7mm "The Most Over Rated Caliber"?

I don't know that a 7mm Rem Mag is either over rated or under rated for that matter. It's an accurate round that will both hit the target and kill your prey humanely.

From a ballastic standpoint, it falls in line with a lot of other cartridges on the market so I can't say it out performs all others but I certainly think that it does every thing that it's expected to do.
 
I always find it interesting to see how many people jump up and say how great the '06 is shooting 180s; good for anything up to and including big bears. I simply ask what can that '06 load do any better than a 7mag shooting 175s? It's simply a case (pun intended) of different strokes for different folks. Perhaps it comes down to whatever Dad (or Uncle Joe) told them about it years ago.....:D
(as to which someone prefers)
 
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Art, I'm looking at Federal's Web Site right now and they have a 165 Vital Shock, Sierra 165 GameKing (the only 165 load) for the '06 and it lists it at 2800fps. A 26" barrel would give, maybe, 140fps over a 24". I never seen any '06 loading past 2900 in any manual or chrony'd any, either.
 
The conclusion I am drawing from this thread is that we need a 30.06+p...
Who likes?
There is an AI isn't there?
I have never been tempted to buy one of the non-military cartridges besides my 22-250 which i chose b/c it uses the same bullet as 223. No idea why people are so hung up on all these calibers. It would save us all a lot of money if people would stop supporting redundant cartridges.

Printer cartridges also.
 
The 7mm Rem mag was introduced in 1963.
1963 was pre-GCA of 68.
Milsurps were all over,hardware store had barrels of P-17's,Springfiels,Mausers
Fajen and Bishop sold walnut stocks,and Lots of folks hobby gunsmithed,plus there were a lot of gunsmiths making rifles.

The .308 Norma and .358 Norma were marketed as a custom gunsmith option for these rifles.The 7mm Rem was introduced in the middle of this.
Rem realized all manner of milurps were chambered in 7 rem mag by all manner of folks.I think the SAAMI pressure specs reflect prudent caution.

In the proper firearm,maybe a SAAMI "+P" set of loading specs would be appropriate.

It IS a 45 year old cartridge.It still does a fine job.

I load my M-70 Laredo to 3050 fps with a 162 gr Hornady SST (26" bbl)

6.5,270,7mm,is all about .020 diameter.About how thick my thumbnail is.I tdoesn't matter.

You start with a peak pressure level acceptable.You can get that pressure with a small qty of fast powder or a large qty of slow powder.It helps to match the case capacity to the size of the charge.(load density)

A long barrel has more time to burn slow powder.A short one needs quicker accereration.
If you want a 20 in bbl,a 7-08 is a better bet than a 20" 7 mag.

If you use a 26 in bbl,the 7 mag will reach farther

There is so much more to it than"Best"
 
Maybe that's why the 7mm Rem. Mag. has won the Wimbledon Cup and the .270 hasn't
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?

First of all I'm talking about hunting, not target shooting, and the 270 has forgotten about more wild life surrendering to its muzzle than a 7 mag ever will dream of! Second, you want to talk about long range target shooting where BC’s are most important? I don't see the military offering any sniper rifle in "7 mag" bud! It's 308 or 7.62 inside 1k and after that 338 Lapua, 408 Cheytac, 416 Barret, and 50 BMG. Like I said before your 7 mag is pointless.
Maybe that’s why
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the majority of hunters, and snipers never even touch that caliber.
 
Seems to me that the 270 is the one that was pointless. But, Jack did a heck of a job promoting it.

Since the opinion on this thread seems to be that BC doesn't matter, if you wanted to shoot a 130 grain bullet you could have done it quite easily out of a 30/06 and faster.
 
