24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 4 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 18,508
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 18,508

I mainly use 160 AB's in mine and 7WSM. 140's work well too.

BP-B6

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,045
A
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
A
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,045
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Does the 7mm Remington Magnum perform best with a 24" or 26" barrel?


Define "perform"..


What could I expect to gain over a 22" barreled 270 Winchester?


My 7mm Rem with 26" barrel pushes the 175gn Woodleigh Weldcore at 2940fps.
That is a little more whallop than than the .270 will push the 150 grainer with top end loads.
The fly in the ointment of course, is that there is no animal one is not suited for and the other, is.
I do however, prefer that margin in my favor.
John


When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
H
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
H
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
I spend a lot of time reading competition shooters' pages, and looking at the speeds and pressures they are shooting with standard cartridges, I think this barrel length thing is open to more debate than "You want a 24, or a 26?" If in a packing rifle, I've noticed that bbls around 22" seem to balance better in the hands, but I don't notice when packing or shooting a 24". Never hunted with a 26", but I wish I had. The point for me in getting a 7 mag would be to increase my velocity over say a 280. What extra recoil, blast, etc. I'd deal with had better get me the most speed for my bang, so I'd opt for a 26". I don't get the 'fast handling 7 mag' concept.

My first custom build is going to have a 25" bbl. My long range rig plan is for 27 or 28.


I belong on eroding granite, among the pines.
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,056
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,056
i just put together a 7mag , fluted barrel 26 in long, #2 contour, light cdl stock, 4.5x14 leupold weighs 8lbs all up, shoots 160 accubond 3130fps with 7828ssc, just came in from shooting it, 800 yards .7 moa for 2 5shot groups, little muzzle heavy, i dont like a light muzzle, feel, little weight forward holds better in field positions,,

i have a 7saum 28in barrel #4 contour, shoots 168 berger 3000 fps holds .5 moa at 800 easy,,,weighs 9 lbs, been in my scabbard on my mule and in my backpack for 4 years, lots of game killed, my son thinks he needs it,, thats why i put together another rifle

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
B
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
B
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
Originally Posted by HuntnShoot
..... If in a packing rifle, I've noticed that bbls around 22" seem to balance better in the hands, but I don't notice when packing or shooting a 24"....... I don't get the 'fast handling 7 mag' concept.



HuntnShoot: The concept of fast handling 7 mags probably goes back to the days when guys like JOC and Warren Page set the parameters of what was then known as a "mountain rifle".As it turns out these mountain rifles proved to be pretty good all-round BG rifles.

Those guys back then tended to specialize a bit less,but traveled a great deal to hunt,here and abroad. The rifle might not only see real mountain duty but also use in Africa, for deer (almost anywhere with the myriad conditions where they are found)and elk back here, as well as black bear,moose, grizzly,African plains game, etc. It should be able to reach 400-500 yards on elk if called upon, but should be maneuverable in the confines of a leopard blind, or take a 70 yard kudu,whitetail or elk in confined quarters of brush country where fast handling is at a premium.

They might be transported by truck, plane, mule or horseback.

Reason is simple...you can't travel with a lot of rifles to suit the many circumstances you might bump into,and people who have to travel from home to hunt frequently don't know what they will encounter.

The rifle has to be more of a grand compromise than a highly specialized piece of gear,and those 22"-24" 7 mags (270's, 280's, 30/06's etc.)weighing 7-8 pounds do a better job of handling a lot of hunting than a heavier rifle with long barrel.....which may be just the ticket for some open country stuff, but a PITA at 10,000 feet on a mountain,and ridiculous in a blind or heavy cover trying to hunt animals that actually move and don't want to be shot. wink smile


I've hunted with 26" barreled rifles (300H&H and 264 WM)and it was no great burden but in building a 7 mag for myself,give me the lighter 23-24" #2 contour,and bring it in at 7.5-8 pounds. I know it's gonna work at a bunch of chores,including those fast shots we sometimes have to make. smile

No real need to worry as a 24" 7 RM will handily outrun any 280 in barrels of the same length. I would be surprised to see the 280 come close.




The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
IC B2

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,715
W
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
W
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,715
What Bob said!!!


