Of those of you who shoot a 7mm mag, do any of you have complaints of its knockdown ability?
The reason I am asking is that I know of 2 guys that USED to shoot this caliber and hated it. They both reloaded and couldn't find a bullet/powder combo that worked well with the speed of the 7mm. I hunted with one guy several times and did notice that we had to trail a few deer. I believe he was shooting a 164 or 168gr BTSP.
I've never hunted with one...just wondering if anybody else noticed this. Don't mean to offend any 7mm lovers.
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The 7mmremmag kills deer very quickly.The only complaint that I have ever heard is from people that used 175gr bullets that did not expand that great and the deer ran a bit.I used 140gr bullets that did a great job.I still use the 7mmstw for deer and I have never seen quicker kills.I still use 140gr ballistic tips and have never had a deer go 50 yards after being hit.
There are several factors to consider when talking about knock-down power of cartridges. Some of which are related to the cartridge/bullet combination....and some of which are related to "expectations" of the people using them.
It is important that whatever cartridge we use for hunting any game animal that we "match the bullet" to both the cartridge's performance.....and to the game animal. For instance, a heavy for caliber bullet in the 7mm Magnum will probably give "little expansion" on an animal the size of deer. Because of this little "shock" will be transmitted to the target...unless bone is hit. Also it is important that we are using a bullet designed primarily for hunting mid sized game.....as opposed to "target bullets, varmint bullets, or heavily jacketed tough big game animal bullets". And in this case...I'd think that for a 7mm Magnum perhaps a little lighter bullet would be more appropriate for "deer sized" animals.
Next, some people have an unrealistic expectation of what "should occur" when an animal is shot. Unless you "slam it" on the head with an eight-pound hammer.....it is unrealistic to expect an animal to always just "drop on the spot". Sometimes that will happen....sometimes that will not. And much has to do with where exactly the animal was hit, how the bullet performed, the "state of relaxation or agitation" of the animal when it was hit, and then....just the differences between individual animals. (Which is exactly the same way different people react, differently, when shot!)
The 7mm Magnum has proven its effectiveness so many times on game animals, deer sized and others, that its effectiveness is beyond reproach. So I would investigate the other factors to see if they might need to be adjusted!
Good luck!
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I have used 7mmrem mags and 7mmrem ultra mags on deer and elk, and they will easily kill these critters. As mentioned, you just need to match the bullet (type and construction) to the animal you are hunting and place the bullet in the right spot. Don't expect the animal to fall at the shot. Expect to trail the animal a short distance. It has been my experience that a 140gr partition, through the lungs, kill a deer everytime.
Good Hunting,
Hal
I have owned five 7mm Remington Mags. I shot all of them quite a bit. I really never found anything that they did well that other rifles burning much less powder and having lots less recoil would not do just as well if not better. Many bullets either over expand and blow the hell out of the meat or don't expand at all. I tried my best to like the 7 mag and 243. I had five of each. Niether ever performed to anywhere near my expectations. I gave them an honest try they just don't compare well to other calibers I have used a lot. I would pick a 280 or 270 over the 7 mag in a heartbeat. That for any North American Game. I liked the Remington 700 BDL the best of the sevens I owned followed by the Ruger then the Savage. A Winchester was the worst of the bunch.
James, After having five of the 7's and five .243's, I'll have to respect your opinion! At least you gave 'em a good try.
I like my 7MM Mag though and am not ready to give up on it. The 7MM mag's are great calibers but, there are just as good of other calibers, both larger and smaller than the 7's that work just as good! It just boils down to what you like and what works for you! I also like the .243 for deer size game, I wish I had my old 6MM Rem back, and I'll probably get a .243 someday!
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7mm Mag complaints???
