Rem M7?
- Thread starter 115+P
- Start date
These rifles can shoot just as well as most any other. I've found them a bit "delicate" off the bench due to their lightweight. My problem, not theirs. Not as easy for me to shoot them well as it is for a heavier rifle.
The Wife's got one in 7-08 & she did a 1/2" 4-shot group with Rem 139s. They will shoot.
Hers sports a Leupold 2X7 compact.
Mine's in .308 & has turned in some very respectable groups. It has a 2X8 compact made by Bushnell or Burris (I do forget).
Compact scope's certainly the way to go for this class rifle. Redfield one-piece mounts on both.
With the shorter bbl, don't expect blazing velocities but that really isn't all that necessary. Right bullet for the job & good placement wins every time.
We've several other "full-size" rifles but these two are our faves. Handy, lightweight, very pointable, triggers can be tweaked to perfection & two very decent calibers.
Let us know what you do.
The Wife's got one in 7-08 & she did a 1/2" 4-shot group with Rem 139s. They will shoot.
Hers sports a Leupold 2X7 compact.
Mine's in .308 & has turned in some very respectable groups. It has a 2X8 compact made by Bushnell or Burris (I do forget).
Compact scope's certainly the way to go for this class rifle. Redfield one-piece mounts on both.
With the shorter bbl, don't expect blazing velocities but that really isn't all that necessary. Right bullet for the job & good placement wins every time.
We've several other "full-size" rifles but these two are our faves. Handy, lightweight, very pointable, triggers can be tweaked to perfection & two very decent calibers.
Let us know what you do.
115+P. I would suggest the .308. It is a cartridge that seems to lose very little velocity when equipped with a short barrel. Velocities in the lower 2800 FPS range are not too difficult to attain with 150 gr. bullets using the right powder. My pet load with the 165 gr. Speer is quite accurate, and although I could get higher velocity with it than I do now, it is more than adequate for 250 yard plus shots on deer. I would not hesitate to use it on elk within 200 yards. The longest shot I ever made with any rifle, was at 427 paces at a deer my buddies wounded. Call it 350 yards due to somewhat uneven terrain. That was with a 150 gr. Sierra.
The big reason I favor the .308 over the 7-08 is the .308 can be loaded with heavier bullets for tougher game.
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Paul B.
The big reason I favor the .308 over the 7-08 is the .308 can be loaded with heavier bullets for tougher game.
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Paul B.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I went looking for a lighter weight rifle, a couple of months back. In comparing several different brands, I preferred the fit and feel of the Remington Model 7 to the Browning, but I liked the overall feel of the Winchester.
None of this has to do with the comparative shooting; just that intangible "feel". This gets to another question entirely: If you "just really like" the feel of a rifle, can you hit better with it out in the field? Even if it's a bit less accurate from the benchrest?
Just muddlin' up things, Art
None of this has to do with the comparative shooting; just that intangible "feel". This gets to another question entirely: If you "just really like" the feel of a rifle, can you hit better with it out in the field? Even if it's a bit less accurate from the benchrest?
Just muddlin' up things, Art
Just to use Art's "muddle the whole thing up" train of thought ... 
The M7's got a 18.5" bbl & I've not garnered much in the way of velocity out of it. Haven't played all that much with various powders but do get an honest 2400fps with 165s with what I do use. It works for me.
Doing the ballistic program, it'll still do all but 1700 ft lbs of energy at 300 yds & that's plenty for elk with proper placement & bullet. Sighted dead on at 200, it's about 12-14" low at 300 though. Depending upon your scope, the subtention at the lower duplex will take care of that rather nicely -if you know the range.
I hunt dark timber mostly for elk & have taken several at 15-25 yds so that hardly matters.
Shot an elk with a Barnes .308 165 XBT (honest 2400 fps) at about 15 yards. A spike, walking away. Hit in the rump, broke through pelvis, skipped off of two ribs & back into chest & then out the sternum. Bullet was not recover because it wasn't in the elk any more.
Only big game critter I have ever seen that did drop right in its tracks. I have dropped them within 10' or so but never "in its tracks."
Very minimal meat damage (= almost none) & figured about 5 FEET of penetration & that after breaking (initially) a very major bone.
Doubtful that you'll ever get blazing velocities with big game weight bullets, but that really isn't neccessary.
Everything in the world has been killed with a 200gr bullet at 2100fps.
Wish I would have hooked The Wife up with a .308 rather than 7-08. Was a little concerned about recoil (needlessly) intially.
But still, the 7's nothing to sneeze at & just about everything's been killed with the 7mm Mauser & the "li'l 7" is the same thing but only in a smaller package.
With the way she shoots, I have no doubt that she's not undergunned in the least. A 170 premium bullet at a "modest" 2100fps right in the boilerworks will drop anything she wants.
We get a very honest (w/7! fps standard deviation over 10X shots consistantly) & very excellent groups with the 120 Nosler Ballistic tips at 2600 fps in her li'l 7. Nothing blazing by any stretch but a dandy li'l shooter nonetheless.
The M7's got a 18.5" bbl & I've not garnered much in the way of velocity out of it. Haven't played all that much with various powders but do get an honest 2400fps with 165s with what I do use. It works for me.
Doing the ballistic program, it'll still do all but 1700 ft lbs of energy at 300 yds & that's plenty for elk with proper placement & bullet. Sighted dead on at 200, it's about 12-14" low at 300 though. Depending upon your scope, the subtention at the lower duplex will take care of that rather nicely -if you know the range.
I hunt dark timber mostly for elk & have taken several at 15-25 yds so that hardly matters.
Shot an elk with a Barnes .308 165 XBT (honest 2400 fps) at about 15 yards. A spike, walking away. Hit in the rump, broke through pelvis, skipped off of two ribs & back into chest & then out the sternum. Bullet was not recover because it wasn't in the elk any more.
Only big game critter I have ever seen that did drop right in its tracks. I have dropped them within 10' or so but never "in its tracks."
Very minimal meat damage (= almost none) & figured about 5 FEET of penetration & that after breaking (initially) a very major bone.
Doubtful that you'll ever get blazing velocities with big game weight bullets, but that really isn't neccessary.
Everything in the world has been killed with a 200gr bullet at 2100fps.
Wish I would have hooked The Wife up with a .308 rather than 7-08. Was a little concerned about recoil (needlessly) intially.
But still, the 7's nothing to sneeze at & just about everything's been killed with the 7mm Mauser & the "li'l 7" is the same thing but only in a smaller package.
With the way she shoots, I have no doubt that she's not undergunned in the least. A 170 premium bullet at a "modest" 2100fps right in the boilerworks will drop anything she wants.
We get a very honest (w/7! fps standard deviation over 10X shots consistantly) & very excellent groups with the 120 Nosler Ballistic tips at 2600 fps in her li'l 7. Nothing blazing by any stretch but a dandy li'l shooter nonetheless.