Taming the recoil 7mm Mag

Here are some real numbers, not just subjective comments.

A 7 mag shooting a 139 gr bullet @ 3200 fps will drop 21.5" @ 400 yards and have 1770 ft lbs of energy. Recoil will be 20.8 ft lbs from an 8 lb rifle

Compared to a 30-06 shooting a 150 gr bullet @ 3100 fps it will have 24" of drop @ 400 yards with 1670 ft lbs of energy. Recoil will be 19.7 ft lbs of recoil from an 8 lb rifle.

It would take a pretty sensitive shoulder to notice 1.1 ft lb difference in recoil. And no animal will ever notice the difference in energy, 2.5" more drop at 400 yards isn't going to cause a miss.

The real differences between the 2 are pretty insignificant, including recoil. Many shooters simply hear the word "Magnum" mentioned and it strikes fear into them. Magnum is just a word used by marketing folks. It doesn't mean much when it comes to predicting actual performance. But if you truly believe something will kick harder, then it will kick harder to you.

The 7 mag is a magnum in name only. It doesn't have "insane" recoil that needs to be tamed.
 
A friend of mine was having "issues" with his 7 mag and asked if I would take it and see if i could find anything wrong with it. It is a Weatherby and can't weigh over 7# and what a stompoer that thing is. I don't have ANY issues shooting something that rocks, but that one is more of an earthquake. After putting close to two boxes through it I brought it back and told him it's not the rifle, and had several 1" 200yd groups to prove it. I also had a black and blue shoulder and told him he was on his own with it from then on out.

Come a few weeks later he was out at his lease and missed a coyote and a couple of hogs with it and came back blaming me for adjusting his scope and what not. I had him go to the range and watched him yank the trigger on it twice anticipating the recoil and pull completely off a target at 100yds.

As to your load, I would have to suggest looking at the Hodgdon Reduced Loads using H-4895. These can be brought down using any bullet weight listed in the standard load data for H-4895 powder. In other words if it is listed in the main section you can drop the load down to a VERY tolerable level. The key thing with this powder is that you can also start with those light loads and work right back up to the max listed data as well. WHile these might not be barn burner mach 12 loads they are very decent shooting loads and will put any critter you set to task on in the freezer if you do your part.

Also like mentioned if the stock doesn't fit right this will induce more felt recoil than when it does. You might have a local gunsmith have a look at it and measure you to see. Then if it does need cutting you can also have him install a nice recoil pad as well further reducing the felt recoil.

As far as recoil goes I have the standard 7mm RM as well as the STW both however are in Sendero packages. My oldest grandson who just turned 13 this past Thanksgiving has and likes to shoot them both. The Rem mag is a pussycat, but the STW has the standard hard plastic recoil pad on it and if not holding it properly it DOES bite. What scares me is he like shooting it more than the other one, and the ammo cost about three times as much. :D
 
My son read this and found a mistake(s).
I want to change my story:

Large Limbsaver grind to fit recoil pad that are not ground, so as to preserve as much shoulder contact area as possible.
http://www.brownells.com/shooting-ac...220-42179.aspx
Shoot 120 gr Nos Ballistic Tips with 28 gr Blue Dot, for 2500 fps 35 kpsi.
The forward momentum should be [120 gr /7000 gr/lb] 2500 fps + [28 gr/7000 gr/lb] 4500 fps = 61 lb fps
If the rifle and scope and recoil pad weigh 10 pounds then the rifle should be recoiling at 6.1 fps
The recoil will stop in 3/4" = 0.063 feet before your shoulder and rifle are at the same speed near zero.
Time to stop = 2 distance /velocity = [2].063 feet/ 6.1 fps = .02 seconds
Force equals mass times acceleration is the Newton's second law of motion
F = M A = 10 pounds [0.031 slugs/ pound][6.1 fps / .02 seconds = 95 pounds]
The pressure on the shoulder = Force / area
The recoil pad is ~ 10 square inches
The peak pressure on the recoil pad with be 95 pounds/10 sq in = 9 psi
The threshold of pain [for MY skin per my amateur experiments] = ~ 20 pounds / sq inch
9 psi on the shoulder is less than 20 psi threshold of pain, so 7mmRM will not hurt at all, and will kill any deer out to 300 yards.
You will have to know what you are doing with deer at 400 yards.. aim for the lungs after practicing at long range targets.
 
I honestly cannot tell the difference between my 7mm Rem Mag and 30-06 bolt guns.

You may not need a 7mm mag for your use, so there's no concerns about loading them down. There are reduced loads published with faster powders that have less recoil than starting loads.

