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> 7mmRem Mag
7mmRem Mag
@ 03:37 am (GMT) |
Philip PieterseHI Nathan, firstly - excellent site with lots of info and decent research, makes for damn interesting reading and insight.I have chatted to various people (gunsmiths to comp shooters) re a 7mm calibre but would like your take on it please. This is for long range hunting and target shooting, 300m to 7/800m and everything from Springbuck to Eland type game, although the most would be in the bluewildebeest/kudu range. Realistic ranges would be in the 200 - 400m until I am proficient to venture out further. 2 main questions; Calibre: I was thinking the 7mm Rem Mag but have been advised that the 7mmWSM, 7mmSAUM or straight 284 is better, more accurate etc. The main comment that worried me (from a comp shooter) is that the 7mmRM is not inherently accurate. Most have said that is a great long range accuracy round and that is more the components and the nut behind the gun that makes the difference. I would prefer the RM over the other as it would reduce cost and load prep re brass prep (weighing, checking necks, etc as I would have to reform 270WSM or 300WSM brass to the 7mm etc). 7mm RM you get Norma brass and good to go. The belt is also not a problem as long as the gunsmith ensures correct spacing etc. (Sorry for the non technical terms as I have very little tech knowlegde). Your take on the 7mmRM as long range accurate hunting , easy to load for round? By accurate I mean at least 0.5MOA 100m 3 shots. Bullets: I was thinking of 2 loads; target - either the 168 Berger VLD or Matchking but like the bc of the VLD more. And I can always use the VLD for out there hunting shots should these present itself. Hunting - was thinking of the 160 Accubond up to approx 400m thereafter use the VLD as I think that the performance will be more consistent over the shorter ranges for the AB? Especially if it hits heavy bone? Of course if I could only use 1 load 168 VLD for everything, then great !? I was also thinking the fps at approx 2 900 - 3 000 for both the above or wherever the sweetspot/accuracy node is. Barrel will be (provisionally) 26" heavy contour Broughton (safari contour Ithink they call it), action (most likely) K98 (as the 'smith already has them available and I can fit a titaniumm firing pin to reduce locktime). Is the given fps easily achievable with low pressure for the 7mmRM? Would not like to be shooting hot loads all the time. Thanks for your input. regards, Philip |
Replies
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@ 08:30 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: 7mmRem MagHi Philip, glad you are enjoying the site.I accurize 7mm Rem Mag rifles on a weekly basis. These rifles are expected to produce optimum accuracy and killing power at long ranges, on very small targets. I have two on my bench as I write this. Each 7mmRM I put out is expected to shoot .5" or better. From a suitable platform, the 7mm Rem Mag is capable of extreme accuracy. If I was to take an average based on work I have done here, it would be .3MOA. However, a lot of factors go into this as you can well imagine, a good action, a good bore, barrel weight can be a factor for light framed shooters, shooting technique is a big factor when it comes to extreme accuracy. With regards to the actual potential of the case design, it certainly has no handicaps, it is not potentially in-accuracte by design. I would prefer to see you use the 160 or 175 grain Partition on blue Wildebeest and Kudu. These projectiles work very well on these animals and can also be made to work well on light framed antelope if need be. On the larger animals, the Partition will work exceptionally well down to 1800fps, then begin to taper off in performance down to 1600fps. Above 1800fps, as long as your shot placement is reasonably sound, these projectiles will save a lot of tracking dead run game. I cannot emphasize this enough for your chosen game and style of hunting. Use the Partition, forget about any potential loss in BC, drive it fast, learn to shoot it well and when you do take game, be sure to observe wounding and take photos of the wounding for records that can be reflected upon later. Unfortunately, the K98 action is not long enough to house the 7mm Rem Mag cartridge. Mag length of the K98 is 84mm. Some will have been extended to 86mm but you will be needing around 87mm and I would prefer to see you with something around 90mm. See if you can find an old Finnbear for the project and have the action blue printed. Other suitable designs would be the Win M70 (blue printed) or the M700. Also, there is no reason why you cant base this project on a clapped out Brno Magnum action. This big beefy action is ideal for deadening the harmonic vibrations of the magnums. If you have no choice but to stick to the K98 action, then its as straight forwards as adopting the .284 Win with a 28" barrel for long range work. This is an exceptional combination and with care, you may be able to approach the bottom end loads for the 7mm rem Mag and up to/ as close as 60fps, due to the use of the very long barrel and effective use of the .284 case in the K98 action. Hope that helps a bit. |
