The Big 7's

1899

1899

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I've been shooting a 7mm RM for over two decades now and am considering stepping up a slight bit with a more "potent" 7mm. I am getting more interested in long range and will be looking for portability - so no 12 pound rifles with 30" barrels - and I don't want to go to a .300 or a big .338. On paper the 7mm Wby seems to be a very good option - it nips at the heels of the, 7mm-.300 WM, 7mm STW and 7mm RUM. But I am curious about real world performance as measured by a chronograph and observed over long range - i.e. +600 yards. I am interested in the heavier bullets - 168gr and up.

Let me know about your experiences.
 
I love the Big 7 as well! Been shooting my 7mm rem mag since 1994. Actually the only rifle I have hunted big game with until this year.
The newer 7's certainly have great ballistics but I think they can be hard on barrels?
 
kc34 said:
I love the Big 7 as well! Been shooting my 7mm rem mag since 1994. Actually the only rifle I have hunted big game with until this year.
The newer 7's certainly have great ballistics but I think they can be hard on barrels?
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I've found that ensuring your barrel does not get too hot and proper cleaning go a long ways toward good barrel life. This year has been slow for me, but I probably shoot - or would like to shoot - between 200 and 300 rounds per year with my hunting rifles. At 300/year I should still go 5 to 7 years before a $600 rebarrel job. No big deal.

b72471 said:
If you hunt in the pg area why would you need something that shooots flat at 600ms????? Anything the 7RM can do the 30-06 can as well. DON'T FORGET REEEECOIL.
Enjoy
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Well, there are many spots that I hunt and shoot that I could very, very easily shoot more than 600 yards. I also have a .30-06 and while I sure do like it, the 7mm is superior as the range increases. Recoil is a non-issue for me with chamberings in this category. I am also aware of the importance of fit in that respect.
 
7 LRM is an interesting uber fast one I stumbled on recently its a 375 Ruger necked down. But like the other new fast one the 26 Nosler brass is on the rare side and stupid expensive :(
 
If I were going up from a standard magnum, I don't think I'd go just a little bit up. I'd be looking at the Weatherby or UltraMag myself.

Otherwise, it's kind of like going from a 300WSM to a 300WM... hardly worth all the fuss and expense.
 
1899 said:
I've been shooting a 7mm RM for over two decades now and am considering stepping up a slight bit with a more "potent" 7mm. I am getting more interested in long range and will be looking for portability - so no 12 pound rifles with 30" barrels - and I don't want to go to a .300 or a big .338. On paper the 7mm Wby seems to be a very good option - it nips at the heels of the, 7mm-.300 WM, 7mm STW and 7mm RUM. But I am curious about real world performance as measured by a chronograph and observed over long range - i.e. +600 yards. I am interested in the heavier bullets - 168gr and up.

Let me know about your experiences.
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I shoot a 7 MM- 300 Weatherby and its pretty much on par with the RUM and the STW - Heres some good stuff on this site ! Cheers RJ

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/7mm+Practical.html
 
7mm Rem Mag and 7mm Weatherby Mag are not the big 7's... just standard magnums.

7mm STW and 7mm-300 Wby, 7mm Ultra Mag. etc. are the big 7's and require longer barrels to really perform... 28 inches +.

If you want to shoot a 26 inch barrel the 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm Wby Mag are better.
 
Without the free-bore a 7mm Weatherby would just be a 7mm Rem with a funny shoulder. With the free-bore its unlikely to be the last word in accuracy. I've had good luck with the STW, going on 25 years now.
 
I've got a 7mm RM that is ready for a new barrel. The magazine will allow +3.6" COAL so I could go with a STW. I could also just have a long throated 7mm RM and that would be straight forward.
 
1899.........I have had them all and chronographed them all and the 7 RUM is the first major step up from any of the standard belted magnums, 7 RM, Wby, STW...........I have also built and hunted with a 7mmX68 Imp and a couple 7mmX300WM and way back I had a 7X300 Wby in a #1 with a 28" barrel...........You could just rechamber your 7RM to the RUM and try it out for a bit before rebarrelling. The RUM brass is still readily available at a lot of places and is not stupidly priced. My 26" Rem 700 runs 3500+fps with 160 ABs and Retumbo and shoots very well (3/4") for a sporter weight fire-breathing Dragon. Of all the 7s I had, shot and hunted with over the years, 1899, the RUM is the only 7 that shows a noticeable difference and gain over the first big 7, my next choice is the 7 Wby. I compared the 7RM, the 7 Wby and the 7 STW all in the same barrel, loaded to the same pressure signs, using the same bullets from the same box, using the same bullet jump, and in the case of the Wby and RM I even used the same 10 cases...........believe it or not the Wby came out over 100 fps ahead of the STW and almost 200 over the RM..........don't know why, same freebore too Dogleg...........Roy knew something. Ted (Why Not?) is aware of the testing I did with that barrel and rechambering, and I chronographed it indoors without ever moving the chrono.
I picked up a new 7Wby that I have yet to shoot, just made up a 100 brass the other night, for it.............might get around to it one day..............story of my life.
I am taking the 7RUM to Sask for WT in a couple weeks, I think it'll work OK.
 
