Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Newer Rem Model Sevens for New England style still hunting

Anyone own a Remington Model Seven and would recommend them for still hunting the Northeast? I was looking at those Model Sevens in HS and would love one in .308. I've never owned a Rem rifle and heard the bolt doesn't lock however.
Think this would be an excellent woods rifle if I wanted to try something other than my 7600?

A hunting bud uses a laminated stainless one in .308. Handles the bad weather nicely, and shoots well too.

I prefer a Kimber Montana.

If you like the H-S stock, it might be worth buying. I don't like H-S stocks, so it isn't worth buying for me.

I don't think that factory specs Remington Sevens balance very well and if you need to take a follow up shot, it isn't going to be as quick as your 7600.

My New England hunting kit includes a 760 in 30-06 with the barrel cut to 20" that has been Cerakoted and an old Husqvarna with a mannlicher-style stock, also chambered in 30-06. Both of them have a neutral balance, which helps them come to the shoulder quickly and point like an upland game shotgun. For still-hunting in tight cover, I think that I'd rather have a 20 gauge Remington 870 with a short rifled barrel than almost any Remington Seven.

What is New England style hunting?

No feeders.

I hunt in the same style.


I've carried Remington pumps for a while. Even with a light scope, they are still bulky boat anchors.


Last summer I set out to come up with a solution to tired arms.

I almost went with a model 7. But, for a little more money, I got a Kimber Montana. Stock is much better IMO unless you find a FS or KS m7...which usually bring near Kimber prices anyways. Could buy a cheap m7 and restock it...again..back to Montana prices.


I put on a an aluminum trigger guard and titanium bolt handle...rebored to 358win...Talley Lightweights and a Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 and it's still under 6 pounds.


I carried it all last season as a 308 and I was happy with it.


Anyone that hunts in that style knows how your arms get tired after carrying a rifle around from dark till dark day after day.


I also decided I needed something for days when a scope is about useless. 7600 35 Whelen Carbine with a Williams WGRS with no apeture in place...replaced the factory synthetic stock with a straight combed walnut stock just cause I didn't care for the plastic. Added a little weight but balances better IMO.


A locking bolt wasn't a huge deal for me but it is nice insurance.

I don’t care for the scope mounts that are available for the Model 7. If staying with Remington, I’d rather have a 700 for the ease of finding better options for scope mounts, stocks and such.

A Tikka T3x Compact would be a nice handy rifle if you wanted a 20 inch barrel. I’m not sure if it comes with a shorter LOP, but finding a full size stock for cheap is no biggie.

I'd think the Model 7 would be handy to have when road hunting in your Subaru Outback....with Elizabeth Warren Sticker for President on the back...

Go hunting when snow is on the ground.
Find track and identify it as a 10 point buck that will field dress at 213 pounds.
Track buck for 7 and 1/2 hours.
Make running shot at 57 yards in the woods.
Hang deer on pole back at camp.

Now that was pretty funny!

Mr Bean---- In my hunting camp on the NY/VT border- We have 6 model 7's and two older Model 700 Mountain rifles. Two of the finest woods mountain toting rifles. A 7600 .35 W--is there, but rarely used. In my opinion the older 18" .308 is a perfect hunting rifle for this area. One hunter modified his .308 Browning A bolt to a 20" tube .There is a reason why one sees very few used Model 7's for sale in my area. Web

Do not overlook the new Ruger Ranch .450 Bushmaster. Under $500- 16" tube--- 5.5 lbs. Not for really shooting across corn fields , But very deadly at 100-200 yards. Web

Lever 30-30 with a 1-4x20. Mines a six pound 18" blue light special 30TK.

"Lever 30-30 with a 1-4x20. Mines a six pound 18" blue light special 30TK."

There's a handy bugger!
I just picked up a Glenfield in .35 Rem.

35 is a thumper for sure. But mine came with 200 rounds of 170's..in an ammo box, so that sealed the deal.

Hunt Potter Co., Pa. , many at camp carry 760's and 7600's. Couple of M-7 's in 7-08 , stainless and laminate, sweet carry after lugging pumps around .

No Warren stickers, but I've had several deer in the back of my Forester. (My f-150 didn't survive the arrival of kiddo #2.) It'll go just about anywhere.

No shortage of Subarus in Maine and NH. I think they all come from the dealer with kayaks.

I've never found a rifle more poorly balanced for offhand shooting than the original model 7 with 18.5 barrel and walnut stock. Probably nice to carry around if you don't mind missing at the moment of truth. I'm sticking to my old Marlin 336.

I'm a Model Seven fan. I own 4, 2 243's a 7mm-08, and a 17 Remington. I have a McMillan stock and a 260 Remington stainless fluted barrel I'm planning on building one out of. With that said I'm also a Remington mountain rifle fan. I own a stainless 260 in a McMillan stock and a stainless laminated 30-06. Both are bad boys.

Ha! My kayak racks became fishing rod racks... they always seemed so flimsy to take on the interstate... I always expected to see my 9' mini X missiling through a windshield in my rearview.