I am in no way a ballistics expert, I really am a novice and I'm trying to learn all I can BEFORE I start reloading my own ammo.I have 21 years experience behind the same model 700 7mm rem mag usually shooting factory remington 150 gr. core-lokt ammo.All I can tell you is I have killed alot of whitetails,a bear,a moose,and an elk with this combo and it is like hitting them with lightning!!!Will another cartridge work as well??? Probably, but I have NO REASON TO CHANGE WHAT WORKS FOR ME.As for bashing the 7mm as un-needed and worthless I'll agree to disagree.
 
johnwilliamson062, there is a +P for the .06 it is a hornady lite mag. Extra 150fps or so. I have been shooting them in my 7rm for 12 years or atleast the heavy mag version in a ruger custom with a 28" kreiger barrel and it will shoot 2" 400 yard groups with that factory ammo at 3280 fps on a crono. The 7mm in general and then the 6.5's all have a higher BC with a lighter bullet than a 30 cal with near matching velicities and bullet wieght say a 140gr 7mm to a 150gr 30cal so if the fps or close the 7 or 6.5mm would carry down range better than a 30cal. I also have a 308 that is a great shooter and has been for 34 years or so i have had it. I use them both but if hunting areas that have clear cuts to shoot over then the 7mm is going as i can keep my group with in a 300 yards zero to 6 low at 400 yards and not worry about holdover on a deer so long as the deer ain't over 400 yards away..At those distances not all rifles are good enough to shoot a Minute Of Deer group. Now shoot what you got and be happy or atleast pull in all the other newer latest and great small mags from everone that are not any better than most of the originals, just shorter. 30-30 has still killed more game then anything.
 
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I have a Savage 110F with a custom Douglas (or Hart, don't remember which one I went with) barrel. It's 24" long. Was shooting 150 grain Ballistic Tips out of it, but only getting about 2800 fps using the most accurate charge of AA3100. Thinking I could do better, I switched to H1000 and have the most accurate load clocking right at 3000 fps. Stuck with it ever since.
I bought it on clearance, if that rifle had been chambered in 30-06 I would have been happier for a lot of reasons, but the 7 mag will do. I've killed at least a dozen deer with it and they never had much time to complain I was using the wrong cartridge.
 
The 7mm mag is a fine gun but! It's an easy gun. Easy to make long shots and easy to make clean kills.

Right now I'm building an 700 short action in 7mm TCU. It's not an easy gun to shoot. it's only about 1/3 of the 7mm mag. It will only be about a 300 yard gun. With accuracy and much practice it will make a good hunting gun. I like the challenge of a gun that will do less. I like the idea of skill over raw power
 
In answer to the 30-06+p........Its called reloading. Yes, I have a loading that rivals the factory 7mm mag. That being said, I also have a 7mm mag loading the 06 cant reach. Heavens, I even have a loading for 110 gr 300WM that works well for varmits.

If you are dealing with factory ammo, and comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges......a 308 is not an 06.....and 06 is not a 7mm mag.....a 7mm mag is not a 300wm etc. Each cartridge has its good points as well as its bad. End result is what works best for you.
 
Shooter007,

No need for ruffled feathers. The first deer I ever killed was with an old P17 in .30-06. The very first year stainless rifles came out, I ran out and bought a new Ruger .270 Win. It would shoot factory Hornady 140's into 3/4" all day long. When I finally put one through a doe's shoulders at 75 yards, I had to blood trail her for 200+ yards all through a creek bottom in the rain. The exit hole was about 2"--go figure.:confused: I traded the very next day for a new Winchester Stainless Classic in 7mm Rem. Mag., which has killed a ton of deer since, and so did a blue 24" Ruger I had for 14 years. I just use what works for me. I've also taken deer with a .243, .308, .444 Marlin, .300 Weatherby, and both the .50 and .54 cal. muzzleloaders, as well as a couple of pistol calibers. I've killed plenty of deer with a bow and arrow, but to say there is no difference in how I have to use each one is just lying. Judging from current field numbers and the posts here, I'd say you might want to recant one of your statements.

the majority of hunters, and snipers never even touch that caliber.
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-7-
 
Is the 7mm mag over rated?

