Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is the 7 mag dying?

I wouldn't buy a new one right now.

And I wouldn't be lacking anything by using one.

If a guy sees a 7RM on the shelf here it tends to sit for a good long while. The 2 shops I use won't give as much for one on trade as they are harder to get rid of.

If the rifle were of standard cartridge or 300 WM it would sell a good bit faster.

Several years back, probably 20+ a new SS Model 70 in 7 RM sat for at least 5 years before the shop closed up. I honestly don't know if it sold before the shop closed or if it sold however they got rid of the remaining guns at shut down.

True, the new-er 7mms like PRC are stealing thunder from the 7RM but with faster twist barrels becoming more popular, it is as viable as ever. The world wide popularity makes it a great choice anywhere.

I have a worked over, 24” factory barreled 700 that is my most accurate, factory rifle. It shoots amazingly well and has created many memories for me. I am about to upgrade the glass and hunt it even more.

My 2nd is a full custom, 8 twist, 26” Proof Sendero Lite CF that shoots 180 Hybrids at 2950 FPS into very nice little clusters a long way out. I have many other.284 cartridges (Love the 7mm-08) but when money or a big buck is on the line, I reach for the 7mm REM Mag. It’s not the fastest but flat out works.

I used to see used 7RM rifles all over the place, but hardly any now.

I was in a pretty well stocked gunshop the other day better then 95% of them out there and the guns chambered in 300 anything and up have been sitting there for a while. He didn't have many 7 mags ,270 or WSM at all .

And they are three peas in a pod in the hunting field, along with the 280 Rem, 7 WSM, 270 WSM, 270 Wea, 7mm Wea, etc, etc.

I’m a hypocrite when I tell someone to buy one of those three and hunt whatever they want. Besides having all three, I have some of what you mentioned too!

What's funny is that I don't own any of those on the list. I have a few above, below, all around. But I have recommended them to a few. I just bought a 7 RM as a gift to my son. But none in my safe.

With the exception of one Win 70 Classic in 7 RM. But I refuse to shoot it. It is a donor for a new 264. As soon as I get this credit card zeroed out, the rifle is going to Pac-Nor.

I learned here. Do not ever shoot the donor.

I don’t know if it is dying or not. I’ve never owned one.

There are two really nice Ruger tang safety M77’s for sale in the free classifieds right now. $600 each and not a lot of interest. I really have no use for one, but at that price I may just have to get one.

It’s not dying, it’s dead. Try to sell one.

People would rather have a Henry than a 7 mag….

Hell no! Best North American and beyond chambering.

Average Joe in these parts has realized he doesn’t need to burn that much powder to be effective on whitetails, so popularity has indeed gone down. Still a very well-designed cartridge for those that want the performance and don’t mind a 24in + barrel. Mine was my dad’s main deer rifle in the 70’s and 80’s. I still carry it when I hunt open areas and want some extra reach. A 9lb 7RM isn’t that bad to shoot.

I agree with shrapnel.

The only 7 mag I have sold is a BLR .

I have one in a CRF model 70 that the gun shop owner decided to not even accept it for display.

Very odd.

7mm is a bore diameter I couldn't gain confidence with after some experience with a few. Had some really nice rifles in one 7mm flavor or another trying to give it another chance, sold them all. Give me a 30 cal and up. Not rational but my experience and preference.

I don't have any superior insight into this question so everything I'm writing is pure conjecture & speculation on my part. A cursory glance of random vendors (e.g. the new Sako 90, Win Model 70, Browning X-Bolt,...) appears to confirm that the 7mm Rem. Mag. is still doing just fine. Using the Browning X-Bolt as an example your selection choices are listed as:

25 models - 7mm Rem. Mag.
15 models - 7mm PRC
09 models - 7mm-08
01 models - 7mm WSM

This may not be the actual number of models you can order & have appear at your local FFL but is simply the number of models that Browning decided to list in their 2023 catalog. 7mm Mag is still the top dog. But the PRC has a notable number of options now for being the new kid on the block.

The thing that I wonder about (but don't know) is if it's possible that manufacturers are selling a new twist rate more than they're selling a new caliber. In other words, a lot of established rounds have a traditional twist rate that they've become associated with over the last 50+ years. If shooters start clamoring for a faster twist rate, do you change it on the new models of the established caliber or do you just release a "new & improved" bullet with the faster twist rate? A lot of the listed 7mm Rem. Mag. rifles have a 1:9.5 while the PRC's have 1:8. If in 2023 you suddenly switch the newly manufactured 7mm Rem. Mag's to a faster 1:8 twist as well, what kind of confusion & aggravation does that cause with customers? I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud.

So my answer to the question would be that the death of any cartridge might be related to how well the traditional "expected" specifications that have been established for a round handle modern commercially available bullets & stay in sync with the desires of modern shooters.

If the OP decided to sell his 700 Classic 7mm RM, I suspect he could easily do so, Probably with a single PM. 😁. I think that combo is a match made in rifleman’s heaven.

In the U.S. my take is the rebirth of the 6.5mm popularity has cut into the 7mm popularity. I think the 6.5 PRC is more desirable to many over the the 7mm Rem Mag mostly due to reduced recoil. As many have stated several folks utilize the 7mm Rem Mag on deer size game, the 6.5mm cartridges are just about perfect for 150-300 lbs on the hoof. For elk hunting the 7mm magnums come into their own and IMO offer quite a bit more horsepower albeit the 6.5-300 Wby and 6.5 RPM Wby would due quite nicely at long range along with the 6.5 PRC. There’s really no disadvantage in utilizing a 7mm Rem Mag with a 1-9.5 twist barrel, it can stabilize mid 170 gr bullets with great accuracy out at insane hunting ranges of 700 yards. What would be your advantage with the 7mm PRC, you would dial less drift with your scope and shoot a slightly heavier bullet, which is a real big deal to some folks and that’s just fine if you need to take large game constantly at 600-800 yards. However the 7mm Rem Mag in the field under just about any situation would not offer any disadvantage when comparing it to the 7mm PRC.

PRC and Creed with short barrels and carbon fiber, suppressed with lasers. People act like they are going to battle when they're hunting. If it ain't tactical, it's not any good mentality. That dam 7 rem mag with heavies or any bullet for that matter will smash big game period. It's all about selling more guns and more ammo. 7prc? Why? 7 mag will stomp it loaded and twisted right. Heck even a 280 rem which is awesome, ain't much if not better than a regular ol 06. The only 7 besides a 7 rem I would consider is a 7x300 win mag. But hey, I like vanilla. .243 win, .270 win, ect. Don't reinvent the wheel.

[quote=Coyote10 It’s all about selling more guns and more ammo. .[/quote]

Of course. And healthy sales of rifles and ammunition means a healthy gun industry! Certainly ot a bad thing for gun enthusiasts!