7mm Remington mag for deer

[Texased]

Give me your thoughts on the 7mm Remington Mag. for an all around deer round. The rifle is a Model 70 Classic. Your thoughts on that too. Looking for a little more range with the punch. Thanks

[Rangefinder]

There is nothing in N. America a 7mm Rem Mag can't handle when matched with the right bullet design. Yes, I should say you'll be fine using it for deer. ;)

[TheNatureBoy]

The 7mm Rem Mag is very accurate and is good a choice for a deer rifle as any. I've reloaded for this particular caliber for about two years and love it because of its wide selection of bullets to choose from. It also works well with a variety of powders as well. Distance won't be an issue either. I say its a good choice.

[reloader28]

Exellent round for anything, not just deer. Around here we use them for bears, elk, moose, deer, sheep or goats. Whatever you want to shoot :)

I have a mod 70 tho not a classic. I like mine. If you like it and are paying for it, buy whatever you want.

[ZeroJunk]

Somebody will inevitably come in and say that it's too much for deer. Personally, I think it's a great cartridge for anything in the US except the big bears and I don't see that it kicks any worse than a 30/06. Be careful that you don't kill your deer too dead.:)

[oneoldsap]

The 7mm Rem. Mag. is a fine cartridge . Mine is not the least bit fussy about what I feed it , she just shoots everything well . I use it for long range coyote hunting with a Speer 130Gr. BTSP , the 7 Mag. velocity turns this bullet into a grenade . Great fun !!:D

[hogdogs]

NEVER OWNED NOR FIRED ONE...

From what I hear, The possible draw back is at close range, the bullet may be going to fast to perform as advertised.

I don't shoot at distances that would make good use of flatter trajectory.

I do know that a "ultra mag" of one caliber or other shot at about 100 into the boiler room of a little buck turned the organs (all of them) into jello...
Couldn't tell the heart from the liver and the lungs were like the froth on top of a high dollar cup of fancy pants coffee:barf: But dead is dead... I did have my tongue slappin' my forehead waitin' for the heart to saute but no such luck...

I am the one who gutted this deer so I seen the damage my self and no one exaggerated the destruction...
Brent

[cimarronvalley]

Concur with previous post. I have 3 of them, Savage, Winchester, and a Centurian. It is hard to beat the accuracy, range, and choice of game that can be taken with them. Dependent on your abilities and choice of ammo, it will take any thing from ground squirrels to polar bears.

[Hog Hunter]

A 7mm mag is what i carry with me to the woods 90% of the time. i roll my own ammo and shoot 160gr. accubonds. ive shot three deer with the rifle and all droped in there tracks, and neither one had any messed up meat what so ever. ive also shot alot of hogs with it, only a few have run and that would be from bad shot placement on running hogs. i love the calibure cause its pretty much a suped up 270

[bswiv]

That's what my father used. Very accurate and it will do the job. When he passed I sold it because I'm a recoil sissy and that rifle hit me harder than I liked to be hit.

But as said it isn't much more than a 30-06 so most folks will find it to be nothing to shoot it.

And I will admit that in the woods you never will feel it go off anyway. It's only on the bench at the range that it's a bother.

Use it, you'll probably love it.

[sc928porsche]

7mm mag is just fine for deer. By the way, there is no such thing as overkill, just underkill, so dont let anyone talk you out of it because they dont like it.

[LateNightFlight]

I like a bunch of different cartridges for deer, from a .243 on up. But my 7mm rem mag has taken more than all the rest combined. Love it! It's usually a bang-flop affair; the farthest anything has traveled is 60-70 yards. I've never lost a deer or had to track anything touched by the 7 mag, and I'm just lazy enough to appreciate that. :)

[DiscoRacing]

I have two of em... dont use them tho... I use .308 and 30.06 for my deer.

[Buzzcook]

The Model 70 classic is a fine rifle. It is a throw back to the pre-64 control feed version which imho is the best deer rifle made.

.7mm Rem Mag. is good enough for any deer you come across. I would recommend a very good recoil pad though.

