Talk me out of a 7mm rem mag

[Skimbleshanks]

So I have had a 7mm Shilen select match 1:8 heavy palma barrel sitting around for years now. It can finish at 30". I have been back and forth on cartridge selection so many times. It was originally supposed to be a 7RUM. That barrel life is a real big turn off now. 7SS would be cool or 284 Shehane.

What I have come to realize is that a lot of cartridges come close to the performance of the 7 mag or goes way past it. With the associated cost of that performance. Or it matches the performance but with heavy brass prep, fire forming, and custom ($$$) dies. 7 mag has ADG brass available too so thats a plus.

I hunt deer 90% of the time and my main place only has shots to 200. My other place out to 300. I shoot targets out to 670 periodically. The only elk I have seen while hunting them was at 70-80 yards in a thick coast range quagmire. Didn't get a clear shot before he busted me and disappeared.

I typically hunt with a Vanguard in 30-06 shooting 175 Bergers and I am very happy with it. Really no NEED to change but new guns are fun. Having a back up to that 30-06 would be nice too. I also shoot a 308 but its a 15lbs Larue OBR and no fun to carry for long days. I have a 338wsm that I'm still working with but it is also 15lbs. M24 barrels are super cool right. My 300RUM I think might be a bit more gun than I want to use for Deer and once it has the glass I want will be quite heavy as well. It will also be getting a muzzle brake and I dont always have time for hearing pro while hunting so that is a major drawback. All bare shooting will damage my ears I know that. 300RUM with a brake and no ear pro is something I really want to avoid.

So here is my plan.
7mm rem mag with 150s or 168s
Flute the hell out of the barrel to lose some heavy from the heavy palma.
Finish it at 24"
Light enough recoil so no brake
Grayboe terrain stock. No adjustable cheek piece or LOP
BDL bottom metal
2-10 SHV or 4.5-14x44 something

Roughly get back to a hunting rifle setup. Not a light weight but not a "long ranger" either. Am I crazy? Holes in my logic? Thanks for taking the time to read all this.

 

[Westernhuntr]

Why not go 7 saum?
More accurate and efficient case design, guys are using them a LOT for ELR matches (2000 yards plus).
I've owned a few 7RMs and the case design leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion

 

[Skimbleshanks]

Why not go 7 saum?
More accurate and efficient case design, guys are using them a LOT for ELR matches (2000 yards plus).
I've owned a few 7RMs and the case design leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion

I don't shoot much factory ammo but I have never seen 7saum ammo on the shelf. Brass either. 7mm rem mag is all over the place.

What about the case design didn't you like?

 

[Sockeye66]

A friend shoots a 7 Rogue and loves it. brass is easy to form from what I understand, but not nearly as cost effective as a 7RM. 7RM is tough to beat for an all around.

 

[Unguided Missile]

I'll bite on this one. I was in the same boat about two years ago on what to build. You're not crazy by any means. I built a 7mm Rem Mag and have no regrets with it.

I went with a 7mm Rem Mag for a few reasons, and in no particular order.

1) Tried and true cartridge and not the newest and greatest. I know it has a belt on the case, but I'm not sweating that.
Are there more efficient cartridges without a belt? Yes, but I'm not into the latest and greatest. I'd rather own a
Toyota and get to where I need to be instead of a Ferrari if you know what I mean (Reliability).
2) Brass is readily available. I just picked up some ADG and it's pretty legit. Other than my OCD kicking in on some
variations. My nerves were put to rest after talking to some guys on here about the brass and the prep work.
3) Your hunting/target needs will be met with the 7mm Rem Mag.
4) Bullet variations and grain weight will smash almost any animal in North America.
5) A muzzle break will tame down the recoil significantly.
6) Barrel life is greater than many other .284 diameter cartridges.
7) Very versatile. Can shoot a wide range of bullet weights for what you want.

I'm primarily a deer hunter also and would have no hesitation at taking shots out to 600 yards with my set up. On elk, I'd probably go out to 500 yards for my skill level. With factory Hornady loads, I've rang steel out to 900 yards. I wouldn't shoot that far on an animal, but for steel, it's fun to shoot.

 

[dok7mm]

Nothing wrong with your idea of a 7 mag. There's always one in my safe, my last elk was with it and a 168.

It seems like something new is always coming along, but the 7RM still gets the job done.

I say this, but I building my 3rd Sherman, this one is the 7MAX that uses a 7 Saum case. I doubt it'll kill anything deader than a 7RM, but I like new playthings.

 

[Backcountry sports]

So I have had a 7mm Shilen select match 1:8 heavy palma barrel sitting around for years now. It can finish at 30". I have been back and forth on cartridge selection so many times. It was originally supposed to be a 7RUM. That barrel life is a real big turn off now. 7SS would be cool or 284 Shehane.

What I have come to realize is that a lot of cartridges come close to the performance of the 7 mag or goes way past it. With the associated cost of that performance. Or it matches the performance but with heavy brass prep, fire forming, and custom ($$$) dies. 7 mag has ADG brass available too so thats a plus.

I hunt deer 90% of the time and my main place only has shots to 200. My other place out to 300. I shoot targets out to 670 periodically. The only elk I have seen while hunting them was at 70-80 yards in a thick coast range quagmire. Didn't get a clear shot before he busted me and disappeared.