Molon Labe
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,582
V
VAhuntr Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
V
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,582
Little update here: Wound up going with a Remington 700 ADL 7mm RM with a 24" barrel. Topped it off with a VX3, 3.5-10x40. Very happy with how well it shoots.


"Never stand and take a charge...charge them too."

--- General Nathan Bedford Forrest, CSA
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,374
S
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,374
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Does the 7mm Remington Magnum perform best with a 24" or 26" barrel?


Define "perform"..


What could I expect to gain over a 22" barreled 270 Winchester?


Ballistically, the 7MM Rem Mag has a decided edge on the .270 Win. But I doubt if it'll kill any deader than a .270 Win. It's all about where a bullet goes.


�If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.�
***US President James Madison***
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,374
S
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,374
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Little update here: Wound up going with a Remington 700 ADL 7mm RM with a 24" barrel. Topped it off with a VX3, 3.5-10x40. Very happy with how well it shoots.


You can't ask for more than that.


�If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.�
***US President James Madison***
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,195
K
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
K
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,195
I would like my next big 7mm to have a 28" barrel, I can always cut off 2".

IC B3

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
J
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
J
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Originally Posted by VAhuntr
Little update here: Wound up going with a Remington 700 ADL 7mm RM with a 24" barrel. Topped it off with a VX3, 3.5-10x40. Very happy with how well it shoots.


I like your gun / barrel length / and scope COMBO.

Can't imagine ANY combination working any better. I might add a 300 WM would be in the SAME category for myself. I have some 7 RMs , an 8 RM , and 300 WM , all very similar.


jwall- *** 3100 guy***

A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap

Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 487
J
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
J
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 487
I personally only shoot 120's and the heavies (160's & 175's) in mine and skip all the bs in between. In my old Savage, it was easy to get 3500fps with 120's using a full case of RL22 or Magpro. Same powders along with H870 gave 3000fps +/- with 160's and H870/US869 was all I ever used with the 175's @ about 2900fps. Eventually I settled on just two bullets, the 120 Barnes X (all versions) for deer and like game, and 160 Accubonds for anything bigger that I still have yet to get a chance to hunt.

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
H
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
H
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
Originally Posted by BobinNH
Originally Posted by HuntnShoot
..... If in a packing rifle, I've noticed that bbls around 22" seem to balance better in the hands, but I don't notice when packing or shooting a 24"....... I don't get the 'fast handling 7 mag' concept.



HuntnShoot: The concept of fast handling 7 mags probably goes back to the days when guys like JOC and Warren Page set the parameters of what was then known as a "mountain rifle".As it turns out these mountain rifles proved to be pretty good all-round BG rifles.

Those guys back then tended to specialize a bit less,but traveled a great deal to hunt,here and abroad. The rifle might not only see real mountain duty but also use in Africa, for deer (almost anywhere with the myriad conditions where they are found)and elk back here, as well as black bear,moose, grizzly,African plains game, etc. It should be able to reach 400-500 yards on elk if called upon, but should be maneuverable in the confines of a leopard blind, or take a 70 yard kudu,whitetail or elk in confined quarters of brush country where fast handling is at a premium.

They might be transported by truck, plane, mule or horseback.

Reason is simple...you can't travel with a lot of rifles to suit the many circumstances you might bump into,and people who have to travel from home to hunt frequently don't know what they will encounter.

The rifle has to be more of a grand compromise than a highly specialized piece of gear,and those 22"-24" 7 mags (270's, 280's, 30/06's etc.)weighing 7-8 pounds do a better job of handling a lot of hunting than a heavier rifle with long barrel.....which may be just the ticket for some open country stuff, but a PITA at 10,000 feet on a mountain,and ridiculous in a blind or heavy cover trying to hunt animals that actually move and don't want to be shot. wink smile


I've hunted with 26" barreled rifles (300H&H and 264 WM)and it was no great burden but in building a 7 mag for myself,give me the lighter 23-24" #2 contour,and bring it in at 7.5-8 pounds. I know it's gonna work at a bunch of chores,including those fast shots we sometimes have to make. smile

No real need to worry as a 24" 7 RM will handily outrun any 280 in barrels of the same length. I would be surprised to see the 280 come close.


Awesome answer, Bob. You schooled me. It makes sense now. It is easy to forget how much the firearms industry has changed in 50 years, because the same discussions have been going on the whole time, with the same problems solved and re-solved. What is old is certainly new again.

