Custom 20” 7MM REM Mag

[Ben_H]

I wanted to share my experience with a build I’ve recently completed. Why did I go 20” barrel length? Well, my 24” Bergara 7mm mag with brake is the loudest gun I’ve owned. Simply put, if I can’t shoot a gun suppressed, or it’s too long with a can, I don’t really want the gun these days.

-Oregon Mountain Rifle Co 7mm rem mag carbon fiber barrel
-1:9 twist
-Falkor Defense action (OMR installed barrel/action)
-Grayboe Phoenix 2 stock
-Timney Elite Hunter flat trigger
-SilencerCo Hybrid 46 suppressor
-TABGEAR Coyote Brown suppressor cover
-Tract 4x20x50 with 30mm tube
-custom OMR two piece pic rail base (slotted to match gun exactly
-Grayboe bottom metal
-Accurate AICS .300 Win Mag magazine
AMMO - for now this load is Factory Federal 7mm rem mag with Hornady ELDX

I’m not the best shot, but groups at 100 are around .67”, 200 yards, down to 1.25”, 700 yards down to 9”. Plate with orange paint is 705 yards.

I plan to load hotter 162ELDX and try to up velocity to around 2950 if accuracy doesn’t decline. However, see range card attached. This is from my Sig BDX app. I paired this gun with my Sig Kilo 8k, which is a fantastic unit! Actual velocity through a chrono was 2780, but sun and heat were driving insistent results with various bullets. So, when I went to 700 yards, I “trued up” the velocity to match and ended up at 2810.

I was apprehensive to build this, since I know there’s more “modern” options in 7mm, but I hunt mostly whitetail. I do have an elk trip planned this year though. I couldn’t be happier that it shoots this well with factory offerings, and look forward to hand loading. Hopefully someone can take something away from my experience.

Ben

 

[Shortschaf]

Tried any other loads with this yet?

 

[Ben_H]

Tried any other loads with this yet?

I reloaded the 162gr ELDX’s and settled on 71gr of Retumbo. Only large rifle primers I could find around here were Remington 9 1/2. I shot a 4 shot group last time out. First 3 bullets were touching at 100 yards. 4th spread the group to .56”. Barrel was quite warm on that shot and a tornado carrying storm was bearing down on the range, so abruptly stopped and ran away from the storm. At 71.5gr the group spread out to over an inch. See pics. Probably gonna just stick with this load for the time being and I’ll play around with others when I have more time. Haven’t had time to chrono the load yet.