I found these pretty quick.
https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

Old Speer manuals #9 and 10 list reduced loads using 4759 for some 30-30 type loads.
 
Recoil + muzzleblast = miserable shooting

Some shooters claim they like recoil. I have no reason to not believe them. The only thing that matters to me is what I prefer.

If the OP is suffering from recoil while shooting his 7 mag, the best solution is to download. Nosler usually denotes the most accurate load with each powder for a given combination, and often that is attained at midrange velocities, rather than the fastest. Example: 52 gr. IMR4064 sends 140 gr bullet = 2878 fps= is the most accurate load for that powder.

I used to think that max velocities were the golden rule. But as I get more experience, it is perfectly clear that loading to max just for the sake of velocity is a waste of time. My 270 load at this time is a 130 gr. Speer BTSP over H4895 which chronies at 2925 fps. This is about 200 fps slower than the early 270 factory ammunition was advertised. Max pointblank range is bout 300 yards at my altitude. Shoots 1.25 inch groups at 100 yards. At 400 yards the retained energy is about 1500 ft. lbs.
 
I would research muzzle breaks, I shot my friends 300 RUM with a MB the load was a 190gr bullet moving at 3100 FPS it was more pleasant to shoot than my 308 Win.
 
For me, I wouldn't cut the stock at all before adding the recoil pad. I like the extra length. But then, If I was 5'6" tall, I might feel differently. I'm 6'0", and I feel that a little more length of pull is a good thing. A lot of men are quite a bit taller. I don't know how they can stand for a standard length stock, especially on a rifle noted for substantial recoil.
Click to expand...

I know you weren't pranging on anyone, I won't either!
To each their own, and welcome to it!

---

At 6'3", I'm ADDING length to most stocks, including ARs.
I do fine with the 'Standard' stocks, but I'm more comfortable with a longer stock, a more natural fit for me when I add a little to the back, lengthen the pull...

If you are 5'6" and you want the rifle to FIT,
No disgrace in cutting the stock.

I don't know why it is...
But there seems to be some kind of stigma about cutting a stock off to fit the 'Smaller' shooter.
I don't hold to that line of thinking, if it fits, it fits and makes the experience that much more pleasurable.

My wife is 5'2", so EVERYTHING she shoots has to be shortened.
I had to buy a woodworking belt sander when she took up 'Cowboy' type firearms, lots of pump action rifles, lever action rifles, even had to cut down her trap gun...
(Ever cut on a $6,000 Kreighoff? That will make you sweat!)

In the military, we were working with indigenous people that averaged about 5'6" and they couldn't hit ANYTHING.
Chopped the stocks down, and the hit rates went WAY UP.

A tall, long arm guy has a much easier time using a short stock rifle than a short guy has using a long stock rifle.
 
Jeephammer you really must Love that lady to cut the stock on a 6000.00 dollar gun....
I couldnt do it, Id have to prove it in another way, like pulling weeds out of her dead flower bed....:o
 
I want to change my story again:

I want to change my story:

Large Limbsaver grind to fit recoil pad that are not ground, so as to preserve as much shoulder contact area as possible.
http://www.brownells.com/shooting-ac...220-42179.aspx
Shoot 120 gr Nos Ballistic Tips with 28 gr Blue Dot, for 2500 fps 35 kpsi.
Per Hayes "Elements of Ordnance" the center of mass of the gas will be considered to move at 4,500 fps.
The forward momentum should be [120 gr /7000 gr/lb] 2500 fps + [28 gr/7000 gr/lb] 4500 fps = 61 lb fps
Per Newton's 3rd law of motion the recoil must be equal and opposite of the sum of the momentums of the projectile and the gas.
If the rifle and scope and recoil pad weigh 10 pounds then the rifle should be recoiling at 6.1 fps
The recoil will stop in 3/4" = 0.063 feet before your shoulder and rifle are at the same speed near zero.
Time to stop = 2 distance /velocity = [2].063 feet/ 6.1 fps = .02 seconds
Force equals mass times acceleration is the Newton's second law of motion
F = M A = 10 pounds [0.031 slugs/ pound][6.1 fps / .02 seconds = 95 pounds]
The pressure on the shoulder = Force / area
The recoil pad is ~ 10 square inches
The peak pressure on the recoil pad with be 95 pounds/10 sq in = 9 psi
The threshold of pain [for MY skin per my amateur experiments] = ~ 20 pounds / sq inch
9 psi on the shoulder is less than 20 psi threshold of pain, so 7mmRM will not hurt at all, and will kill any deer out to 300 yards.
You will have to know what you are doing with deer at 400 yards.. aim for the lungs after practicing at long range targets.
 
