7mm rem mag build

[CHRIS MCBRIDE]

I am sure I am going to get a bunch of flak for this. &,, rem mag will do what you want. I have hunted for past 30 years with one. One elk at 500 yards and went maybe 50 yrds before down for count.I do live in NC so Elk hunts are rare for me. My weapon of choice and here comes the crap part.Is Weatherby Vanguard. Shoots great at 500 yards,never tried more. Very consistent shot placement and predictable,as long as I do my job. Came with nice trigger,but I did have it worked on to get down to exactly 3 lbs. New cost was 500 bucks and I think they are still in that range.Now quality now compared to 30 years ago,I can not say.

Now if you just want to build you one custom I 100% understand. I would not shorten barrel below 24".For some reason the caliber seems to love barrels that length. Maybe velocity thing. Just look at factory offerings almost everyone has 24" pipe.

 

[RidgeReaper208]

300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum in a 20" barrel would be bad to the bone....this cat has already been skinned! Bullet diameter makes a difference and I'd always take 30 Cal over the smaller bore offerings.

Good Luck with the build...GO BIG OR DON'T GO AT ALL!

 

[.338 RCM]

A rifle does come to mind with everything you mentioned. It has more power than a 7mm rem mag, it will kill a wolf, elk, any bear, it is a one world gun, factory ammo is available, recoil isn't bad, and you can hunt out to 400 yards with 250's, and it performs well out of a 20" barrel. That rifle is a 9.3 x 62..

 

[WahooYahoo]

There are also options in custom ammo. Its better than factory ammo and you get to use the bullet you want, which in my case is never available in a factory load. Just take a couple of measurements and order up you test loads. Tell the maker which one you want, order up a few boxes and you're done. So you don't have to over-look the better performing calibers (better performing in a 20" barrel)... just sayin

 

[bpcrshooter]

as you said you are mainly a bow hunter, my question is......what is "long range" to you 200,400,600,800, 1000yd?? this is what you should probably figure out before deciding on a cartridge. Being a bow hunter and being a long range hunter are two totally different things and take VERY different skills (not saying you dont have them). In my opinion, if your going to stay under 3-400yd there are WAY better cartridges that will produce WAY better results than a short 7mmRM. if your wanting light, put a carbon barrel on it and keep it 24in, or if you just wanna have a 20in 7mmrm buy that. Bottom line is 160gr bullet @27-2800fps will kill a elk or deer and just because it comes out of a different cartridge, that isnt a 7mmRm doesn't mean it wont to the job. I hope you do well in your search and your hunt......... matt

 

[notyounganymore]

y'all have definitely convinced me to stay away from the 20" 7mmRM. Since I want a short barrel, I have been looking a bit more at the short actions, and kinda thinking 300's. 300wsm, 300saum, 300rcm. There is little out there about the 300rcm, which worries me for loads. Remember, recoil is less of an issue since I have a supressor.

 

[notyounganymore]

as you said you are mainly a bow hunter, my question is......what is "long range" to you 200,400,600,800, 1000yd?? this is what you should probably figure out before deciding on a cartridge. Being a bow hunter and being a long range hunter are two totally different things and take VERY different skills (not saying you dont have them). In my opinion, if your going to stay under 3-400yd there are WAY better cartridges that will produce WAY better results than a short 7mmRM. if your wanting light, put a carbon barrel on it and keep it 24in, or if you just wanna have a 20in 7mmrm buy that. Bottom line is 160gr bullet @27-2800fps will kill a elk or deer and just because it comes out of a different cartridge, that isnt a 7mmRm doesn't mean it wont to the job. I hope you do well in your search and your hunt......... matt

great question...long range is relative, and unknown at the moment. I can shoot a bow to 100y, but I won't shoot an animal over 45-50, in good conditions. Deer, less than that.
I would like to shoot rocks to 1000, but I won't shoot an animal at a longer range than I feel it will drop because my skill level will make it so. I shoot my bow nearly daily. Probably won't shoot my rifle more than a couple hundred rounds per year. I will NOT be the guy who takes it out of the case the day before and thinks I am a 700 yard shooter.

 

[264MHC]

So here's what I would do if I was you. I would start with a Defiance AnTi Short action. 20.8oz, $999. Next I would Use a Carbon 6 Remage Prefit 20" 8 Twist 7mm, with a Bighorn Barrel Nut. 10% off right now, $750 Threaded 5/8-24, about 40 oz. For the cartridge, for your situation, 7 Wsm. There are a fair amount of factory ammo options and they're all pretty good ones. More expensive than 7 Rem Mag but not bad and will perform better in a short barrel. Factory 160s show 3000 fps, so should still be over 2800 in a 20" barrel. Good enough for anything you mentioned.

Next, I feel like the XLR magnesium chassis is a good call. Spring for the short pull carbon buttstock option to keep it light. Side folder ads lop hence the short stock. It also adds 4.5 oz. You would still be around 34oz for the whole stock setup and don't need to worry about bottom metal. $1000

For the Trigger, go with a trigger tech primary. Can be found for around $150 and is awesome. Being as this will be your only rifle, you'll never know how good it is till you shoot someone's factory Trigger.

That setup would come in at around $3000 and 100ish oz (6.25 Lbs) Bare rifle. With your Trash Panda at 12oz that puts you at 7 Lbs. Use Hawkins Hybrid Direct Mount rings (3.5 ozs) and keep the scope around 20oz and you're 8.5 Lbs all up.

