Rifle advice for the new guy

[Jfet]

Shoot that 7 mag proudly!

Shot placement and confidence in the rifle are more important than the caliber, by far.

I took a new 300 wsm on the trip I just got back from and my shooting wasn't nearly as good as with my .30/06.... the new rifle shoots better actually, but I didn't shoot it as well. All on me. Point is, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Don't get me wrong, I will take the 300 again, but will be much better prepared!

Umm... have you submitted your report yet and don't be telling me how a lion ate your homework

Glad to hear you made it back

 

[Royal27]

Umm... have you submitted your report yet and don't be telling me how a lion ate your homework

Glad to hear you made it back

Part of it!!!

Man, is the teacher in you coming out!!!!

I did have a cow eat my homework one time. True story.

 

[Bullthrower338]

The advice you are getting is excellent obviously. But, let put another idea in your head: If you like shooting then this is a great chance to explore another caliber....dare I say it...375 H&H. Or, how about 300 H&H? I found the recoil of the 375 H&H to be more comfortable than my 7mm RM. It is a storied cartridge that allowed me to live just a bit more of the fantasy.

Whatever you decide the animals carry their vitals a bit more forward. Have fun planning the trip! The real secret is that the planning is a ton of fun!

My favorite part about this site is the enablers that feed the fire. Get a 375(I agree), oh the next logical step is a 416 Rigby(oh yeah), definately need a double! Lol. Come to the dark side! We have a support group just for the lost souls that couldn't stay under that 375 mark!
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Jfet]

Part of it!!!

Man, is the teacher in you coming out!!!!

I did have a cow eat my homework one time. True story.

Now I would stopped class and listened to how a lion may have eaten your homework. Come to think of it the cow story sounds pretty good too

 

[Philip Glass]

You must prepare for long shots because you never know what Africa will throw at you. The rifle of choice for African in general is .300 Winchester but for the most part your 7mm Mag will be fine. I agree with those that state Barnes bullets are a good choice. Know your gun and be able to shoot off sticks well.
Regards,
Philip

 

[JGRaider]

I have taken 4 dozen or so head of plains game with the 7mm Rem Mag and 160 Accubonds. They work great, and are usually very accurate. If you have trouble finding the AB's, I'd shoot the 160 partitions.

 

[Velo Dog]

I currently use 175gr Sierra game kings with a velocity of 2850 ft/sec.

Does this sound reasonable?

Hi again Xshock2,

Sierra jacketed soft point bullets are typically VERY accurate, in most all rifles, chambered in the calibers that these bullets are made in.
I am quite fond of Sierra JSP bullets, especially their flat base spitzers, for what they were designed (long shots at vermin and N. American deer/pronghorn/wild sheep, mountain goat, caribou, etc.)
Yours truly is a rifle enthusiast (and hunting is my excuse to mess around with rifles, bullets, scopes and so-forth).
Therefore, I have tried many brands and configurations of bullets/powder/primer combinations, etc., etc.

I'm officially an old geezer now and one of many lessons I've learned from hand loading and shooting is that; Sierra old fashioned flat based hunting bullets consistently group tighter than their boat tail so called "target grade" bullets, in each and every rifle that I have tried all the above in - go figure.
Be that as it may, no matter how excellent in the accuracy category that Sierra bullets most certainly are, I would not choose them for shooting large African antelope at close range with your 7mm magnum.

African animals are not bullet proof, just perhaps a slight bit more "impact resistant".
Might be due to tens of thousands of years with abundant apex predators, constantly trying to pull them down.
More than just perhaps, it must be at least in part due to; many African species having their heart and lungs located securely far forward/between their shoulder bones, instead of somewhat less securely located, behind their shoulder bones - such as with the antlered deer family which, many of us are so familiar.

Therefore, I whip a dead horse here by saying that for heavy African antelopes and zebra as well ("the armored car of plains game"), especially at close range, with smallish/high velocity calibers, such as the various 7 millimeters, you will be stacking the deck in your favor by using the 175 grain Swift A-Frame in Africa.

Cheerio,
Velo Dog

PS:
Again, with the right bullet in the right spot, the 7mm is an adequate cartridge for so called "plains game" but, just keep messing around in this forum and eventually the voices in your head will become more and more seductive toward you "needing" a .375 H&H, heh heh heh.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Xshock2, please do not take seriously the "" around the word needs. Anyone typing "needs" instead of needs when it comes to a .375H&H should be viewed with great suspicion. Every hunter needs a .375H&H! Some realize this while others have just not arrived at this conclusion yet, but they will. Besides that, there may be wives who read this thread and come to the hasty conclusion that their husbands have been feeding them a load of bull and use it against us!!

