7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

Ok, I need some more help deciding! I'm asking for a new deer rifle for Christmas and I know everyone has different opinions but I was thinking of getting a rem. 700 sps in 7 rem mag. Is this a good choice? Just wondering about the recoil because 30-06 is the biggest I've shot! Although once sighted in I'll only be hunting with it! I know it's on the verge of too much gun for MO but I'd like to go antelope, elk, etc. some day and it might keep from having to buy a 300 or 325. It would also help my confidence I think to know I could hit anything I could see! Just looking for some reassurance that this is a good choice! Thanks! Chris!

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

Unfortunately that is a disease that effects many people.Many will attempt shots that they have no business taking because they think that using a cartridge that is effective at longer range automatically makes them a competentlong rang shooter.The truth is that only a very low percentage of hunters are competent in excess of 300 yards.To become proficient at 400yards or 500 yards requires a great deal of practise at those distances,to learn the trajectory of your load and to develop and maintain the shooting skills necessary for precise bullet placement at those distances.I set my own limits by never taking a shot at a game animal at any distance that I have not practised on targets at.If everyone else did the same the result would be far fewer misses and far fewerwounded animals.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

Would you suggest something different?

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

Why do you say once you sight it in you will only hunt with it? If you plan on taking long shots you'd better be doing a LOT of practicing, and you MUST sight your gun in every year and every hunting trip. You owe it to each and every animal you pull the trigger on.
A 7MM mag is a great cartridge as are others. It is not too much gun, there is no such thing. Dead is dead.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I mean it's not like I'll be target shooting every week with it. Plus currently I doubt I'd have a shot much over 100-200 yards with most being under 50 in the woods.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

if you can't see it get a bigger scope... LOL
just kidding

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7mm Remington Magnum is a good deer cartridge. Let's be brutally honest, though. Any caliber from the 257 Roberts to the 300 Winchester magnum can be considered good deer rifles. The truth is, it comes down to your shooting ability. Killing game is more about shot placement than the caliber.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7mmremmag is a fine cartridge for deer hunting,but if you have no intentions of practising regularly,your shooting skills will not be able to take advantage of the flat trajectory.You state a maximum shot distance of 200 yards.For those distances the 7mm-08 would be more than adequate with less recoil.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7mm Rem mag is avery versatile round, I so go for it. Down the road you can use it with a good 160+ gr bullet for elk or moose, and any 140-150gr bullet for deer. It will work great out to 200 yards, just becaues the trajectory is really flat doesn't mean you can't use it for closer shooting too. I've shot several deer with the 7mm a couple at longer ranges than I probably should have been shooting, worked though. Never lost a deer with it. Recoil isn't really that much worse than a 30.06.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

For close woods I'd suggest a different caliber, at short range I think that open sights are easier to use than a scope. Maybe a good lever action in a medium range caliber with a side mounted scope and open sights. This would be versatile enough for woods and medium range open areas.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I owned five of them over the years. It was a caliber that I wanted to like. In the end, It was way to much gun for deer and I was to used to shooting the 30 caliber guns for bigger game. I finally sold the last one never really finding the nich I thought I was looking for. To me the 250 Savage up through the 308 are all thats required for instant kills on any size deer. Just my Opinion. Love the 6.5x55. Deer just keel over. No big blast, No big recoil and not much in the way of excessive damage.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7mm Rem. Mag. is a very good choice for deer. Good luck.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

i think it's a little overkill for deer sized game but that depends on the shooter. If you want the extra recoil and power and you don't mind it then it's perfect. But for anything less then 300 yards on deer etc... 7mm-08 works fine, so does the 30/06. i may suggest just a 270. That is a flat shooting round with less recoil, cheaper ammo etc..

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7 Mag is a good choice, basically because it is well-suited for elk and moose as well as deer. I started using the 175-grain bullets in mine in order to damage less meat on deer-size game. Nearly blew the front half off a large mule deer once that jumped up right under my feet and was quartering away at about 35 yards when I shot it with a 140-grain Nosler Partition bullet at 3350 FPS MV. One front quarter was completely ruined! Try to avoid hitting edible portions with the 7 Mag, if you can!

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I can say in all honesty that my 7mm Rem Mag has far less recoil than any 30-06 I have ever shot. 3 weeks ago I sighted in my buddies 30-06 for him since he wasn't home. And after shooting both side-by-side I realized why I got rid of my hard kicking 30-06. The 7mm has more of a push, with muzzle flip, while the 30-06 has a hard "punch" of a recoil.

To answer your question, the 7mm is a great all around caliber for anything in North America.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I love my 7mm RM and I shoot it a lot. You said you only plan to hunt deer with it out to 200 yards. Since I get the feeling recoil might be an issue I'd recommend a 270 Win. You can shoot a 130 grain bullet and kill any deer easily plus it will be relatively light on recoil. You could then use it for game up to Elk size if you wanted to in the future (but I don't generally recommend the 270 for elk unless you are a good shot).

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

The 7mm Rem. Mag. is a great deer cartridge and I use it for that. One thing I'd like you to consider is the cost to shoot it. The last time I checked a box of 7mm Mag. is about $20. The .30-06 is cheaper to shoot by about $5 to $8 per box. If you reload though it makes no difference, but the .30-06 offers a greater selection of bullet weights, anything from 110 gr. to 220 gr. which will cover anything that walks in North America.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

YES, the 7mag is a great deer rifle. I think that the 06 would also be a good choice for what your looking at, cheaper to shoot.

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I have been using a 7 mag for Mn. deer for 20 years now and feel no need to change. Hit where you are suppose to, no more damage then any other "deer round"

RE: 7 rem mag a good deer rifle?
 

I own both, a 30-06 and a 7mm rem mag, both in guns that weigh about 8 1/2 pounds scoped out and all (remington 700 bdl and cdl). I notice maybe a tiny bit more recoil with a 7 mag than a 30-06 but it is very tolerable. If you dont mind shooting an 06, you can shoot a 7 mag. Now, on the subject of whether or not you need a 7 mag if thats what you want, go with it. It might be more than necessary for deer but ive never heard of a deer that was too dead, maybe a little bit more meat will be ruined but I guess thats what you gotta sacrifice for that extra "assurance" of using a rifle like a 7 mag or 300 mag or 30-06 for that matter. Its not gonna blow the deer up or anything, but there will be more a little bit more meat damag.