7mm rifles, whats your thoughts, favourites

[bruce moulds]

yes.
interestingly, imr 7828 was developed originally for the new 7mm rem mag when it was introduced.
bruce.

 

[bruce moulds]

at that time the slowest powder available to handloaders was h4831, and this could not equal the performance of 7828 in the 7mag.
Remington had some connection with dupont, so it was in their interest that factory ballistics could not be equalled.
some of the factory velocity claims for the 7mag were grossly overinflated, like 3000 fps for 175 gn bullets, and had to be adjusted as private chronograph ownership became more popular.
bruce.

 

[Newboomer]

Out of curiosity, I checked my Barnes manual. My load for 160g TSX is 52.2 g 4064 giving me about 2750 muzzle velocity. Barnes max load for 4831 is 58g giving 2791 mv. 66g max of H1000 gives 2842 mv. IMR 7828 gives 2846 mv with 62g max.

My heavy load for 160g TSX is 53.7g max 4064 for 2863 mv. I haven't loaded that one yet. I'll have to shoot some to get some brass.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

<snip>
the real point of this is just how good the 280 rem really is.
bruce.

And how a 7X64mm Brenneke rifle with factory barrel twist rate of 1:8.7 inches or faster needs no AI version, as long as you either have access to 7X64mm ammunition that fits your needs, or if you are a reloader.

Is 7X64mm factory ammo loaded in Europe by firms such as Norma, RWS, Geco, or even Prvi Partizan readily available in Austrailia, WRT the OP's first post?

Even the vintage Federal 7X64mm Brenneke ammunition loaded with the 160grain Nosler Partition bullet at a published muzzle velocity of 2650 feet/second (808 meters/sec), clearly below the full potential of the cartridge, should be sufficient for North American game short of great bears and bison. Probably equally sufficient for African non-dangerous game as well, out to 500 yards where the calculated impact velocity of 1799 feet/sec aligns with the published minimum expansion velocity of the Nosler Partition projectile, 1800 feet/sec.

Thus far, the only factory ammo loaded with the 7mm 155 grain Edge TLR projectile is 7mm Remington Magnum with a published muzzle velocity of 3000 feet/sec. Pretty much the same neighborhood albeit in a higher rent district in terms of propellant used relative to the Norma factory 7X64mm Brenneke cartridge loaded with the slightly heavier 160 grain Tipstrike projectile.

Norma's 2019 catalog shows their factory .280 Remington cartridge with their 160 grain Tipstrike projectile has a published muzzle velocity of 2789 feet/sec (850 meters/sec), while we're splitting hairs.

 

[CBH Australia]

Some Norma ammo available probably at a premium. Maybe the best thing for any less common cartridge is to get cases by mail order. An internet search will find someone stocking something not everyone carries.
PPU are reasonably priced in Australia, there are other options. Tikka chamber for 7x64 but I can only find one secondhand Tikka rifle for sale in a quick search. Maybe they are not a common import.
Tikka ammo is available.
When I bought my 7mm-08 I got the shop to price me on a case of 200 rounds so I had brass to start. Reasonable priced that way so I got 400 Factory ammo to start.
I would do the same again if I wanted something unusual.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

I love the 7mm’s and own a few 7x57’s and a 7x64. This last season I found myself hunting with my 7x64, a custom Austrian made Mauser built on a VZ 24 action. The rifle is has a Schmidt &Bender 6x42 fixed scope, in claw mounts. It is pencil thin, weighs 8 lbs scoped and is a pleasure to shoot having very little recoil.

I really enjoyed hunting with it and managed to shoot a couple of Impala and a Blue Wildebeest. To be honest I had forgotten just how nice a rifle it is to use.

My daughter in law whom lives in Australia will use it in May of 2020 when she accompanies my son on a hunt that we have arranged in Limpopo Province.

I shoot 170 grain Sako Hammerhead SP Bonded ammunition which seems to be the ticket in the Bushveld. The claimed velocity is 795m/s or 2608 fps.

 

[CBH Australia]

Nice rifle Jon

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Bullets with a more blunt tip such as Norma Oryx 156 grain, Federal Fusion 160 grain, & Swift 160 grain A-Frame don't have predictions of stability issues in my 7mm-08 rifle at reasonable expectations for muzzle velocity 2600 - 2700 feet/sec), same for 170 grain Norma Oryx, 175 grain Federal Fusion, and 175 grain Swift A-frame (2400 - 2500 feet/sec). Norma used to offer 7mm-08 factory ammo with a published muzzle velocity of 2720 feet/sec (829 meters/sec) but that's not in their 2019 catalog and I've had zero success finding a retailer with more than 20 rounds available for sale in the USA.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Thanks Mate!

 

[CBH Australia]

Mr Zorg, have you asked if someone can try source a quantity for you? (Case/slab /brick of 200) we ussually get at least 10% off a case . I dont know how it works in the US but a helpful retailer might make enquiries with the importer.

 

[7x57Joe]

Love your rifle Jon!

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Love your rifle Jon!

Thanks Joe

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Mr Zorg, have you asked if someone can try source a quantity for you? (Case/slab /brick of 200) we ussually get at least 10% off a case . I dont know how it works in the US but a helpful retailer might make enquiries with the importer.

No I haven't, thanks for the idea though. I have some quotes from a boutique ammo manufacturer to load a variety of ammo to see what does, and more importantly, does not shoot well in my 7X64mm rifles, Reed's Ammunition and Research. They have very reasonable prices, plus I can source the brass and bullets I want to try.

https://shop.reedsammo.com/Metric-Calibers_c198.htm

I found a trove of primed Speer 7X64mm nickel coated brass, and 100 pieces Speer 7mm-08 nickel coated brass.

https://americanreloading.com/en/7x64/711-7x64-brenneke-speer-primed-nickel-100ct.html

So the rest is kinda like a Christmas gift, from me, to me! I haven't shipped the components yet because I have some factory ammo on hand I can use for hunting unless those loads group poorly at the range.