[Rangefinder]

I would recommend a very good recoil pad though.

Or don't worry about using a big 185gr. bigfoot bullet loaded heavy. A light load pushing a 140gr pill will do the deed on any deer and not dislocate your shoulder. Granted, my 7mm mag Sendero is much heavier than a standard hunting config, but my son started shooting it with my 140gr target loads when he was 6 years old and loved it. 7mm mag CAN be tame enough to shoot all day and still perform its duty as an effective medium game hunting rifle. Putting the heavy pills in it though for any length of time in a light hunting rifle, yes--I would recommend a recoil pad, or a chiropractor.

[rickyjames]

i just watched a guy take an elk at 800 yds with a 7mm rem mag. dropped it in its tracks. the 7mm rem mag can take anything in north america including griz. . i used a 7mm mag on javalina and it died like it was struck by lightening on the spot. i would use it on deer if i ever get drawn. if i could have just one hunting rifle for north america it would be a 7mm rem mag.

[globemaster3]

In your Texas sendero country, that would make a fine setup for your longer shots. If you are hunting the hills or closer in, don't feel like you need the power of the 7mm Mag to get the job done. You really don't yield much advantage of the 7mm Mag for distances inside ~200 yards. Not that this cartridge won't get it done, it will, but you can use smaller catridges with just as effective results that recoil less and cost less for ammo.

If your hunting situation involves closer shots and you love the 7mm, another option is the 7mm-08, another very fine deer round.

As far as the Win 70 Classic, if you can get your hands on a copy of American Rifleman this month, there is an excellent article on the history of the Win 70. The classic was a return to the control round feeding system the pre-64 models used vs the push-type feed system post-64s employ. Not that push feeding is bad, as the Rem 700 and Savage both use this system, its just another way of getting the job done.

[mwar410]

shot placement!

[Abel]

Give me your thoughts on the 7mm Remington Mag. for an all around deer round.

Its a bad all around choice. Its not what I would choose for all around deer. Maybe as an all around big game gun for North America. An all around deer gun would be the 7mm-08, 308, 270, 30-06. I hunted deer with a 7 mag for a few seasons, and in my opinion, its too much gun for animals smaller than 250lbs.

[sserdlihc]

At what range will you be shooting at?

[GeauxTide]

A Weatherby, Remington, and two Winchester 70 Classics. Previous posters are correct about short range (<100yds) shots with standard bullets. Any standard bullet under 150gr with a MV over 3000 is a bomb. They don't run, though. A 150 or 160 Partition will cover deer to elk.

[flyboy14]

One of my favorates. It's a little overkill at close ranges, as mentioned above, but too much is better than to little. Shot an antelope at 25 yards with one, and it turned his vitals into jelly! He didn't even take a step. I load hornady 162 grain interlocks in front of a stiff load of IMR 4831, does the trick on about anything you want to kill. Most of my deer hunting is done with a 25-06, I bought the seven mag just cause I could. The recoil to me is not bad at all. Easy cartridge to load for and ammo is common. Just buy one, and if you don't like it put it in the safe and buy something else. The more the better. :D

[Shorthair]

I have killed a couple dozen deer with my 7 Mag, none required more than one shot, none went more than 50 yards, most dropped dead within 20. Shot placement is paramount, any rifle from .243 up to .35 Whelan will work fine on deer. That 7 and I just happen to get along like honeymooners every year we go out.

[ChiefMuzz]

"7mm mag is just fine for deer. By the way, there is no such thing as overkill, just underkill, so dont let anyone talk you out of it because they dont like it."

<...snarky...>

My opinion on the 7mm mag is that it is too much. My father made a 400 yard shot with my grandfathers one year and decided he wanted one, so he bought a savage model 110 (I believe). Shot two deer with it under 150 yards in the vitals and the both were DRT, unfortunately alot of meat was ruined in the process. That gun has been sitting in the safe since then. You would probably be fine at longer distances, but I would never use one.

