Is 7mm rem mag too much?

Ok guys so I got an awesome deal on a ruger m77 rifle with a leupold scope for $350 out the door but after a while I started thinking it might be just too much gun considering my shots won't be no more than 150 yards if anything, what is your input on this round for the guys that hunt with it?

Nope and if/when you need to take a 300 yrd shot it won't be a problem.

No, not too much and neither is the .300 Win. Mag.

Indeed..

7mm rem mag has been my go to rifle since 1979 for virtually all my medium to large animals hunting around the USA. Has a bit of a bite to it when shooting it at the range, but never notice it out in the field. Mine really likes (shoots well) Federal Premium Sierra Gameking BTSP 150 grain, dialed in at 1.5 high at 100 yards, holds at 2.4 inch drop at 250 yards for anything in Texas. For larger game (elk, CO Mulies), I move to a 165 grain at 1.5 high at 100 yards, holds at 2.7 inch drop at 250. I have learned to take more neck & front of shoulder shots for deer in Texas as a solid shoulder shot destroys quite a bit of meat and shooting heart/lung they tend to run a long ways.

7 mag is extremely versatile. For regular deer hunting, you can use Hornady Custom Lite or Remington Managed Recoil rounds. These have ballistics identical to 7mm-08. They are great for practice too plus you won't burn out your barrel as quickly. For the big stuff or long range hunting, you can use the full power stuff. If you reload, there is almost no limit to what you can do.

Sounds like a hell of a deal...Too much no...,more than needed yes...Its a great caliber only become lighter than I would want on Brown Bears and the like...I had one and it was just more recoil than I wanted..but maybe i"m a wus..after a couple boxes at range it starts to get to me...I still have a 280 about same just a little relief...But its about to go..my 25-06 is just right its heavy and really comfy to shoot...So if recoil is't a factor with 7Mag you will be Happy...its a great cartridge

Not too much gun for Texas game, as long as it's not too much gun for you. Magnum flinch would be my worry.

Just curious, is it a tang-safety M77?

It's a great round as long as you don't flinch. I've been shooting 7 rem mag for about 10 years now. Recently swapped out the plastic stock for a Boyd's Pro Varmint and the added weight tamed the recoil considerably. Also as Palehorse suggested, try the managed recoil rounds inside 200 yds. The Hornady Custom Lite has worked superb for me in those conditions.

And a final bonus if there is a ammo shortage again you will be able to find it.

Agree with the above assessments. The 7mm is outstanding for deer, elk,bear, exotics and yes even hogs or whatever. Sir you made a smokin' buy.

Nope. It's a great cartridge and bullet is only a little larger than a 270 win (.277 vs .284)

I've taken mulies, whitetails, blacktails, black bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, pronghorn, aoudad, blackbuck, impala, black wildebeest, blue wildebeest, cape kudu, southern kudu, blesbok, vaal rhebok, springbok, gemsbok, zebra, and probably a few others with a 7mm Rem Mag. So no, it ain't "too much."

What they said, great buy in a great caliber.

I would recommend the managed recoil loads for deer.

Very deadly

OK everybody already knows I'm a big fan of the 7-Mag especially if one reloads. You can spit 115's and 120's out lightning fast or lob the big heavies out to 1000 yards with the right twist. As far as recoil goes it's time to either grow a pair or start shooting 223's with a muzzle brake. It does not kick that bad! As far as the Tang Safety Ruger it's my all time favorite, put the safety where God intended it to be.

Ok guys thanks for input guess I made a good deal then lol and it's a tang safety ruger idk if that makes a difference but yes that's it I plan on shooting 150gr as what I saw on research is about average for the shots I want to make

Kick my self for selling my BAR but after I scoped myself 3 times in a row, I was pissed. My BIL bought the exact same model. Had a gunsmith work on it and added a custom port, it now kicks less than my 06.

It is too much gun if it keeps you from going to the gun range and shooting it regularly.

Palehorse gave you some great advice to avoid this problem.

