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wncchester · August 28, 2008, 07:28 AM

"Is the 7mm RemMag over rated? In the July, 2007 Field & Stream, a writer states, "...if you chronograph a 7mm RM, you find ..almost no distinction between it and a .270 and .280."

It's a fact that almost all of the NEW cartridges, that is including all the belted magnums since about 1960 or so, are little better than the older cartridges. Magazine readers and paper ballistics chart experts frequently argue trivial differences in "flat trajectories" with differences of a couple of inches at 500 yards or a couple hundred ft. pounds of energy at the same distances. They are, of course, correct - on paper. But most of those touted differences really don't mean much in the field when fired from factory rifles in cold, shakey hands at targets at unknown ranges and unknown winds between between the shooter and critter.

Few of us have any business shooting at game further away than maybe 300 yards. Inside that distance, the .270, .280 and .30-06 are as effective as as any other cartridge.

Shooting a magnum under .33 caliber doesn't hurt my shoulder for three days but it is a fact that any of us can shoot more accurately with a lighter recoiling rifle. More recoil makes tiny variations in sighting, grip and shoulder contact detremental to accuracy, period. A tiny loss of accuracy negates any small advantage in trajectory and energy of a big cartridge so at what cost do we get any magnum advantages?

I load for a few of my friends, including for a .300 Winny and two 7mmRMs. I like both mags, on paper, but I don't have copies of either in my gun safe. In fact, my favorite deer cartridges are a .35 Rem/336 and a .30-06/700. I have NEVER failed to get my deer due to any short comings in either cartridge.

Magnums do have their place for a few people but I believe it's at the fringes of hunting, not the norm. Usually for much larger game than most of us ever see in our hunts. One of my friends took a large black bear in Canada last year, with a .270 I had loaded for him with common 150 gr. Corelocks; one shot did the job. And the guy didn't even take his flat shooting .300 Winny with him on the trip!

So, is the 7mag over rated? In my opinion, NO, not really. But it's older competitors are badly under rated in the minds of many hunters and magazine writers.

August 28, 2008, 07:28 AM	#17
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"Is the 7mm RemMag over rated? In the July, 2007 Field & Stream, a writer states, "...if you chronograph a 7mm RM, you find ..almost no distinction between it and a .270 and .280." It's a fact that almost all of the NEW cartridges, that is including all the belted magnums since about 1960 or so, are little better than the older cartridges. Magazine readers and paper ballistics chart experts frequently argue trivial differences in "flat trajectories" with differences of a couple of inches at 500 yards or a couple hundred ft. pounds of energy at the same distances. They are, of course, correct - on paper. But most of those touted differences really don't mean much in the field when fired from factory rifles in cold, shakey hands at targets at unknown ranges and unknown winds between between the shooter and critter. Few of us have any business shooting at game further away than maybe 300 yards. Inside that distance, the .270, .280 and .30-06 are as effective as as any other cartridge. Shooting a magnum under .33 caliber doesn't hurt my shoulder for three days but it is a fact that any of us can shoot more accurately with a lighter recoiling rifle. More recoil makes tiny variations in sighting, grip and shoulder contact detremental to accuracy, period. A tiny loss of accuracy negates any small advantage in trajectory and energy of a big cartridge so at what cost do we get any magnum advantages? I load for a few of my friends, including for a .300 Winny and two 7mmRMs. I like both mags, on paper, but I don't have copies of either in my gun safe. In fact, my favorite deer cartridges are a .35 Rem/336 and a .30-06/700. I have NEVER failed to get my deer due to any short comings in either cartridge. Magnums do have their place for a few people but I believe it's at the fringes of hunting, not the norm. Usually for much larger game than most of us ever see in our hunts. One of my friends took a large black bear in Canada last year, with a .270 I had loaded for him with common 150 gr. Corelocks; one shot did the job. And the guy didn't even take his flat shooting .300 Winny with him on the trip! So, is the 7mag over rated? In my opinion, NO, not really. But it's older competitors are badly under rated in the minds of many hunters and magazine writers.