In terms of recoil, many 7mm RM loads will kick LESS than common factory .30-06 loads.
A 7mm RM was my only big game bolt rifle for 20+ years and got used for everything from light varminting in the prairie dog towns to coyotes, antelope, mule deer and elk. I still have the 7mm RM but also have three .30-06s, down from four. All get used and any difference in recoil, when using bullets of similar sectional density, is so minor as to be moot.
Just a quick example using Hodgdon data and rifle/scope combos weighing 8.3 pounds:
21.0 ft-lbs @ 12.8fps = 7mm RM, 150g bullet, 3045fps, 60.7g IMR4451
21.5 ft-lbs @ 12.9fps = 7mm RM, 160g bullet, 2945fps, 59.4g IMR4451
22.9 ft-lbs @ 13.3 fps = .30-06, 180g bullet, 2798fps, 57.4g H4530
24.0 ft-lbs @ 13.7fps = 7mm RM, 160g bullet, 2934fps, 68.9g IMR7977
Last edited by Coyote_Hunter; 09/07/15. Reason: spelnig and added a 150g 7mm