Regularly? I do not need to go to a gun range regularly, in fact I may put 2 or three round through a rifle just to check zero and then hunt with it the rest of the year.

If you were getting scoped it wasn't because of recoil, it was the set up! I've shot magnums all my life and never been scoped.

This.

Mine is loaded with 180's, and the last three years it has killed a bull elk, Mule Deer, Javelins, as well as whitetail does. The last two years I've taken the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 7-08 for the whitetail doe hunt, and leave the big 7 for the heavy duty work. But if I had to only hunt with one rifle forever, it would be hard not to pick my 7 Rem Mag.

I have a browning 7mm mag.

You come shoot it off a bag two or 3 times and tell me it's pleasant.


Love the rifle and the round itself is fine, but it's not a fun gun to shoot from a bench in a lighter rifle

Yea, I have a Browning A Bolt Stainless Stalker in 7mm mag. Full power rounds, although not "punishing", do tend to get your attention at the range. Shooting at an animal, I don't even notice it. Whether one admits it or not though, EVERYONE shoots better when recoil is reduced. EVERYONE shoots better with practice too, particularly with the rifle you will use on the hunt. Not smoking a barrel prematurely is a big plus as well.
Those Hornady Custom Lite rounds will absolutely drop a deer with ease at 300 yards+. If I can drop the deer in it's tracks with less bloodshot meat, why wouldn't I? Having that same rifle with me that I am very familiar with on my elk hunts is a great thing too.

With factory ammo, I'd say its a little much on this side of 300 yards. Past that, it'll be just right.

As others have said, reload and dumb it down a little or buy managed recoil ammo. I'm not a big fan of the 7 mag, but I dont think I would have walked away from that deal!

I will second the Sierra Game Kings. All my deer have been shot with a 7 MAG at under 150 yards. Mostly double lung. All dropped in thier tracks with no extra meat damage over my sons 243.

So....

If this is suppose to change my advice it hasn't.

Maybe you shoot your rifle just 2 times a year as good as a person that shoots regularly, but you would be the exception from my experience. You will never convince me that you shoot just as well with a 7 mag 180 gr. load twice a year as someone that shoots a lighter load throughout the year so don't waste your time typing.

I might as well say it. In my opinion it is way too much gun for around here. If you like pain go ahead and shoot it. If you just think it is "cool" to be able to say that is what you shoot then shoot if it makes you feel manly. I have had on numerous occastions had hunters miss animals. A couple of times I handed them their rifle and pretended to load it to shoot at a target. Watch the barrel when someone who is scared of a gun when they pull the trigger and it does not fire. If you can handle it fine but if not nobody, well not many on here are going to call you a sissy.

Or install a break if you are worried about recoil. I hunt with a 7mm STW with a break on it and the recoil is less than a .223

If I'm going to push 180's I'll move up to the 300 Weatherby and put the little 7 back in the safe. I wasn't trying to change anything just saying some people don't have to shoot regularly to be able to shoot proficiently, in your case I guess some do.

You forgot to throw in the making up for a small digit in your line of sarcasm, how did you miss that! Some of us drive big trucks too.

Do you take along a step ladder to get into it?

The last 7mag I hunted with was a terrible cook and drank too much Dos Equis. Oh wait, I thought you were talking about Roy

My 7mag is my go to gun and may be a little heavy but it's worked every season for 10+ years on every type of game that comes within range. It's great on does - I catch 'em right above the eye.

My primary weapon is a .270 but for the deal I got the 7mag I couldn't pass it up so I decided to get it maybe one day I'll go after bigger game than hogs and Texas whitetail

What happened to that guy? Trump hasn't even built The Wall yet. MIA.......

No such thing as too much gun, or too much money or too much beer or too much fun, too much just ain't ever enough for me , that is why I shoot the 300 RUM. seriously if you like the rifle and shoot it well then go for it, you can load heavy or light weight bullets to adapt to what you hunt, making the 7 mag good choice from moose to varmits

I own two 7 mags and like you I only purchased them because of the low price. Both guys I bought them from wanted more popular rounds. Both of guns has become pig pokers. I don't shoot them at the range other than to make sure they are dialed in. I use my guns as tools and they do what I need them to do. The 7 mag has fallen out of favor over the years but it will still put mean on the table. I shoot mines in good health.

