Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why the 7mm Rem Mag?

I know that this cartridge has been around for quite some time and has a great following but I often wondered why. IMO this "hot shot" 7mm was something that was never needed. My reason for stating this is that the 280 Rem (7mm Rem Express) can do pretty much what the bigger mag can do with slightly less velocity. The .270 Win is also close but can't handle the heavier bullets. My thinking is if I believe the 280 isn't enough gun then I'd likely opt for a 300 WM or bigger.
I'm pretty sure I opened up a can of worms for the 7mm Mag fans so have at it. I have thick skin.

I’m sure there will be more educated opinions to come but this has been my experience with 7 Rem mags. Seems to hit a sweet spot of velocity, bullet weight and recoil. There are other cartridges that certainly maintain a similar balancing act but without the wide spread availability. Before the panics of the last few years every store that carried ammo had 308, 270, 30-06, 243, 300wm and 7mm Rem mag. I almost went 280ai on this last go round cause it does 90% of what a 7mag will with less powder and recoil with moderate bullet weights. What ultimately turned me back to 7mag was the lack of guns and ammo options in 280ai and I just don’t have the time anymore to devote to reloading. (Also helps that I have 2 other 7mags and stocked up ammo) Beauty of this country is there’s piles of options and pick whatever floats your boat.

In the beginning there wasn't much reason except for the fact that it is human nature to want the fastest thing going- and at the time it was that. And it came in a nice little package , was very accurate, and ammo was available.

These days the fact that the 7MM bullets are just about the highest BC slugs available and it doesn't hurt that the magnum can push them to their best advantage has made it very popular. There are times I wish I hadn't sold my Rem 700 7 Mag I bought new in 72 but at least it is still in my family. My nephew hunts with it still...

You left out comparing the 7 mm Rem Mag to the 30-06 (which I would take with 200 grain jacketed spitzers over the "big 7").

The 7 mm Rem Mag ( or Weatherby) is a fine cartridge. I just never viewed it with any lust as a wonder cartridge. Never had any interest in it, but not a hater of it.

The way I look at it, the cartridge group of: 270 Win, (7x57?), 280 Rem, 7 mm Rem/Weatherby mag, and 30-06 are all close enough, and perform well. Pick your poison. Personally, I just don't warm up to belted cases.

I know that the 300 Win Mag cartridge has been around for quite some time and has a great following but I often wondered why. IMO this "hot shot" .30 caliber was something that was never needed. My reason for stating this is that the 30-06 can do pretty much what the bigger mag can do with slightly less velocity. The .280 Rem is also close but can't handle the heavier bullets. My thinking is if I believe the 30-06 isn't enough gun then I'd likely opt for a 338 WM or bigger.
I'm pretty sure I opened up a can of worms for the 300 Win Mag fans so have at it. I have thick skin.

Can someone do the 25's next?

This might’ve been an interesting discussion, circa 1962 or 1963.

Now? Meh.

You could say "why X when Z already sort of does this" for the vast majority of cartridges developed in the 20th century. You don't need a "why" just a bigger safe!

This joint needs a thumbs up button

There are lots of 7 mag fans out there. I only have 5.

Yep.. Some guys are living way in the past though.. The 7mm RM has pretty much proven itself over the years. If not, you wouldn't see any ammo on the shelves or rifles in the racks.. People still like and use it. The same can't be said for many other newer cartridges..

Please let us know what powder/primer combo your using in that 270 and 280 to launch a 160gr bullet 3000+fps.

The only competition the 7mm Rem Mag faces today is the 7mm PRC. The PRC is a much improved magnum design. It’s not any faster per say but the case, especially the shoulder, neck length and case length make for better bullet seating and uniform burn rates and it’s based on a 1-8 twist and 1-7.5 twist with 180 grain projectiles. As far as compared to the 270 WCF or 280 Rem, both excellent hunting chambers, the 7mm Rem Mag will push 140 grain Ballistic Tips at 3,350 fps. That’s serious flat shooting antelope and mule deer medicine. That’s something neither 270 or 280 can match and the difference widens as the bullets get heavier. Any 7mm hits a sweet spot due to high BC, but the 7mm Rem Mag has that plus bullet weight and powder capacity. The 7mm Rem Mag is about as much punch as a shooter can manage and shoot well making it one of the more popular magnums by far.

I load 64 grains of IMR 4350 with a 140 grain ballistic tip. Kills the deer, hogs I hunt with ease. If I had to get down to one deer cartridge, a 7 mag would be the one.

If I could have ever found a combo that would actually do that with a 7mm Rem mag I'd still have one.

On paper the high BC 160 gr 7mm bullets @ 3000 fps looks pretty good. From a rifle where recoil is indistinguishable from a comparable weight 30-06. I was able to hit 3000 fps with some loads, but with horrible accuracy. To get acceptable accuracy closer to 2900 fps was the best I could do. At the time I was getting 2950 fps with 180's out of a 300 WSM and 2800 from a 30-06 with the accuracy I wanted. I really wanted to like the 7 mag, but let it go.

RL26 will get 3000+ with 150s in the .270, no question. Their data doesn’t cover 160s, but anecdotal info here suggests, IIRC, it can get close. No matter to me as 2700 with 160gr NPs get DRTs at typical woods ranges. I’m using W780, and have enough for the “duration”, if you know what I mean.😜

Its the 243 of belted magnums; what points for one are similar to the other.

The BC for both is outstanding, recoil for both allows precision. They are a little too much for where they begin at and light where they end, for arguments sake.

I've had several guns in both so chambered here and they are all down the road, because some of us want light and quiet when we want it and loud and over the top when we want that.

71-72gr of Retumbo will get you there easily, with a 160 Accubond.

With modern bullets, 7mm is now the sweet spot for elk.

Here are a couple of my 7mag loads
160gr Accubond


150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip