Help a newbie pick a cartridge.

[Tackdriver22250AI]

Howdy all, im a long time reader, first time poster. Im in the market for a long range rifle in 7mm caliber and was wondering what your thoughts would be. So far im considering building a 284 or 7mmWSM with a heavy barrel, or possibly just getting a Win 70 Laredo 7mm rem mag with the boss. What would you pick for a newbie long range target/hunter? Which offers the most manageable recoil? I am a big guy, but id like to enjoy my shooting as much as anything. Im planning on targets to 500 yards, and medium sized game to a possible 300. Thanks in advance.

[ 02-21-2004: Message edited by: MSU-Marksman ]

 

[Boyd Heaton]

Win M70 Coyote in 7wsm..........

 

[Brian Rybicky]

MSU,

My Dad has a larado, in 7mm rem mag, i think we're averageing about 4-5" groups at 500 yards with minor load development. The recoil is very light but the boss muzzle break sucks, lots of concusion blast back at the shooter, Have you thought about a savage at all?

Good shootin,
Brian

 

[ranger160]

The 7MM Rem Ultra Mag is pretty awesome and one that I wouldn't over look in the 7MM class. The recoil is a little more then that of the 7MM Mag however with the velocity gained over all the other 7MM cartridges, I would say it would be one of the better for long range shooting. I have one in the Remington 700 Stainless and I gotta tell ya the thing really shoots. I am so much into it the I want to build a 338 Ultra and see what it will do.

 

[Michael Eichele]

For a newbie and you demand a 7mm, I would pick the 7mm-08 or the 7wsm.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Also...Welcome aboard!

 

[ewallace]

Welcome I have a 7mm Mag and like the cartridge.
Crow Mag

 

[Jake in NC]

.. Hey MSU.. One good thing to do is to get yourself a copy of Point Blank or some other ballistics program and compare tragectories at realistic velocities of the cartridges you like the looks of.. What you'll find is that ouside of going to extremes there's not a whole lotta difference in the 7mm's.. For the ranges you state a nicely done 7-08 would be hard to beat.. I'm putting together a 7-08AI as we speak and have owned several.. IMO the velocity gains to be had from the more extreme cartridges are only useful in more extreme (ala DC) shooting of larger bullets.. And then it's debateable.. (So ya havta click up 5.2MOA as opposed to only 5MOA)
..Where velocity gains seem to really shine, IMO, is with the lighter varmint bullets when one is seeking less bullet "airtime" and more graphic terminal performance..
Just something to chew on and I'm sure somebody will disagree with me..
.. Good luck with whatever you decide on.. d:^) JiNC

 

[jbubb]

MSU I also am a newby to longrange shooting. I will tell you one thing I have found that helped me out. If you don't reload as I don't yet I looked at what I could get in preamum ammo. I am picking up my savage 112bvss in 3oo win mag Tuesday. I plan on buying a case of federal gold metal 190 grain seria boattail match. Then it's up to me to do the rest. Savage is a great way to start in long range shooting. Plus it comes with the accutriger that I can tune without going to the gun smith! I had a win in 300wsm but traded for the win. Unles you reload you'll find pickings for the wsm's small. If I where you I'd look at the 308 or 300win theres a TON of match ammo out there for those cals and for the range your shooting both will do the job! Good luck

 

[ranger160]

First of all, you are all correct in a lot of areas. However Ballistically speaking, the faster you can drive a heavier bullet the farther and flatter it will shot. I personally am a magnum shooter as much as I can tolerate anyway. I have a 300 Weatherby in a bench rifle, that I shoot 180 Nosler BT's out of. The speed isn't all that substantial, but it does shoot fairly flat. In thinking with the little guns, 7-08 etc, you are going to ahve to have a scope that has infinate adjustment on it to get out there real far. It won't shoot that flat and if using a light bullet won't got hat far either. Try it sometime in the field and you will see what I mean. So even if a newbie at the long range game, if you can handle the recoil of the magnums, even the 300 WSM, then you are going to be far better off there in my opinion. Look at the Snipers in the military. We started and still use the 308, however now tehy are all the way out to the 50cal, with a 338 Lapua in the middle. the 308 is a very good cartridge but ahving shot it at 1000 yards in teh army, it didn't impress me much. There has to be a lot of adjustment int eh scope as well to get out there. And Michele thanks for the welcome. This place is awesome and it sure is fun to debate all of these things.

 

[baldeagle713]

I don't mean to sound like Boyd's echo BUT the 7mm WSM, I do believe would do the trick.
IF there were more of a Bullet selection for the 270 WSM I'd tell ya to give that a whirl.
Then again look at the B.C's of the 6.5 and 30 Calibers.

The choise is all yours. Have fun with what ever you chose.

Have ya gotten information over load yet?

 

[Tackdriver22250AI]

Thanks for all the input all. The more i look at recoil tables and all, i think the main two choices will be the 7mmWSM or the standard 284. Most likely it will be built on a savage action with a heavy 28" pac-nor barrel. Keep the information coming!

 

[KurtB]

MSU, Lot of good information that everyone is sharing. My two cents on the BOSS and brakes in general is that they are great for the shooter but tough on anyone else nearby. I shot my 340 one time without hearing protection while hunting and my ears rang for three days. It is braked. I would recommend any of the 7s without a brake if you plan on hunting where wearing hearing protection would be a hindrance. Good luck with your choices.

 

[bigbrother]

First I have to admit to loving the 7mm mag. I had a browning with boss for 2 yrs...got rid of it as quick as I could. I don't think it helped recoil at all but increased blast significantly. I have shot this caliber for about 12 yrs in 3 different guns taking big game out to almost 400yds and spotted a shot at 476 on a caribou for a guy shooting the same. Recoil is not as bad as alot of people want you to believe. I shot mine all summer prone in the hay fields at ground hogs getting ready to hunt caribou. If you don't handload, look at hornady custom ammo...good stuff with their sst bullets in it. If however, you're gonna shoot 140 grain bullets, I'd get a 280 or 7mm-08 and burn less powder. Better yet if you're gonna shoot 140g bullets, get a 6.5-284 and smoke them as far away as you want. Just my 2cents.