Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7mm Weatherby

I'm certainly not going to argue with someone using whatever load data they want. The reality is that there's a lot of it out there, and the average quality is very bad. If you think the data's been pressure tested in a way that will prevent an over-pressure situation (like you might expect with factory ammo) you'll be disappointed. Most of it hasn't been pressure tested at all other than not having blown up someone's rifle somewhere. Some of it (for example the Berger book) is 100% "dry labbed" - it's never even seen the inside of one rifle, just simulation software. Data listed in CUP (like most of the Weatherby data) is probably +-10% once you convert it to useful pressure units. Piezo data is sometimes better. Then of course there's the data where the lawyers told them to lower the charge weight, and they left the velocity and pressure where it was (Hodgdon, I'm looking at you...) thus baffling anyone which a chrono and/or strain gauge that tries to use it.

Given the general mess, I roll my own. But if people want to use a specific cartridge because it has high pressure/velocity data published for it (and that's generally true for the Weatherby cartridges - often over pressure) then I can understand that.

A properly loaded 7 Rem Mag is equally capable. There's not that much difference between them.
+/- 100 fps.


Jerry

Jerry,

I’m not sure anyone disputes the 7mm Remington as being equally effective on game. Point is that the Weatherby is a bit faster and therefore provides a measure of increased performance, however slight. Ever Looney!

Yep, slight is the operative word.


Jerry

DF, we’ve used both the 160 Accubonds outta the 7 Rem, 7 Mashburn on elk and the 140 TBT out of the 270 last year. I couldn’t tell difference really. Both seem to expand about the same and penetration has always been excellent for us. Whichever shoots better would be my choice. Not a bad pick either way.

Bob...I read with interest your input on "free bore", or a long lead, and that many expairiments had been conducted suggesting neither made a difference worth mentioning. Wonder if you have a link to that info? My short experience with different leads in the 7RM has suggested otherwise.
I`m always trying to learn..
Thanks

What do facts have to do with horse trading for a "used" gun...

DF

Especially one that has been in the store for several years.

A car that old would be sold as “used”.

DF

For somebody that's been shooting and hunting as long as I have I'm an ignorant SOB about bullets. That's because I'm the type that says stuff like, "Never kick a sleepin' dog" "If it ain't broke don't fix it," "They always worked! Why change?" Like nothing ever improves. I've shot mostly Winchester Power Point, Remington Core Lokt, and reloaded mostly Sierra Game Kings and Pro Hunters.

One thing that caused me to be like that was when I was fairly new to hunting, like mostly back in the 60s and 70s every time I failed to down a deer that I knew I had hit well, I was using something other than one of those I mentioned above. I shot a doe one time at a whopping 30 yards with my .270 and it ran off like it hadn't been touched. I know as well as I'm sitting here typing this that I hit that deer where I was aiming but it put it in overdrive and virtually flew to the next zip code. Never found that deer.

I had ordered some bullets from my local FFL and he screwed up and ordered me Speer bullets. About 10 years later he did the same thing again and I suckered in again, only this time it was 100 grain 6mm bullets. I had ordered Sierra Pro Hunters and he got me Speer somethings. Same results. I tried to track the deer and found a few dabs of blood, then saw it standing about 100 yards over on the next hill and he took off from there never to be seen by these eyes again.

And as recently as 5 years back I shot at a nice buck about 100+ yards out that was slowly walking almost directly toward me, resting my rifle on the side of my make shift blind and he just kept walking. I shot again and he put it in gear and sped up. Then I shot a third time and he went to warp speed and made for the tree line beside me. I looked for that deer for 4 hours with no luck. Again, I'm sure I hit it. That was with my 8x57 with 150 grain Hornady Interlocks. Stuff like that will destroy your faith in humanity, I tell ya.

After a couple more incidents like that, with various bullets I pretty well have circled the wagons and I only use those three for hunting. I do have one exception. I have a 9.3x62 that I've killed one deer with (Actually only shot at one deer with) that I do use a Speer bullet in, a 270 grain Hot Core that I was very impressed with. But for everything else I'm afraid to venture out past those few bullets. I really want to try Accubonds and a few more but when it comes down to it, I just fear trying anything on game. Ain't that crazy?

As for my 7mm Rem. Mag. I shoot 160 grain Sierra Game Kings. It's an old Savage Model 110 pre accu trigger and the most accurate rifle I own. Those 160s hit like a freight train and at 2900 FPS will put down what you shoot at in a hurry a long way out there, or as far as I'll shoot, which is only about 400 yards..

DF,
I suppose you are correct, sir. I paid $600 for mine used at Cabelas on sale as it had been in stock for a while. I could not tell it had ever been fired. Sure doesn’t look that way now. Shot under 1” at 100 at the range yesterday. Could not beat the bug hole group from ‘06 with 165 TSX. 😎. Happy Trails

That's what I'm hoping, though I still haven't had a chance to get down there and check. Soon, I hope.

Not equally reliable. One day a good ‘ole trusty “7Mag” will go off its rocker & there won’t be any fix for it. I have seen it happen numerous times.

Tell those guys the market is a bit soft on those kinda guns, the trend is to black rifles.

I'm sure they know that, just won't hurt to remind them as you beat them up over the price...

That lets them know that you know...

And as you get around to closing the deal, make them throw in several boxes of ammo, brass, whatever, to sweeten the deal. If that gun is a slow mover, the ammo and components probably slow as well.

You may come out OK.

DF

You want to hear the craziest part? They have two of the same exact rifles in stock.

I went in to my local gun shop in 2005 to buy a .22 for my daughter. I spotted a Ruger 77/22 MK II All Weather with boat paddle stock & told the guy to "hand me that now!" I put it under my arm and purchased a nice Marlin Model 60 S.S. for my daughter. Asked the guy about the Ruger & stated that I had not seen one of them anywhere on dealers shelves for 10 years. He said they had discovered it in the darkest corner of their storage rack after it had fallen off the backside & into the abyss for 8 years!

The gun loves Remington Viper ammo & has killed many soda cans at 85 yards.

Just for schits and giggles,try the "buy one get one free" deal.

I think that helps reinforce your argument.

DF

I would like to see Weatherby chambering the .270 & 7 mm mags in their Vanguard line.

I would like to see Weatherby bring back the .224 Wby.