I have a 7 in 7mm-08. It’s a handy little rifle!

I can't speak to hunting with it, but I have a stainless Remington model 7 in 6mm that Remington produced a couple years ago. It shoots sub moa with factory Remington 100gr corelokts.

For quick handling with reach can’t think of anything better than Browning 81 in 7-08 Rem or 308 Win. Personally I’d shoot a tube feed lever gun in 30-30, 35 Rem or 444 Marlin in your neck of the woods.

I love Model 7's, and have 4 of them. But, if I were hunting in a heavy cover, and the shots were going to be within a 100 yards, I'd just as soon be using my Marlin 336 in 35 Rem.

I like the way 7's handle. Have often thought about building a 338 Federal on that action.

I would rather tote a Remington pump over a lever. But I am much more familiar with that action type and have never taken to levers.

Tikka T3X compact in .308, 20” barrel and stock spacers to change length of pull. has a 2.5x10 Nikon scope has worked for quick shots at 65 yards and one shot at 287 yards

Funny as h.ell. Sounds like James

I wouldnt mind having a Remington Model 7KS in 35REM but not at the prices they are listed for.

I always thought that would be the perfect "North Woods" hunting rifle. Great for deer, moose and black bear.

Plus a Thule or Yakama ski box installed on the roof rack so that they would have room in the cargo area for the ubiquitous golden retriever.

A friend has the Kevlar version, and you're correct, its balance is awful, as is the Ruger 77/44. Need more barrel. A Marlin in .375 would be pretty sweet for those big honkin' bucks.

Both my Fieldcraft and Howa Alpine balance very well, even though pretty light.

Heck Yeah. +1

THIS.

I hunt like you guys do, but I do it in western Washington--lots of fast offhand shots at deer in thick brush. I look for a rifle that balances at the front action screw. The cheap 700 package rifles are a good bet for that. Neither of the Model 7s that I owned were worth a hoot for that. The muzzles floated badly when trying to get fast hits offhand.


Okie John

I understand "New England Style Still Hunting" as tracking deer Benoit-esque in the snow. My favorite way to hunt anything including elk.

I once had a Model 7 308... if there is a single worse firearm than the old pencil barreled M7, I don't know what it might be. Stock heavy, barrel light. As poor a still-hunting rifle as I've ever owned.

The 308 Montana is my choice. I wish it had a heavier barrel, and when PacNor is back up and running it will go off to them to get a Factory dupe that ends .630" at the muzzle. However, it works as well as any right out of the box.

An Edge fill McMillan/Bansner/Manners, etc stock that is lightweight is a major improvement for a M7. Put a sporter weight barrel on it with a lw stock and it's really nice for offhand shooting. ....and at that point your at or past the cost of a Montana/Fieldcraft/Forbes.

The only issue there is the M70 is a fair bit heavier than something like the Montana for all day stalking in the snow. But I totally agree, a Bansner/McMillan clad M70 Fwt is an awfully nice still-hunting setup, and miles ahead of the M7. My current is a McMillan Edge / 22" SS M70 308 Win FWT. I've also used a Bansner / 21" SS M70 30-06 FWT. I took several good bulls still-hunting with the 30-06.

Easy decision is Fieldcraft for off the shelf . It makes a stock model seven look like a turd.

I too have tried a few Mod 7s. I liked to use the SS synthetic ones, and have a Sporter Wt 24 incher put on. It just "balanced better for me". I can "live" with a 22" Mod 700 Mtn rifle, Mod 70 Fwt, the little Kimber 84M classic. So far, this "new to me" Kimber 84L Classic (wood stocked) .270 w/24" bbl feels "perfect" in my hands. 7# with a Vortex Razor HD 1.5x8 on it. The Montana is another sweety. But, some guys really like carbines, but I never had the 3 factory Mod 7s I bought/traded for ever shoot well. A .260, .243 and a 308. Whippy, butt heavy, The Mod 7 Predator feels much better in my hands, though I never bought one. I always loved reading about the Benoits and that kind of hunting. I don't think I "ever" had the legs/lings to hunt for 10-20 miles in snowy mountains, ha. Big beautiful deer though! I'm envious!

For the money, it is not a bad call to buy a 700 SS ADL 308 combo gun at Buds and be in it for about $530 after tripping the $40 scope and mounts. Chop it to 21" and swap in an Ernie trigger spring. Would balance better than any non-magnum M7 I've ever hefted.

I was referencing the Model Seven when I typed M7. Didn't mean to direct anything to towards the M70....but the blueprint you noted is a nice one, works well with the Extreme Weather and an Edge stock.

Well My Model Seven came to me as the wood stocked version with the skinny barrel. I sold the stock and put one that came on a Predator on it and it made a heck of a difference. It's balance point is an inch or so behind the front action screw and is pretty light with it's 3 power Weaver scope. I have no trouble shooting it offhand and recently shot a hog in the face with it offhand at 75 yards. If I were to put a bit more scope on it with a bigger objective I bet it would be right on the front action screw. This rifle really shoots well and I wish I had had it a long time ago. Mine is a 7-08.