Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska 7mm Remington mag forAlaska

I see a lot of people favor the .30/06 for Alaska hunting and that is understandable. I would like to know what Alaskans think of using the 7mm Remington mag for hunting there. Is it very popular there or is it not recommended? Any thoughts or opinions welcome.

Nothing wrong with the 7mm Magnum for Alaska. While the 30-06, .300WM, and .338WM may be the most popular in Alaska, the 7mm Magnum is not too far behind.

It has a very good reputation as a 'big gun' in places remote. Perhaps the biggest downside - though many wouldn't call it that- is the lack of readily available 175 Core-lokt ammo in many of the smaller places. (I would venture that more game has died via Remington Core-lokts in the last 50 years in Alaska than from any other single bullet.)

love mine for use in Alaska, particularly like 140 gr. Core-lokts in it.


but no flies on partitions or mono type Barnes bullets.


if the crosshairs are pasted in the correct place when the trigger breaks, dead animals are most often the result of using it.

that's been my experience anyway. It's taken caribou, sheep, moose.


when I play the mental masturbation game of "if you could only have one rifle" it and my .338 are always finalists.

When I lived in SE Alaska it was fairly popular which I always found funny because the terrain didn't lend itself to many long range shots. Nevertheless, the 7mag I always felt had a sort of cult following elevated it's powers beyond mortal cartridges. I had 280 that was the closest thing to a 7 mag but almost exclusively shot a 458. A few others 338 win mag 375 H&H, 300 win mag. I think the 7mag is a decent cartridge for most circumstances in AK.

Whatever the 06 can do the 7 mm Mag can do just as well or maybe a little better. My brother before he passed away was a die hard 7mm Mag fan and I could never convince him the 06 and 7 mag were just about even in the playing field and he was convinced the 7 mag was twice as powerful and nothing I could say made any difference.

I will agree the 7mm Mag can fire the same weight bullet at the same speed as the 30-06 with MORE powder ! And a couple less rounds in the magazine.


The 7mm mag is a great round, and due to the fact that there a a number of great 7mm bullets, it may have a little benefit in long range shooting. But if both rounds are loaded to equal velocities with similar bullets the difference is minimal.

It just never caught on in Alaska as well as it did in the lower 48.

7mm isn't my choice but good bullets proper placement it will tackle what you shoot at. I would take for grizzly, if I were going to Kodiak with the intent of bear I'd go for a e0 caliber or larger but if I was going for deer I might take it.

In part due to the fact that the local armories could not supply ball ammo for Remington bolt Mags while they did carry '06 ball ammo as well as appropriately chambered rifles. Softs versus walrus noggins are not always preferred.

Have a few friends that swear by their 7's that they've inherited. They're the typical "shoot just enough to fill the freezer with moose" hunters. I have no doubt they can kill very big animals, and better at long range relative to a 30-06 but, that's the only thing it has on it. The 30-06 would have heavier bullet options. Although, current bullet development towards tougher monolithic expansion is improving performance for magnum cartridges more than for traditional ones.

You could do everything with a 7 Mag. I always thought that a Rem 700 XCR2 in a McM Edge stock would be the ultimate do-all rifle in Alaska.

Noone has steered you wrong so far. Calvin is right, a relatively light 7mm would be a do-all for AK. I'd go bigger for brown bear, but that's the exception. I ran a R700 KS in 300 Wby for a do-all. Calvin's suggestion is essentially the same platform.

A good bullet probably matters more than anything. I shot 165-180 Barnes.

I think I would opt for a 8MM Rem magnum little more recoil but much more energy than a 7mm or a 30. Pretty awesome medicine with a 230 Gr. bullet.

I've used a 7mm Magnum for AK hunting a bit and never found it lacking. With a 7mm Magnum you get top notch bullet selection and recoil is noticeably more comfortable than larger caliber magnums.

Calvin's thoughts of a XCR in a McMillan Classic would make a formidable hunting rifle for AK, including the big bears.

I've never felt the urge for a 7 Mag,but after 3 Brown Bear,a Goat I know of taken with it,l wouldn't kick dirt on it.

Impossible to get "much more energy" without much more recoil.

And enough energy is enough and adding more adds very little to lethality...

I wish I had an 8 Rem Mag.... I don't know why but I used one for a few years and really liked it. Didn't have the cash with my BIL sold it.

I've shot 7 Rem mags a bit, and have a 7x300 wtby...

The 8 mag is definitely a notch up in recoil. Though not dissimilar from 300wtby.

Any time you are same speed and heavier bullet that tends to happen.

I think both rounds would do very well in AK. Of course I like the 338 mag too.

Bottom line, bullet choice, and shot placement, even with big bears.

Now if we are talking back up IE Guide Gun or such, to stop a wounded bear, obviously the choice should be larger... larger much better.... IF you can shoot it.

I own both and have used them for years hunting Newfoundland, which mimics Alaska's boreal forest and barren grounds terrain amazingly close. I've taken many woodland caribou, Canadian moose and uber large black bears that can grow as large as 700+ lbs. I generally prefer my own handloads (160gr Barnes Triple Shock for 7mm Rem Mag & 180gr Nosler Partition for the .30-06) but I'd have no reservations betting my moose hunt on 175gr Core-Lokts in factory ammo. As much as I love the 7mm Rem Mag, however, if I was hunting Brown bears, I'd probably opt for the '06 simply because I'd prefer to use a heavier bullet on dangerous game.

Regardless of calibre, I think the most important consideration is what rifle and calibre each individual shoots best. Whether you're shooting a 100gr pill from a .243Win or a 220gr bullet out of your grandfather's old Springfield, put it in the boiler room of even the largest moose and the result is the same.

I had a friend drop a Kodiak brownie with one shot from the hip at 10 yrds with an 8mmMag, luck yes but he was impressed once he cleaned himself up.

Coulda done that with a 243 if he was lucky. LOL.