difference in 7 MMs ?????

[J E Custom]

Your idea to use a 7mm was a good one for your entended use.

My recommendation having owned a 7/08,7WSM,7RM,7STW and a 7mm RUM would be to
determine your minimum hunting range,maximum hunting/shooting range,max-game size to
be hunted and the energy necessary for a clean one shot kill.( I like to use 1500ft/lbs energy
for Elk size game and 1000ft/lbs for deer size game at your self imposed maximum range.

Once this has been decided on look at each cartridge using the optimum bullet weight for
that round and look at down range ballistics for each and see which on best suits your
needs

I ran a couple of the most popular cartridges using the normal bullet weight and velocity
of factory ammo and this will give you an idea of what I am talking about.

The 7/08 = using 1500ft/lbs of energy for Elk. yardages were 350 yards.
Using 1000ft/lbs of energy for deer the yardage was 600yards,

The 7RM and the 7WSM are about the same and the energy's were
550 for Elk and 825 for deer.

The 7 STW and the 7mm RUM are within 100ft/sec so I looked at the STW and it's energy's.
Were =675 yards for Elk and 900 yards for deer.

With different loads and bullet weights these can vary some but they are close.

These energy's are "recommended" not required but it is a starting point.

I have killed deer with the 7/08 beyond 500 yards and with the 7STW beyond 800 yrds
and all have fell where they were shot.

So do a little research first and be honest with your self on the distance and you can make
a educated decision.

J E CUSTOM

 

[3006savage]

My choice in 7mm would be a 7mm WSM in a long action/long magazine to allow the heavier high BC bullets to be seated out. I would choose a preferred bullet and throat the barrel to that bullet and magazine. It think it would perform very well for its case capacity the recoil and barrel life would be good. That being said the 7mm Rem Mag is very popular and would be very close in performance.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

My choice in 7mm would be a 7mm WSM in a long action/long magazine to allow the heavier high BC bullets to be seated out. I would choose a preferred bullet and throat the barrel to that bullet and magazine. It think it would perform very well for its case capacity the recoil and barrel life would be good. That being said the 7mm Rem Mag is very popular and would be very close in performance.

I've seen a couple of posts on this and I thought the same about the heavier longer bullets in the and it is true, that the mag length (in my Sako) requires seating longer bullets deeper. However, there is a lot of freebore in my rifle (Finnlight 300 WSM) and in order to seat a 210 Berger to the lands the bearing surface of the bullet only catches about 2/3rds of the neck. Soooo.... both... the mag (and action) has to be longer and the throat shorter.

Something else to consider.

-MR

 

[loaders_loft]

seating the bullets way out doesn't gain anything on a 7 wsm because there's plenty of case capacity. The shoulder is pushed forward futher than a 300wsm. I can easily fit a max charge of retumbo (bulky powder) under a 168 VLD, the base of which is seated slightly below the base of the shoulder. Even with that much encroachment into the case, the powder is still loose.

I do agree, you certainly don't want a long throat.

By the way, take a look at the shape of the follower on a model 70 WSM, next time you have a chance. Its got a complex shape. I'm not sure if "just any" follower would work....

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I have many 7mm's in different configurations. I would narrow it to two choices. 7 STW or one of the blown out '06 cases. The 7 STW is right there close to the 7mm ultramag with much better barrel life and cheaper to load for. The STW case is about where the 7mm max's out. You can get a little more velocity with larger cases but with many more problems.

The 7mm JRS, 280 AI, 7mm Gibbs, etc, off the '06 or 280 case will virtually match the 7mm remington. They do that with much less powder and much longer barrel life. They do not require a muzzle brake like the big magnums either. They are easy and very inexpensive to load for. The 7mm wsm also falls in with this group. I just never found a need for the 7mm rem mag because I can match it cheaper with more barrel life and if I want a big 7mm I use my 7mm-300wby or 7STW.

 

[Sharpstick]

Plain old 7mm RM is my fav. Easy to get supplies, lower recoil than the bigger 7s , & a stout load pushing a 180 VLD gets you that 1500#s of energy at 1000 yards. No brake needed. The other 7s that run similar velocities would be great choices as well.

 

[Pdvdh]

Tossing out opinion here - not fighting. I own two 280 AIs and two 7mm Rem Mags. The recoil from my 7mm Rem Mags is very tolerable on pretty light rifles without muzzle brakes, and the additional velocity is in the 150 fps range with the higher BC bullets; substantial enough that I prefer the 7 Rem Mag for any shots on game exceeding 600-700 yds. Haven't shot out any barrels in these class cartridges yet in my use of them.

Long Time Long Ranger: Just a note to say I appreciate your posts, particularly the ones I've read covering your collection of 338 caliber rifles in some of the other threads.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

...Long Time Long Ranger: Just a note to say I appreciate your posts, particularly the ones I've read covering your collection of 338 caliber rifles in some of the other threads.

