So what 7mm would you choose?

[Prairiewolf]

Little experience with the LRM - I believe Gunwerks used to offer this chambering in some of their lines, and maybe they still do. It sounds like it hasn't quite made it past wildcat status to me, but that doesn't make it a poor choice.

I stick with with the meat and potatoes 7MM RM. Easy to find ammunition, not too much recoil (but enough), and the 24" to 26" barrels can be managed in the field.

Please post a pic of the rifle, always fun seeing new toys!

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by JD 848

You don't recommend the cartridge,and I do including the the 7mm rem mag,but in no heavier then 7 lb 8 ounces,you can't compare a rifle this caliber if you shooting a target gun with 28 inch barrel,the rifles you use from past post are nice guns,but made more for bench than practical hunting , did you wear out six barrels but not actions,i have a sako stw puchased in 2000 in sako 75 hunter with scope and rings and that clip loaded I am in around 10.5 pounds because the stw came in at just over 8,i have around 30 kills with it and some very long shots,but 95 percent under 450 yrds .It was my back up gun when guiding and more than once poorly placed shots by guest left me some shots that were 1000 plus and the stw did it's job,still on my first barrel around 350 down it.

shoot an 8 lb stw with no break and the factory pad there's recoil,and that's where I can see you not recommending this caliber,i owed the 7wsm until 2 days ago ,it's history,but a nice shooting caliber. .

The stw in the right hands is one heck of a nice gun,but most guys I know have trouble with recoil where as the rem mag is about 25 percent less recoil.if you start changing weight and things all the numbers are mixed.Because of wieght and recoil and variety of guns made in 7mmrem mag it's the pick of the group for me,but then also like the 280AI,shoot my friends the odd time and find it ok to go.After 40 years of shooting a 7mm rm it's hard to change,i keep changing,but always going back,plus bullet choice is almost to many.

I first started shooting the7mmstw in 1990, long before it was commercialized. My 7mmstw rifles were all hunting rifles , all had 26" barrels, and none of them were braked. All weighed around 9-1/2-10lbs scoped and ready to hunt, and all except two Coopers were custom rifles with McMillan stocks, and decellerator pads. Recoil has never been an issue with my rifles, in fact, I much prefer shooting these rifles than most factory 7mmremmags. My two 300RUM rifles were built almost identical, and I had no issues shooting them comfortably without brakes. I actually only shot out one barrel, that one had around 1500 rounds through it when it was replaced. That rifle had a blued action , and I wanted an all stainless rifle, so I sold it, and had one built with a stainless action. Then I had a second one built as a back up rifle. Then when I had health issues that threatened to end my shooting, I sold all of my rifles. Once my health issues were resolved, I started shooting again with the 280AI, but after a couple of years, I decided to go back to the 7mmstw, and I purchased a Cooper rifle in 7mmstw. I them purchased a backup Cooper. I used the Coopers for a couple of years, but I decided that I wanted a rifle that was built for me, so I had a full custom 7mmstw built on a Stiller action with McMillan stock, which is now my go to big game rifle. I have killed dozens of deer with the 7mmstw, as well as several elk, moose, bighorn and pronghorn, and I have always been pleased with the performance on game. The reasons that I don't recommend the 7mmstw for most shooters, is that to be honest, most shooters will never even come close to ever using the potential of the cartridge. The average shooter shoots a box or two of ammunition per year, and most shooters never practice regularly past around 200 yards, so most shooters simply don't have the ability to shoot accurately at 400 to 500 yards, so the 7mmstw offers them no advantage, but has disadvantages such as shorter barrel life and in factory rifles, recoil that many people find uncomfortable. Now that I have relocated to where my regular ranges are only 300m maximum, even I am not shooting at longer ranges on a regular basis as often as I would like, so if I hadn't already fired thousands of rounds with the cartridge to become so familiar with the ballistics, I wouldn't even feel comfortable shooting to 500 yards myself. The simple fact is that the 7mmremmag makes a lot more sense for 90% of shooters.

