Thread: Discussion around 7mm Magnums

Originally Posted by No.3

Belted magnums are or can be an utter pain in the arse. The case still wants to do the chamber on the shoulder thing, and the shoulder will blow out to fit the chamber each time but if reloading some dies resize to the minimum where some chamber reamers are to the longer end of the spectrum. One I had the misfortune of dealing with required the die wound up almost a full turn to just bump the shoulder back enough to chamber easily, but didn't resize the area in front of the belt enough to do the same... Frustrating and cases were showing signs of raised index finger after three or four firings due to this.

The PRC round looks like the perfect answer, but it will be a reloader proposition rather than relying on factory I think.

Both factory and reload components are available although brass is slow coming through

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If you like a more long form approach that covers all the points around the bigger 7mms there is a really good discussion here:
https://youtu.be/neWwwSd2WYw

The biggest point to take away here is that Gunworks cooked up the 7LRM to answer its needs for a complete rifle, ammo and training solution for their paying customers. The limitation is that it is a wildcat round. Now the 7PRC is available they will transition to it as their default choice as it's the Goldilocks solution for their needs. They're talking really long range stuff, but it definitely covers our NZ situation for a capable open country rifle that has to be both carried and shot accurately under difficult conditions.

Originally Posted by dannyb

Another consideration what's barrel life on the big 7mm bangers like ? Have heard of noslers and some prcs being toast after as little as 600 rounds. No hate at all I love my magnums but genuinely are some prone to burn barrels quicker than others ?

Not really an issue in hunting rifles,
7mm Rum is possibly one of the bigger hot rods and mine was still shooting after 1500, that said if you didn't no what your doing it would be toast inside 500, same applies to all bigger guns I've seen a 3006 ai shot out in well under 500 rounds.
Barrel life has a more to do with how you treat it than round count, keep it cool and clean.

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And then there’s the 284 - especially if you’re thinking of shorter bbl

7 SAUM brass is basically unobtainium. It's a cartridge often used for F-Open and brass availability is now a nightmare. As long as brass becomes commonly available, the 7 PRC looks a good option for a big seven.

Originally Posted by WaikatoBushman

How's it Gents!

After flip flopping back and forth on whether or not to seek a trade for my 270wsm, I was browsing the net looking at 7 Rem Mags to purchase and couldnt help but notice the other 7mags in the room (Namely the Saum and Wsm)

To the forums resident 7mm experts, what is the pros and cons to each 7mag? Cost to reload, reloading components availability, barrel life ect

Any information regarding this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

What is the 270wsm and what are you shooting out of it?

I got 7 SAUM brass pretty easy. Talk to the right people and plan ahead.

Originally Posted by 6x47

7 SAUM brass is basically unobtainium. It's a cartridge often used for F-Open and brass availability is now a nightmare. As long as brass becomes commonly available, the 7 PRC looks a good option for a big seven.

Reloaders have 7 Saum brass available on their website - they rang me a couple of weeks back to see if I had wanted it. Turned them down cause after a bit of research and advice from the team on here I grabbed 100 Norma 300 Saum and sized it down and it shoots really well. Re barreled a T3 plenty of room to sit the projectiles well out, did this before 7mm PRC was a thing.

Imo you need to decide what you want and need. Reasonable barrel life?
Short action would be saum or 284 although to push the heavies a more medium(3inchish) action is best.
Long action would be 7rem, 7prc, 280ai.
Factory ammo 284?, 7prc, 280ai, 7rem
If you wanted shorter barrel life go for a bigger 7mm.
What range are you going to shoot? 270wsm out to 600yrds with 150gn projectiles would pretty much keep up with the 7mms for deer for all intense and purposes. Going further out then 30cal magum if you want to take a significant step up in power using 200gn + projectiles.
I feel you need to work backwards. How far, at what, factory rifle and ammo, or custom and reload, availability of ammo and components, and you'll find your answer. Don't get hung up on bc. 162's perform just as well as 180's out of 7 mag at most ranges. A couple of extra clicks is all you need out to a long way. Most animals and gongs etc won't know the difference. Also remember recoil goes up with speed and bullet weight. And generally speaking, the more powder the longer the barrel to burn it.

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I'm a big 7mm fan with x2 7mm creeds, 284win, 7mmRM and a soon to be built 7-6.5PRC.
As I've always wanted a SAUM but the brass situation is a turn off and plenty of quality 6.5PRC brass around.

To be honest the 7PRC is the next kid on the block for the heavy 7mm pills. But you can't really beat a 7mmRM with 160-168gr pills at sensible hunting distances

Originally Posted by lau lau

I'm a big 7mm fan with x2 7mm creeds, 284win, 7mmRM and a soon to be built 7-6.5PRC.
As I've always wanted a SAUM but the brass situation is a turn off and plenty of quality 6.5PRC brass around.

To be honest the 7PRC is the next kid on the block for the heavy 7mm pills. But you can't really beat a 7mmRM with 160-168gr pills at sensible hunting distances

Slightly off topic but why the 7mm / 6.5prc over the 7prc? just wanting to limit your performance or am i missing something?

Originally Posted by lau lau

I'm a big 7mm fan with x2 7mm creeds, 284win, 7mmRM and a soon to be built 7-6.5PRC.
As I've always wanted a SAUM but the brass situation is a turn off and plenty of quality 6.5PRC brass around.

To be honest the 7PRC is the next kid on the block for the heavy 7mm pills. But you can't really beat a 7mmRM with 160-168gr pills at sensible hunting distances

7mm 6.5 prc is a good idea. The cases are almost identical and there is plenty of brass around.
The 7mm saum is only 100fps behind the 7prc for a fair bit less powder.

Originally Posted by Gkp

7mm 6.5 prc is a good idea. The cases are almost identical and there is plenty of brass around.
The 7mm saum is only 100fps behind the 7prc for a fair bit less powder.

oh my bad it thought it was something like 20% difference between them

Originally Posted by 199p

Slightly off topic but why the 7mm / 6.5prc over the 7prc? just wanting to limit your performance or am i missing something?

Just wanting something different, but also very close to a SAUM. Be running the 175gr elite hunters in it.
Don't see the need for a 7PRC as I've got the 7mmRM and 162gr just humming.
If I want to go bigger, I'll just grab the 300PRC ��

Browning xbolt hells canyon come with a 1:8 twist which is suitable for heavy projectiles, but you don’t get heavy for caliber unless you reload in rem mag. 28 nosler burns barrels, not much factory ammo available either? 7mm stw is a heap of powder and a bit more performance above a rem mag, 7lrm is a non saami round so it’s not available in factory ammo. 7wsm has a short neck and can be finicky as far as accuracy goes according to my research, 7saum would be good if you had a rifle with a long throat to allow for heavy projectiles, again if you reload? 7rem mag would be the best choice for factory available ammo, 7prc is definitely worth a look but will have to have one built as there aren’t any factory rifles chambered in it yet? The 280 win or ai would be worth a look, it’s not all that far behind the magnums either