No, I don't belive I would call it over rated. The 7mm mag will always be a good long distance rifle cartridge in my opinion, (plus the recoil is not that bad).

However with that said, it still is a 7mm bullet and the .30-06 (a .30 caliber bullet). With the many different choices of bullet weights of the
.30-06 and the fact that it is a .30 caliber size bullet, makes the .30-06 my choice over the 7mm when its all said and done, (especially if you re-load ammo).
 
I have shot both thru a crony making up loads. The .270 was very close to the 7mm mag. I believe the 7mm mag had it by about 100 f.p.s. I was surprized. But down range performance is something I have no knowledge in either caliber. I dont own one. I was just working up loads in my freinds rifles. I was using 150grain Nosler ballistic tips in both rifles. The 7mm mag was a Ruger No 1 med sporter, and the .270 was a Remingtion 700 BDL. I have a Ruger No 1 in a .30-06 light sporter using Nosler Partitions 165 grain. I am getting 3097 f.p.s. on a five shot average. Some people might not aggree with me but I would bet using a 150 grain bullet I would be right there with the 7mm Mag. With the 165 partitions I am still under max by 3/4 of a grain. No signs of presure at all none. Using IMR-4350.
 
I hunted with th 30-06 for 25 years and now the 7mag for the last 5. The 7 works better for me out west here on antelope and deer. I have not seen any difference in stopping power on elk.
 
7mmnut,

Your right. Not until after I had a few did I view your reply. haha But I think its really personal preference. I think I good hunter and shot will knock down a deer with a 270 any day. I'm sure with the 7 mag it leaves no doubt. I'm 26 so I'm sure you have a lot more expierience than I. I'm just getting started and really I'm learning a lot from everyone. As for the bow thing, I've started that as well. I have a BowTech VFT. A little older, but perfect for me to learn on. Honestly, I think if you can go into the wild, take only a bow, and come out with a prize....well that is the ultimate hunter.
 
What does F&S know ....

I've been shooting 7mm longer than I can remember.

First, it was my father's WHBY 7MM WHBY Mag. Then, I got my own Rem 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag. In the 150 gr to 170 gr range there are number of bullets from Speer, Sierra, and Barnes, I love. Yes, I reload, have been my whole life. I've had great success with Hodgdon H4831, WLRM primers.

Is the 30-06 or 270 great cartridges/calibers, sure. But then that's the thing about choice.

I have three hunting rifles and o/u shotgun in 12 ga. My rifles, 22LR squirrel and rabbit, .223 varmint, 7mm Rem Mag, primary hunting rifle, deer, sheep, elk, etc., and lastly, 375 H&H for Moose and just because, Alaska and Northwest Canada can be inhospitable places, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dad's rifle in now a cabinet queen, take it out from time to time to clean and remember, than respectfully place back in the gun cabinet.

That said over the years I've been vary happy with the 7mm, and no regets about not owning an 30-06 or 270 for that matter.
 
shooter007 With the bullets out today the caliber is not nearly as important as it was say 20 years ago. I have a friend that has shot a 270 for ever and i have to say it does it job as good as most any 30 cal used today from deer to elk. He only shoots factory ammo ,like most hunters ,just don't shoot enough to try reloading ,atleast if lucky enought to find ammo that your gun likes well. I have a 308 and 7mm rem mag and for most hunting distances either one would do the job but i do love my 7mm.
 
I can't comment about the initial question.. Is this rifle over rated?
I can vouch for the Savage 7mm rm I own has a lot of hurt in the recoil.
But then, if you use it for hunting, ideally only one shot and you are done shooting.
When I first took it to the range, with my 20 yr old daughter and her boyfriend, we shot a box of 175 gr through it and we all hurt for days.
I am sure that knowing how much recoil you are going to feel will have some inpact on your accuracy. At least for some shooters.
In my unknowledgable history of rifles, I will say that I will never sell it.
 
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