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.