Which 7mm rem mag for hunting?

RBguns

RBguns

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Good evening folks,
I'm looking to get a new hunting rifle this year. With little experience, a bit of reading and also the endorsement from a veteran hunter, I've decided the caliber I'd like to get is the 7mm RM.
The current dilemma is which manufacturer? I've been leaning towards the Tikka T3X do to its reputation to be reliable action and consistent accuracy not to mention the endless options for modifications. The environment I plan to put it through will include everything from tree/blind sits to still hunting, and quading through lease and trails. So I don't want (nor can afford) a high tier rifle as it may get scratched by branches or damaged by rough use. I plan on eventually hunting anything from whitetail to moose. Also I have only been in possession of my PAL since last July, so take in account my novice experience.
A few ideal preferences I have in mind are: lighter weight, pistol grip stock, threaded or barrel with compensator/brake and perhaps free floating barrel.
All thoughts and opinions welcome to weigh in!
 
Tikka is a good choice. I have the Battue light in the 30-06 and have never had any problems. I like to take full advantage of long action not like short cartridges in the Tikka rifles. Just something I prefer.
 
That's 2 for x bolt and 2 for Tika. Thank you FLHTCUI, Jim, tracker, and hitch for your inputs! I will do a little more research on the browning to compare with the Tika. After all I seem to have a small collection in that brand already with an auto5 and BAR -06
 
OP, are you recoil sensitive?

Don't listen to the naysayers that the 7mm Rem Maga "doesn't have heavy recoil"

If you're recoil sensitive, of small stature or the off the shelf rifle doesn't fit you well, it's going to hurt to shoot and ammunition is EXPENSIVE if you don't handload.

There are all sorts of cartridges that might work better for your needs, and NO, I'm not dissing the 7mm Rem Mag, it's a great cartridge.

People tend to advise newbies to get something that is excessive to their needs or comfortable shooting needs, because they shot their first Deer or whatever with it and it suddenly becomes a "magical cartridge, capable of erasing all of the shooter's bad habits"

My next door neighbor was looking for a new to him rifle and I had a very nice Rem 700, chambered for the 270 Win.

We set it up, and it was one of those rifles that shot everything it was fed well, but not exceptionally.

He took it out that fall, shot a Deer and a nice Black Bear.

He has a fairly large circle of friends/family who hunt and shoot. They're mostly unsuccessful for various reasons.

After his success, half a dozen of them sold their rifles and purchased new 270 Win rifles of various makes available.

You can guess why.

I like the 7mm Rem Mag cartridge, but I don't shoot one or hunt with one.

I will readily admit I'm recoil shy. I don't like being hurt when I shoot and because of it I will not sight in or set up rifles chambered for rounds which produce excessive recoil, for my tolerances, unless it's from a Lead Sled which has been properly set up to absorb recoil, without damaging the rifle or scope.

Don't be talked into purchasing something you haven't had the opportunity to shoot and understand what you're actually getting.

There's no shame in admitting you aren't a fan of "pain"

No, it isn't funny to hand someone a rifle/shotgun which produces uncomfortable recoil. It's one reason many women/youngsters get turned off to shooting/hunting very quickly.

Some very big, strong people are recoil shy.

Some very small people seem to be able to absorb it easily, without any problem.

You know your limits. Buy accordingly.

Other cartridges, such as the 6.5x55, 30-06 or even the 280 AI will do the job on critters just as well out to 300+ yards, and they don't hurt to shoot. Mind you, some people can't tolerate these either.
 
bearhunter said:
OP, are you recoil sensitive?

Don't listen to the naysayers that the 7mm Rem Maga "doesn't have heavy recoil"

If you're recoil sensitive, of small stature or the off the shelf rifle doesn't fit you well, it's going to hurt to shoot and ammunition is EXPENSIVE if you don't handload.

There are all sorts of cartridges that might work better for your needs, and NO, I'm not dissing the 7mm Rem Mag, it's a great cartridge.

People tend to advise newbies to get something that is excessive to their needs or comfortable shooting needs, because they shot their first Deer or whatever with it and it suddenly becomes a "magical cartridge, capable of erasing all of the shooter's bad habits"

My next door neighbor was looking for a new to him rifle and I had a very nice Rem 700, chambered for the 270 Win.

We set it up, and it was one of those rifles that shot everything it was fed well, but not exceptionally.

He took it out that fall, shot a Deer and a nice Black Bear.

He has a fairly large circle of friends/family who hunt and shoot. They're mostly unsuccessful for various reasons.

After his success, half a dozen of them sold their rifles and purchased new 270 Win rifles of various makes available.

You can guess why.

I like the 7mm Rem Mag cartridge, but I don't shoot one or hunt with one.

I will readily admit I'm recoil shy. I don't like being hurt when I shoot and because of it I will not sight in or set up rifles chambered for rounds which produce excessive recoil, for my tolerances, unless it's from a Lead Sled which has been properly set up to absorb recoil, without damaging the rifle or scope.