As far as the 28 Nosler goes, it's the flavor of the month for the people marketing firearms, but it really gains nothing ballistically over the 7mmstw, so I would never consider spending huge amounts of money on Nosler cases, when there is nothing to gain from doing so. If I didn't already have a 7mmstw , and if Lapua was to start making 28 Nosler cases, I would likely go that route instead, but given that Nosler is the only company making 28 Nosler cases, and the cost is ridiculous, and I already have a 7mmstw, I didn't even consider trying the 28 Nosler.

[fatboyz]

The 7LRM was designed by Gunwerks and long range shooter/owner Aaron Davidson. It is basically a 375 Ruger necked down to 7mm. They run 180 Bergers at some pretty high velocity. When I need to rebarrel my savage custom 7RM I am considering this cartridge.

[Pathfinder76]

Here is what a friend said in an email conversation a few days ago regarding a similar discussion. He has extensive worldwide hunting experience. Food for thought.

"I have long believed the perfect hunting rifle for worldwide serious trophy hunters for 95% of game under 99% of conditions has 277/284 diameter and generates 3000+ energy and moves along @ 3000 or maybe 3100 but no more.
The 7 RM easily does that and is available worldwide. You have to draw the line somewhere and the 270/280 don't quite get there. Those two are just right in rigs that are about 3/4 of a pound lighter. They are close but not just right.
Lots of hunters, today, don't think velocity is important because they depend on lasers. I like the 3000+ speed levels for situations when a rangefinder does not provide the answer.
I formed this conclusion long ago and with today's bullets, both ballistic and terminal performance is even better. No place for big 30's. However, I would pick a 30/06 if ranges are unlikely to exceed 300-350.
Of course the 280 AI meets my criteria but is not readily available. So first place goes to the 7 RM.
The rig for the other 5% starts with the 35 Whelen/9.3-62 and goes to 375 H&H. Those three only.
So one backpack 270, one 35/36/37, and a 7 RM. Or a 280 AI and a 35.
All else is chasing a fantasy and spending resources on things rather than hunting."

[remmy300]

I have a 7LRM. Love the Cartridge. Shooting 180 gr bergers at 3125.

[fish_e_o]

28 nosler was my choice for something better than a rem mag.

i form brass from 300 rum and it's cheap enough.

the part i really like is that it's shorter than a 7mm rum so i can stick bullets out and not run into mag issues and have a whole lot of powder pushing my bullet

[Deer Hunter]

I like a 7 rem mag. Flat enough for me, and without the hassles of the special brass and expensive dies.

[Diesel_wiesel]

I am curios why has no one mentioned the 7mmsaum???

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Diesel_wiesel

I am curios why has no one mentioned the 7mmsaum???

Because it's pretty much a dead cartridge.

[amosfella]

If you're wanting bang for your buck, I'd go with the 7-375 or the 28 nosler... The 7-375 ruger brass should easily be formed from 'rare and scarce' 300 win mag brass... Until fish-e-o mentioned it, I hadn't heard of blowing 300 rum brass out for 28 nosler... That may make me look at a 33 nosler now... haha

[ramonmark]

I chose the 280AI. Good velocity, minimul recoil, and super accurate. I buy the Nosler brass, no need to fire form. It's not the fastest cat in the woods but but you need to draw the line somehere. A 168gr VLD at just over 2900fps will take anything I plan of shooting out to 1km. Which I don't plan on shooting to. SO I'm good.

[rem338win]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

The 7mm STW has been made obsolete by the 28 Nosler. Unless you like nostalgia over simple facts.

Or the 7mm RUM or the 7mm Dakota or the 7mm LRM or the 7mm Mashburn, wait....the last one predates them all.

I'd run an STW over a 28 Nos for lots of reasons.

Open the mag box and run an STW. 168gr bullets with very high BC at 3250 is nice.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by rem338win

I'd run an STW over a 28 Nos for lots of reasons.

Open the mag box and run an STW. 168gr bullets with very high BC at 3250 is nice.

or... don't mess with the mag box and run 168 gr bullets with a very high BC at 3250
http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-data/28-nosler/

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by rem338win

Or the 7mm RUM or the 7mm Dakota or the 7mm LRM or the 7mm Mashburn, wait....the last one predates them all.