As far as no such thing as overkill: If that were true people would be stomping around the woods with 7mm mag's shooting squirrel's and rabbits. You match your need to your weapon and decide the most appopriate to humanely kill your prey.

[Art Eatman]

Courtesy and politenesss makes us look like mature adults. Me, I fake it as best I can...

[ZeroJunk]

Most people keep the shoulders, hams, and loins. If you don't put a bullet in any one of them you are not going to have any meat damage. If you do, you are going to have damage with anything, even an arrow.
Try to miss the meat.:)

[Phoneguy]

I have shot many antelope that are about 100lbs to a couple Buffalo that were 1400lbs. 1 shot kills. The Buffalo took one shot to the neck and fell on their feet. I have shot Blacktail and Mule deer also. I like my 7mm Remington Mag.

[James R. Burke]

It is a good caliber for deer, and a whole bunch of other stuff. A few of my friends use them, and they all like them.

[robhof]

I used a 7mag a few years ago in South Dakota for a deer after trying for a week with a pistol and getting none close enough to shoot. I took the shot at 300+ yds and the deer dropped where it was hit, alot of damaged meat to the shoulder. I would use it again for long shots, but still prefer my pistols for deer.

[ChiefMuzz]

I apologize for my snarky remarks earlier.

[youp]

Shot a buck one year one the move. I actually hit it in the front leg knee. 140 gr tipped hornaday bullet at about 40 yards. Something blew the sternum into the heart and ended with a quick kill. Guess I kinda fell in love with the over kill factor.

I am relatively certain a 7-08 would never have pulled that one off. As stated 'shot placement' trumps velocity. Its when I fall short the velocity thing comes through.

[globemaster3]

Youp, with all due respect, you'd been better off not saying a word than to support a position that if you shoot a deer in the knee with a 7mm Mag that part of its body will crush the sternum into the heart...

Although you did bring a chuckle to my morning!

[thekyrifleman]

After carryiing a 7mag for almost 45 years, Rem 700 BDL with the black stainless barrel, and many, many deer later, it will do all you want. Stick to 130-150 gr bullets and always take the heart/lung shot if you can. Result is meat on the table. shoot them in the hams, etc, and you will have some wasted meat. I used 140 gr Sierra Pro Hunters for a long time, recently switching to Nosler Ballistic tips..Too much damage with BT's, back to the Sierras. Have fun, it's a great caliber.

[Daryl]

From what I hear, The possible draw back is at close range, the bullet may be going to fast to perform as advertised.


Not necessarily true. Bullet performance is dependent on the bullet's design. Use a quick expanding bullet and you'll get more meat damage. Use a slower expanding bullet and you'll get more penetration and less meat damage.

Believe it or not, the 7mm mag's velocity with a 145 grain bullet is very similar to a .243 Win with a 100 grain bullet. I've chrono'd both of mine, and they're really close.

In fact, with a more fragile bullet, I get more meat damage on a deer with a .243 at close range than I do with my 7mm mag. Using similarly constructed Speer SPBT's (100 gr in .243, 145 gr in 7mm), I doubt most would be able to tell which I'd used. These aren't even high-dollar bullets, but they work extremely well for me in both cartridges.

I've shot several of our little coues whitetails (they top out at around 100 lbs dressed for a really big one) with the 7mm rem mag, and I've yet to ruin much mean on one. The closest was about 8 yards, another was about 15-20 yards, and the farthest was 472. The bullets all worked very well, with each of the deer dropping immediately upon impact. I've shot antelope, elk, bear, and bison with the same load and got very similar results.

So IMO the 7mm mag is a great choice for deer, just like any one of many other cartridges. Loaded right, there's a big bunch of choices out there; the 7mm mag just happens to be one that fits my style and preferences really well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/DarylAntelope6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/DARYLSHUNT009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/BuffaloHunt010-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/DarylJavalina3.jpg

I've used it pretty heavily since about 1986, and in my present rifle since about 1990. I have no complaints about the cartridge at all.