I use a lift.

If you handload your going to surprised at what that round is capable of especially with bullets in the 100 to 130 range.

It sounds like you got an amazing deal on a great rifle and cartridge! I have a Browning BBR 7 Mag and it was my go to deer rifle for over 20 years. I love that rifle! Incredibly accurate but it kicks pretty good and thru the years I had a lot of deer run quite a ways after shooting them with it. Like the others on here have stated if you're going to use it I'd recommend you take out the front shoulder in order to keep deer from running too far. When I got a little older I decided to find something else to deer hunt with and bought a 6.5x55 Swede and it's been the absolute best deer rifle and cartridge I've ever hunted with. I take heart shots with it and it does a remarkable job of putting the deer down without tearing up so much meat. So if you are going to dear hunt with your new 7 mag I would recommend you follow the guys advice on here and use reduced recoil ammo. It'll be much more fun to shoot and you can shoot it more often. I know some people don't need to practice but I'd say most people if they are honest would say they tend to shoot better with practice. I believe that practices helps in a lot of different ways. I found that when I've practiced shooting a lot I don't get nervous at all when its time to pull the trigger on a buck.

You have a good deal on a great rifle. My opinion is it all depends on where your at. I wouldn't use one up in northeast Texas just like I wouldn't use my .300 wsm. The deer are not as big and you can't take that far of shot up here, but you go some where like Missouri where there are monster bodies and 600 yard shots I would take it no doubt.

Trade it in for a 6.5x55. Just kidding! I have had a 7 mag for years but after i got the 6.5x55 its a safe queen now. Now if i was hunting bigger game it would be a different story.

I think the tang-safety M77 are beautiful. I have one in 7-08mm. It's my favorite rifle.

No. Of course not.

I don't think anything you shoot with it (...short of elephant or water buffalo) is going to notice!

If the recoil doesn't bother you and the gun is accurate and the deer is heading to the meat locker, then it is not too much gun.

Prolly too much for whitetail if you're only shooting 160 yards, but everyone has their own preference and if you like it, that's the main thing. As I I've gotten holder, my caliber a have gotten smaller. Started with a 270, then to a 25-06, and now a 6.5 creedmoor. Also have a 220 swift that I like. I've shot a lot of deer with that caliber and have yet to hear one complain about it! Lol, enjoy your 7 mag, it's a awesome round

OK after allot of thought on this question I'm going to say Yes! I've come to the decision that it's just to much gun for some people, some people just can't handle a little recoil. And when I say a little recoil that exactly what I mean, we're talking lower level when compared to most magnum calibers. We fought wars with rifles that generated as much or more felt recoil and they had junk stocks and steel butt plates yet our military managed to survive (03 Springfields and M1 Garands come to mind). When it comes to hunting I would consider it damn near perfect as far as capability with it's limitations starting at larger animals such as elk or bear where again I would consider it lower level when compared to the majority of other magnums. As far as the "tears up too much meat" claim that's a hunter error/excuse and not a caliber problem, don't shoot them in the meat and it's problem solved. The 7mm is a handloaders dream with a wide variety of loads and bullets available where a person can tailor his loads to the animal he's pursuing.

But men were a lot tuffer back then.

I'm gonna have to go to the range and make sure it's dialed in and try to knock down a hog pretty soon gonna try a few brands and see what ammo it likes best

Both of these fell to a 7mm Rem Mag last year in CO. Bullets were Nosler 160 gr Accubonds which has become my go to bullet in this caliber. Neither deer took a step after the bullet hit.

