Talk me out of a 7mm rem mag

[Canhunter35]

I agree with Cody, a rem mag is overkill to me, I had one with a 28" barrel built last year, really like it but for what you're describing id get a light barrel and go 7mm-08

 

[Vortex!]

I'm in the camp of wondering why you would use a 7 mag for a possible 300 yard deer. Seems like 7-08 would fit better. Then again it's want, not need.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

Can a 7-08 push a 168 close to 2900-3000?
I have this barrel. I have a 30-06 that I'm perfectly happy with. I have a 308 that I'm happy with aside from the weight. I could change scope and stock to fix some of that. 7-08 does not seem to do anything better than what I alerady have.

 

[dxlbaile]

I never met a 7mm that I didn't love.. My first long range was a 7mm Mag that Dallas Lane built.. It has a 26 inch barrel and is fluted. It has a jewel trigger and stiller predator action.. That gun has yet to let me down. Elk, Bighorn sheep, Barbary, Oryx, Mule deer.. Shots all from 1000 in to 200 yards.. I shoot the Berger 180 hybrid under 72 grains of Retumbo and it shoots 3070 all day long. No signs of pressure but, Work your loads up..
Personally I'm not a short barrel fan but everyone has different needs..
You can get ammo anywhere and I love the ADG Brass.. "ADG was a gamechanger."
Two guns I own, I will never sell.... My 7 Rem and my 300 Win ...
Never had one problem under the sun shooting the belted magnums.... I feel like that is just something people complain about but, they never have any proof that it is a problem … They heard it somewhere so they pass it on.. I need to send them "Snipe," hunting..
Make that gun and never look back amigo you will be happy.
If you have a heavy enough bullet she will shoot a mile ...or more..

 

[RH300UM]

I never met a 7mm that I didn't love.. My first long range was a 7mm Mag that Dallas Lane built.. It has a 26 inch barrel and is fluted. It has a jewel trigger and stiller predator action.. That gun has yet to let me down. Elk, Bighorn sheep, Barbary, Oryx, Mule deer.. Shots all from 1000 in to 200 yards.. I shoot the Berger 180 hybrid under 72 grains of Retumbo and it shoots 3070 all day long. No signs of pressure but, Work your loads up..
Personally I'm not a short barrel fan but everyone has different needs..
You can get ammo anywhere and I love the ADG Brass.. "ADG was a gamechanger."
Two guns I own, I will never sell.... My 7 Rem and my 300 Win ...
Never had one problem under the sun shooting the belted magnums.... I feel like that is just something people complain about but, they never have any proof that it is a problem … They heard it somewhere so they pass it on.. I need to send them "Snipe," hunting..
Make that gun and never look back amigo you will be happy.
If you have a heavy enough bullet she will shoot a mile ...or more..

Can't beat this

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

Then, of course, some spoiler could point out that a a well designed 165 gr bullet in a 30-06 has virtually the same performance as a 7 RM at common hunting kill distances.

 

[FEENIX]

Can a 7-08 push a 168 close to 2900-3000?
I have this barrel. I have a 30-06 that I'm perfectly happy with. I have a 308 that I'm happy with aside from the weight. I could change scope and stock to fix some of that. 7-08 does not seem to do anything better than what I alerady have.

This is why I never ask what to build. I just do it and share it later.

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

7mm08 is a fine cartridge ----- almost as good as the 7x57. Ditto 260 Rem and 6.5x55.

 

[wbm]

Some ok options have been presented but I just dont see any of them being the complete package combined with ease of use/ownership that the 7mm mag has. Thanks all. Im off to gunbroker to grab an action.

 

[LVJ76]

Can a 7-08 push a 168 close to 2900-3000?
I have this barrel. I have a 30-06 that I'm perfectly happy with. I have a 308 that I'm happy with aside from the weight. I could change scope and stock to fix some of that. 7-08 does not seem to do anything better than what I alerady have.

No but you dont need to and I forgot that you already have two other magnums and a 30-06 so you'll still be missing a smaller cartridge.

You can't go wrong with the 7mm Rem Mag, I love mine and when the barrel is done I'll just get another in the same cartridge.

At your ranges a 7mm-08 would be perfect. With a high BC 160gr to 168gr bullet pushed between 2,500 and 2,600 fps you are good to 550 yds and maybe more.

It's a tough choice.

 

[fremont]

28 Nosler

 

[Winfwt338-06]

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.

Not sure if you're set on bolt face dia, if standard 06 bolt face, 280 Ack. Mag bolt face, 7mm Rem hard to beat. As you said with the current weight, recoil will be minimal. 26" finish in 280 Ack almost identical velocity to 24" 7mm Rem. Less powder, less recoil, same result. I have had 2 280 Rem, 1 7mm Rem. Love the caliber. Rechambered 7mm Rem to 7-300Wby. Sold first 280 to get rifle for that project. Just rebarreled Win 70 Fwt in 280 Rem, to 338-06 fwt contour straight tapered to 24" finish. After working at both Barnes bullets from 2000-2005 and Nosler in their ballistics labs, super impressed with performance gains in standard length cartridge the 338-06 offered over its patent. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

Stainless Rem 700 action will be at my FFL Monday, McMillan hunter stock already arrived, Trigger tech special trigger will be here tomorrow, and a Leupold VX5HD
3-15x44 is on it's way as well. Some deals to be had in the classifieds these days lol. Next I need to order a bolt from PTG, a few odds and ends and I can ship it to LRI for barrel work. Really excited.

Im just going to continue posting in this thread to keep all the info in one place. Probably going to pick up 100 rounds of factory ammo for break in and brass. Hornady precision hunter possibly. Any other good ammo choices to look at?

 

[Skimbleshanks]

Sent everything off the other day. It went to Whidden Gunworks. Looking forward to getting it back after this falls deer and elk seasons. Casual load development over the winter.