7 mm

I've often thought of getting a 7 mm. Don't know what for really. I hunt Ontario and prefer close shots. I just feel there's to much imaginary gap between 25/06 and 30/06. I feel I don't need a ultra mag or stw and prefer the standard options over the short mags. So that leaves the great 7/57 and it's twin 7/08 and the 284 or 280. None can do anything better than a 30/06. I know most standard calibers can't. That leaves the good old 7 mag. A fairly sizable step up from my 25/06 and right on par with the 30/06.

It's nice to read everyone's comments for and against certain calibers. They all would work for deer wolf and bear for how I hunt. I guess I'll just wait until one presents itself in a rifle I just need to have regardless of the head stamp

The 7/30 would be nice in a nice slim English stocked rolling block with highly figured wood and deep blueing.
 
Do you just use 30/30 brass for that with a spitzer bullet?

30-30 brass that you just run through the 7-30 die, then fireform with medium loads (I have heard you can use full loads but I haven't tried that). I use 139gr Hornady Interlock BTSP's in front of 35gr of IMR4064 which gives 2440 fps out of my 18" barrel. I seat them all the way to the cannelure with a light crimp and even though that is an huge .090" jump to the rifling in my barrel the accuracy is amazing
 
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My favourite 7mm is the 284 win. Reason being, my first rifle was a 284. The biggest advantage of the 284 was having the same ballistics of a 280 in a short action. The longer bullets have to be seated deeply, as mentioned earlier in this thread, but I can still drive 154 gr hornady bullets at 2850 fps from my 20" barrel using RL17. You could have a light weight rifle built, with a 24" barrel that could drive 140 gr bullets at 3100 fps. I prefer a short action for a mountain rifle. Just my thoughts.
 
.284 on a long action. Haven't really played with anything else. But I really like being able to use Lapua brass and push a 180gr pill over 2800 from my 26". Mag feeds fine.

At least matches if not exceeds the 280AI with a better brass choice than Nosler. Lapua is cheaper too.
 
Ok I know what I'm about to say may be considered an abomination and terrible but since .277 is considerably closer to being 7mm than .284, I think I will have a .270 Winchester restamped to 7mm Fudly or maybe 7mm True. I bet that would resolve some animosity some members here feel towards the .270. Hmm Perhaps a .270 WSM for the True and Winchester for the Fudly.

No? Okay, I'll stop and play within the spirits of the OP's post. My favorite 7mm is probably the .280 Remington but I can't honestly say why, my only 7mm experience is with a 7mm Rem Mag. Perhaps I should remedy that.....
 
The .284 Win... the original short magnum, 40 yrs before it's time.

Introduced in 1963, a year after the 7mm Remington Magnum. "It was conceived as a compact cartridge that would match the performanceof a .270 Winchester or .280 Remongton but be better suited for lever action and semi-automatic rifles". Both of these were lead about ten years earlier by my favorite:), the 7x61 Sharps & Hart which was standardized in 1953.
 
30-30 brass that you just run through the 7-30 die, then fireform with medium loads (I have heard you can use full loads but I haven't tried that). I use 139gr Hornady Interlock BTSP's in front of 35gr of IMR4064 which gives 2440 fps out of my 18" barrel. I seat them all the way to the cannelure with a light crimp and even though that is an huge .090" jump to the rifling in my barrel the accuracy is amazing

I had a 7-30 Waters Contender that was a great carrying rifle and shot wonderfully. I used the Nosler 120bt over a charge of 3031 and was firing from a 20" barrel. I don't recall the velocity, but as you say, it was certainly a flat enough shooting cartridge out to 250 yds. I've always liked Ken Water's writing, so didn't need much convincing that the 7-30 would be a fine cartridge.
 
I've used a few 7's over the years, and still have a few: Brno ZG47 7x57, Tikka M595 7-08, Parker Hale M1200C 7mm Rem Mag.

My mom's 1957 vintage Brno ZG47 7x57 is still a sentimental favourite, but the barrels getting a little tired so it doesn't get used much any more.

My "wife's" stainless/synthetic Tikka M595 pre-dates the T3 and is actually made on a short action. It's hell on the white tails.

The PH is kind of a sentimental one as well - I shot my first moose with it when I was 11. It also doesn't get used much any more either - honestly, I don't have much use for a 7mm Mag, I just fount it never lived up to all the hype. It doesn't do anything a 270 or a 30-06 won't do.
 
I've used a few 7's over the years, and still have a few: Brno ZG47 7x57, Tikka M595 7-08, Parker Hale M1200C 7mm Rem Mag.

My mom's 1957 vintage Brno ZG47 7x57 is still a sentimental favourite, but the barrels getting a little tired so it doesn't get used much any more.

My "wife's" stainless/synthetic Tikka M595 pre-dates the T3 and is actually made on a short action. It's hell on the white tails.

The PH is kind of a sentimental one as well - I shot my first moose with it when I was 11. It also doesn't get used much any more either - honestly, I don't have much use for a 7mm Mag, I just fount it never lived up to all the hype. It doesn't do anything a 270 or a 30-06 won't do.

The second of my two favorite 7's and to that end, after an 'absence', I've recently added one to my collection.

 
I have hunted for ten years with with a savage 7m Rem mag. I sold it just before Christmas. I bought a tikka T3 SS Hunter combo came with walnut stock and a Burris E1. 3X9X40. Oh and guess what! It is also a 7m Rem Mag.
 
Sorry for the derailment, how do you like your Zastava, I have been thinking about one of the stainless ones. Does the action smooth out a bit?

Very plain wood, checkering that leaves something to be desired and the action is a little rough feeling. On an overall assessment though considering the price, I'd say good bang for the buck.



The 7x57mm on the bottem is now my second. The first was one in the same configuration in .366 Wagner (9.3x62).

No complaints on the accuracy.

 
.280 Remington is my favourite. The 7mm-08 (I do have one) would as easily do its job, but the .280 is my sentimental favourite. I just bought a .280 Rem 700 Classic (1997? Limited Edition) from another GunNut and hope to get it out to the range soon.

So your the one lol,
I was eye balling that on the EE for some time then it went and got bought. Good for for :) Enjoy.
I ended up with a Browning X-Bolt to replace my .280 Pro Hunter.
 
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