Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7mm Remington Magnum?

I'm 50, and I bought my first 7mm Rem Mag when I was in graduate school. It was a Model 70 with the BOSS. Quite a few different rifles so chambered followed. I haven't hunted with one in several years as I've got a Kimber Montana in 7WSM that I bought when they first came out. But still a "Big 7" fan.

I bought my first bolt action rifle, a 7mm RM in 1976, a Bicentennial Ruger 77 with a 4-12x Redfield. Paid $175 for the rifle and $130 for the scope, at Doc's Gun Barn in Pocatello ID. I was 20 years old at the time, now 63.
They let me look through 6 boxes of them to get one with the wood I liked the best. I've taken about 20 bull elk, half a dozen cows, and a heck of a lot of deer with it. The last animal it has taken is a mountain goat in 2006. The gun has been through several scopes thru attrition.
It has lapsed into a graceful retirement as a back-up, replaced for elk by a Savage semi custom 300WM, for deer a Tikka 260 Rem and a Savage semi custom 6.5 x 284.
Lots of memories and will be the last gun I ever part with.

Short version: I am 60 years old. I am a fan of the 7mm RM. I have NOT hunted with it regularly over the last couple decades but hope to change that soon.

Long Version: I grew up in North Carolina. I received a Winchester 94 30-30 for my 14th birthday and that was my only centerfire rifle until I had been in the Air Force for about 6 years after college, when I got an assignment to Nellis AFB, NV. Then I decided to make my dreams of western big game hunting, kindled since childhood, come true.
I had read about Frank Wells (custom riflesmith out of Tucson) in an article in Bugle. I drove down to see him while visiting some friends in Phoenix and placed an order for a rifle; a full custom on a Mark-X Mauser, with all the bells and whistles. I wanted a 280 AI (Kenny Jarrett was just becoming famous for his "beanfield" rifles and he touted the 280 AI as quite the accuracy machine). Frank talked me out of it, saying while he could make me a 280 AI if I was dead set on it, he was more confident he could make a real shooter of a 7mm RM. So that's what I had him make for me. [EDITORIAL: If I was doing it over, knowing what I know now, I'd probably have had him just make me a 30-06.]
It arrived just in time for my first western hunt, a Colorado combo elk/mule deer trip (actually, not quite - the "Black T" finish by Walter Birdsong had not yet been applied, but it was time to go. I had to send it back for that after the hunt) . I did not kill an elk on that hunt but did kill my first mule deer. Next year I also killed a NV mule deer with the Wells rifle but by then I was headlong into a full blown case of budding rifle loonyism. I built myself (doing my own work) a really fine 25-06, and a 35 Whelen AI, between the two of which I killed several deer, pronghorn, and my first elk, and more rifle projects followed. And the Las Vegas pawn shops were absolutely ON FIRE with fantastic classic rifle deals, which I scooped up by the bushels. Bottom line was I got so busy with other builds and hunting other rifles that the Wells 7 Mag kind of got sidelined, through no fault of its own.
So this year, after accumulating 20 bonus points, I have finally drawn an AZ pronghorn tag (they grow real big down here) and am seriously thinking of getting the Wells 7 Mag back in business for that hunt. I have purchased a bunch of SPS blems in some of the choicer long range 7mm flavors and were it not for the stupid Coronavirus shutting down my range, I would be really starting to work them out.

Looking forward to the article, John
Rex

I have two 7mm Rem Mags. A first year release Rem 700 BDL and an early 70's Interarms Zastava mauser. I thoroughly enjoyed hunting with the 7mm RM. I went to a 280 Rem as better overall for Deer as I didn't really need the 7 mag for that. At the time in the 70's and 80's the widest choice of bullets was in the .284 and .308 diameters. I chose .284. If I was going on an Elk hunt next month I would be taking the 7 mag. For all practical purposes it is as versatile as the 30-06 for anything in the continental US. I am in my late 60's. Looking forward to your article.

I'm nearly 62.

When I was 17, my buddy up the road came down with his motorcycle and invited me on for a ride. When we got to the first stop sign, I asked to get off, and have not been on a motorcycle since. I thanked him for the experience and walked home.

That was pretty much my experience with the 7mm Rem Mag. I had a friend who had one. I shot a couple of rounds and thanked him for the experience. That was it. At one point, I had a boss offer me a Rem 700 in the chambering that his wife wanted to get rid of from the back of the closet. No thanks.

I'm somewhat more mellow on the subject, now 30 years on. I just have no particular need for one. At the time, I had not bagged a deer farther than 20 yards from the muzzle. I had pounded my shoulder with a 12 GA slug and a 30-06. I didn't want or need anything more. "Flatter trajectory" doesn't register to someone who fires down on a deer from a treestand. Nowadays, I've broadened my horizons. I actually have a ground blind where a 250-yard shot is possible. However, it's all still whitetail, and what is on the other side of the deer really doesn't care. A 30-06 does the trick just fine.

I'm not going to knock 7mm Rem Mag. I'm not going to knock motorcycles. They're just not for me.

