I want to scale back my inventory and have 1 or 2 big game rifles.

I live in the east but may hunt in the west. DOnt plan on ever taking coastal grizz.

Is there anything better than a 7mm Rem Mag for yotes, deer, hogs, elk, moose, and anything besides grizz?

My stock answer would normally be 30-06, but truth be told the 7m/m Remington magnum is a pretty darn good match for the one rifle man.
7m/m (.284") is second only to the thirty calibre for bullet selection, plus there is an astonishing number of factory loads available for the non-handloader.

I think you should be able to cover the game animals you want to hunt with your 7mm. I prefer the .338 wm for Elk and Moose, but with quality 160-175gr bullets it will be fine.

If I lived/hunted in the East, I'd own a 270. If the trip out West comes together, load up some 150 Noslers or Swifts and go hunting.

I used to use a 7mm Remington Magnum for everything. Many whitetailed deer fell to it, as did a few black bear. It also filled the freezer with a trio of moose and one each elk, wolf and caribou. It never failed to perform. Although, when it came to bear, moose and elk I stuck to the 175gr. bullets and used 140gr. for deer and caribou. It had acceptable recoil and great ballistics and always performed when I gave it the chance. I'd move up to something heavier for big bears or bison but they aren't exactly on the menu up here, so I don't see why a 7mm wouldn't do the trick.

At one point I was a 2 gun hunter: 7mmRemMag and the 338 WinMag...but now I have added 270 for antelope, and 300 WinMag for long range Mule deer...overlap, maybe, but gives me verstility for terrain and conditions...If I had to return to only one gun...I would probably go with the 338...

well antelope could be used with 120's, 130,', or 140's, couldn't they?

as far as trajectory, and mule deer, how does the 300 win mag shoot flatter than the 7mm??

The 338, one gun? Wouldnt want to shoot that at antelope, yotes, deer, etc...unless i had to, sure seems like alot of unneeded punishment.

the '06 and the 7mm rem are about equal in everything recoil and I see the 338 win mag as a whole level higher in shoulder punishment

Heck yes.
Its a great choice. either the 7 mag or the 30,06. Both are acurate powerfull , and in a nicly put together rifle neither is much of a kicker to a person who shoots much.
Can't beat it. What you sellin ?
...tj3006

I have two. I love the caliber. Was looking for a LH '06 and couldn't find one, so I bought an A Bolt Medallion that has never failed me in several states, Canada, and Africa over a 15 year period. They're good for almost anything up to griz and have a tremendous selection of factory ammo available. It's one of the top choices for reloaders, also.

I must admit for "general use" in the lower 48 I am a .30 cal guy.

I like a 308 for deer sized game, and wild pigs, under 250 yards.

As the ranges get longer, and the animals get bigger AT longer range I use a 300 Win Mag.

However I had a 7mm Mag once. It was a Steyr, and was one of the most accurate hunting rifles I have ever owned.

I killed deer and antelope with it.

With 140 to 150 gr bullets for deer sized game, 160gr Premium bullets for bigger animals at longer ranges, and Premium 175gr. for the BIG stuff up close you would be well armed.

I do not have one now, but the 7mm Mag, with the proper bullet is a great hunting cartridge.

It'll work for sure. Bullet choice is important as others have noted.

Is not ideal medicine for larger game and plains game. Couple of PHs have commented that they didn't appreciate the "American love affair" with the 7mm RM. (They weren't quite so kind.)

People are different and I'd probably go with the .338 under the circumstances ... but the 7MM RM is not a bad choice if you're really determined to reduce the herd.

It's not a bad choice but there are better choices such as a .30-06, .338-06 or .35 Whelen.

I am not going to say that the 7RM is a bad cartridge. It is not. It is kind of an underachiever, though. For the amount of powder you have to burn, you don't get much more than a .280. I sold the only one I ever had because I couldn't figure out what to shoot with it, where it was better than anything else I had. For a "one gun", I think you may be better served with a .300 WM as the increase in powder actually gives you substantial benefit over the .30-06, for instance. It is more of an overachiever, IMHO.

Fast Ed

Number one....Whats with the "one gun" deal?? Keep posting crap like that, a few of the wives read it and then where will we ALL be?? I've worked tirelessly for many, many years to keep the "proper tool for the job" theory alive in my household.

Medium range deer or antelope? A guy needs a .257 Roberts AI by rebarreling an old M70,then spiffing it up. Or a Lt Wt 7mm-08.

LR deer and antelope? How about a nice .280 AI with a Hart bbl on a Rem 700 with a LR Leupold scope? Or a pre 64 M70 in .300 H&H if Your in a Classic sort of mood?

Non classic moods for LR game? A Rem Sendero in .300 Win mag with a Zeiss 4-14X LR scope. Or an older Sako formerly a too light .375 H&H with a Hart bbl in .300 H&H for occasional use?

Then one needs a lighter weight alternative or two. Wby Ultra Lt Wt in .280 Rem very accurate and the death of several deer and elk. And another in 7mm-08 for the wife, and as a loaner rifle for kids.

Then on the medium side, how about a very nice .338-06 on a classic M70 CRF platform? TOO light? Then one of either of my .375 H&H M70's.