I'd run an STW over a 28 Nos for lots of reasons.

Open the mag box and run an STW. 168gr bullets with very high BC at 3250 is nice.

I agree with the above.

Mechanics should always be a consideration. What platform is being used. What modifications will be required, and what will that cost.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

or... don't mess with the mag box and run 168 gr bullets with a very high BC at 3250
http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-data/28-nosler/

There is more to a mag box than length

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by chuck

There is more to a mag box than length

it's how you use it?

[Bergerboy]

Originally Posted by chuck

There is more to a mag box than length

This is very true. There is the number of cartridges they hold, construction materials, and method of latching.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

This is very true. There is the number of cartridges they hold, construction materials, and method of latching.

The girth

[bchap22]

7lrm with 180 gr lead. Gets 7mm rum velocities with less powder and less recoil! If you don't believe me just ask Rob!

[Bergerboy]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

The girth

Girth is always more of an issue than length.

[Smokinyotes]

Holy smokes. Lots of difference of opinions, I like it. It's chambered in 7LRM. The action is a Defiance deviant left bolt right port single shot in a Macmillan A5 stock. I have about 500 180 Lapua scenars so that's what I am going to start out shooting. I have no intention of ever hunting with this thing as it's just too heavy with a 30" #17 MTU barrel but am hoping it will be a fun gun out to a mile. Thanks for all the ideas.

[JD848]

Originally Posted by chuck

Here is what a friend said in an email conversation a few days ago regarding a similar discussion. He has extensive worldwide hunting experience. Food for thought.

"I have long believed the perfect hunting rifle for worldwide serious trophy hunters for 95% of game under 99% of conditions has 277/284 diameter and generates 3000+ energy and moves along @ 3000 or maybe 3100 but no more.
The 7 RM easily does that and is available worldwide. You have to draw the line somewhere and the 270/280 don't quite get there. Those two are just right in rigs that are about 3/4 of a pound lighter. They are close but not just right.
Lots of hunters, today, don't think velocity is important because they depend on lasers. I like the 3000+ speed levels for situations when a rangefinder does not provide the answer.
I formed this conclusion long ago and with today's bullets, both ballistic and terminal performance is even better. No place for big 30's. However, I would pick a 30/06 if ranges are unlikely to exceed 300-350.
Of course the 280 AI meets my criteria but is not readily available. So first place goes to the 7 RM.
The rig for the other 5% starts with the 35 Whelen/9.3-62 and goes to 375 H&H. Those three only.
So one backpack 270, one 35/36/37, and a 7 RM. Or a 280 AI and a 35.
All else is chasing a fantasy and spending resources on things rather than hunting."

BANG ON,Save that extra cash and put into a very good optic, of your choice,not what joe blow likes,without a good optic,your doing it all for nothing.

[schreyer]

7mm rem mag. My rig really likes the LR accubonds in 168 gr.

[JD848]

I just pick up this week a sako 75 finnlight 7mm rm,i have had 7 or 8 in the straight ups syn 75 stainless,but for some reason just couldn't fine a 75 finnlight,put limb saver on it and the gun was already broke in,and shot some very nice groups.
it's a good shooter just have to tweak them loads and try a few different bullets,i shot both 160 accubonds and 168 bergers and both group.58 to.75,so I can't be any happier,who ever design the 85 finnlight never looked at the 75,3oz heavier the 75,but was going to move away for the 7mm rem mag to the 300wsm,but that lasted 4 weeks.With the z6 Swarovski with brh reticle I was dingen things past 500 to 600 no problem,i could easily go past that but my comfort zone is around 300 to 500 and rarely have to shot past 250 with the 7mm rem mag,not going to say I never wounded an animal over the past 45 years,but I can count them on one hand,so that is why I like the 7mm rem mag.But after hurting a few animals I decided pushing the boat out to far is not a sport,first time I never slept for 3 nights,i found it ,but the worst felling I ever had.Lesson number one,don't take short cuts with old sh///ty ammo.But 40 years ago sometimes you didn't have choice.