I don't think hall realize it's the bullet that controls the damage primarily. The caliber not so much. If you shoot an fmj in 7mag through a deer your going to get a pin hole through the deer and might not find it either. If your worried about to much damage stick to bullets the are made for penetration and retention like corlockts or accu bonds or bonded triple tsx. Stay away from any ballistic tipped bullet or even vlds if your worried about damage
I decided I wanted a long range rifle and was ready to spend lots of money to have one built. I researched and researched calibers. 7mag is flat shooting and has decent knock down at long ranges. I went with acubond bullets cause they have a great ballistic coefficient and hold together for penetration.... There's no such thing as to much penetration. I shot hogs from 50yards to 930. All great results. The recoil is not bad at all...I have a muzzle break. If your worried about recoil have one installed. Get a good scope and honestly that one rifle is all you'll need ever unless you hunt dangerous game.
I own a 243 and the 7mag and I'm kind of bummed sometimes cause I want more rifles but just don't need another one and honestly the 7mag is all you need.

By the way I had savage custom build me a model 10 fcp in 7mag. The fcp is a police sniper rifle. I never understand why but that gun and lots of long range rifles are made in 223 or 308. Man 308 is the most over rated caliber ever. If you do research in ballistics it makes no sense.
Anyway had Savage build me the FCP in 7mag. The gun cost 800 bucks with all the features I wanted and shoots 160 accubonds in one hole at 200 y.
It's really hard to beat a 7mag....especially if you can reload.

I understand where you're coming from but there are lots of dead critters and people all over the world that would love to disagree but can't, under the circumstances(being dead and all).

My wife shoots a 7 mag and loves it. Went to this after she shot a huge boar in the shoulder with a 270 that ran off and died. Shot placement matters more than anything else, but the confidence of what you're shooting helps a lot also.

To echo what others have said like 400 times, it's not too much. I use one at my place if I think I might shoot a ways out. Otherwise I bring a .308.

The only time it probably wasn't the best choice was when I grabbed my ammo I had on hand for a nilgai hunt. Definitely ran the risk of punching straight through without much energy deposit and sure enough, the exit hole was the diameter of a pencil. Didn't make a difference though - deer didn't take 2 steps before dropping like a sack of potatoes.

Anyhow, great all around round.

I know but what I meant was that manufacturers make all sorts of bull barreled bolt action guns in 308 but not in 7mag. I just don't get why when there are so many more efficient calibers to choose from.

Don't rule out the 280 I have one and its my favorite cal. I also have 24-05 7mm-08 and a 7mm-08 AI.

24-05?????????????

No, the 7 mag isn't too much gun. I'm not sure there's even such a thing.

The question is, I would argue, whether it's the best choice for where you hunt. If I were hunting the Hill Country, the 7 mag would not be my choice. It'll kill quick, but you'll most likely end up with a lot of wasted venison. A cartridge with less velocity, like the 7-08, would be my choice. If, however, I were hunting the senderos of South Texas, where shots can be a whole lot longer, the 7 mag would be a fine choice. It just depends on where you hunt.

I go to the Dr. every three year to get scoped, can't say that I enjoy it

LoL

Shoot what you are confident with. Game around here doesn't matter much. Griz might be another story

Agree with all the above

hell if I would have not got that rifle for the deal he had, brand and caliber are like trucks, the one you got the best deal on that will get the job done, and a ruger m77 in 7 mag will do the job for sure, like said before if I had to hunt with one rifle the above brand model and caliber would be in running

If you got it shot it.

I've always wanted a sendero in 7mm mag

It's one of many good rounds out there. A better way to have phrased that would have been to say for what your primary game was, but for all around North American game it will tackle it. That range of 150 yards is what I would call a medium level and it will perform well past that in a technical spec. I have taken game from bear to African antelope with smaller caliber and longer distances. It's a well proven round and if you do a little research on your own you will find a multitude of write-ups about it. It's popular and offer a wide variety of loads, especially if you reload your own. My father has a Rem 700 Custom Shop 7mm Rem Mag and it's a good caliber to shoot. If I had to go buy a mag rifle today I would probably be looking for the 300 WSM just because I like short actions. I would recommend getting a chance to test fire it before buying if it's used. May not be worth it if it doesn't group well or feel right.