7mm Remington Magnum

[Philip Glass]

Does that include larger PG like kudu, eland, zebra?

You will do well with a 7mm that you shoot well for most plains game. Eland and zebra are different, much different. If you have a good shot that is not too far you might be ok. If you get on a tough hunt with long shots you will increase your chances of wounding the aforementioned animals.
Let me give you my advice on recoil. I was just like you and actually afraid of recoil although I shoot a lot being a rancher. As I've gone down my path of bigger and bigger safaris I've had to buy bigger guns obviously. I bought and hunted with a .416 & .375 Ruger with Edwards Recoil Reducers installed in the stock (2 in each Gun installed by Edwards) and factory muzzle brakes. I shot well with both of them and had no trouble with recoil however a muzzle brake mandates hearing protection. As I prepared for my last safari I decided to take the brake off and give it a go with the .375. I was pleased that I could shoot well at home and I did very good on the safari overall. I was maybe a bit surprised that I was able to shoot a .375 with no worries. My point is to encourage you to try a bigger gun. Remember the .375 Ruger is a $1K Gun that everyone can afford to play with. I mean think about the cost of a safari these days!
Happy Safari Planning,
Philip

 

[rinehart0050]

I agree with @Philip Glass! Don't be afraid to go big either. 375s are affordable and the ammo price won't put you into crushing debt either.

As soon as I've bought my wife a "women specific" rifle, I'm hoping to step up into the world of NE and double rifles!

 

[gillettehunter]

The 7mm is a great caliber. I have one as well as a 7 SAUM which is essentially balistically the same. Those are the calibers that I have used on 3 of my 4 african hunts. I can tell you they are great for most plains game animals. I lost an eland using one last Nov. I still wonder about him........ I honestly believed that I had enough gun. The 160 gr AB's had been doing a great job.... In hindsight I wish that I would of taken something bigger for the eland. It may of made the difference....... Most of the time the 7mm will get the job done. I would use caution with a eland and ONLY take a shot in which you have complete confidence that you can hit where you aim. Good luck. Bruce

 

[Scott Slough]

I wouldn't hesitate to take a beloved 7mm (years of use and 100s if not 1000s of rounds down range) with me plains game hunting ... but if I were buying a new gun, I would step up to the 375!

 

[Shootist43]

While I have no doubt that a 7mm Remington Mag is sufficient for PG I do take umbrage with those that think it is superior to a 35 Whelen. According to Nikon Spot on Ballistics Calculator The Whelen using a 225 NP at 2800 fps is traveling at 2590fps at 100 yds with 3352 lbs of energy at 200 yds it is traveling at 2387 fps with 2846 lbs. of energy. The 7 mm Rem Mag with a 160 gr bullet is traveling 2740 fps with 2666 lbs of energy at 200 yds it is traveling at 2535 fps with 2283 lbs of energy. The bullet drop at 200 yds does favor the 7 Mag by about .75 " which is negligible in my opinion. I freely admit that I'm prejudiced in my constant touting of my beloved 35 Whelen but it is justified by the ballistics. How can anyone argue against the numbers?

Nickymaz, like I said previously if the 7 mm Rem Mag floats your boat, go for it!! My Whelen went to Africa, my 7 mm Rem. Mag stayed home in the safe.

 

[85Tecate]

I've taken Eland with a 7mm and had no issues.

 

[EZRider]

My Ruger No. 1 in 7mm Rem hurts me more than my CZ 550 in .375 which gives a shove rather than a punch. I'd rather shoot my .375 loaded with 250 gr Barnes TTSX off the bench than the 7mm with 170 gr bullets although neither are anything to be worried about off of sticks or free hand.
Of course the disadvantage of the CZ 550 is that it is a boat anchor compared to the Ruger.
I have hunted most PG with the 7mm but always use the .375 on Eland.

 

[MichielC]

Quality bullet, with proper shotplacement will do the job

 

[curtism1234]

While I have no doubt that a 7mm Remington Mag is sufficient for PG I do take umbrage with those that think it is superior to a 35 Whelen. According to Nikon Spot on Ballistics Calculator The Whelen using a 225 NP at 2800 fps is traveling at 2590fps at 100 yds with 3352 lbs of energy at 200 yds it is traveling at 2387 fps with 2846 lbs. of energy. The 7 mm Rem Mag with a 160 gr bullet is traveling 2740 fps with 2666 lbs of energy at 200 yds it is traveling at 2535 fps with 2283 lbs of energy. The bullet drop at 200 yds does favor the 7 Mag by about .75 " which is negligible in my opinion. I freely admit that I'm prejudiced in my constant touting of my beloved 35 Whelen but it is justified by the ballistics. How can anyone argue against the numbers?

Nickymaz, like I said previously if the 7 mm Rem Mag floats your boat, go for it!! My Whelen went to Africa, my 7 mm Rem. Mag stayed home in the safe.

First of all, let me say I was going to include both the 35 Whelan and 280 Remington in the suggestion box as well as the 7mm rem mag. Inside 200 yards, I think you are correct. If you run those numbers at 400 yards (rare but not unheard of), I think we see the 7mag win that. There are certainly advantages to the 35 and I don't want to take anything away from it.

I think the 7mag is an excellent overall choice for the factory ammo shooter. If handloading, I'd probably go for the 280 Remington or load down a 375 Ruger.

