I was just at Walmart and noticed a Remington 700 SPS 7mm Rem Mag with a cheap 3x9 scope for $370 and figured that is a decent price. I have never really thought about a 7mm Rem Mag so no sure what it should become if I pick it up. Any ideas?

I ve always wanted a 350 Norma.

Not much in NA that you can't handle with a 7mm mag probably a bit big for some hunting .but dead is dead. I use to load mine down to 280 or 7x57 levels which was easy enough, just wasted a bit of powder.

I've got quite a few rifles of different calibers from 6mm-300 Win. Mag,I have to say the 7mag is one of my favorites.It is very accurate,recoil is not bad,shoots flat,hits hard,wide range of bullet weights to pick from,kills from close up to way out yonder,would be my vote for the "All Around Gun".Get rid of the cheap scope and put a decent one on it and go out and kill something with it.

I agree with the post above. I made due with one for several years and could do so again if needed.

Nice caliber.. Have shot it since about the time it first hit the market.. Never heard of an animal being killed too dead.. One of my favorite rifle calibers..

Yep scope is definitely gone. I might play with it for a while since I don't think I have had a 7mm Rem Mag before. I will put a 6x42 on it either Meopta or Leupold and give it a whirl.

If you reload,I've got some good loads that work on several rifles.

pacecars, I see you live in Florida(great place) but it's not home to big animals and wide open spaces. Do you intend to hunt out west for elk and such? If so then it's a good choice, one I really like. If most of your hunting is local why bother? Just say'n

The 7mm Remington Magnum is quickly becoming one of my favorite calibers. Mine is a Model 70 G Series SS worked over by Redneck. It sits in a McMillan Edge legend stock. The gun is an excellent shooter with 140s up to 175s. Very versatile cartridge, paired with high BC bullets should handle any game in NA.

I will let everybody know how it works on Moose in mid October.

A fella can do a lot worse than a 7 mag. I'll always have at least one in the rack. This rifle started life as a .300 win. Pawn shop special.....It had a BIG dog-knot bout 3" long at the muzzle. Somebody fired it with the barrel plugged and I got it for next to nothing. Found this 7mag barrel in the classifieds and had it spun on.


Does nice thangs so far...

Had more 7mm Rem mags then anything else. Don't have one now but that is going to be remedied tomorrow.

The only limits on a 7 rem is the shooters ability..

It looks good on paper. I've had a few and sold the last one after buying a chronograph. There is no doubt it'll work just as advertised on most anything in NA, and at longer ranges than most people have any business shooting.

I just found the real bullet speeds I got were not any better than the same bullet weights in 30-06. Generally the better BC's of the 7mm bullets offered a slight advantage at longer ranges, but not enough to justify the longer barrel, heavier rifle and added recoil.

Even if you could get advertised speeds from one, the advantages don't justify the negatives to me.

Glad you are taking the ol girl up north for moose! Can't wait to see some pics!

If you actually think that the 7MM recoils significantly more than a 30-06, you have a 7MM Rem Mag rifle that has stock design issues versus having a significantly harder recoiling cartridge.

In similar weight rifles with the same stock design such as two Win Model 70's or Rem 700's, the difference in actual recoil in foot pounds (both at roughly 20 foot pounds) is insignificant in comparison. In contrast, a poorly designed rifle stock causes you to perceive felt recoil as being far greater than it is.

I like and use both cartridges, and I definitely don't like one more than the other because it "kicks less". And neither cartridge - like most other cartridges you look at - will not always live up to its internet quoted velocities provided by Moe Handloader.

+1 I have a sako 75 SS synthetic in 30-06 that kicks like a mule. My 7mm weatherby was a pussycat in comparison.

If you actually think that the 7MM recoils significantly more than a 30-06, you have a 7MM Rem Mag rifle that has stock design issues versus having a significantly harder recoiling cartridge.

In similar weight rifles with the same stock design such as two Win Model 70's or Rem 700's, the difference in actual recoil in foot pounds (both at roughly 20 foot pounds) is insignificant in comparison. In contrast, a poorly designed rifle stock causes you to perceive felt recoil as being far greater than it is.

I like and use both cartridges, and I definitely don't like one more than the other because it "kicks less". And neither cartridge - like most other cartridges you look at - will not always live up to its internet quoted velocities provided by Moe Handloader. [/quote]

I have found the recoil about equal for these two cartridges in similar rifles. Perhaps the 7 mag kicks slightly more, nothing significant to me. Having said that, my brother had a 7 mag in a 700 bdl stock that banged him around pretty good, definitely a stock fit issue as he also had one in a mcmillan supergrade that was easy to shoot.
In timber for closer shots on big stuff (elk, moose) I'd probably prefer an 06 loaded heavy, but at longer ranges (clearcuts, cross-canyon opportunities) I'd much prefer a 7 mag with something like a quality 160 grain bullet. The preference in the timber for an 06 would be because I could run a 22" barrel for a bit handier package, nothing to do with the cartridge.

Hoping to have some great photos. Taking the 168gr TTSX with a stout load of H4831SC.

I load for 2 Tikka T3 rifles in 7 Rem Mag, I'd love to see your data.




P

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