Plus one

 

[squirrelduster]

I have a 300 win mag that I have a lot of time and money invested in that shoots real well.
I purchased a Savage model 16 in 7 WSM a few months ago. I put a good scope on it and a new trigger as I don't like the accutrigger, worked up some loads with H4831sc under a Berger 168. It is amazing.
Half inch groups are common at 200 yards, my best is .384.
I have shot rocks out to 700 yards with 1 shot kills almost easy.
I am excited for deer season to start so I can see how it performs but for a factory rifle it is incredible. No muzzle brake required.
Maybe I just got an accurate one but I would definitly recommend the Savage model 16.
Spend the money you would have used for the custom rifle on reloading components and shoot A LOT.
The action and magazine length on the Savage is longer than the Remington and allows you to seat the bullets touching the lands.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[3006savage]

The action and magazine length on the Savage is longer than the Remington and allows you to seat the bullets touching the lands.

Have you measured the max OAL that fits in the savage magzine? I am curious what the length is as I have been told the savage short action is more like a medium length action.

 

[cavtrooper94]

IMHO Keep it simple (KISS). You say this will be an occassional usage rifle. A 7mm rem Mag in a Rem Sendero or 700P will work fine, and if you shop around save your wallet. work up a load with 168 VLD's or buy them loaded from BOTW, get some talley mounts, good glass ( NF, HO, ect.) and get to the range. Your going to want to burn 3-400 rounds at targets before your ready for that 800 yard ELK shot. I think you said your out East right. Find those chubby groundhogs in a place you can get some distance away and practice on them. You tag those at 6-800 yards and a 10 inch vital on an Elk will be a walk in the park.

"SCOUTS OUT"

 

[KWalker]

lightbulbgun)

I have a little experience with the STW and a ton of experience with the 7mm Rem Mag. If you've never hunted out west before, I'd recommend the 7mm Rem Mag. It is a phenomenal cartridge and is easily capable of 800yds on Mule deer (my personal 7mm Rem Mag shot on a Muley is slightly longer than that).

I've not played with the 7mm WSM, but for all but the heaviest bullets, it is nearly the equal of the Rem Mag. I've played with the 300WSM and it is a phenomenally efficient and easy to shoot round. If the 7WSM is it's equal, it would likely be as good of choice as the Rem Mag.

The Rem requires a long action and the WSM can be built in a short action configuration. Most WSM's hold one fewer round in the magazine than the 7mm Rem mags.

All in all, every cartridge you mentioned would meet your requirements. If you could find an older (1960's) Rem Model 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag, you'd not only have a great rifle/cartridge, but you'd have one of the classic western rifles ever made.

AJ

 

[barreltwister]

7mm's are a great caliber,..quite a few different cases to shoot .284" bullets out of.

I have a 7-08AI, a 280, had a 280AI(might build another), have a 7mm Rem Mag and two 7 STW's.

In a factory rifle I would recommend buying a new Rem 700 SPS stainless in 7mm Rem Mag, order a Bell & Carlson Medalist stock with the aluminium bedding block. Tune the trigger to 3# max, some will go 2-1/2#...
It'll weigh 8-1/2 lbs with the B&C stock and a 3.5-10X Leupold in Talley Lightweight rings. It'll shoot well under an inch and at least 3000 fps, maybe 3050-3100 out of the 26" barrel with 160 Accubonds once you tune a load for it.....and it'll kill game as far away as most guys can, or should shoot at game. You'll have about $1200-$1300 in it and it'll last you a lifetime, or until you get bored with it.

I set up a friend with the rig described above last fall........he loves it, and it made me wonder why I mess around with custom rifles that cost more than double his cash outlay.......before you put glass on it.....

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I just stated why I did not have a 7mm rem mag in my arsenal. It is a very popular cartridge and a good cartridge for a standard commonly available cartridge. Having built wildcat cartridges since the 70's I found in my opinion some better options that made the 7mm rem mag not fit into my arsenal. I have two pet 7mm JRS rifles which are all you can get out of a blown out 280 case. They shoot the 140 grain bullets almost 3300 fps and the 160 grain bullets almost 3100 fps with a 26" barrel. These are my accuraccy loads. They use less powder with less noise and recoil and cheaper brass than the 7mm rem mag and no belt which some like. You 7mm rem mag shooters can compare your velocities and see how far off the JRS is from you but I know it falls right in there.

For my magnum 7mm I use the 7mm-300 wby and the 7mm STW which steps up quite a bit over the 7mm rem mag. Here is the data on my pet 7mm-300 wby I built in 1977 on a 28" Hart barrel and it still shoots very well. My accuracy loads with 7828 push 140 grain bullets 3680 fps and the 162 Amax at 3460 fps.

From all my data I have developed through the years you can see how the 7mm rem mag just got shuffled out of my arsenal since I could virtually duplicate it with the smaller JRS and far exceed it with the 7mm-300 wby. I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings on here. I just was stating why I didn't have a 7mm rem mag.