newbie

[caliber]

Hello from Missouri, I am planning on a custom rifle build in the future but cannot decide between the 7mm rem mag or the 7mm RUM. I have never reloaded before and have heard the RUM is a touchy round to reload. It will be a rifle for all North American big game. Any suggestions?
thanks in advance

 

[AJ Peacock]

Welcome to the site!

Regarding your decision between the 7mm RemMag and the 7RUM, they are both excellent cartridges, but they are really different. They both have enough power for anything in North America, the RUM can just do it at a longer distance. The 7RemMag will have better barrel life than the RUM. The 7mm RemMag is also very forgiving when reloading.

Your decision will be more about what you want to accomplish with your rifle, as they are both the right answer (but to different questions :D).

Tell us more about exactly what you want to do with the rifle, how far you want to shoot it, at which targets and how often you will be shooting.

How far are you able to shoot locally?

There are other equally good caliber choices out there, the 300WSM is essentially the equal of the 7mm Rem Mag and is even more forgiving from a reloading perspective.

Thanks and welcome to the site,
AJ

 

[caliber]

AJ, I want to shoot out to a 1,000 yards. I have access to some bottom ground just north of my place about 45 min. away. I will be shooting deer mostly, but want to have a rifle capable of shooting bigger game at longer distances given the opportunity. I will have to do alot of shooting to get good at hitting targets out to 1000k. I got alot to learn about the wind . The 7mm with berger 180 seems to be the way to go.

 

[AJ Peacock]

If you want to shoot deer out to 1000yds, the 7RUM will be easier. But easier isn't always better. It will cost more to shoot. Let's make an assumption that the RUM will need to be rebarreled after 1000 rounds (might be less) and it costs $500 to rebarrel (will likely be more), then every shot costs you $0.50 of barrel life. The RUM will burn more powder as well (about %30 more), brass won't last quite as long, primers and bullets will cost the same.

I'd probably choose a 300RUM, as it has better barrel life and will easily reach 1000yds.

After all, the choice is yours. Neither of the rifles you are considering is a poor choice.

AJ