Interesting about the 7mm Wby., especially given your comment on freebore. Like I said "on paper" it seems to be very impressive at +3000fps with 175's. What do you think of a long throated 7 RM? That should bring net capacity close to the 7mm Wby.

Are you making the brass from 7mm RM or .300 WM?
 
b72471 said:
If you hunt in the pg area why would you need something that shooots flat at 600ms????? Anything the 7RM can do the 30-06 can as well. DON'T FORGET REEEECOIL.
Enjoy
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Why does the subject of recoil even come up with a standard 7mm rifle, which the 7mm Remington has pretty much become. If you can shoot a .30/06, the 7 mag is more of the same. By the way, I can shoot and hit with a .30/06 way past 600.
 
Boomer said:
Why does the subject of recoil even come up with a standard 7mm rifle, which the 7mm Remington has pretty much become. If you can shoot a .30/06, the 7 mag is more of the same. By the way, I can shoot and hit with a .30/06 way past 600.
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Right. Warren Page, who had a big hand in the creation of the 7mm Remington envisioned a round with the punch of the .30/06 and the trajectory of the .270. Recoil is a non issue to me in the 7mm magnum assuming a decent stock and reasonable weight.
 
1899..............I make it from 7mm RM, although short it still has plenty of neck. It is just a quick pass through the sizer die and ........voila, 7mm Wby brass ready to shoot, no neck turning and never needs trimming.

I do this with all my Wby cartridges,..........
264 W-W brass+257 die= 257 Wby
300 H&H brass + powder and bullet=300 Wby
375 H&H brass + 340 die OR powder and bullet = 340Wby OR 375Wby
378 Wby brass=378Wby brass........there's always one to spoil the equation..........:):)

Then there's the W-W300 Win Mag+powder and bullet...POOF.....375 Ruger........I love that conversion.......:):)


Recoil?................What recoil?
 
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guntech said:
7mm Rem Mag and 7mm Weatherby Mag are not the big 7's... just standard magnums.

7mm STW and 7mm-300 Wby, 7mm Ultra Mag. etc. are the big 7's and require longer barrels to really perform... 28 inches +.

If you want to shoot a 26 inch barrel the 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm Wby Mag are better.
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Like Guntech said.
 
Interesting. The Old Man has a 7 Wby and it was one of the first centerfires I ever shot. Not sure how long the barrel is as it is a custom on a BSA action but I love the rifle dearly. But as with any fast-stepper you need to use good bullets. The 140gr Ballistic Tips that I used in Sask a few years ago were woefully underconstructed for even the 220 yard shot I made. Note to self - coyote bullet. Now Accubonds...Hmm...

I need to move back to open country. This thick bush can suck eggs.
 
c-fbmi said:
1899..............I make it from 7mm RM, although short it still has plenty of neck. It is just a quick pass through the sizer die and ........voila, 7mm Wby brass ready to shoot, no neck turning and never needs trimming.

I do this with all my Wby cartridges,..........
264 W-W brass+257 die= 257 Wby
300 H&H brass + powder and bullet=300 Wby
375 H&H brass + 340 die OR powder and bullet = 340Wby OR 375Wby
378 Wby brass=378Wby brass........there's always one to spoil the equation..........:):)

Then there's the W-W300 Win Mag+powder and bullet...POOF.....375 Ruger........I love that conversion.......:):)


Recoil?................What recoil?
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Tsk, tsk, ruing that pretty .300 H&H brass :p

Many years ago Ted told me about turning 7mm RM brass into .257 Wby brass. Works like a charm.

Any thoughts on a long throat 7mm RM? Or in that case I guess even a long throat 7mm Wby, which should give ~ +5gr extra capacity over the RM version. Maybe that's the way to go.
 
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