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@ 08:38 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: 7mmRem MagHi Philip, glad you are enjoying the site.I accurize 7mm Rem Mag rifles on a weekly basis. These rifles are expected to produce optimum accuracy and killing power at long ranges, on very small targets. I have two on my bench as I write this. Each 7mmRM I put out is expected to shoot .5" or better. From a suitable platform, the 7mm Rem Mag is capable of extreme accuracy. If I was to take an average based on work I have done here, it would be .3MOA. However, a lot of factors go into this as you can well imagine, a good action, a good bore, barrel weight can be a factor for light framed shooters, shooting technique is a big factor when it comes to extreme accuracy. With regards to the actual potential of the case design, it certainly has no handicaps, it is not potentially in-accuracte by design. I would prefer to see you use the 160 or 175 grain Partition on blue Wildebeest and Kudu. These projectiles work very well on these animals and can also be made to work well on light framed antelope if need be. On the larger animals, the Partition will work exceptionally well down to 1800fps, then begin to taper off in performance down to 1600fps. Above 1800fps, as long as your shot placement is reasonably sound, these projectiles will save a lot of tracking dead run game. I cannot emphasize this enough for your chosen game and style of hunting. Use the Partition, forget about any potential loss in BC, drive it fast, learn to shoot it well and when you do take game, be sure to observe wounding and take photos of the wounding for records that can be reflected upon later. Unfortunately, the K98 action is not long enough to house the 7mm Rem Mag cartridge. Mag length of the K98 is 84mm. Some will have been extended to 86mm but you will be needing around 87mm and I would prefer to see you with something around 90mm. See if you can find an old Finnbear for the project and have the action blue printed. Other suitable designs would be the Win M70 (blue printed) or the M700. Also, there is no reason why you cant base this project on a clapped out Brno Magnum action. This big beefy action is ideal for deadening the harmonic vibrations of the magnums. If you have no choice but to stick to the K98 action, then its as straight forwards as adopting the .284 Win with a 28" barrel for long range work. This is an exceptional combination and with care, you may be able to approach the bottom end loads for the 7mm rem Mag and up to/ as close as 60fps, due to the use of the very long barrel and effective use of the .284 case in the K98 action. Hope that helps a bit. |
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@ 05:04 am (GMT) |
Philip PieterseRe: 7mmRem MagHI Nathan,Thanks for the reply, have provisionally decided to go with the 7mmRM, will chat to the gunsmith re the action (most likely just me naming an action I know, I am sure he meant another action for the 7mm....) What about the 160g Nosler Accubond or 160 Sierra Gameking for the mentioned game? Or the 150g Barnes TTSX? Philip |
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@ 11:37 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: 7mmRem MagOk, sounds like you are off to a good start.Please just start out with the projectile mentioned. Its far too easy to get overboard and make things overly complicated from the get go. Start with either of the projectiles mentioned, work up loads, then go for a hunt. Observe wounding, take photos. Don't get caught up in that situation some guys get caught up in where they bugger off and let the local tribesman do all the dirty work. Get in their and take a good look at whats going on. After your hunt, then have a think about whether for example penetration was adequate etc. The two projectiles you mentioned are extreme opposites as far as performance goes, the Partition is right in the middle offering an excellent balance of wide, extremely violent wounding in 7mm versus very good penetration for medium game. No sacrifice is made in favor of one performance aspect over another. So, if you start out like this and for example, find that penetration was immensely lacking, then you can look at the tougher homogenous Barnes. But you need to establish a base line first, some form of solid bench mark and that is why I want you to use, study and enjoy the Partition, atleast just to begin with. I possibly did not re-iterate how well the Partition bullets driven from the 7mm Magnums work on the lightest of antelope (15kg). Internal wounding at ordinary ranges will be in the region of 3" in diameter, often producing very large exit wounds. In other words, the Partition is not just a 'tough game' bullet. It opens up quickly and as mentioned, is very violent, even the Ballistic Tip can't really top this level of performance. |
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