7mm mag or 7wsm

badgerbob

Active Member
May 18, 2015
397
72
Eastern Oregon
This is the same debate as the one between 300 win mag and 300 wsm, just a different cal. I don't think the elk care which one it gets hit with.
 

Ikeepitcold

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 22, 2011
10,018
1,603
Reno Nv
I also have both. I do know the wsm seems to be getting harder to find but I sure love mine. It's a great shooter. I use 165 gr Accu Bond
 

Tim McCoy

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2014
1,855
4
Oregon
150's will work well. They have a moderately high SD of .266 and will penetrate fine. If your gun will shoot them, a higher weight bullet, like 160's, are arguable a better Elk bullet. I have a 280 that loves 150 gr Partitions, they work very well on Elk. My suggestion is to use a premium or better style bullet that gives you top accuracy. Whether 140, 145, 150, 154, ... 175 grains, they will all work on Elk if you put it where it belongs.
 

JPSeveland

Active Member
Jun 8, 2014
165
0
Cheyenne Wyoming
150 is fine even the 140 with nosler partitions is my buddys go to gun and has killed everything with it the main diffrence between the two is you can get a shorter action with the wsm either way they are identical with velocitys. The only short mag that out performs the original by about 400 fps is the 270 wsm
 

johnsd16

Active Member
Mar 16, 2014
353
4
N Idaho
As others have said, near identical performers and like so many other caliber discussions; the biggest difference is in loaded ammo availability/selection. It's rare to see more than 1-2 favors or even any 7mm WSM ammo around here but there will be many 7mm RM. If you reload and can build up some brass the .284 selection of bullets is among the widest out there. The guns can also be hard to move if you want to sell it. It is the least well known of the WSM and when I worked in a gun shop they would sit on the used and new rack for a long time. If you reload I say get whichever you want especially if you get a screaming deal on the gun, if not, just get the RM.
 

Vikingload

Member
Jun 12, 2015
115
0
Powell WY
I have both a 7 mag and a 7 wsm; I love my 7 mag for hunting elk and ammo availability, but my 7 wsm is a sweet shooting rifle that is light weight. Last year on a elk hunt I found how much I loved my 7 wsm mainly due to the weight of the gun. My browning A-bolt 7 mag is a lot heavier than my Browning 7 wsm, and after lugging the 7 mag up the mountain I sure wished for my 7 wsm!!!! I know that's not a reason to pick a caliber and you can get different guns that weigh less or more, regardless of the caliber. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't get the 7 wsm mainly due to the limited availability of ammo.
 

7shot

Active Member
Mar 26, 2015
177
0
Idaho
I shoot the 7mm WSM - this is my second one. I had a Christensen Arms 7mm WSM and now have a custom Kelbly Arms. I really like the cartridge and the ballistics of the 180 gr. Berger VLD. If you do not hand load, I'd pass on the WSM, super hard to find ammo and it may be a dying breed. The 270 and the 300 seem to have a steady following, but not he 7mm. I reload mine and have a bunch of brass so I kept with the WSM. My gun is a long range tack driver. I loaded over 400 rounds to find the perfect powder type and weight, seating depth of bullet, primer and bullet that the gun loved, and now I could not be happier with the setup. I shoot 64 gr. 4831 ext, Berger 180 VLD seated .020 off the lands, Federal Match Larger Rifle Primers. For those who have the gun and can't find brass - you can use 300 WSM necked down to .284, then fire formed in the 7mm wsm and it shoots great once it is fire formed. The 7 mm and 300 have the same cartridge length and diameter at the base. Only difference is the neck size and the shoulder. There is tons of info on the web on fire forming and this is an easy one to do, let me know if you have any questions. I have done this with a couple hundred rounds and they are now my best brass. Agreed also " if it shoots good, it will do the job"