7MM Rem Mag For a "Not new but not intermediate" Hunter?

[Kevin Altemara]

Im looking at buying my first deer rifle this upcoming season and I've had my eyes at the Ruger American Magnum in 7MM, its a stainless bolt and barrel with a synthetic stock ( Ill eventually upgrade to a Boyd), I plan on shooting 168g Nosler Accubond out of it, I'm hunting in an area with shots from 20yds-160yds but I want this gun to do almost everything, I am also planning on topping it with a Leupold VX-R 3-9. What do y'all think?

 

[OkieKubota]

Sounds like a great elk rifle! I had a 300 Win Mag and sold it because it was too much gun for deer. Shot a 30-06 for a bunch of years but don't like how heavy it carried. Now I am hunting with a Marlin 30-30 and loving it and if I don't have it I like my wife's Remington .243...

 

[maddog3355]

I shoot a7mm magnum just because my shots are an average 300 yards and maximum 440. If my maximum shot was around 200 yards I would shoot a 270 because a light weight 7mm has a lot of recoil and you will catch yourself flinching.

 

[George]

My first rifle that I bought for deer, 30 years ago, was a Weatherby Vanguard in 7mm rem mag. It is too heavy, too pretty, and not much fun to shoot a box of shells thru.

My second rifle that I bought for deer, this year, is a Savage 116 in .308 topped with a VX2 3-9



I'm very happy with the .308, I shoot much more accurately with it than I did with the 7mm as it is a very pleasant round to shoot. I will use the .308 for elk also.

G

 

[Kevin Altemara]

My first rifle that I bought for deer, 30 years ago, was a Weatherby Vanguard in 7mm rem mag. It is too heavy, too pretty, and not much fun to shoot a box of shells thru.

My second rifle that I bought for deer, this year, is a Savage 116 in .308 topped with a VX2 3-9

View attachment 10742

I'm very happy with the .308, I shoot much more accurately with it than I did with the 7mm as it is a very pleasant round to shoot. I will use the .308 for elk also.

G

I shoot a7mm magnum just because my shots are an average 300 yards and maximum 440. If my maximum shot was around 200 yards I would shoot a 270 because a light weight 7mm has a lot of recoil and you will catch yourself flinching.

Sounds like a great elk rifle! I had a 300 Win Mag and sold it because it was too much gun for deer. Shot a 30-06 for a bunch of years but don't like how heavy it carried. Now I am hunting with a Marlin 30-30 and loving it and if I don't have it I like my wife's Remington .243...

Thanks for the input and with that I plan on staying with the Ruger American but going with a 308 insted of a 7mm, and im still currious what you all think about the illuminated scope, it doesnt reliy on the illumination and it also has a retical if it isnt on, it kicks on when the scope is moved and stays on for about 3 minuites after that along with a manul on and off dial on the side, the off turns it 100 percent off and the on turns it to motion activated

 

[Laker]

I agree with your choice of the .308 vs the 7mm Rem Mag if you're going to be a "one rifle man". I've been thinking about a 7mm Rem as a dedicated Elk rifle, not because I need it. But because I want it, and can afford it. I've only shot one Elk. This year was my first ever Western hunting trip, despite growing up in CA. At 230 yards my .270 win worked fine with 150gr Partitions. I took along a borrowed 300 Win Mag Remington Long Range. But it was just too darn heavy, I didn't like the scope and I shoot my .270 very well. I just like the idea of a long barreled magnum for Elk. Your .308 will work fine for Elk too, with the right bullets.

The scope you've picked is great. I have VX3 scopes on my .270 and .30-06. I assume the VXR will have at least as good glass as the VX3. I have no use for scopes that use batteries though. But, whatever floats your boat. It'll work fine.

 

[Kevin Altemara]

I agree with your choice of the .308 vs the 7mm Rem Mag if you're going to be a "one rifle man". I've been thinking about a 7mm Rem as a dedicated Elk rifle, not because I need it. But because I want it, and can afford it. I've only shot one Elk. This year was my first ever Western hunting trip, despite growing up in CA. At 230 yards my .270 win worked fine with 150gr Partitions. I took along a borrowed 300 Win Mag Remington Long Range. But it was just too darn heavy, I didn't like the scope and I shoot my .270 very well. I just like the idea of a long barreled magnum for Elk. Your .308 will work fine for Elk too, with the right bullets.

The scope you've picked is great. I have VX3 scopes on my .270 and .30-06. I assume the VXR will have at least as good glass as the VX3. I have no use for scopes that use batteries though. But, whatever floats your boat. It'll work fine.

Thank you for the input and ive never shot a 270, my dad never owned one cause "I what something different then everyone" back when he started hunting that was the bees knees

 

[Laker]

Thank you for the input and ive never shot a 270, my dad never owned one cause "I what something different then everyone" back when he started hunting that was the bees knees

Funny, I got the .270 to be different. Everybody I hunted with back then had .308s and .30-06 rifles.

 

[Kevin Altemara]

Funny, I got the .270 to be different. Everybody I hunted with back then had .308s and .30-06 rifles.

