In the world of 7mm cartridges, among the two that have similar ballistics and are used for similar tasks are the 7mm Weatherby and the 7mm Rem Mag. Both of these rounds are effective for taking game like deer and elk but the finer details of these two rounds are often not compared. So in this article, we will compare the two cartridges to see which is better and why.
Here is the short answer:
The Weatherby Magnum is slightly more powerful and faster than the 7mm Remington Magnum, but it also produces more recoil and has a higher price tag. The 7mm Remington Magnum is more widely available and offers a more affordable option with slightly less power and speed than the Weatherby Magnum.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look in-depth at each cartridge, their ballistics, and how they compare to each other in-depth.
In-Depth Look at the 7mm Weatherby Magnum
Roy Weatherby developed the 7mm Weatherby Magnum in the mid-20th century. It is based on a shortened and blown-out version of the .300 H&H Magnum case. The 7mm Weatherby Magnum never saw much commercial success which is attributed to the fact that it can be hard to find ammo for.
The 7mm Weatherby Magnum is a round that is best used for taking game like elk and moose as it has high energy and good long range ballistics. However, due to its high energy, this round does have a significant amount of recoil at around 25 foot-pounds of recoil and 13 foot-pounds of recoil velocity.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 7mm Weatherby Magnum with a 150-grain soft point:
| Range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3002 | 3001 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 2893 | 2786 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.7 | 2786 | 2585 |
| 150 | -0.9 | 1.6 | 2682 | 2395 |
| 200 | -3 | 2.8 | 2580 | 2216 |
| 250 | -6.4 | 4.4 | 2480 | 2049 |
| 300 | -11.2 | 6.4 | 2383 | 1891 |
| 350 | -17.5 | 9 | 2288 | 1743 |
| 400 | -25.6 | 12 | 2195 | 1604 |
| 450 | -35.4 | 15.5 | 2104 | 1474 |
| 500 | -47.1 | 19.5 | 2015 | 1352 |
In-Depth Look at the 7mm Remington Magnum
The 7mm Remington Magnum was introduced by Remington in 1962. it is based on the .375 H&H Magnum case but shortened and neck down to fit a 7mm bullet. The 7mm Remington Magnum is a popular choice among hunters and long-range shooters due to its accuracy and effectiveness at long ranges.
The 7mm Remington is a cartridge with exceptional ballistics and is considered to be both one of the best big game hunting cartridges as well as a formidable long range shooting cartridge. Additionally, the 7mm Rem Mag has a wide array of bullet weights you can choose from making it a versatile as well as powerful cartridge.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 7mm Remington Magnum with a 175-grain soft point:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2860 | 3178 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2752 | 2942 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.8 | 2646 | 2720 |
| 150 | -1.1 | 1.7 | 2542 | 2512 |
| 200 | -3.5 | 3 | 2441 | 2316 |
| 250 | -7.3 | 4.8 | 2343 | 2132 |
| 300 | -12.8 | 7.2 | 2246 | 1961 |
| 350 | -20 | 10 | 2152 | 1800 |
| 400 | -29 | 13.3 | 2060 | 1649 |
| 450 | -40.1 | 17.1 | 1970 | 1508 |
| 500 | -53.2 | 21.4 | 1882 | 1377 |
In-Depth Comparison
The 7mm Weatherby Magnum and the 7mm Remington Magnum are both great cartridges, but they have some notable differences that should be considered before choosing one over the other.
Firstly, the 7mm Weatherby Magnum has a slightly larger case capacity than the 7mm Remington Magnum, allowing for slightly higher velocities and better long-range performance. However, this also means that it tends to have more recoil.
Second, the 7mm Remington Magnum is a more versatile cartridge that is capable of being loaded to produce less recoil and muzzle blast than the 7mm Weatherby Magnum. It also has more widely available ammunition options and tends to be less expensive. Additionally, there is far more load data for the 7mm Rem Mag than the 7mm Weatherby so it is more customizable.
Third, in terms of ballistics, the 7mm Weatherby Magnum has a flatter trajectory and more energy at longer distances, making it better suited for long-range shooting and hunting. The 7mm Remington Magnum is also capable of long-range shooting, but may not have quite the same level of performance as the 7mm Weatherby Magnum due to its smaller case size.
The last factor to consider is barrel life. The 7mm Weatherby Magnum tends to have a shorter barrel life than the 7mm Remington Magnum due to its higher velocities and more intense chamber pressure. This means that it may need to be re-barreled more frequently which will cost more money and more headache.
Conclusion
Both the 7mm Weatherby Magnum and the 7mm Remington Magnum are great cartridges that offer excellent long-range performance and are suitable for hunting a variety of game. The 7mm Weatherby Magnum has a slight advantage in terms of ballistics, but the 7mm Remington Magnum is more versatile and has more widely available ammunition options.