 24" barrel. 280 will have a hard sell to catch that with a 22" barrel. Yes....more recoil...but not nearly as much as my 300wm or 338wm. A very nice cartridge in the field and ready to please.

I'll stick with the 7RM.
Elky....

 

[Gatehouse]

In a good quality bolt action rifle with plenty of freebore could you load the 7 rem mag, to 7 weatherby mag pressure? The cartridge volume is fairly close.

The 7RM is rated for 61K PSI the 7WBY for 65K PSI

So not much room in pressure. Can the 7RM be loaded hotter than 61K? Maybe. The 7RM has been noted as having weird pressure spikes, which is why so much of the factory ammo is underloaded. (From what I have gathered from gun writers) I've never experienced a erratic pressure spike with the 7RM, but I think the rules stay the same as with any cartridge. Work up, watch the chrono, don't push it past established velocities even if you don't get pressure signs.