[Osageshooter]

I have a couple of 7mm Remington mags. They are my go-to guns for antelope, mule deer, and caribou where the ranges are long and strong winds are often present. Accurate and hard hitting. I can send a 160 grain bullet a long way and still hit the target in a cross wind.

In the category of all around deer gun, I personally think of my 270, 25-06, 7-08, and 260. They kick somewhat less. They are a bit cheaper to load for. The do the job on deer out to 300 yards and a bit beyond.

[Osageshooter]

I just saw Daryl's pictures. If that looks like where you are hunting, go with the 7mm mag.

[bamaranger]

I do not own a 7 mag, and have only fired a couple, after working on them, or
zeroing for friends.

I did belong to a deer lease for 10 years or so that was crossed by r.o.w's and powerlines, and the primary style of hunting was from shooting houses and greenfields situated on same.

By far the most common rifle was a 7 mag, usually w/ lighter bullet weights, and big bell, higher end magnification scopes. There were some long range kills (and plenty of misses) made. The belief was that the 7 mag offered the fastest, flattest trajectory available for the hunting conditions. Inside 100 yds, the fast 7mag bullets were tremendously destructive, the 140 (?) ballistic tips especially so.

[Daryl]

I just saw Daryl's pictures. If that looks like where you are hunting, go with the 7mm mag.

LOL! The shots can be long at times, but they don't always have to be.

Here's one I took of my dad getting ready to shoot a javalina. You can see the javalinas in the grass, and dad got one of the two you can see there. I'd already killed mine from the same herd a week before, with a similar stalk.

We stalked them for over a mile, and belly crawled quite a ways before dad waited for their heads to go down and then raised up out of the grass to shoot.

Fond memories for me. Dad and I used to really enjoy bowhunting together for deer and javalinas.

Daryl

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/JavalinaShot.jpg

[BIGR]

I have mainly used a 30.06 of some sort for over 22 years for deer hunting. In 2009 I got a wild hair and thought I needed a 7 MAG. Bought a Remington Model 700 XCR in 7 MAG. and put a Nikon Titanium scope on it. Shot my first deer with it on December 14, 2009. Doe at 80 yards fell in its tracks like a huge hammer had it it. I think it might just be my main rifle for a few years and maybe in 2010 I can see how it stretchs out its legs on longer shots..:)

[dropthehammer]

Hell of a caliber if your man enough to shoot it. Call me a sissy, but I prefer guns that only kill on one end. I also prefer steaks over burger.

[SCcdp]

I've been hunting with a 7mm mag for 11 years now and I've never once had to track a deer that was shot with it. I load 150 Nosler BT's over 63 grains of H4831SC. One of those has gone in the boiler room or neck of every deer I've ever shot with the rifle and all have been DRT. Ranges have varied from 70 yards to about 250 and I've never had a problem with bullet expansion or underperformance.

It is a great round! Good luck with it!

[Daryl]

Hell of a caliber if your man enough to shoot it. Call me a sissy, but I prefer guns that only kill on one end. I also prefer steaks over burger.

I wonder if you've ever really shot or hunted with a 7mm mag? Your post indicates that you haven't. I stand 5'7", and weigh around 140 lbs, and the recoil doesn't bother me. I have a female friend who loves shooting my 7mm mag. She stands about 5'2", and weighs around 110 lbs soaking wet with her pockets full of rocks. She's dating my best friend, went deer hunting with us, and prefered shooting that over my .243 because it was "more comforable" for her to shoot. She went with us to sight in, and shot it pretty well, so I carried the .243.

She's also used it in the past on a couple of hunts.

Here's a picture of her on the way out from one of our hunts. She rode/ponied a couple of the mules to keep the trailer from dragging in some rough spots. She just ain't that big, but she handles my 7mm mag just fine with full powered loads. This picture was taken at the mouth of Price Canyon, on the east side of the Chiricahua Mtns.