 

[35bore]

If you have a bullet that will preform the task at hand i.e. TBBC, (just an example). Then the 7mag will preform just as well on a zebra or kudu just as it would on an elk or bison. The 7mag is a fantastic cartridge/caliber with the proper bullet. Same could be said about most calibers that have stood the test of time.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My sugestion is 9,3 x 62Mauser.
Recoil is comparable to 30-06.
Witold

 

[buckmarkhunter]

I have not been to Africa yet. That is happening 2018. But I have shot 4 oryx (gemsbok) in NM with a 7 mag. Ranges were 496 to 85 yards. I used a 160 ft Barnes triple. Worked great but as others have said if your getting a new gun bigger might be better. Shot placement is huge also. Best of luck on your adventure.

 

[Rick Cox]

I know you are leaning towards a 7mm. However before you purchase a new rifle check out the ballistics of a 35 Whelen. We (my 2 sons and I) took three 35 Whelens to Africa and harvested 22 animals from Warthog to Eland without a hitch. The recoil is in the same ballpark as a 30-06, i.e. slightly higher but not enough to fret over.

I concur on the 35 Whelen. I took one to Namibia last June and never felt undergunned. The eland in my avatar was taken with this.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello NickyMaz,

The 7mm Remington Magnum is very popular in The Western USA (at least), probably Canada as well as, many other places, for a "general purpose caliber", to hunt pronghorn, deer, sheep, goat, caribou, elk, moose and even grizzly.
However for me personally, it is a very specialized long range cartridge (hunting and target shooting as well).
For that, it is one of the best.

Conversely, it seems to me that there are many better choices for shooting large animals at "close to moderate range" (3 paces, to about 300 paces).
I all fairness, a smallish bullet (such as a .28 caliber / 7mm, weighing 140 to 160 grains), impacting thick muscle/tendons and heavy bone, at around 3,000 feet per second quite often works.
Whereas, a larger bullet (beginning somewhere around at least .33 caliber, weighing 250 grains and upwards), impacting same, at no more than about 2400 fps, predictably virtually always works.

That being said, the 7mm Magnum / 160 grain, is my 2nd favorite long range hunting cartridge.
(The .300 H&H / 180 gr is my #1 favorite long range hunting cartridge but, that's for another thread.)
Also in fairness to the 7mm, I have not hunted in Africa with it but, I have hunted with it in Idaho and Alaska.

It is a peach for longer shots, such as most of Namibia, also South Africa's Eastern Cape, etc. but, for the much more common African - trees and thorn bush conditions (shots are rarely more than 200 paces, quite typically less than half that), there are better cartridges, especially for the several larger antelopes, plus zebra.
There are better cartridges for smaller animals in close to moderate range conditions as well, as the 7mm Remington tends to destroy (AKA "blood shoot/blood shot") - quite a bit of otherwise edible meat at close range.

In parting, if you generally plan to hunt primarily within close to moderate range conditions, (not necessarily only limited to Africa), as some others have said here already, consider shopping for something that uses a bit more bullet and a bit less velocity.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Shootist43]

For the 400 yd comparison between the Whelen and the 7mm Rem Mag I had to change ballistic tables from the Nosler Spot on to the Nosler App 2.0. the results are as follows the 225 Partition at 400 yds has a velocity of 2029 with 2061 lbs of energy, bullet drop is 30.14 " w/100 yd zero. The 7mm Rem Mag at 400 yds has a velocity of 2174 fps with 1690 lbs of energy, bullet drop is 27,93 " w/100 yd zero. It appears that the Whelen still has the edge.

Please refer to Velo Dog's post to see the reason why.

 

[enysse]

I have used my Win Model 70 Super Grade 7mm Rem Mag with 160 gr. Swift A-Frame bullets for two safaris. I took eland and sable with it along with kudu, nyala, bushbuck and other small antelope. I felt a little it was a little small for eland and sable but the other game it was more than adequate. It took more than one shot for the larger animals. I have never lost a animal with mine.

 

[slam8031]

Though I must agree with the idea of larger and slower, I have had great success on two trips across the pond with my 7mm Rem magnum. I shoot 154 grain sst Hornady for white tails. I used 175 grain swift aframes for one shot kills on blue wildebeest, zebra, kudu (2), nyala, blesbok, warthog bushbuck, red hartebeest, impala, and gemsbok. The only one that moved more than 10 feet was a waterbuck. Bullet placement is key. Practice, practice, practice... no matter what you take! Have a great time in the preparation.

 

[rinehart0050]

I think 7mm is a great all-around (other than DG) rifle round that is readily available.

Besides, after you get that first all-around rifle, it won't be long before you're thinking about getting more rifles for specific purposes- smaller calibers for the little guys, bigger for DG, etc. 7mm covers you for just about everything and it shoots flat and far in case you need to take that long shot.

 

[NickyMaz]

Thanks everyone for providing your input, I appreciate it. I think the 7mm will serve me well as be 'intermediate' rifle for medium to larger plains game and north american elk/caribou etc. My hope is to hunt in South African and Namibia some day as well as the western US/Canada so having the extra range will be helpful.

I'm looking at a Tikka T3 with a very nice wood stock (I'm a bit of a traditionalist).

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My daughter and I used the PH's 7mm mag with a suppressor on an Eastern Cape PG hunt. Using Hornady 175 gr SST, we had 8 one shot kills: 2xkudu, 2xnyala, 2ximpala, 1xzebra and 1xblesbok. No wounded or lost animals.