I'm mostly in agreement with you, Jeephammer. But the part about the tall guys having an easier time with the shorter rifle only holds true with rifles that don't kick much, like a 22LR, in my limited experience. If it has substantial recoil, I want the right length of stock to keep that rifle out of my face when it goes off. I don't have any scope cuts, myself. But I watched a real bloody one happen with a 25-06. The look on the guy's face was the sick smile of chagrin.
 
First off, I won the gun, I wouldn't pay that for one...
Not because they aren't worth the money,
But because I don't want that much money wrapped up in something I can't eat...

SHE, however, fell INSTANTLY in love with it!
(VERY good taste in firearms, well beyond my budget. :()

She wanted to shoot trap, was pretty good at it, so I cut the trap gun and installed a gel pad.
She did pretty well for about 4 seasons, then fell on ice and damaged her rotator cuff and can't shoot a 12 anymore.

When I listed the pull length on gun broker, it sold in 3 days and the woman that purchased it is in love with it.
Said her 'Gun Smith' wouldn't touch her shot gun, about the same price,
So she got ours, sold hers still full length.
(not much of a 'Gun Smith' if he can't do a simple stock shortening...)

----

On the short rifle pull length,
We were giving M1 & M2 carbines to the locals, they couldn't shoot a full size rifle and there wasn't any 'Short' stock M16s at the time,
So M1s and M2s out of military surplus, hack the stocks off and they started hitting something.

I didn't take into account a large guy would try and shoot a magnum with optics...
Without having the proper eye relief, that would be kind of silly and result in EXACTLY what you describe.

I don't feel the 'NEED' to shoot everything offered...
I like some Honda bikes, but I'm not going to ride one!
 
Try a friends rifle in 308.
Also try a 223.

You might discover that you like shooting them much more.
They are cheaper to feed.
You can load up a 308 for anything you ought to be shooting at.
Kodiak bear is one thing you should ought not be shooting at, and elephants too I guess.
 
Try a friends rifle in 308.
Also try a 223.
Click to expand...
I would try to make the 7mm mag work, power with flat trajectory what's not to like? With a muzzle brake, yes you can have your cake and eat it to.
 
I tamed the recoil of my Remington 700 7MM Remington Magnum that has a very light weight stock with a muzzle break, and Pachmayr Decelerator pad.
What was once a very hard hitting Magnum rifle on both ends is now as mild as a light weight 243 on my shoulder! No matter what loads I feed it.
The one drawback, if you shoot at a range with others, your neighbors will not like you shooting next to them.:D
 
Pathfinder45 is spot on with his recommendation with the stock.

The most painful rifle I have ever had was a Rem 700 in 30-06. The stock did not fit for anyone of my buddies and myself. I could get 5 shots out of it, but that was it. I generally don't like the Rem 700, so I got rid of it rather than restocking it. Just was not worth it to me. I have 5 various rifles in 30-06 and can shoot any of them with no bother at all.

A good fitting straight stock is my best and most of my big caliber rifles have them. I don't think I could shoot my 460 Wby if it did not have one.....and I don't shoot it off the bench at all.
 
If I wanted to reduce the recoil, the first thing I would do is look at a new stock. If you are using a synthetic stock, upgrade to a wooden one. The extra weight will make a difference. Granted, this is an expensive fix, but it helps.

Next, get a recoil pad. Limbsavers are popular, but any of the ones mentioned above will work.

After that, a recoil pad shield(PAST) will help.

Finally, go with lighter bullets.

If you do all these suggestions, it will become a very soft shooter.
 
Cheap fix for adding weight to a rifle with a synthetic stock. Remove the recoil pad and the foam filler. Insert a heavy Zip-lock bag filled with lead shot to the weight you wish to add as far ahead as possible. Fill the rest with foam insulation. Trim any extra and replace the pad. It will reduce the recoil, but like a heavier wood stock, there will be more weight to pack around.
 
Bumping this thread because I bought a Remington 700 in 7mm win mag a few weeks ago. The first range session wasn't as horrible but was bad enough that I wasn't looking forward to the next trip. I bought a Caldwell Super Mag Plus recoil pad and gave it a try today and this things the cat's ass. I shot about a dozen rounds and all I felt was a "push". No pain at all. The thing fits well and stays put.
 
No matter what stock he has, a 7mm mag still has lots of recoil
Click to expand...

I'll disagree - my 7mm is more of a stout push while my light Model 7 in 7-08 just bucks like a mule. The weight difference makes that happen.
 
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