7mm Rem Mag

[JNOS]

just ordered a 7mm rem mag, and have people telling me both that its a great gun, and that its crap. just looking for some more opinions. hunting mainly whitetails by the way.

[Dead_Beat]

the very first rifle i bought was a 7MM Mag it still taking whitetail 25 plus years later you made a great choice . if i could only have one rifle it would be a 7mm or 270 decided by the flip of a coin

JIM

[JNOS]

thanks, great to hear someone has stuck with it that long and still loves it. part of the problem i'm getting is guys smaller then me (i'm 6'3" 230 and love shooting 12 gauge on the range) telling me i'm not gonna like the recoil, but can't see it being a problem. how is it for impact/damage on deer? knowing full well any caliber will make a mess on a bad shot.

[steller]

As per the Chuck Hawks rifle recoil table, a 150-grain bullet from a 7 mag, in a 8.5 lb rifle, will generate 19.2 lb-ft of recoil. The same weight bullet in a .270 or 30-06 with an 8 lb rifle will generate between 17.0 - 18.0 lb-ft of recoil. The recoil from the 150-grain 7 mag is about equivalent to a 180-grain bullet from a 30-06.

All of these are in the mid-range of tolerable recoil for repeated shots when sighting in a rifle, for example. However, as we all know, in the field when the deer are running, you don't notice recoil much at all. If you find your 7 mag is a bit stiff on recoil, just invest in a good recoil pad (Limbsaver, R3, etc), and you'll be fine.

[C. Schutte]

just ordered a 7mm rem mag, and have people telling me both that its a great gun, and that its crap. just looking for some more opinions. hunting mainly whitetails by the way.

jnos,

Two years ago I bought a CDL, in 7mm. mag and it shoots 1/4" at 100 yards (same hole) with just about any bullet we have tried. I mounted a quality scope on it and adjusted the trigger to 3lbs. My brother was either going to buy it from me or have me done away with so he now owns it. My other two Remingtons also shoot just about as good too. As far as deer are concerned this little 7 mag. put a fist sized hole on the exit side of a white tailed buck last year using the 150 grain Core-Lok.

Just to be fair and balanced, I am not a fan of the composit stocks that Remington provides. At least the stocks they offered 4 years ago. They may have improved them but, the wood stock rifles have done well in my family. Once I bought a remington with a composit stock and replaced the stock.

A friend of mine who is a outfitter in Colorado has shot over 20 bull elk using a 7 mm. mag with 150 grain core-lok's and twice as many mule deer using the same bullet. He also took a Grizzly but, that was foolish in my opinion.

Do yourself a favor and when you get that rifle, mount a scope that has a reputation of being accurate and durable, use Luepold mounts and never look back. I would also recommend breaking in the barrel and never allowing the barrel to become too hot to touch. If you are not familiar with breaking in the barrel or why it is important, there are many on this forum that can provide that infomation by just asking. Good luck.................chs

ps. No real recoil either..................

[tddeangelo]

If you look at numbers, the 7mm Mag is the spitting image of a .30-06 as far as trajectory, energy, etc. If you compare same manufacturer data (I usually compare using Hornady's online info for factory ammo), the .30-06 and 7mm Mag are close enough in performance that it really isn't relevant to argue one over the other. Many will tell you how much flatter the 7mm Mag is, and how much harder the '06 hits. Balloney. The differences in both categories are usually negligible.

You will hear lots of talk of the 7mm diameter being the most stable and accurate diameter for a centerfire rifle bullet. I have no idea if that's true or not.

There are lots of bullet choices for 7mm rounds. There are lots for .30 cal rounds. Probably those are the two most available bullet diameters out there.

I am about the same size as you are, and I can shoot my '06's all day without difficulty with respect to recoil. I spent more than one afternoon this summer with my military '06's shooting well over 100 rounds of .30-06. And the Springfields don't have recoil pads. ;)

I think you'll be just fine with a 7mm Mag. It isn't my choice, but that's just personal taste.

[Yooper]

I am a HUGE fan of the 7mm Mag.

You'll enjoy.

What king of rifle did you order?