Edited to add: I just talked with her about this thread. She got a giggle out of it, so I sent her a link.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/Daryl45/LisaMules-2.jpg

[Grainraiser]

When I got back into hunting I purchased a used 7mm mag because I got a sweet deal on it. It is a bit much for deer but it certainly is a deerslayer. I prefer to use my .270 for most deer hunting. I use the 7mm mag when I hunt hogs at dusk. I do not want to ever have to track a big boar and night and the 7mm Remmy makes sure this does not happen :D. It's not my favorite but it certainly has a place in the safe.

[Chaz88]

If you can afford a different gun for every hunting situation or are only going to hunt deer, there are better calibers to use. But if you can only afford one gun and want to be able to hunt bigger game also, I would go for the 7mm mag.

I personally look to my S&W 7mm mag for most rifle hunting situations. Even though I have other options. Mostly because I have built a lot of personal confidence in the gun. I have killed everything I have ever shot at with it. Can't say the same for any of my other guns.

[Kreyzhorse]

I deer hunt with a 7mm Rem Mag. Great round for deer and a whole lot of other critters in NA. Recoil is a bit more than a 30.06, but if you aren't recoil shy, its not an issue.

[troy_mclure]

my dad is the reason i picked a 7mm mag for a hunting rifle (savage 111). he has taken everything from crow to moose with his m77.

tho i admit the recoil was a bit heavy on hot loads, till i bought a limbsaver recoil pad.

[eddy615]

Got my first 7mm Rem mag about a year ago and shot a buck with it this fall... What a blood trail. No need for recoil pads if your shooting deer. You only need to use a 140 gr bullet. I love my new 7mm the confidence from 10-400 yards is very high

[hardluk1]

I have used a 7mm as my main rifle from when ruger first made the ss plastic stock model . Lots of changes to it but still 7mm and better than ever. I shoot mainly hornady 139gr sst now but for years shoot federal 140gr BT and have no problems with it killing deer in there tracks with either bullet. Great gun .

[James R. Burke]

It will work fine on deer. It might not be the best just for deer or the only one for deer, but it will work just fine. I reload for a freinds, and so far every one he shoots at he gets. But he also does not take any shots that are not going to give you good bullet placement. That holds true in my book with any rifle. When you see a pretty nice buck and cant get a good shot, and have to watch it go out of sight it is not a good feeling, but it is right to do, and that makes you a sportsperson in my book. But that is just me.

[sc928porsche]

I dont see a thing wrong with using the 7mm mag for deer. It is a good choice. If you are recoil sensitive, then perhaps something in a smaller cartridge would be better. I, personally, dont mind the recoil at all but I prefer the 300WM.

For those who give you a hard time about how it is too much gun, forget it. Your choice of the magnum is fine. It is not a competition. Just make sure you spend a lot of time at the range to keep yourself proficient.

[tachunter]

The M70 is great and so is the 7mag. Deadly combination with the right guy behind the rifle.

[rudy270]

there is no such thing as over kill there dead there dead don't matter 7 mag 460 mag to a weatherby mag there all guns we use

[Doodlebugger45]

The truth is, just about anything will kill a deer. A 7 mag is one of them for sure. I've killed deer with a .22 up to a 45-70. It ain't that hard. And I've killed them with a 7 mag and they were just as dead as my old 30-30 did it. Around here, a lot of times your deer tag will be in the same area and same time as elk season. That's a bit different deal. A 7 mag is a great elk hunting cartridge, so if a deer pops up, you got it covered as well.

As far as a deer being too close for the 7 mag, you have a couple options to avoid meat damage. If it's real close and I have some time, I will either opt to shoot it behind the ear, or else I will pull out whatever handgun I have with me just for fun. But really even if it's just 50 yards away and you have a good hard elk bullet loaded, if you shoot them through the lungs, the bullet hardly even expands and you get a nice little hole on the other side with not any meat damage.

I say, if you shoot it well, then by all means take the 7 mag deer hunting. Or a 243. Or a 30-30. Or a 45-70. Or a 25-20. Or a ..... whatever.

[A_Gamehog]

look at this recoil table...

7MMrem mag kicks like a 30-06.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm