Thinking of complimenting my collection with a 7mm remington magnum..

[SStomcat]

for small to medium game mainly in the US, EU and Africa. This will be in addition to my 9.3X62 and 470 ne. I did consider a 7X57 / 275 but availability is a problem.
What do you guys think?

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I have a lot of others that I play around with such as the 7x57 but 90% of my hunting is done with the 7mag. 160gr tsx works on everything from antelope to elk for me.

 

[BeeMaa]

Hard to go wrong with a 7mmRM. The only other one I'd consider in that range is the 270WIN. Depends on how far you plan on shooting and what bullets choices you would like. Both have been around long enough that availability won't be a problem.

What platform were you thinking of?

 

[SStomcat]

I'm looking at Winchester model 70 supergrade and it is a toss up between 7mm and the 270 win, but tilting towards a 7mm.

Which scope would you recommend on either?

 

[BeeMaa]

I'm looking at Winchester model 70 supergrade and it is a toss up between 7mm and the 270 win, but tilting towards a 7mm.

Which scope would you recommend on either?

Once again, it goes to how you plan to use it. I prefer illuminated which adds some weight. I also like a 30mm tube...again more weight. Just depends on how you envision hunting with it. My choices wouldn't be ideal for a lightweight mountain rifle.

I'm a big fan of Swaro and really like the Z8i lineup, but there are also solid choices in the Z6i and Z5i lines. The Z8i 1.7-13.3x42 with a 4A-IF reticle is what I'm using on my 300WM and I believe would fit your build nicely. I can comfortably spot game animals LONG before I'm able to take an ethical shot. With proper practice I could easily take game out to 500 yards, but my current skills limit that range to 250-300.

 

[SStomcat]

BeeMaa - I m sure the z8 are fantastic but currently out of my budget. I’m looking for something in the 1K range

 

[ldmay375]

I don't have much use on the ones that I have, but I would take a look at the Tract Toric line. They certainly are not shamed by the European scopes that I have.

 

[Letzhunt]

Consider the 7mm PRC. Many have found that factory guns and factory ammo shoots remarkably, myself included. My Seekins rifle shoots an honest 0.27 MOA with Barnes factory 160 grain LRX. Completely astonishing!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

for small to medium game mainly in the US, EU and Africa. This will be in addition to my 9.3X62 and 470 ne. I did consider a 7X57 / 275 but availability is a problem.
What do you guys think?

I've probably killed more deer (blacktails and muleys) plus a couple of pronghorns, with a 7 RM than any other cartridge. I believe it is a great round for medium size game in open country. My rifle is a Model 700 Classic. It loves 140 gr. Accubonds, but I also did well with 150 gr, Corelocks. I never have been b able to get good groups out of any 160s. That's the rifle, not the cartridge. I now have it topped with a Leupold HD 3.5 - 10x40 scope. It is not a true light weight but I have lugged it up many tall or steep mountains. When applied correctly, things tend to stop happening quickly.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Either .270 Win or 7mmRM. Both are excellent cartridges.

 

[KY Hunting Guy]

If I could only have one cartridge for North America and medium plains game it would be the 7Rem Mag. I have used one now for over 3 decades and no matter how many rifles and calibers come and go in my collection I always have one. Mine really likes the 150-160 grain bullets and has killed Elk, Deer and Antelope.

 

[BJH65]

I really love the 7mm Rem Mag. My go to rifle for deer, elk and pigs has been my Sako 75 stainless with a discontinued Nikon Monarch 3 2-10x42mm with BDC reticle. My favorite load has been factory Winchester 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Silvertip, yes even for elk. Gun writer John Barsness says Nosler made the jacket thicker on the 150 grain 7mm bullet, works fine for elk and my results bear this out on large wild hog and elk. That Sako is one of my more accurate rifles too, less than dime size groups at 100 yards.

For awhile, I used my 375 RUM, in place of the Sako 7mm Rem Mag for elk and wild hog, but after awhile I noticed I wasn’t killing anything quicker, so I went back to my trusty Sako 7mm Mag. I’d certainly use it for any African plains game.

You can’t go wrong with a Winchester M70 Super grade. On this forum many will recommend European glass probably costing more than your rifle which is fine if you can afford it but a good Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40mm would be about perfect I think.