Haha, he got a 30-06 and he got a 300RUM 18 years ago, at that time everyone used the 300Win mag, "Kevin, why are you using a 300RUM?" "cause i don't want to track deer"

 

[Someday Isle]

I’ll be another voice. My first rifle was my dad’s old army surplus 6.5 x 55 Swedish army surplus carbine. The first rifle I bought was a Remington 700 BDL In 7mm Remington mangum. I love that rifle. It’s probably 35 years old now. I load 150 grain bullets for the most part. I shoot a variety of centerfire rifles from .223 to .458 Win Mag. I have several rifles that are probably more suitable for deer hunting but more often than not I grab that old 7mm when I go hunting. I know it has more recoil than a .308 or 30.06 but I can’t feel the difference. Is it too much for deer? No. Is it more than enough? Yes. But I don’t seem to have any more meat damage with it than any other rifle I use and there’s nothing wrong with having more than enough gun as long as you’re not afraid of it. My son started hunting seriously a year ago. He’s a big man, 23 years old, 6’ 3”, 170 lbs and a lefty. He learned to shoot my right handed rifles before getting his own. He has both a .243 and a 7mm magnum. He’s not an extremely experienced shooter and he adapted quickly to the 7mm. In my opinion it makes a great deer rifle. With all that said, that old 6.5 x 55 or a .260 Remington, or a 7mm .08 are maybe the perfect deer rifles. Get what you want, shoot it until you’re comfortable with it and go hunting.

 

[Laker]

Get what you want, shoot it until you’re comfortable with it and go hunting

Well said.

 

[Kevin Altemara]

I’ll be another voice. My first rifle was my dad’s old army surplus 6.5 x 55 Swedish army surplus carbine. The first rifle I bought was a Remington 700 BDL In 7mm Remington mangum. I love that rifle. It’s probably 35 years old now. I load 150 grain bullets for the most part. I shoot a variety of centerfire rifles from .223 to .458 Win Mag. I have several rifles that are probably more suitable for deer hunting but more often than not I grab that old 7mm when I go hunting. I know it has more recoil than a .308 or 30.06 but I can’t feel the difference. Is it too much for deer? No. Is it more than enough? Yes. But I don’t seem to have any more meat damage with it than any other rifle I use and there’s nothing wrong with having more than enough gun as long as you’re not afraid of it. My son started hunting seriously a year ago. He’s a big man, 23 years old, 6’ 3”, 170 lbs and a lefty. He learned to shoot my right handed rifles before getting his own. He has both a .243 and a 7mm magnum. He’s not an extremely experienced shooter and he adapted quickly to the 7mm. In my opinion it makes a great deer rifle. With all that said, that old 6.5 x 55 or a .260 Remington, or a 7mm .08 are maybe the perfect deer rifles. Get what you want, shoot it until you’re comfortable with it and go hunting.

Another Southpaw, haha i learned how to shoot right handed then i tried to shoot with open sights and couldn't focus on my front sight. 15yo 125lbs 5'6" for me

 

[Native Hunter]

I think in a 7MM your shoulder will be happier if you shoot a lighter bullet, and the dead deer will never know the difference. Seriously, a 168 grain bullet is overloading the bore of a 7MM and increases recoil significantly. Drop back to at least a 140 grain bullet. I personally prefer a 120 in a 7MM mag for deer and have taken lots of them. Best wishes.

 

[Kevin Altemara]

I think in a 7MM your shoulder will be happier if you shoot a lighter bullet, and the dead deer will never know the difference. Seriously, a 168 grain bullet is overloading the bore of a 7MM and increases recoil significantly. Drop back to at least a 140 grain bullet. I personally prefer a 120 in a 7MM mag for deer and have taken lots of them. Best wishes.

Thanks and I was thinking the same a little bit ago

 

[buckdeer1]

Nothing wrong with 7mag,I put a sims vibration lab recoil pad 0n it and in fact my wife and daughter fight over who gets to shoot it.Now it is an older wood stocked one so that reduces recoil also.My daughter has been shooting it since she drew an oryx tag in NM at 13.Yes if I knew I would only shoot deer at under 150 yards and I wasn't in a big body area such as Canada then I would do 270 or 308 maybe.I guess if you go with a smaller gun it gives you an excuse to buy another

 

[Kevin Altemara]

Nothing wrong with 7mag,I put a sims vibration lab recoil pad 0n it and in fact my wife and daughter fight over who gets to shoot it.Now it is an older wood stocked one so that reduces recoil also.My daughter has been shooting it since she drew an oryx tag in NM at 13.Yes if I knew I would only shoot deer at under 150 yards and I wasn't in a big body area such as Canada then I would do 270 or 308 maybe.I guess if you go with a smaller gun it gives you an excuse to buy another

my dad is pushing me twards a 30-06 cause we already have reloading dies for it

 

[OkieKubota]

my dad is pushing me twards a 30-06 cause we already have reloading dies for it

30/06 is an excellent round with a huge selection of ammo and will put anything in North America down...

 

[Kevin Altemara]

30/06 is an excellent round with a huge selection of ammo and will put anything in North America down...

Im looking at the Nosler Accubond bullets, they are what my dad uses in all of his guns and hes killed almost every deer with those rounds, even a huge savanna river hog

 

[Gravel Road]

Im looking at the Nosler Accubond bullets, they are what my dad uses in all of his guns and hes killed almost every deer with those rounds, even a huge savanna river hog

That sounds like a great plan. What grain bullet?

 

[Kevin Altemara]

That sounds like a great plan. What grain bullet?

no clue right now but probroly 150 or 165. Whatever my dad has leftover I can probroly use cause they are both 30 caliber bullets, just different casing size correct?