270 Win vs 7mm Rem Mag

[Art Eatman]

Bartkowski, the easiest way to compare recoil is to first assume equal weight rifles. That's easy enough, right? Okay: Add the weights of the bullet and the powder charge, and multiply by the muzzle velocity.

That will yield the recoil ratio between any two cartridges.

Okay, loads vary, but these are reasonable:

.270: 130-grain bullet, 50 grains of powder, 2,900 muzzle velocity.

7mmRemMag: 140-grain bullet, 70 grains of powder, 3,200 muzzle velocity.

522,000 vs. 672,000. The .270 has 78% of the recoil of the 7mm RemMag.

Note that there is nothing in this about *how much* recoil there is for any package of cartridge and rifle. It *only* compares loads.

If you're comfortable with the recoil of a .270 in, for example, a seven-pound rifle, odds are you'd be comfortable with the recoil of a 7mm RemMag in a nine-pound rifle.

 

[BroughtEnoughGun]

Why dont you get the .270?

My point is if you have a 300WSM, you dont need a 7MM Mag, theyre pretty close as far as bullet weights, velocities, and recoil. And you said you dont think the 300WSM is fun to shoot becasue the recoil.

 

[fire4hunter]

I have decieded that between the 270 Win and 7mm Rem mag I will probably go with the 270. I thank everyone for the post and information keep them coming if you like I have a little while till I purchace said gun. Now that I made up my mind about the 270 over the 7mm rem mag my mind starts to wonder about the 7mm-08, probably just a little on less than I was looking for but still interesting but what's making me even more curious is the 308 win. What do you all think. my preference is now the 270 win in number one, 308 in number two, and not in strong contention but considering the 7mm-08.

 

[PCFlorida]

Go with the .270

 

[bean93x]

i have a browning a bolt in 7mm rem mag.

i LOVE IT i bought mine after deciding on many other cartridges. i like it because its great all around for north american grain and can be loaded for any kinds of game almost. shoots flat, hits hard, and depending on the load, maintains a decent velocity.

 

[chute2thrill]

Well if you're going to bring out the .308 might as well bring out the .30-06...

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Get the 270...or a 280.

The 280 will do anything the 7mm Rem Mag will do and kick less doing it.

The 7mm-08 has better retained energy downrange....as do most 7mm rounds. The 308 is as good as it gets though (IMO)...simply because of bullet choices in the ever popular 30 caliber (110 - 220 grains)...however, the 308 is at its best with bullets of 180 grains or less.

 

[MCgunner]

The 280 will do anything the 7mm Rem Mag will do and kick less doing it.

Except to add, "within the limits of its range". The Rem Mag will have more pop down range and shoot flatter. You can load the 7 mag down to .280 and get similar performance and recoil if you can't handle the kick of full power loads, too. I never had a problem with it, though, a pussycat compared to .338 or .375. The 7 mag recoils very much like a .30-06 to my calibrated shoulder. Not at all intolerable. It does have a bit more of a powder appetite, though.

 

[Shawnee]

"Well if you're going to bring out the .308 might as well bring out the .30-06..."

As usual - Here we go down the yellow dumb road...


...as long as you're going to bring out the 30--ought-silly might as well bring out the .300 Win, Mag..... and as long as you're bringing out that one let's bring out the .338 and of course now we need to recommend the .375 H&H, but WAIT ! Read a little farther and we have to bring out the 458 Winchester. and....


Heeeeeeeeere's Yer Sign.

 

[cooch]

fire4hunter.

The variables in felt recoil are significantly more complex than simply comparing cartridges. The most significant variables to felt recoil are.

(1) Weight.
(2) Stock design.

There simply is no getting away from it, and discussion of recoil pads is ignoring the obvious, although they do help.

If you want a rifle that is more pleasant to shoot, then buy one that is heavier. Yes, there is a penalty to carrying a heavier rifle up the hills, but you're already talking about shooting at long range and there is a very good reason why the vast majority of long-range target rifles are heavier than the average pea-shooter.

I also suggest that you resist the temptation to buy a rifle before checking that it fits you - while you're wearing your normal hunting gear, the amount of clothing that you're wearing makes a difference. The best test of all it to find someone who has a rifle in the same model and calibre that you're looking at, that is willing to let you test-fire it on the range.