Don't be talked into purchasing something you haven't had the opportunity to shoot and understand what you're actually getting.

There's no shame in admitting you aren't a fan of "pain"

No, it isn't funny to hand someone a rifle/shotgun which produces uncomfortable recoil. It's one reason many women/youngsters get turned off to shooting/hunting very quickly.

Some very big, strong people are recoil shy.

Some very small people seem to be able to absorb it easily, without any problem.

You know your limits. Buy accordingly.

Other cartridges, such as the 6.5x55, 30-06 or even the 280 AI will do the job on critters just as well out to 300+ yards, and they don't hurt to shoot. Mind you, some people can't tolerate these either.
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Thank you bearhunter, that was a very well thought out and considerate explanation, that's the kind of advice I was looking forward to on here.

So here is a little bit about myself and my experience. I own an older BAR 30-06 with is pretty well the extent of my shooting experience aside from .22 plinking or 5 rounds of 12 gauge slug at Phoenix. So I have been hesitant to jump into a larger caliber before i know how much more a 7mm or 300 wm kicks over my -06? My thoughts were that if it was 24-26" barrel and had a compensator that it should equal out the recoil surprise compared to my 22" BAR? But it's all theory to me as I have no way for myself to compare... last year I spent almost 200 rounds through my BAR to sight in and practice with it at a range and to get used to the feel. Yes, the shoulder gets tender after a dozen shots through it but it doesn't hurt to take a shot, I'd say. I'm still not desensitized to the surprise from a shot going off and recoil with it as it still almost startles me every time.
The reason I'm looking for a new gun is that the BAR I have actually has a small, albeit almost unperceivable bulge 1.75" from the muzzle... it's been there from before my dad owned it, far as I can tell, and I think it is partially to blame for the flyaway shots and inconsistency, but it also could be just me and the factory loads... so I bought an RCBS kit to reload the -06 to rule out the ammunition but haven't started loading yet.
With that being said, it was suggested to me to start over with a new or proven good gun. I did waffle on taking mine in to a smithy and having it lopped and re-crowned but it would then be a 20" and wasn't sure I wanted to do that to it and find out it affects the auto action or makes it difficult to use from the added recoil?
 
I just shot my sako s20 300wm with and without the muzzle brake to see the difference. With a brake, recoil was comparable to my tikka 243. Without the brake, it was on par with my marlin 45-70. I was surprised how much of a difference the brake made. If you plan on hunting with a brake, then you'll probably be fine with the recoil. If you're hunting with a brake, WEAR EAR PRO. I won't make that mistake twice haha. Magnum cartridges ain't really necessary for most hunting scenarios. I own a number of cartridges and pretty much always grab the tikka superlite 308. Very manageable recoil, and no need for ear pro.

To answer your original question I prefer the tikkas.
 
bottles said:
I just shot my sako s20 300wm with and without the muzzle brake to see the difference. With a brake, recoil was comparable to my tikka 243. Without the brake, it was on par with my marlin 45-70. I was surprised how much of a difference the brake made. If you plan on hunting with a brake, then you'll probably be fine with the recoil. If you're hunting with a brake, WEAR EAR PRO. I won't make that mistake twice haha. Magnum cartridges ain't really necessary for most hunting scenarios. I own a number of cartridges and pretty much always grab the tikka superlite 308. Very manageable recoil, and no need for ear pro.

To answer your original question I prefer the tikkas.
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Bottles, thank you for that example and advice! I was under the impression that it made a significant difference, still unfortunately, I've yet to feel the difference myself to know the difference of even say a 243 to my -06. Wish there were outdoor ranges with which you could try out different rifles like that of indoor ones.

Definitely understand about hearing protection, just shooting under the canopy at the range compared to an open field demonstrated that to me. I would suppose a brake would really let you hear it as it deflects it more towards you.
 
RBguns said:
Thank you bearhunter, that was a very well thought out and considerate explanation, that's the kind of advice I was looking forward to on here.

So here is a little bit about myself and my experience. I own an older BAR 30-06 with is pretty well the extent of my shooting experience aside from .22 plinking or 5 rounds of 12 gauge slug at Phoenix. So I have been hesitant to jump into a larger caliber before i know how much more a 7mm or 300 wm kicks over my -06? My thoughts were that if it was 24-26" barrel and had a compensator that it should equal out the recoil surprise compared to my 22" BAR? But it's all theory to me as I have no way for myself to compare... last year I spent almost 200 rounds through my BAR to sight in and practice with it at a range and to get used to the feel. Yes, the shoulder gets tender after a dozen shots through it but it doesn't hurt to take a shot, I'd say. I'm still not desensitized to the surprise from a shot going off and recoil with it as it still almost startles me every time.
The reason I'm looking for a new gun is that the BAR I have actually has a small, albeit almost unperceivable bulge 1.75" from the muzzle... it's been there from before my dad owned it, far as I can tell, and I think it is partially to blame for the flyaway shots and inconsistency, but it also could be just me and the factory loads... so I bought an RCBS kit to reload the -06 to rule out the ammunition but haven't started loading yet.
With that being said, it was suggested to me to start over with a new or proven good gun. I did waffle on taking mine in to a smithy and having it lopped and re-crowned but it would then be a 20" and wasn't sure I wanted to do that to it and find out it affects the auto action or makes it difficult to use from the added recoil?
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Getting rid of that bulge should help a lot.