53 yrs young, theres 4 7mags in my safe as well as couple 7x57, last 7 years numerous 1 shot kills with 7mag, 160 accubond , or 175 elite hunter, since i quit my 8mm rem mag 25 years ago, went to a 7stw, then a 300stw, then to a standard 7mag, i dont think any big game animals i have harvested succombed any faster or slower from any of the cartridges

i bougjt a 8mm mag when i was 16 ,,,,layne simpson could of been responsible

45. Bought my first one on here in about 2006 or so. 700ks in a McMillan Fibergrain that was reported to be just an “average shooter”. Hornady Precision Hunter 162eld load says otherwise. I really had no reason to hunt with it and life got in the way of recreational shooting and.....well....I have rifle ADD and have been busy shooting other stuff. Scoped it up this year and carried it afield. Have another being built on a Lone Peak Razor Ti action and a Colt Light Rifle I’ve never shot because it came sans scope mounts and I haven’t called Melvin to order more. Guess I need to get on that.

Left out the two 5 digit Model 70 stainless classics, one of which was shipped to me from a pawn shop in Washington by accident and after some back and forth I was able to keep it AND a 5 digit 30-06 stainless classic Featherweight.

I'm 50 years old. Got my 1st 7 mag eight years ago on a trade.. Tikka T3.

I have several deer stands where shots to 600 yds are an option. The Tikka didn't shoot very well and had fairly stout recoil. 2 years later, I picked up a stainless laminate Ruger 77. The gun shoots 1/2 MOA or better with 150 gr ballistic tips and 160 Accubond. It is my go-to open field gun.

The 7 mag aint for sale

My first centerfire was a Ruger M77 7mm Rem Mag purchased in 1977 in Concord California. I sold it in 1982. I am 58.

I'm 68, and my feelings pretty well mirror this. Shot in a friend's 7 mag over 20 years ago and it was fine, but I don't see the need for the excessive powder usage and muzzle blast. The 7x57 works well to 300+ yards, as does the '06, 257 Roberts, 250 Savage, the various 6.5s, etc. Did shoot a .300WM a few years back. Two shots. Never again. But, I will never dispute someone's choice of cartridge or caliber. As Red Green says, "Remember, keep your stick on the ice. We're all in this together."

I'm 48. Bought a model 70 in 7RM when I was 22. Hunt with it every other year only because other rifles need to get out too. Took a dandy mulie buck with one in 2017.

I'm rather surprised at lots of the guys having multiple rifles in the same chambering. I chose to keep improving the original M700 BDL that I had. My favorite 7mm RM story is when I loaned it to my 85 year old dad. Now dad was the kind of guy who sighted in his 8x57 Mauser on a cardboard box over the hood of the car and minute of box was just fine. Dad was pretty ambivalent about deer hunting and after selling off that Mauser, he and mom wintered in Arizona. Years before when dad did hunt, I made him a blind that he could find and cut him a shooting lane. Well, at 85 he got too old to winter out west anymore, so he said that he and another elderly friend were going up to the cabin to deer hunt and could he borrow a rifle? Fast forward to opening day and dad nails a 10 point buck with that 7 mag. I don't know who was more surprised, the deer or dad or me? Picture those two old timers trying to get a big buck out of the woods. Those two drank scotches celebrating for the rest of the weekend. I sure miss that old coot.

Had one in the stable most of the years since 1987 - first one was a Savage 110, and first "new" rifle I purchased.

Fast forward - two in the safe today, one 700 bdl hunter, and a 700 Long Range that I couldn't pass up for the price.

Hanging in the mid 5-Os now days.

Agree up to > 300 yds. What about 400 plus ?


I have killed deer at 12' (feet) and out to 402 yds lasered with a 7 RM. The mags have more than 1 purpose . To push heavier bullets faster, ergo...flatter and BEFORE monos...with more penetration.
And to push lighter bullets EVEN faster and EVEN flatter.


For anyone who only hunts and shoots 300 yds and under the mags don't offer an advantage.

CERTAINLY and w/o doubt, I have killed many more deer UNDER 300 yds THAN 400 +..
The problem is WHERE I've hunted and hunt today, I never know how close or far away I will have a shot.

With a 7 Mag... it doesn't matter.

Not everyone has the same recoil tolerance. Many here don't believe me but it's true nonetheless. When shooting a 270 W or a 7 Mag.....I can't tell the difference in recoil.

We have some women who participate here and even mentioned IN this discussion that like and shoot the 7 Mag well.

** I kept my stick on the ice ** GRIN

Jerry

Dad gave me my first personal centerfire, a Weatherby vanguard when I was 12. I started killing deer and pigs and exotics right away and killed my first elk with a 175 Partition over MRP that I loaded myself at age 16. Always been a favorite... I'm 54.

And the Question WAS.....



ummmm......ummmm, Where does your post fit ?

Jerry

ps: I have several comments but I'll leave it at that.

Hey, set that one outside the front door - I'll pick it up later this morning.

JB, I’m 46 now. I bought my 7 mag 700BDL when I was a freshman in college for my first elk hunt. It shot amazingly well with 150BT’s and 160partitions. It killed my first rifle deer and elk. I thought it was a laser beam of death until my first chronograph arrived. It had an extremely slow barrel. It missed “book” velocities by 250fps or more... I eventually sent it off to Douglas for a new barrel. That barrel copper fouled terribly and shot no where near as well as any of my other Douglas barrels. When I sent it back to Douglas for them to inspect it was stollen from the USPS sort facility in West Virginia. I now have a 280 ackley but still miss having a 7 mag....I’m sure I will have another when the right one crosses my path. My dad has a 7 mag also and took it on our first trip to Africa for plains game. He’s shot his 300 weatherby every trip back. I’ve usually just taken my 308.

No kidding. Talk about an elk rig.