As for now, you won't need a .375 for your PG hunt. You don't actually even need a new rifle although it certainly is never a bad idea. I fully am behind the recommendations for using an A-Frame in either 160gr or 175gr variety in your 7mm. I love my 7mm and have taken up to and including Shiras moose with it. While smaller than the Alaskan variety, if I can take a Shiras I am quite confident it will work on Eland too.

If you're a hand loader, there are other bullets too that work well.

 

[Xshock2]

I would like to thank everyone on this forum for the great advice. I truly am thankful for the willingness to help out the rookie hunter.

I am actually a hand loader. It is one of my favorite hobbies. Nothing more relaxing to me than willing up some test loads, heading to the range and seeing if I'm any good at this game. I am very familiar with some of the nos rounds, have not done anything with the A frames yet but am now looking forward to it.

Very happy to hear that I can use my rifle. We have been together long time, taken a lot of game, and I trust and know her well. To me that is as important as knowing where and when to take the shot.

With that said,... I have mentioned the possibility that a slightly larger caliber, one with a proven reputation, may be a good idea. After all this is Africa, one never knows when a big gun may be required,. For safety sake. Not just because I don't own one yet. That would be childish

 

[TallGrassHunter]

XShock no way to improve upon the advice given here, I would just add a few words of caution. When this group talks of a support group, what they really mean is they'll help you pick out your new rifle.

 

[Rob404]

I'm a Big Sierra Fan I took all of my plains game with Gamekings in 308 caliber some fell dead where they stood one ran about 20yds before it keeled over.
Your 7MM Rem mag will do the job just fine

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I would like to thank everyone on this forum for the great advice. I truly am thankful for the willingness to help out the rookie hunter.

I am actually a hand loader. It is one of my favorite hobbies. Nothing more relaxing to me than willing up some test loads, heading to the range and seeing if I'm any good at this game. I am very familiar with some of the nos rounds, have not done anything with the A frames yet but am now looking forward to it.

Very happy to hear that I can use my rifle. We have been together long time, taken a lot of game, and I trust and know her well. To me that is as important as knowing where and when to take the shot.

With that said,... I have mentioned the possibility that a slightly larger caliber, one with a proven reputation, may be a good idea. After all this is Africa, one never knows when a big gun may be required,. For safety sake. Not just because I don't own one yet. That would be childish

Yes....yes, the force is strong with this one!

 

[Desperatezulu]

You must prepare for long shots because you never know what Africa will throw at you. The rifle of choice for African in general is .300 H&H but for the most part your 7mm Mag will be fine.

Fixed it for you

I have shot a fair number of plains game with the 7RM up to eland and it is hard to beat on the longer shots in more open country. But it can make a terrible mess on smaller game at closer ranges. Given the quality bullets around today I would not be using non-premiums in the 7.

I now use a 300 H&H as my general PG rifle using 200gr premiums as it just gives a bit more versatility, especially on larger PG at short to medium ranges. A 300 Mag shooting 200 grainers is going to be pretty similar ballistically to a 175gr in the 7 in any case. The 7RM will be great - a 300 mag might just be a bit greater!

 

[The_Wanderer]

I think it is a simple do you want a new rifle? if the Answer is yes then may I suggest a 375H&H in a model 70 winchester, . If the Answer is no you need to re think your decision!

 

[Rob404]

I think it is a simple do you want a new rifle? if the Answer is yes then may I suggest a 375H&H in a model 70 winchester, . If the Answer is no you need to re think your decision!

Head this mans advice as he shows great Wisdom

 

[The_Wanderer]

Head this mans advice as he shows great Wisdom

 

[lcq]

I can't offer better advice than others but I can offer my experience with the 7mm last year. I used the discontinued Remington Premier (Swift) 160gr A-Frames in a $300.00 Remington 783. It blasted clean through a huge zebra and almost through a really large wildebeest.

As you have been hearing over and over, good bullets and accurate shot placement, good to go.

 

[Xshock2]

Following the advice I recieved, I purchased some 175 grain nosler accubonds. Also ordered some 175 grain swift A-frame rounds. This however raises a question. I can not find any load data for this round. Anyone have a resource suggestion?

 

[Rob404]

Following the advice I recieved, I purchased some 175 grain nosler accubonds. Also ordered some 175 grain swift A-frame rounds. This however raises a question. I can not find any load data for this round. Anyone have a resource suggestion?

Go to the Nosler sight plenty of load info there

 

[sestoppelman]

Wait, what? Its only one of the most common rounds out there. Everyone has load data. What have you been doing up till now?