Loads have been mentioned, and rightly so. In my estimation, the last 2-3% of performance is attained at a 10% increase in powder burnt, and a greater increase still in muzzle blast and felt recoil. I am not talking about loading down to sub-par performance. Just refraining from running the cartridge at its red-faced-and-screaming maximum.

OK.....
Now to the point where I believe that recoil-pads help.
Practice.
Very few of us fire many shots at game, but most of us have noticed that the one thing about shooting "for blood" is that you don't notice the recoil then.

My suggestion - having coached more than one younger shooter who was trying to shoot a larger rifle - is that the most important issue is confidence. This only comes with familiarity.
Petes Prescription is that you take your .300 down to the range and shoot it. Shoot it a LOT. But make sure that you have a good range jacket, "man-bra" or some form of additional recoil protection between your shoulder and the butt. The ideal is some fortm of slim sandbag, but you'll find that even a thick wad of folded towel will make a noticable difference.

I'm not macho.
I shoot a .300 and a .375H&H, but I see no reason to make myself uncomfortable while I'm doing it..... so I take steps to ameliorate the recoil when I'm sighting in.

Finally.
See if you can find yourself a coach. Someone who knows how to manage recoil himselfd, and can talk you through it. In spite of the discussion on technicalities that we've just had, 90% of recoil management is mental. Particularly at the level under discussion.
Make sure that the butt is pulled into your shoulder, and that you're not "crawling" the stock so as to place your eye too close to the scope. Then deliberately avoid "fighting" the recoil. LET.... IT.... HAPPEN.......
Relax. Let your gut-muscles sag. (You're not there to look good, just to hit your target.)

Enjoy.

Regards................ Peter

 

[matrem]

Shawnee pegged it: "Here we go down the yellow dumb road."

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Shawnee pegged it: "Here we go down the yellow dumb road."

Not really...

The above post by "cooch" is possibly the most informative one in the thread.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Except to add, "within the limits of its range". The Rem Mag will have more pop down range and shoot flatter.

At 500 yards an elk won't be able to tell the difference...the Rem Mag shoots flatter in general but with the right reloads...the 280 can ALMOST catch it in both trajectory and recoil.

 

[trigger45]

had a .308 and traded it for a .270 and liked it so much I bought another. the .270 light recoil and shoots flat to me. I like it more than a .30-o6. made 200 yrd shoots with it. It was me that caused the 4" groups not the rifle. it gets 1" groups a 100. the rifle is a joy to own. one is a howa 22 inch barrel the other is a weatherby with a 24 inch barrel. the howa has a fixed 4x weaver with a the other is a leopold rifleman 2-7x32. wonderful cartridge. less recoil than an 06 and 7 mag and the little .308. I use 60 gr h4831 130 gr bullets and wonder why this rifle is not everybodys fav. cartridge.

 

[MCgunner]

At 500 yards an elk won't be able to tell the difference...the Rem Mag shoots flatter in general but with the right reloads...the 280 can ALMOST catch it in both trajectory and recoil.

Almost counts in horse shoes and hand grenades......

All I'm sayin' is, the gun costs the same in either caliber in my case. The .280 had a 22" barrel, the 7 a 24, but otherwise the same Savage 110. So, why go with less when you can have more? I don't get it. The 7 is more, no almost, it's more. I can load it down to 280 or 7x57 if I want to, if I can't handle the massive recoil of the 7 mag. But, the gun simply ain't that bad. Try loading the .280 up to 7 mag levels and you're likely going to find out if that ruptured case gas shield/venting system works or not and you might need a case extractor to get it out.

Another bonus for me is that I now have the right gun if I wanna rebarrel it to .338 or something, won't need a new bolt head, just a new barrel and I can do it myself with a head space gauge and barrel nut wrench. If I had a .30-06 bolt head, that'd need changing, too. Now, I don't need no stinkin' .338, but if I ever get the urge, it's doable for cheap.

I'll get my recoil jollies, though, when my new 10 gauge gets here, rofl! I want that slug barrel for it. How's about bench resting a 9 lb 10 gauge slug gun shooting a 10 gauge 3.5" magnum slug load? You man enough? I ain't sure I am, but, we'll see. ROFL! Hopefully, I can find my retinas again when they detach.