That my Friend would be one Bad A** lightweight, compact, well balanced, good looking, quiet, Kill anything you aim at, Rifle

 

[notyounganymore]

So here's what I would do if I was you. I would start with a Defiance AnTi Short action. 20.8oz, $999. Next I would Use a Carbon 6 Remage Prefit 20" 8 Twist 7mm, with a Bighorn Barrel Nut. 10% off right now, $750 Threaded 5/8-24, about 40 oz. For the cartridge, for your situation, 7 Wsm. There are a fair amount of factory ammo options and they're all pretty good ones. More expensive than 7 Rem Mag but not bad and will perform better in a short barrel. Factory 160s show 3000 fps, so should still be over 2800 in a 20" barrel. Good enough for anything you mentioned.

Next, I feel like the XLR magnesium chassis is a good call. Spring for the short pull carbon buttstock option to keep it light. Side folder ads lop hence the short stock. It also adds 4.5 oz. You would still be around 34oz for the whole stock setup and don't need to worry about bottom metal. $1000

For the Trigger, go with a trigger tech primary. Can be found for around $150 and is awesome. Being as this will be your only rifle, you'll never know how good it is till you shoot someone's factory Trigger.

That setup would come in at around $3000 and 100ish oz (6.25 Lbs) Bare rifle. With your Trash Panda at 12oz that puts you at 7 Lbs. Use Hawkins Hybrid Direct Mount rings (3.5 ozs) and keep the scope around 20oz and you're 8.5 Lbs all up.

That my Friend would be one Bad A** lightweight, compact, well balanced, good looking, quiet, Kill anything you aim at, Rifle

I REALLY like those recommendations. Wasn't sure about the short pull vs regular buttstock, so thanks for that info as well.
7wsm rather than 300wsm, knowing that I have a suppressor to lessen the kick?

 

[264MHC]

7 Vs 300 is your decision to make. 7 will have less wind drift and drop with the same bullet weights. To get similar bc's in the 300 you have to go to heavier bullets in a given style Hornady Eldx, Nosler accubond, etc., resulting in slightly slower velocities with the same wsm case capacity, and slightly more recoil. The 7 actually has the shoulder farther forward for more capacity than the 300.
300 of course has the heavier bullet options and will almost always have more energy.
I would say you should decide based on the available ammo options i.e. price vs performance.
I haven't ever shot the combo but I feel like even with a suppressor, an 8.5 Lbs 300 wsm will still be pretty stout on the recoil, but nothing crazy by any means.

 

[XSIVSPD]

y'all have definitely convinced me to stay away from the 20" 7mmRM. Since I want a short barrel, I have been looking a bit more at the short actions, and kinda thinking 300's. 300wsm, 300saum, 300rcm. There is little out there about the 300rcm, which worries me for loads. Remember, recoil is less of an issue since I have a supressor.

I'd do 300wsm, but on a long action (like that carbon fiber barreled savage I linked) so if you decide to load long high bc bullets you won't run out of mag space. Standard 300wsm loads take up every bit of a short action mag and don't leave you any space for the better bc stuff

 

[RidgeReaper208]

There is a plethora of custom gun makers who can make you a light-weight, short barrel rifle in various calibers for $3k. If I were you, I'd start calling or emailing these people and have them mock up a few options. From there, make a decision that best fits your needs based on the info derived from this thread as well as what the manufacturers have to say. Everyone who has chimed in on this thread most likely has had or have multiple custom guns designed for specific style of hunts, competitions, etc. This is a great place to get a pulse on what you can likely expect from various platforms. Take it to the next level and contact the folks responsible for bringing these style of rifles to market.

"You can get a good look at a T-Bone by sticking your head up a bulls butt...wouldn't it be easier to take the butcher's word for it?" ~ Tommy Boy

7mm, 300, 6.5, 338....it doesn't make a lick of difference as long as you know what your doing and have the confidence when your out there doing it! Soo many "hunters" buy the best of the best and think they can immediately go out and kill an animal at 500, 600, 700, 800 yards and beyond without spending time practicing the craft of long range shooting. If I had a dollar for every Youtube video I watched of guys with Gunwerks, Fierce, Christiansen Arms custom rifles missing shots or wounding animals at those ranges I'd be a Gazillionaire!!!! Best part is when you call those "hunters" out in the comment section of their video and their response is full of excuses and woah-is-me BS. Yet, they continue to do the same thing over and over again...can't fix STUPID!

Godspeed

 

[Ginga]

A 20 inch barreled 7 RM will surprise you. Plenty of cut down 20 inch RMs being used in New Zealand running suppressors and being shot out to 500 yards and further on game successfully. They can easily push a high BC 160 grain bullet at 2850 fps or more. No doubt you lose a few FPS cutting them down but the high BC 7mm bullets give you an advantage over the 308 and upward calibers where heavier projectiles are required to achieve the same BC.

I use a 7 saum cut to 20 inches and suppressed. It will push a 162 eld x to 2850 fps easily.

Plenty of options I guess but don't write the rem mag off! It also has plenty of factory ammo available in most places in the world.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Perhaps you may wish to either re think the rifle design, or that caliber. A 20 inch Bbl. 7 mag???? Really??? Lots of burned powder outside the barrel. Huge loss of velocity . Have you already considered a 30-06 or .308?? Just wondering.