I am interested in this caliber but wondering how versatile it really is. I know it is an excellent caliber to be used out in open country but just wondering how it would work in in wooded brush area like we have in Northern Minnesota. I currently shoot a .257 Roberts but want to move up to something a little bit heavier for bigger game for maybe a future elk/moose hunt. Also, do you have to worry about excessive tissue damage when shooting a 7 mag under 100 yards or is it more a matter of using a heavier slower bullet. Any thoughts comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I htink alot of guys are mislead about bullets and brush. With today velocities if you hit even a tiny twig your chances of being on target are slim to non.. I don't know any gun that will "shoot through brush" In my opinion if you have a shoot at an animal and you have to shoot through "brush" pass and wait for a clearer shot.

As far as the 7mm mag. I am not a reall fan of 7mm cal. I prefere the 30 cal. for NA game , I have just seen to many questionable things with the 7 mag... just my opinion....

The 7MM Rem Mag with 160 gr bullet does rather well at short range in brush. It compared favorably with the 180 30/06 and the 200 358 Win.

That cartridge has a good amount of both energy and momentum that blasts away brush. This is just a comparitive statement and once a bullet touches brush it tumbles and gets deflected. If the target is more than a few feet behind the brush all bets are off.

Far better not to hit brush ever or to shoot again.

Don't choose a cartridge for shooting thru brush but a varmint load won't make it at all and powerful cartridges deflect less than weak ones.

As far as effect on the game goes the 7MM's are competative with the .30's but the bigger the hole you make in the game the better. The caveat is that many people flinch with hard kicking rounds thus the trade off.

No bullet of any size will stay not be deflected by brush so the 7mm is no different.If you are worried about meat damage at close range use only lung shots and meat loss will be minimal.I have used the 7mm mag and 7mmstw for many deer and have not had any problems.

No such thing as a "brush buster" closest thing to it perhaps might be a 12 gauge shotgun slug. Now that in itself is another Thread.

Your 7mm mag would do well with a Barnes 160 grain X bullet, or anybody elses premium bullet in a 175 grain weight for the big stuff like moose and elk.

[ 12-21-2002, 22:49: Message edited by: Chigger ]

I've used the 7mm here in western WA and the brush is very thick. I've seen first hand that the brush deflects the bullets but if the animal
is close it dosnt matter.the 7mm remm mag has one heck of a punch at short range.A few years ago I shot a spike bull elk from about ten feet through
the lungs and he fell in his tracks imediately.
I've seen deer go douwn like that but never a elk
I realy like the results I've had with my 7mm in the brush.

Treehawk,

I think the 7mm Remington Magnum is a vesatile cartridge and is is the catagory of an "all around" cartridge. I like this cartridge and have found it to be extremely effective. I like the 175 grain bullet and generally don't drop below 160's. the .284 caliber bullet is a good blend of diameter, weight, and power. The bullets in general have good sectional density (SD) and in the heavier bullets have great sectional density.

I don't believe "brush bustin" cartridges exist. I think the shooting press could do a better job of educating us on this. In my opinion, the traditionally accepted North American brush rigs i.e. lever action opened sighted big bores are the worst choice. These rifles generally are loading with heavy stubby bullets with poor sectional density and are not as stable as a long heavy for caliber bullet. I think the rifle to be used in brush conditions whether 243, 7mm, 338, 416 etc should wear a low power scope for picking open spots in the brush and fire high sectional density bullets(ratio of diameter and length)to offer maximum bullet stability if a twig is clipped. Sectional density is after all the same measurement we use to predict bullet penetration capabilities on game and higher SD maximizes bullet stability potential.

B

A "brush" caliber is a bit of a misnomer. You cannot shoot through brush sucessfully with anything. although, you may get lucky once in a while. Don't count on it. A "brush" caliber is just a short range caliber that works well in the thick because you are close. I have shot deer and elk with a 7mag up close and far away with the same good results. Pick your spot and any good caliber will work whatever the range. Shoot through openings-not through the brush.

My opinion is that the 7mag is a wonderfully versatile cartridge. If you want to hunt it in the brush, just load it down to 257 Roberts velocities, and it will be a great joy to shoot .

Seriously, I have shot a number of deer and elk at close range with a 7mag and x-bullets, and the result is very satisfactory. HTH, Dutch.

Only to echo what most of the guys have said so far.

There is NO good brush buster.

The 7 Mag will do just fine, but I would use 175 gr bullets only so that at close range they will not "explode" on impact, and penetrate properly. We use a lot of 175 gr Hornady RN, and they really work well.

TreeHawk, just find out what load and bullet that gun shoots the best with accuracy wise and then practice a lot at various ranges and positions with the rifle.

I would worry more about type of rifle than what round in the bush. A short fast loading gun with a low power scope or open sights would be more suitable than a long bolt action. If I was worried about my seven in the bush and meat damage ect. I would go with a round nose heavier bullet. You could also try loading it a little light also.

I like haevy calibers in the bush and would opt for a 45/70 or .375 in heavy scrub. I beleive anyone could handle the .375 H&H recoil level. I agree with whats been said about the myth of brush bucking, but...the bigger cals defelct less than lighter ones. That said I am a fan of a heavy bullet at moderate velocity and a large calibre hole, much better killer IMHO.

It looks like the 7mm/175 grn. combo is very similar to the 6.55x55 Swede ratios, and it sometimes "spooky" how well the 6.5 penetrates at much lower velocity.

I would love to have some 180-190 grn. 7mm bullets to try at around 2,500-2,600 m.v.

Federal 150 grain High-Shoks and their ilk make a grisly mess of a deer at close range. Shoulder shots especially are wasteful. Chest shots produce quick kills though and a good blood trail.

As a 7 mag fan, I sure have not seen any "questionable things" from mine. Awesome hard hitting , flat shooting cartridge.

Testing shows that long, heavy for caliber, small bore bullets (6, 6.5, 7mm) are better "brush" rounds than traditional "brush bucking" bullets of ,35 and 45 caliber. Nothing will blow throw brush and keep going straight, but the long , heavy for caliber small bore resist losing stabllization better and glancing objects, and are strangly enough the better "brush bucker". (which of course nothing you'd wanna shoot is really great at)

Any normal deer caliber will work fine in the brush if the deer is just a little ways behind the brush. If the deer is 150 yards with a brushy ditch halfway between you and the deer, if you can't find a hole to shoot through, forget it. I've shot a lot of Missouri deer with the 7Mag in brush and in the cornfields at a distance, and the one thing I've noticed is it's a lot easier to shoot a 75 yard shot in the thick stuff with a 7Mag than a 300 yard shot in the beanfields with a 45-70. I don't worry about tissue destruction, that's what kills game anyway, and I don't shoot them in the loins where my steaks are. If I was worried about meat, I'd wait and shoot a doe in a beanfield with a 220 Swift or 243.

The LAST bullet I would use from a 7MM RM @100 yds is a super penetrator like an X or failsafe. Reloading for particulars places more versatility into any cartridge, especially with the many bullets and other components available today.

I would go with a heavy for caliber SP of some kind and probably a reduced load for 7MMRM brush loads.