[Dead_Beat]

thanks, great to hear someone has stuck with it that long and still loves it. part of the problem i'm getting is guys smaller then me (i'm 6'3" 230 and love shooting 12 gauge on the range) telling me i'm not gonna like the recoil, but can't see it being a problem. how is it for impact/damage on deer? knowing full well any caliber will make a mess on a bad shot.


when i bought mine i was about 150 pounds the recoil shoud be a non issue with you!!! my 2 son were useing it when they were 12 and 14 with no problem . im geting 7MM MAG barrel for my encore

JIM

[NMlad]

I've hunted with a 7mm Mag for about 15 years. I love them. I live in southern NM and I don't shoot a lot so a gun that shoots long and flat has worked well for me. Most Mule deer I've shot have stayed right where I shot them. I shoot mostly 150 or 160gr. I have never been able to group 175gr in any bullet type. Go with a Limb Saver recoil pad if you have any issues with the recoil.

I wouldn't trade for any other caliber.

[huntinny]

You can not go wrong with the 7mmmag. It was also my first rifle choice. It is the smallest magnum cartridge. plenty of power for anything up to moose and elk, and effective on deer. You will want to watch where you hit deer with this, but thats the same with any rifle. If I have have any complaints it the long barrel, but that seems to help stabilize my shooting and actualy makes holding on target easier- or at least appear easier. Enjoy!

[JNOS]

hey thanks for all the replies, feelin even better about the purchase, can't wait to get it, said its gonna be about a week. what you guys recommend for bullet type and weight, as well as scope, i'm thinking 3-9x40

[tddeangelo]

I would suggest nothing bigger than a 40mm objective.

For big game hunting, I like the 2-7x32 size. I think it's plenty of magnification, good field of view on the low end, and the scope is compact and unobtrusive on the rifle. While my rifles wear 3-9x40's, that's mostly because of the fact that I buy most of my optics from the Bargain Cave and take what I get at a good price. If I had my druthers, I'd put 2-7's on most of my stuff. I could....but I would have paid a lot more to get smaller scopes. ;)

FWIW- I have shot game with a 9x scope on 9x. I don't think the outcome would have been one bit different had the rifle been wearing a 2-7x scope.

My recommendations would be a 2-7x32 (some are 33) or a 3-9x40. Can you provide an idea of what your budget constraints look like? That would help with brand recommendations.

[d2huffman]

I put a leopold 2x7 on my new rifle and really love it - nice and compact. I had a leopold 4x on my previous rifle so size was about the same. I had a 3x9 several years ago and then went to 4x as it was a much higher quality and is plenty of magnification for deer and elk. I did carry the 2x7 on 5x when elk hunting and like that for most shots as the field of vision is good and plenty of magnification out to 400+ yds. I don't think you would use any thing more on elk or deer size animals.

[Dead_Beat]

3x9x40 VX3 or a VX2 or burris most scopes now days are pretty good i would stay away from the cheapies and spend at least $200 on a scope i would use federal preimum 160 gr. accubond or TXS what ever shoots best

im gearing up for a black bear whitetail hunt in the 270 im useing 140 gr. accubonds in the 308 im useing 165 gr. TSX. and in the 243 encore pistol im useing 85 gr. TSX and the encore rifle in 243 im useing 100 gr. SPBT cabelas bulk ammo


JIM

[C. Schutte]

hey thanks for all the replies, feelin even better about the purchase, can't wait to get it, said its gonna be about a week. what you guys recommend for bullet type and weight, as well as scope, i'm thinking 3-9x40


Please pardon the pun but, you are right on target with the 3x9x40. Unless you have a really large mellon you may not be able to shoot the scopes using high mounts because they make you lift your face off the stock to see. Most can't shoot the high mounted scopes as well so be honest with yourself. The point is to hit where you are aming. Three to nine power is what you need for hunting because it allows you to start off in low light with a low magnification/wide field of view and 9x from a scope with good optics is more than adaquate.

Don't worry too much about all of the hype you hear about the 50mm. objectives and how they allow you to see better. A larger objective on a cheap scope with cheap optics is just more trash piled on top of junk. Think quality over quantity. While it is true that a larger objective allows more light to enter the scope your eye can only use so much. A 40 mm. objective on a scope with good optics will allow you to see much better than a 50 mm. objective on a lesser scope and will provide more light than you eye can handle.