 

[SStomcat]

I don't have much use on the ones that I have, but I would take a look at the Tract Toric line. They certainly are not shamed by the European scopes that I have.

Will look at it for sure

 

[Fatback]

The Leupold VX5 in 3-15 with the firedot reticle is also a good choice for what your are considering and is pretty close to your stated budget, especially if you have a bit of time to look around for a deal.

 

[Firebird]

I like the faster 7’s better but the rem mag is an excellent choice. I like the .270 as well but I reload and there are so many more options in the .284 family that I would definitely pick the 7mm rem mag over the .270’s. Either is fine for your stated purpose and I agree with the aforementioned that you can get a lot of leupold for $1k or really much less.

 

[btheis13]

I recently purchased a Tikka t3x in 7mm rem mag and topped it with a Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44. It has quickly become my favorite rifle. I can't wait to get out West and tip something over with it.

 

[BeeMaa]

BeeMaa - I m sure the z8 are fantastic but currently out of my budget. I’m looking for something in the 1K range

Trijicon AccuPoint 2.5-12.5x42 comes in below $900, has illumination and leaves some wiggle room for bases & rings.

7PRC could be a consideration...if it's still around in 50 years or so. At least that's my opinion. This is a specialty cartridge made specifically for long range shooting to take advantage of longer, high BC bullets. Any game animal inside of 500 will never know the difference because the ballistics inside 500 are nearly identical. It's just another in a long line of "latest and greatest magnum" that will soon be at, or nearly obsolete. 7RUM, 7DAKOTA, 28NOSLER, 7WSM, 284WIN, 7SAUM, 7STW, 7WBY...etc. You get the point.

A traveling hunter should always take into account ammo availability to the places they plan on hunting. Any of the cartridges in that list above combined with lost ammo turns your beautiful killing machine into a stick with a 7mm hole down the center. Congratulations, you traveled halfway across the world to rent a camp rifle.

I believe you are making a wise decision with the two you are considering.

 

[RLL]

No reason not too add one if its what you want. Can shoot 120gr up to 3600fps and 160s up to 3200fps. Will cover everything you’d need. A buddy took one to the EC last year and flattened everything from Kudu on down with the 160’s.

My personal dislike of belted cartridges is the need to re-size above the belt after a firing or 2, usually. Adds a PIA step to the process I don’t enjoy. But if you shoot factory ammo only…no problem then.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Trijicon AccuPoint 2.5-12.5x42 comes in below $900, has illumination and leaves some wiggle room for bases & rings.

7PRC could be a consideration...if it's still around in 50 years or so. At least that's my opinion. This is a specialty cartridge made specifically for long range shooting to take advantage of longer, high BC bullets. Any game animal inside of 500 will never know the difference because the ballistics inside 500 are nearly identical. It's just another in a long line of "latest and greatest magnum" that will soon be at, or nearly obsolete. 7RUM, 7DAKOTA, 28NOSLER, 7WSM, 284WIN, 7SAUM, 7STW, 7WBY...etc. You get the point.

A traveling hunter should always take into account ammo availability to the places they plan on hunting. Any of the cartridges in that list above combined with lost ammo turns your beautiful killing machine into a stick with a 7mm hole down the center. Congratulations, you traveled halfway across the world to rent a camp rifle.

I believe you are making a wise decision with the two you are considering.

IMHO, the 7PRC and the rest of Hornady's proprietary cartridges will go the way of the SAUMS and WSSM and most of the WSMs, RCMs cartridges before them in less than 20 years. Stick with cartridges in this class like the .270 Win and 7mmRM where you can continue to find brass from a variety of manufacturers for decades. Many of the newer cartridges are GREAT but are beholden to Hornady to manufacture reloading brass/factory ammo for them which isn't/hasn't happening for many of them and many of those cartridges were a solution looking for a problem that never existed when shooting big game at reasonable distances. But, to each their own.

 

[Rem700stw]

My 7mm Remington magnum in a 700 classic has served me well since 1983. I currently use the Barnes 160 TSX. In the past I also used 140 Nosler bullets. This rifle now gets less use as I am a unrepentant rifle addict but it has killed more game than any other I own.