UNLESS this "one gun" mental masturbation crap comes to an end. See what Your starting here??

FN in MT

I personally have been using one for over 40 years now for everything on NA continent with the exception of Grizzly !. Never failed me yet even before all the new fangled bullet technology .

So I see nothing wrong with it . I how ever have used several other calibers with success also .

It's just a NICE round load up or down 100-180 grain easy on the shoulder or slight pain .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 7mm, except it's vanilla! Same goes for the 30-06, 308, 270, etc. Lou

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:
I want to scale back my inventory and have 1 or 2 big game rifles.

I live in the east but may hunt in the west. DOnt plan on ever taking coastal grizz.

Is there anything better than a 7mm Rem Mag for yotes, deer, hogs, elk, moose, and anything besides grizz?

The 7mm Remington Magnum works on all of those animals. If you want a one-rifle big game round, it’ll do it. Just because other cartridges qualify as a one-rifle big game round, doesn’t disqualify the 7mm Magnum as one.

People will propose the 270 Win, 280 Remington, 30-06, 300 Winchester Magnums, and others as a one-rifle big game round. Are they? Yes. So what? All I can say is choose your round. If you like the 7mm Remington Magnum than go for it.

thanks

whats the heaviest bullet? 175?

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:
thanks

whats the heaviest bullet? 175?

Yup.

I like to experiment, but my brother is a one-gun man, and it is a 7mmRM. We have slayed a slew of African animals from Mt Reed Buck to Zebra, and have probably made more one shot kills with it than any other rifle. The sevens have really good BC's and penetrate well and therefore kill well.

If one compares generally the 30-06, 180 loads and 7mmRM 175 loads, you will find they have virtually the same ballistic and performance data. The 7mmRM has become a classic. Kudude

Berger match bullet 180 grain vld hollow point boat tail is the heaviest bullet that midway sell for the 7mm (.284)

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:

Is there anything better than a 7mm Rem Mag for yotes, deer, hogs, elk, moose, and anything besides grizz?

If you are committed to making a 7-bore a requirement in your reduced inventory, then, yes there is........the 7-STW.

7MM Rem. is a great all around cartridge. And ammo can be found anywhere 30-06 and .270win can be found. Some of the other rounds mentioned,.35Whelen, 338-06 and .280, while they are also great cartidge can be ...well... a little tough to find, if yours don't show up with you.

quote:

Is not ideal medicine for larger game and plains game. Couple of PHs have commented that they didn't appreciate the "American love affair" with the 7mm RM. (They weren't quite so kind.)

I got just the oposite reaction. The 7mm Rem loaded with 160 gr. A Frames will effectively take any plains game animal up to eland out to 400 yards, without any doubt. Don't know what your PH's found to dislike about the caliber, since the lowly 7x57 has taken so many thousands of head of African game including thousands of elephant. The Rem can't be beat for plains game and a friend of mine uses his on leopard with great effect.

[QUOTE] There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 7mm, except it's vanilla! Same goes for the 30-06, 308, 270, etc. Lou

Vanilla?? I doubt if the animal on the receiving end of an A Frame would agree with you, if he could speak.

Just because it isn't as sexy as the totally unnecessary marketing-driven short magnums, doesn't mean that it isn't just as effective.

We have a saying in aviation: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The 7mm Rem doesn't need fixing.

There are 200 grain bullets also, if you really wish to shoot them. Special twist is required. Barnes made a 195 also I believe.

Nothin at all..

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:
I want to scale back my inventory and have 1 or 2 big game rifles.

I live in the east but may hunt in the west. DOnt plan on ever taking coastal grizz.

Is there anything better than a 7mm Rem Mag for yotes, deer, hogs, elk, moose, and anything besides grizz?

I have one 7mm mag and seven rifles in 30-06,,, what does that tell you? The good ole' 06 will do everything the 7 mag will do. The only time I ever used my 7 mag was when I went to wyoming. My go-to rifle is an 06

For what you're wanting to do it will be fine, but so would the 7x57, 280, and '06.

revise that to 280 rem or 358 win, or 308... there's not a hill of beans difference in the "killing" power of them.

the 308 is probably the best single gun on the planet, but its indistingishable from the 8 mauser, 30-06, or any number of other small rounds.

pick the one you like best, and if it's 6 mm to 9 mm, with good bullets, you can hunt whatever you like

You can use the good 7mm Remongton Mag as an all round caliber... like the old 30'06.
I think there is very low diference when you use this to hunt. Use the right bullet and shot good, that's it!!!
Faina

For me, if it is not .308 or larger bore size--- I am not interested in using it.

Shooting at the 100 yard range, I can't tell the difference between shooting .270, 7x57, 7mmMag, .308, 30-06, 300WM, 303Brit, 7.62x54R, and 8x57mm.

And I doubt any animal hit with one of these could tell the difference either.

We just buy all these guns because we can.
We have some testosterone driven urge to get weapons and optimize them.

What does it all mean?
If you have lots of rifles, and want to get rid of some, keep the ones you like the best. That will likely be the most accurate ones.

I've Taken my 7mm Rem Mag deer hunting almost every time. I use the 140gr and or the 150gr for deer.

The first bigger calibre that I shot was the 7mm rem mag

It had devastating performance on goats here in Australia !