I’m a professional bird hunting guide and 550 pro plus is what I use. Can run up to three dogs, I usually run just two but occasionally I will run two pointers with a flusher. The collar is very simple and I can work it without even looking at it. The Alphas were to slow to try to run 2 or three...
To me it’s Always a case of “ok I’ll get a 270” “but a 280 has better ballistics in the same action size” “the ammo isn’t as easy to find anymore “ “well for the same action size I might as well get a 7mm mag better performance and lots of ammo availability” “I already have 2 7mm mags” Madness😃
I am also a RUM shooter (since it came out). I actually really liked when you could buy the different power level ammo (30-06, 300 WM and 300 RUM power levels). I would use the 30-06 power level for whitetail in PA and the 300 RUM for the big stuff in Alaska. Good practice with the same rifle...
It would be nice for shooting suppressed. I worry that the faster powder needed to get those velocities would burn out faster an already relatively short RUM barrel life.
Definitely the RUM. 300 PRC being not much better that the 300WM and the newest fad may be just that, a passing fad. 300 RUM has been around quite a while but with the demise of Remington it has taken a hit.