7mm Remington Magnum-Need Hunter's Advice

[LSUTiger]

I have a Remington 700 ADL Bolt Action Rifle in 7mm Rem Mag.

I've had the gun for 10 yrs now and have not used it to go hunting once. Ammo for this thing is outrageous. I dont like the belted magnums because the have to be loaded a certain way not to cause jams. I dont need the money but I could put the money towards something else or just wait a little longer and keep the 7mm and get my new toy.

But have doubts about selling it also, I want to go deer hunting eventually and I am also wanting a .308 bolt rifle.

What are good reasons to sell or keep it (7MM). Does it make sense to have both .308 and 7mm rem mag.

Any suggestion, sell or keep.

[fannypacker]

If you are a gun nut it makes sense to keep it and buy another. My two favorite deer guns are a Remington .308 and a Remington Mountain Rifle in .257 Roberts.

[The Annoyed Man]

I love .308 and have more than one rifle chambered in it, but I don't know anything about the 7mm Rem mag, so I can't advise you in that regard.

I do have one suggestion that might help you make up your mind..... First, compare the ballistics of the two cartridges. Are they similar enough at over 200 yards to make it easier to have only one rifle, or are they different enough that you might have both rifles for use in different types of hunting situations? Next, look at the price and availability of ammo for both rifles. You can find .308 pretty much anywhere, fairly reasonably priced, and pretty much all year long. Is 7mm Rem Mag that kind of cartridge? Or is it more available seasonally, say during white tail season, but less available in late spring/early summer?

Those are the kinds of questions I would ask myself if I were in your shoes.

[danpaw]

7mm mag is pretty impressive on the ballistics chart. Looks like one of the flattest shootin rounds there is.

[ddstuder]

7mm mag is pretty impressive on the ballistics chart. Looks like one of the flattest shootin rounds there is.

7MM Magnum is a great round for LARGE game. I use it to kill elk. IMHO I think it is WAY too much for your typical Texas Whitetail.

I have a Savage 7MM with a heavy Bull Barrel. I love shooting it.

[mr surveyor]

most 7mm mags I've shot are capable of killing from one end and maiming on the other. If they are too light weight they are not always the perfect gun for recovery for follow-up shots. I too would opt for the 308, especially with a wood stock.

[J.R.@A&M]

7mm may be overkill if only used for whitetails and only used at ranges of 200 yards or less. If I knew I was only facing whitetails within that range, I'd shoot the .243. Or a .308 if I had one.

I used and preferred a 7mm magnum in one particular setting where shots of 300+ yards were common. Also, on that ranch you might also run into a big axis buck or something.

[The Marshal]

I have had my Savage 110 7mm Mag for years.
Always use it to hunt Whitetail in TX.
It is always a "1-shot, No step" round. Mobile field artillery.
My box of 20 rounds has lasted over a decade. ha!
So, if I was to go on a hunt in CO, then I already have my rifle.

Mr. Surveyor is correct, this gun kills from both ends.
But I have *never* felt recoil or heard the shot in the field. Funny how that works.

[speedsix]

...were you to trade it in on a .308, you'd have plenty of power for any Texas game, and a good long-range defensive rifle...if it were mine, I'd trade it for a Marlin 30-30...but that's just me...can't see me taking a shot past 100 yards with these old peepers...

[glbedd53]

I can believe a Rem. 700 ADL in 7 mag kicks pretty hard. I don't hunt but three of my friends from work hunt with 7 mags but I'm the one with the range membership so I sight them all in before the season starts. Two of them are BDLs and one is a Browning A-Bolt. For some unexplained reason the Browning seems to be a lot less painful, at least at the range it is.

[puma guy]

I have had my Savage 110 7mm Mag for years.
Always use it to hunt Whitetail in TX.
It is always a "1-shot, No step" round. Mobile field artillery.
My box of 20 rounds has lasted over a decade. ha!
So, if I was to go on a hunt in CO, then I already have my rifle.

Mr. Surveyor is correct, this gun kills from both ends.
But I have *never* felt recoil or heard the shot in the field. Funny how that works.

My son in law inherited a 7mm Mag from his Dad. It's the only rifle he has so it's what he hunts whitetail with. I got him some reduced recoil loads which brings it down closer to .270 and 30-06 class. Lung shots through the ribs with full 7mm mag loads wouldn't make any difference but if you hit a shoulder the damage is pretty severe.

[LongHairedRedneck]

I use a 7mm Short Action Ultra Mag which is basically a 7mm Mag in a short action rifle. Yes it is a little overkill for Central/East Texas White tail, but those big bodied North Texas deer combined with some rather long ranges makes the rifle worth it. Also I like it for dropping Hogs in their tracks, every once in a while the Terminator pig makes a run after being shot.

[LSUTiger]

If you are a gun nut it makes sense to keep it and buy another.

Fannypacker, if Im ever elected president youd be my secretary of defense. I decided to keep the 7mm and still get the .308.

Get rid of the 7mm unless you plan on hunting very large US game, or shooting long-distance ie. 400 - 1,000 yards+

I also like the long range/ballistic capabilities of the 7mm. Even if I dont use it much its nice to know I have it.

if it were mine, I'd trade it for a Marlin 30-30...but that's just me...can't see me taking a shot past 100 yards with these old peepers...

What a coincidence, my friend just sold me his .30-30 Winchester 94 for $250, Serial # 4, 6XX,XXX made in 1976. What a great piece of nostalgia and a practicle addition to my hunting collection. The opportunity to get it just sort of fell in my lap and was to good to pass up.

Now I will continue saving for the .308. I had a Remington 700 AAC-SD .308, its basically an SPS with threaded barrel for suppressor. Any thoughts on minimum requirements for a .308 setup for longe range shooting (gun/optics/ammo). Any thoughts on suppression?[quote

[LSUTiger]

Now I will continue saving for the .308. I had a Remington 700 AAC-SD .308, its basically an SPS with threaded barrel for suppressor. Any thoughts on minimum requirements for a .308 setup for longe range shooting (gun/optics/ammo). Any thoughts on suppression?

I dont have it yet, just what I had in mind to get.