7mm-08 with 140 grain Nosler Accubond published muzzle velocity 2950 feet/sec (899 meters/sec).

https://www.underwoodammo.com/colle...osler-accubond-spitzer?variant=18806601089081

7mm-08 ammo with 140 grain Nosler Partition published muzzle velocity 2800 feet/sec

https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle/premium-centerfire-rifle/nosler-partition/11-P708A.html

7X64mm vintage Federal 160 grain Nosler Partition muzzle velocity 2650 feet/sec (808 meters/sec) - no web link

7X64mm Geco 170 grain Plus ammo muzzle velocity 2723 feet/sec (830 meters/sec).

https://geco-munition.de/en/ammunition/geco-centrefire-rifle-cartridges.html#!0/3/12

 

[Firebird]

Maybe this is a good place to mention that I had very good success with federal fusion 120 gr in my 7mm-08. I bought it because it was cheap and even a discount offered at the time. Was using it as cheap practice ammo for my daughter who barely weighs 90 pounds. Its accuracy surprised me and we ended up using it for her deer hunt. She killed a nice 4x4 mule deer at 300 yards and the bullet broke a shoulder as it exited. I was surprised how well they did in that rifle. We tried the 140 grain factory loads but they did not perform well in the same rifle. My favorite in that gun is handloaded 145 gr grand slam bullets by Speer

 

[rnovi]

Well, Lessee...

Remington AWR in 7mm SAUM... (*Used on Sitka Blacktail and Mountain Goat in Alaska)
Merkel K1 in 7mm Rem Mag... (*My loved carry-rifle for Africa, used on everything up to Eland)
Merkel K3 in 7x57r... (*My Wife's rifle...and it is a real charmer! Also has a kudu, warthog and something else to its name)
Merkel Helix in 7mm Rem Mag... (*Still waiting to be blooded...)

Nope, can't say anything good about the 7mm's at all.

In the end, when I went with the 7mm RM, much of that was because of ammo availability. I was really torn between the classic '06 and the RM and the RM won out. A little more range, a little more horsepower if needed but still manageable. Not that any animal would really note the difference, if we're being honest.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Maybe this is a good place to mention that I had very good success with federal fusion 120 gr in my 7mm-08. I bought it because it was cheap and even a discount offered at the time. Was using it as cheap practice ammo for my daughter who barely weighs 90 pounds. Its accuracy surprised me and we ended up using it for her deer hunt. She killed a nice 4x4 mule deer at 300 yards and the bullet broke a shoulder as it exited. I was surprised how well they did in that rifle. We tried the 140 grain factory loads but they did not perform well in the same rifle. My favorite in that gun is handloaded 145 gr grand slam bullets by Speer

Thanks for the experience with factory Federal Fusion and handloaded Speer Grand Slam projectiles. John Barnsness has posted elsewhere the 7mm 145 grain Speer Grand Slam of that design was his favorite over Nosler Partition on whitetail until ATK rolled out the current Grand Slam design. I'm unsure about posting a web link to a discussion thread on another board here.

I have sought but not obtained pre-ATK Mark 2 7mm 145 grain Speer Grand Slam projectiles, but I have obtained some in 7mm 160 grain and 7mm 175 grain (I think - confirmation via vivisection of specimens is still on my to-do list). Dual different density lead cores, internal lock of jacket material at the juncture if the two lead compositions are the key features I'm looking for, and the boxes I bought have a good probabilty of being that design. I figure on trying these against 7mm Norma Oryx 156 grain & 170 grain that I already had on hand at some point in time. A small investment to experiment with for me.

I was also able to procure a limited number of 7mm Speer TBBC component bullets in 140 grain, 160 grain, and 175 grain. I figure on trying the 140 grain in 7mm-08, 175 grain in 7X64mm, and keeping the 160 grain in reserve until after seeing how the other 2 weights perform in my rifles. Basic bullet profile strongly reminds me of Norma Oryx & Federal Fusion.

 

[Dr Ray]

7mm-08 popular in Africa? I would be weary of this gunshop...

South Africa 7x57mm, 7x64mm and 7mmRM that is about it...rest would be oddities at best and unless you reload would be difficult and expensive to get ammo

7/08 popular nowhere!

 

[Terry Blauwkamp]

If I were to hunt "Deer size" game, I'd go with the 7-08, but if going for longer range or larger game,
then I'd choose the 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have 2 7mm Mag rifles and find them to be incredibly versatile. Blaser R8 and Tikka T3

 

[rookhawk]

There is an often overlooked consideration in 7mms: throat length, twist rate, available ammunition.

I've found that the "European" and "Metric" 7mm cartridges have the heavy-for-caliber offerings, thick jacketed bullets, and have loaded ammunition suitable for elk, moose, bear, African game, etc. Not so with many of the "American" 7mm offerings.

For examples: 7x57 aka 7mm Mauser aka 275 Rigby has a "default" bullet size of 156gr to 175gr. Compare to the 7mm-08 that should be identical, but most of the ammo is in the 120gr and 140gr loadings. The throats in the 7-08 were not designed for the 175gr-180gr bullets (and by extension, the 140gr-150gr copper bullet that has the same volume as the lead 180gr). They shoot smaller bullets better. Thus, I avoid 7-08s.

Same for 7x57r, 7x64 Brennecke, 7x65r.

If you want to go the "American" route, a .280 Remington Ackley Improved is a solid choice. You can get factory loads. You can get heavy for caliber factory loads. You can shoot .280 rem ammo as well. It has the ability to take formidable game.