Light should not be your only consideration either. The better optics give you a much sharper image and the ability to see better, especially in low light situations. My recommendation would be to buy that 3x9x40 from a noted brand that is renown for durabality, accuracy and optical quality. While many scopes meet these qualifications, many do not and you would do well to invest in a good scope as opposed to a cheap one. Don't spend more than you can afford but don't be afraid to invest either. A 3x9x40 scope from the right manufacturer will provide a sharp image, more light than you need and stand up to the pounding that 7 mag will give year after year. For more information and opinions than you ever bargained for, just ask what brand? Good luck.............chs

[mrefird]

I am probably the lightest weight guy on the forum. I have a 7MM in an Encore with the 26" bull barrel.
I shoot handloaded 140gr X bullets. They do a great job with minimal destruction to meat. My gun wears a 4x12x44 only because I got a great deal on it. If I were buying new the 3x9x40 would be hard to beat.

[huntinny]

My 7mm wears the 4.5-14x40mm nikon. Its a little big and I think if I did it overagain I would go with the 3-9x40. Although the 7mmmag is usually a little longer than the .270s or 30-06s it does fit well with 4.5-14 power. I also like the 2x7x33mm scopes but prefer the 40mm on a 7mm. I use the VXiis and they are very good scopes and would recommend you use them as a comparison for price and quality when your looking.

[Ruger Man]

The 7mm rem mag was my first rifle it shooots flat and hits hard and recoil is not to bad you bought great gun.

[greenshovel]

I have a 700 ADL in 30.06, and a TC PH encore in 7MM Rem Mag. I love both guns. The recoil feels the same to me(actually a little less with the reciol pad on the encore). The rounds for the 06 are cheeper, but if I had to have only one of them...................... I would take the 7 mag just my .02

Steve

[300rumer]

The 7mm rem mag is an ausome round i bought one 25 years ago when i got my first job and quikly realized how much more range and knock down power it had over my old .270. My uncle bought one the first year remington produced it i think in1963 and to this day never stops to amaze me. It is so flat shoooting with such low recoil for a magnum. the new remington scirocco bonded ammo is what i recomend. in 140grains

[avionguy]

I have two 7 mag Browning Stainless Stalkers, the first with a custom muzzle brake and the second with BOSS. Recoil is nothing, but they are loud. Everyone touts what he shoots and I am no different. For me, the 7 mag is the perfect deer rifle.

[NEWFIE_HUNTER]

I just bought a 7mm Tikka T3 Lite stainless and thats a pretty light gun for 7mm and the 160gr Federal NP I'm about to use for my moose hunt. But I will confess I wasn't quite as excited as most people are when they bring a new gun to the range. Thought I might develope a flinch but the Limbsaver recoil pad was amazing!! It FELT like I was shooting my 308 with my 168gr sierra game kings for deer again. I am already addicted to the 7mm. It is very accurate too.

[bearbacker]

For the scope, a good 3x9 with a 40mm objective is what I would put on it. Just be sure you get a good scope,such as a Nikon (I really like the Monarch) or Leupold VX II or III. Weaver's Grand Slams are impressive in the store, though I haven't actually used one in the field. If you can stand it ($$$$) you could step up to the Zeiss Conquest.

With good 160 grain bullets in the 7 Mag, you can kill almost anything. They're a bit heavy for deer and just right for elk. Get a variety of loads and let the rifle tell you what it likes best.

[.358 MAN]

I have alot of experience with the 7mm mag and it is top notch.

[Riverbottom]

I as well own a 7mm Mag. I love the gun and round. I don't think you can go wrong with it. Mine also carries a 3x9x40 Leupold VXII.

Great rig!!! Going out with it this weekend for whitetail

[Ramg66]

No one should talk smack about the 7mm, I have killed a lot of game with it, I've made my longest kill shots with this caliber. The 7mm owns, top 5 in my book.

[greenshovel]

No one should talk smack about the 7mm, I have killed a lot of game with it, I've made my longest kill shots with this caliber. The 7mm owns, top 5 in my book.


I am also a true believer, after buying a 7mm last year (I have shot many calibers) the doe I shot last year and the two bucks that I have shot this year with it........I only have to say this, the deer drop right were they are shot............ peroid. I have not had to track any of the deer that I have shot with this caliber as of yet ..the knock down power is phenominal.\

Steve

[beretzs]

The big 7 was my first rifle and still one of my favorites. Pretty hard to go wrong with it for whitetails all the way to moose. As long as you shoot it well you will be in good shape. I still have a 4X Redfield on mine and it works as it is supposed to. Scotty