[rem338win]

Originally Posted by JD 848

I just pick up this week a sako 75 finnlight 7mm rm,i have had 7 or 8 in the straight ups syn 75 stainless,but for some reason just couldn't fine a 75 finnlight,put limb saver on it and the gun was already broke in,and shot some very nice groups.
it's a good shooter just have to tweak them loads and try a few different bullets,i shot both 160 accubonds and 168 bergers and both group.58 to.75,so I can't be any happier,who ever design the 85 finnlight never looked at the 75,3oz heavier the 75,but was going to move away for the 7mm rem mag to the 300wsm,but that lasted 4 weeks.With the z6 Swarovski with brh reticle I was dingen things past 500 to 600 no problem,i could easily go past that but my comfort zone is around 300 to 500 and rarely have to shot past 250 with the 7mm rem mag,not going to say I never wounded an animal over the past 45 years,but I can count them on one hand,so that is why I like the 7mm rem mag.But after hurting a few animals I decided pushing the boat out to far is not a sport,first time I never slept for 3 nights,i found it ,but the worst felling I ever had.Lesson number one,don't take short cuts with old sh///ty ammo.But 40 years ago sometimes you didn't have choice.

I am guessing there is good stuff in your posts. I just can't make hide not hair of it without capitals, punctuation, periods, paragraphs....help us out here!

[JD848]

Originally Posted by rem338win

I am guessing there is good stuff in your posts. I just can't make hide not hair of it without capitals, punctuation, periods, paragraphs....help us out here!

Tried doing some stuff on my iphone,but screw it up 90 percent,will try better next time.CHEERS

I spent 7 years in grade 2 and it was a hard one,not really just have to stay off the iphone,but I did get hit by a big spruce in 78.

Workplace injuries they always stick with you specially in the head,i don't sleep walk,but some nights I just wake up in front off my safe reloading my shotgun,keeps the inlaws away and the cat's been missen for a year,but it's a big old goofy world.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by rem338win

I am guessing there is good stuff in your posts. I just can't make hide not hair of it without capitals, punctuation, periods, paragraphs....help us out here!

i said that to someone once and got an infraction

[JD848]

I picked up a sako 75 finnlight in 7mm rem mag this week,i have had half a dozen in the 75 model in synthetic stainless and never for some reason ever got a chance to buy the sako 75 in the finnlight.

I put a limbsaver pad on in it and it was already broke in so I had some 160 accubonds plus some 168 bergers and the rifle shot great.The groups were for me as good as needed coming in at.58 to.75 at a 100 yrds and with a little bit of tweaking up on my loads with bit more velocity I will be happier than could be.

I also have had a dozen in the 85 series not all in 7mm rm,but who ever designed the 85 finnlinght never looked at the 75 finnlight model,which I think is a way better made rifle.The 75 just seems to be a better rifle,but that's just my 2 cents.

I put a Z6 Swarovski with brh reticles on the new 75 and was shooting out to 500 to 600 plinken stuff no problem,my comfort zone for shooting the 7mm rem mag is 300 to 500 and most of my shots are 100 to 250,but if I have to reach out for some reason the 7mm rem mag has no problem doing so and I fine the recoil very manageable.

In forty five years of shooting I am not proud to say I have wounded a few animals and can count the times this happened on one hand,the first one I never slept for 3 nights I was so upset,but I did retrieve that buck.

One thing I did learn was never push the boat out to far of your comfort zone because that's when animals get hurt,7mm rem mag or 300 rum it doesn't matter,you play that came and the sporting part goes out the window.

Lesson number one when I wounded that buck was never screw around with sh//ty ammo,but back then I didn.t reload so what was around you bought.

When I did started to reload the true strength of the 7mm rm started to shine,is there better calibers or cartridges out there ,sure there is,no caliber is perfect,but the 7mm rm is all the caliber and cartridge I need.If my grammar is not perfect,like i said grade 2 was a toughfy.