I typically hunt with a Vanguard in 30-06 shooting 175 Bergers and I am very happy with it. Really no NEED to change but new guns are fun. Having a back up to that 30-06 would be nice too. I also shoot a 308 but its a 15lbs Larue OBR and no fun to carry for long days. I have a 338wsm that I'm still working with but it is also 15lbs. M24 barrels are super cool right. My 300RUM I think might be a bit more gun than I want to use for Deer and once it has the glass I want will be quite heavy as well. It will also be getting a muzzle brake and I dont always have time for hearing pro while hunting so that is a major drawback. All bare shooting will damage my ears I know that. 300RUM with a brake and no ear pro is something I really want to avoid.

So here is my plan.
7mm rem mag with 150s or 168s
Flute the hell out of the barrel to lose some heavy from the heavy palma.
Finish it at 24"
Light enough recoil so no brake
Grayboe terrain stock. No adjustable cheek piece or LOP
BDL bottom metal
2-10 SHV or 4.5-14x44 something

Roughly get back to a hunting rifle setup. Not a light weight but not a "long ranger" either. Am I crazy? Holes in my logic? Thanks for taking the time to read all this.

7mm cooper 92 weight 92 ounces great bolt and barrel and stock and trigger set up with scope a little over 7lbs great back pack rifle 7mm al the way

 

[SmokinCrow]

7 mag is great, but with a 8 twist barrel I would personally go with a heavier bullet than the 150-168 class. 175 or 180 would be my preference, but that's just me. You'll do fine with the 7 Rem Mag. Ammo is easy to find at any mom and pop shop if you ever by chance forget ammo when you've traveled for a hunt.

 

[Randy Tidwell]

Only thing about what you are doing that I would not do is flute the barrel.

Fluting is tricky at best IMHO! Takes a really good machinist to flute one correctly.

If it is to heavy to hunt with, sell it, bet a lighter barrel, they are cheap.

I consider barrels are like a set of tires, consumable.

Just my thoughts.

 

[baldhunter]

The 7mag is the reason I don't have any of the smaller 7mm's.I'd just be trying to load them hot to get what I can get easily out of the 7mag.I picked up a 7STW 12yrs ago.It can beat my 7mag loads by 200fps,but it's a lot harder on the barrel and it takes around ten more grains of powder to do it.If your shooting really long ranges it's not a bad choice,but for most of my shooting and hunting I'd really rather just have a 7mag.It's kinda like a 30-06,it's never a bad choice.

 

[gbett308]

I had an old Winchester model 70 xtr in 7 mag and it kicked like hell with a light barrel. It didn't group well either, an old family heirloom that sat around too long unmaintained. I finally just sold it to the highest bidder. Shot a good buck with it once though, nothing a good 308 couldn't do. Thinking of getting another 7 rem mag too but new this time. 7 rem mag just has too many good options to resist with bullet choices, applications and availability of ammo.

 

[cnjchris]

I can not talk you out of the 7mm mag due to its design, performance, and reliability on so many levels. For many situations, it is a caliber you will want in your inventory to be able to choose from.

 

[codyadams]

Even fluted and cut at 24, it will still be a 12lb rifle, likely heavier. I am working on a ruger 7mm rem mag with a 6 flute fluted #5 Brux cut @24" (.900" @ start of taper, .700"@26" vs 1.00" tapering to .900"@30" for your heavy palma!!) is a bit over 11 lbs, with a 2lb 5oz stock, and 24 oz scope.

7 mag is a great cartridge, though for your hunting uses of 300 yards max and mostly deer, and wanting a good back up, I would sell that barrel, get something along the lines of a #3 or #3b and have it fluted, cut it at 22" or 24" and run something like a strait 284, a 7mm-08, or .280 remington if you want a 7mm. You have the heavy rifles covered for long range playing, sounds like a light rifle would get some more use, and honestly dialing and holdover isn't necessary with high powered rifles at those ranges.....you can zero around 225 and have it on a deer out to 3 and never have to hold off fur, even with a 7mm-08. No reason for a magnum at those ranges either, especially if you want to go without a brake.

If you just want a play gun mostly for the range, then ya, build it heavy. It will be a fun gun.

Just my opinion, I have packed a 14 lb rifle up and down the Wyoming mountains, it got old, I now have a 9 lb rifle for that. It is also chambered in 338 NM, but then again the closest elk we have shot in the last 4 years was 500 yards, farthest 910, average around 700. There is no max range, I have had clear opportunities on elk out to 1400 yards and farther, just haven't taken the shot. If my max range around here for elk was 300 yds, honestly I would probably have a nice light custom .308, 30-06 or maybe .338-06. My brush gun if I hunt in dark timber is an 8.5 lb .308 shooting 180's topped with a 3-9x40, perfect elk medicine, have also killed deer pronghorn and a moose with it. A 7mm-08, .280 rem or .280AI would also be a consideration, the AI simply for the fact that trimming brass is limited.

 

[Pinoniper]

What Unguided Missile said. So many people say they do not like the belt, but then are short on specifics as to why not. Buy ammo anywhere. Always have brass available. Easy to sell if you ever do.

The only other thing I would add is that you should consider finishing that barrel at at least 26." While slightly handier, a short barrel loses velocity and gains muzzle blast. By the sound of it, this is never going to be a brush gun or a lightweight mountain gun, so think about letting the 7RM have enough barrel to do its job.