7mm RM vs. .338 WM

[RETD16]

First, my apologies if this topic is redundant!!! I am curious from those here that have experience here, which caliber is a better PG caliber? I have a Dakota in .416RM for DG and Eland, but what caliber is better for Impala, Gemsbok, etc.? My .338 has a KDF muzzle brake on it because the rifle (by itself) weighs 6 3/4lbs. The 7mm does not have a brake on it and is a Remington 700 BDL. I know brakes are obnoxious, so I could take it off of the .338 and put a thread protector on the muzzle.

 

[Rem700stw]

Ask me in about a month. I used a 7mm RM for plains game in 2015 on my first safari. I am taking a 338 WM for plains game next week for Safari 3. On safari 2 I used 404 Jeffrey for dangerous game and a 9.3x62 for everything else from Jackal to Eland. I think the additional diameter and bullet weight will be superior to the 7mm but only time will tell.

 

[mdwest]

I dont know that one is really "better" than the other... either are more than enough gun for medium to larger sized PG..

Why not just take the 416 RM and be done with it? Im not sure you need a second rifle.. For medium to large PG, any of the three rifles will do the job well... and for the smaller stuff like Impala, Blesbok, etc.. I think I'd prefer a 416 with a solid over either a 7 RM or a 338 WM with a soft..

Any of the three will certainly kill anything from dik dik to eland.. and all of them are a bit too much (IMO) for the the smaller stuff.. but at least with the 416 a solid is an option..

The exception would be if I were going somewhere that I thought long shots were a strong possibility.. If youre headed to the kalahari or somewhere else where you expect to be popping springbuck at 250 yards.. then I would probably put the 7mm at the front of the line..

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My daughter and I used a Sako 7mm mag furnished by @GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS, shooting Hornady 162 gr SST, for a lot of one shot kills on various PG. Several kudu, zebra, blue wildebeest, etc. The 7mm mag will do the job.

I use to use a 7mm mag for elk hunting, but the past several years I have opted for the 338 WM.

 

[Muskox]

Kind of even-steven. People get caught up in FPS and energy, but pick the more comfortable one for you to shoot.

My first PH had a well worn non-mauser Musgrave 243. He was a huge guy, but had a shoulder injury and I am not sure but I think he said that 243 was on it's 3rd barrel.

Precision matters more than power.

He had killed everything on license in the Kalahari with it for 20 years.

 

[Happy Myles]

It depends a little on where you are going and what game you will be concentrating on shooting. I have successfuly hunted Africa with all three. If the 338 recoil is a big issue take the 7mm mag. Looking back over decades of hunting the African continent the plains game rifle choice frankly has not made much difference, be it an 06, 7mm Mag, 338, 375 0r one of my 416s. For example one trip i used a 300 RUM and disliked its recoil so switched to a 300 Win Mag which I found more easy on my body. Have successful used a 25/06 and a 257 Weatherby on plains game. I am a gun nut and like to experiment with different calibers over decades of hunting Africa. Depending on what and where i am hunting i guess my favorites would be a 300 and a 416. Do not not go out and buy new ones, stick with your 7mm mag and 416. I like heavy for caliber bullets feeling they work better on a variety of game. For example, on Tiny Ten animals they zip through and in my experience blow through not ruining hide on the way. Just a few thoughts gained annually hunting hard all over the African continent. More than fifty years.

 

[RETD16]

I should also add that I have a 25/06 that is a dream to shoot.

 

[JimP]

I'd pick the .338. But then I am kind of partial for that caliber.

I shoot a .340 Weatherby mag and the nice thing about it is that it will shoot just as flat as a 7mm Rem mag shooting 160 grain bullets, but the 340 is shooting 225's.

 

[RETD16]

It depends a little on where you are going and what game you will be concentrating on shooting. I have successfuly hunted Africa with all three. If the 338 recoil is a big issue take the 7mm mag. Looking back over decades of hunting the African continent the plains game rifle choice frankly has not made much difference, be it an 06, 7mm Mag, 338, 375 0r one of my 416s. For example one trip i used a 300 RUM and disliked its recoil so switched to a 300 Win Mag which I found more easy on my body. Have successful used a 25/06 and a 257 Weatherby on plains game. I am a gun nut and like to experiment with different calibers over decades of hunting Africa. Depending on what and where i am hunting i guess my favorites would be a 300 and a 416. Do not not go out and buy new ones, stick with your 7mm mag and 416. I like heavy for caliber bullets feeling they work better on a variety of game. For example, on Tiny Ten animals they zip through and in my experience blow through not ruining hide on the way. Just a few thoughts gained annually hunting hard all over the African continent. More than fifty years.

My .338 is no fun to shoot without the muzzle brake, but I can still shoot it at around a half inch at 100yds. The 7mm and my 25/06 are much more fun to shoot.

 

[RETD16]

I'd pick the .338. But then I am kind of partial for that caliber.

I shoot a .340 Weatherby mag and the nice thing about it is that it will shoot just as flat as a 7mm Rem mag shooting 160 grain bullets, but the 340 is shooting 225's.

That is something that I have thought about also. Currently I’m shooting 250gr Nosler Partitions because it REALLY likes that bullet. Those group substantially better than the 225gr Trophy Bonded. I was thinking about giving the 210gr TTSX’s a whirl.

 

[Tra3]

I am a fan of the 7mag. It worked well enough for me that I’ll be using it again next month. If you are thinking about the recoil, accuracy will likely suffer. For me a 7 mag is enough gun, but not too much recoil. I am getting more used to shooting the .375H&H, so my combo will be the 7 mag and .375. My son will be using a .270 win.

 

[Nyati]

Plains game run from from Eland to Steenbok.

For Eland I have used a .338WM, for the rest, several calibers, from .270 to .22-250.

 

[Mark R]

I love both calibres but would choose the 338WM with 225gr bullets. I did on my first safari and it did just fine....