Taking 20 inches off that barrel will only reduce your velocity by 50 feet per second, nothing any animal you shoot at will notice.

If you're getting a sore shoulder after firing 10-12 rounds now, you're definitely going to "feel" the 7mm Rem Mag much sooner, likely after the first shot.

Your BAR, because of its action produces slightly less recoil than a bolt action rifle.

If you get moving on your hand loading, you can easily make up that 50 fps safely with that rifle.

The Bar has recoil buffers available for it, if it doesn't already have one. These tame recoil a bit and are easily installed.

These buffers are cheap and available online. Just Google Browning Hi Power Recoil Buffers.

Rather than purchase a new to you rifle, I would either get the bulge removed from the existing barrel or have the barrel replaced.

Cost would be about the same as another rifle to replace the barrel, but you would still have the once fired cases and other reloading supplies already on hand.

It sounds like money may be a bit tight? This is nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to everyone.

That means cutting back the barrel to the first useable distance would be preferrable. However, bulged barrels can be tricky to fix.

What looks like a 1/2 inch or 1 inch bulge might need an inch or two of barrel removed to remove all of the bulged area. This may put your rifle into the restricted or prohibited class.

That BAR is a very decent rifle. They can be dreams to shoot if they're accurate and functioning properly. Maintenance is required.

Good luck with this. Procrastination seems to be your worst enemy on this one.
 
My go to rifle for moose, elk, deer here in BC is the 7mm rem mag.
I've been shooting the cartidge for close to 25 years now.
I started with a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter with the BOSS shooting system. Heck of a rifle, super accurate, bit heavy but what made me sell it was the blast from that BOSS break LOL
Hunted with a different rifle for 2 seasons then silly me I took a the exact same model of rifle again in a trade here on CGN LOL Hunted with it for a couple years. Then I did a trade with another CGN'er that ended up with me owning a real nice Ruger M77 MKII in 7mm rem mag that was gone over by Joe Dlask.
This rifle and I have basically become one when I am out in the field. It's weight and action are perfect for me although she is a bit on the heavy side with the Nikon 4-16x42.
On all these 7mm rem mag rifles I owned I added a decellerator recoil pad , replacing the factory ones. The difference is huge as far as felt recoil goes. Still , after a 10 shots on paper at a range session...... I am looking to take a break LOL
I am 5 10ish , 160lbs with a slight build these days and this Ruger is my goto for the 7mm rem mag. It's weight allows me to steady the rifle better for fast accurate shots and the action is nice and robust with a balance at the magazine and holds up real well for long range shots as well.
I have shot a Tikka stainless synthetic model in 7mm rem mag. I find those actions stiff and the recoil very sharp...... I was done with that rifle after 3 rounds LOL. No more accurate than my Ruger and I'll take the heavier action all day long if it means I can shoot comfortably and accurately.
There are trade offs but I think in this cartridge , for a slight build person, the heavier rifle with a good recoil pad will be better
 
RBguns said:
last year I spent almost 200 rounds through my BAR to sight in and practice with it at a range and to get used to the feel. ......
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RBguns said:
The reason I'm looking for a new gun is that the BAR I have actually has a small, albeit almost unperceivable bulge 1.75" from the muzzle... it's been there from before my dad owned it, far as I can tell, and I think it is partially to blame for the flyaway shots and inconsistency, but it also could be just me and the factory loads..
Click to expand...
surprised you can even get a group on paper.
Does it shoot to a hunting accuracy level?
maybe the bulge is external only?
 
7mm isn't much different then a hot loaded 30'06 for recoil.
Some guns transfer recoil better then others due to weight, stock design, etc.
For 7mm I like the Vanguards, little more weight to them, handles the cartridge well, never found it hard to shoot.
I use a 7mm Rem 700 Long Range for 1000m plinking, it's got a badger thruster on it for a brake, heavy gun too, but recoil is like a 223, very mild.
 
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Lots of good options out but Tikka is the easy button.

Some might say it’s a boring option but you can customize your Tikka in any way you want. A 12$ trigger spring will greatly improve the trigger pull. Basically you start with a great rifle and the sky is the limit if you want to modify
 
boxhitch said:
surprised you can even get a group on paper.
Does it shoot to a hunting accuracy level?
maybe the bulge is external only?
Click to expand...
At 100 m I'm able to keep it in 3-4", so can't shoot beyond that for hunting. The bulge can be seen as a slight shadow when peering down muzzle with a light at other end.
 
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