I have seen horrible velocity loss in guns with shorter bbls. One exception was a 22" M70 270 that I worked up a load for that shot 3150 with 130 SSTs. Most powders I tried gave around 2900 though, so I understand that it may be a matter of finding the 'right' powder.

7 mags still seem like long-shooting rigs to me, rather than do-it-alls. Maybe it is because I've seen several lost animals from close-range shots and 7RM.


I belong on eroding granite, among the pines.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
B
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
B
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
Originally Posted by HuntnShoot


7 mags still seem like long-shooting rigs to me, rather than do-it-alls. Maybe it is because I've seen several lost animals from close-range shots and 7RM.


Bad placement or wrong bullets(assuming the reason for the loss was insufficient bullet penetration). smile

A 7 mag works fine at closer ranges if you use a bullet that will penetrate at high impact velocity. wink




The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
H
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
H
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,189
I eventually thought it was a cursed caliber. The lost game when on through my early hunting days, and I was surprised every time. I was shooting weak rounds in comparison and having 0 problems. It is an old and likely irrelevant set of experiences but I still carry the dregs of the memories. Short-range rodeos that become lost animals are the worst, because it is a done deal, supposedly, when the shooting starts.

I know you're a big fan of big 7's, Bob. I want to get into that club someday.


I belong on eroding granite, among the pines.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
B
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
B
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
HnS: They work pretty well (even at close range)for me but I have always used bullets that penetrate well.Last bull elk was with a 160 NPT through both shoulders at about 180 yards(I guess that's pretty close today). It exited and elk was DRT.





The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,513
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,513
I used a 7 Rem Mag in Africa for the first time last week (rented a rifle from my PH).

I shot a Nyala and a Warthog with a 160 gr TSX. Both were 1-shot kills. The Nyala was inside of 100 yards and the Warthog was a little further off. The Nyala was a pass-through with good expansion on the exit. We recovered the bullet from the Warthog (diagonal quartering shot). The shaft was slightly bent and it lost a petal, but otherwise expanded beautifully.

The PH was a big fan of the 7mm, TSX combo.

Eric

[Linked Image]

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,886
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,886
I have a relative who has lost two good black bears on less than 50 yard shots with his 7 Rem. mag. and 150 Ballistic tips. Neither bear was lost for good. They both just ended up staying on their feet long enough to end up on somebody elses wall. I just got a Ruger 7 mag myself and bought some 175 Federals. If I don't start loading for it before Fall I figure these will do the job well at close range or farther out.

Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,556
S
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,556
Originally Posted by moosemike
I have a relative who has lost two good black bears on less than 50 yard shots with his 7 Rem. mag. and 150 Ballistic tips. Neither bear was lost for good. They both just ended up staying on their feet long enough to end up on somebody elses wall. I just got a Ruger 7 mag myself and bought some 175 Federals. If I don't start loading for it before Fall I figure these will do the job well at close range or farther out.


The problem was not the 7 mag, but the poor bullet choice. A Ballistic Tip is a poor choice for close shots at high velocity. It is not a durable bullet. Your 175-grainers will work fine, but it still depends on which bullet is in the load.

For a do-it-all load in a 7 mag, it is hard to improve on a 160 or 175-grain Nolser Partition or Accubond. Deer and antelope aren't too big of a deal and many bullets will work, but for bears, elk etc., my money will always be with a premium bullet.
I have killed lots of deer both close and far with 139 Hornady Interlocks, but tough stuff is another game.


You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it.
A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck.
Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,582
V
VAhuntr Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
V
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,582
I have 100 Core Lokts of the 150 grain variety. The rifle shoots these very well. What kind of results can I expect on deer with these? The shots could be inside 50 yards but generally 75 to 400 yards.





"Never stand and take a charge...charge them too."

--- General Nathan Bedford Forrest, CSA
Page 4 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
392 members (1lesfox, 300jimmy, 160user, 257 mag, 1lessdog, 12344mag, 39 invisible), 2,073 guests, and 913 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,594
Posts18,398,004
Members73,815
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.107s Queries: 15 (0.005s) Memory: 0.9051 MB (Peak: 1.0799 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 11:29:51 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS