Help me choose a 7mm..

[snopro176]

I'm wanting to build a custom rifle next year and am pulling my hair out deciding on a case. Here's my base line.
I have a 6.5prc shooting 124HH's very well but I want a lefty action for the first time in my life and I've decided on the 7mm caliber as think it's a good balance between shooting deer 80% of the time and occasionally elk.
I live in CA so I'm pretty much only planning on using a hammer bullet of some sort, guessing in the 155-170 range.
I have a proof 1:8 26" 7mm rm barrel in my closet that I could use for this build but I am open to sell it to fund a new barrel if warranted.
I hand load so I am open to anything.
My plan is to get a defiance anti in LA or XM and put it in a XLR chassis. I got the barrel on a whim then started thinking maybe a 7saum would be more efficient and after digging around I started liking the idea of a 7MAX. Barrel life does matter a bit as does unnecessary recoil. I know it never works this way but this will be "MY" gun, the one I pull out all the stops for. The barrel in the closet is paid for and ready to roll which is a plus but are there other options that are more powder efficient, lighter recoil and have similar or better ballistics? It may all be splitting hairs I know but just thought id ask.

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[Craw3773]

I like the 7mm RM. If you ever take your rifle on a plane, and a government entity decides you haven't packed your ammo correctly, you will probably be able to find ammo at your destination. 7 SAUM is a great round, but I dont see a huge real world advantage.

 

[wildwilderness]

If you go XM I would seriously consider the 7 wsm, heck the whole deal with the 7max is that it can keep up with the wsm

If you go LA then go 28 nos….

 

[Tahoe1305]

If you go XM I would seriously consider the 7 wsm, heck the whole deal with the 7max is that it can keep up with the wsm

If you go LA then go 28 nos….

Love my wsm. Take the extra 50fps over the SAUM. Throat it longer than SAAMI and maybe get even more juice out of it.

I’m shooting 162s 3200fps and 175s 3000fps for reference. Obviously 28N will be more.

I like the option to snag semi cheap 7wsm factory ammo on occasion too (even these days).

 

[wind gypsy]

I like 7 SAUM but if you're stuck with monos more velocity is nice.

7 Blaser mag is the ideal 7mm mag case IMO but I'd probably step to a wsm over a SAUM as well. I'm not that familiar with 7 max but if it doesn't need fireforming that would be cool too.

 

[snopro176]

So I don't get out much, I'd have to guess the odds of me taking this gun on a plane AND the loads getting lost in transit are way too slim for me to pass up better rounds for that scenario. I've read guys saying the short actions with their better shoulder angles and such are yielding better barrel life and usually always a lower charge weight for the same velocity, is this accurate?

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[Rob5589]

7RM is the easy choice. Easy to find comps for, easy to load, will push a mono as fast as you want.

 

[Vandy321]

7RM, because if it ain't broke...

 

[Zappaman]

Recently sold off my 700 (owned since 1987 bought used then) as I was wondering about round count.

Spent a lot of time looking, then decided on the Weatherby Vanguard "Weatherguard" and it's a sub MOA 7mm Rem Mag. At 9 1/2 lbs (scoped with a lighter Weaver), it can go anywhere I hunt-- without worry of rust.

Even the bolt face is Cerakoted! Real "sleeper" in the mid-range rifle offerings. AND... a 2 year MOA guarantee to boot! Made in Wyoming (they got the hell out of CA), great gun for the money! Especially with a 26" hammer forged barrel!

 

[mattwill00]

How about .280ai? Good barrel life, great accuracy, great brass options, manageable recoil. If I was going to shoot one 7mm offering for 80% deer, 20% elk and didn’t want to have to rebarrel in a couple hundred rounds (looking at you 28N), I’d 100% go for a .280ai.

edit: didn’t see that it’s already reamed for 7rm. If it was a blank I’d have it spun up to .280ai.

 

[nimrod_gn]

do the new 7 Sherman Mega. I'm leaning towards building one soon https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/sherman-mega-line.260368/

 

[BAKPAKR]

Made in Wyoming (they got the hell out of CA), great gun for the money! Especially with a 26" hammer forged barrel!

The Vanguards might be dressed up in Wyoming, but I am pretty sure the barreled actions are made in Japan (Howa).

 

[snopro176]

I like 7 SAUM but if you're stuck with monos more velocity is nice.

7 Blaser mag is the ideal 7mm mag case IMO but I'd probably step to a wsm over a SAUM as well. I'm not that familiar with 7 max but if it doesn't need fireforming that would be cool too.

You can now get adg brass for the max with no fire forming needed The blazer is definitely one to add to the mix. Really the RM will hit all the ballistics I'm after and I've already got the chambered barrel so it's sorta hard not just to go that route. For whatever reason I do prefer shorter actions but that's not a huge deal. Anyone care to tell me why the belted case is so disliked?

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[minengr]

If you want something a little different, might I suggest 7x61 S&H. Brass is a bit of an issue, but if you buy the die it can be formed from 7mm Mag. I had pacnor put mine together a few years ago.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I'd stick with something more common and less likely to become a "flash in the pan" caliber......the 7 rem mag ain't going anywhere.

 

[dieselchessy]

Did you mention the twist rate of your tube. Will matter if you plan 150 to 170 hammers. Those are long copper bullets.

I’m building a 7mm SAUM. Have a 7RM and have had 7wsm.
If youtrying to drop weight with a AnTi, long action doesn’t seem to make since.

I didn’t like the steep shoulder of the 7wsm. The 7RM doesn’t have that feature, but has the belt and is LA.
The 7mm SAUM doesn’t have either of those features.
They all are short supply on brass. 7RM you can find Norma. The 7WSM was hard to find anything but Winchester and it wasn’t great. 7SAUM you can maybe find Nosler, ADG, Peterson, or Norma, if your lucky.
I bought the brass and dies early COVID for my build cause that stuffs been hit or miss since Obama.

 

[snopro176]

Did you mention the twist rate of your tube. Will matter if you plan 150 to 170 hammers. Those are long copper bullets.

I’m building a 7mm SAUM. Have a 7RM and have had 7wsm.
If youtrying to drop weight with a AnTi, long action doesn’t seem to make since.

I didn’t like the steep shoulder of the 7wsm. The 7RM doesn’t have that feature, but has the belt and is LA.
The 7mm SAUM doesn’t have either of those features.
They all are short supply on brass. 7RM you can find Norma. The 7WSM was hard to find anything but Winchester and it wasn’t great. 7SAUM you can maybe find Nosler, ADG, Peterson, or Norma, if your lucky.
I bought the brass and dies early COVID for my build cause that stuffs been hit or miss since Obama.

Man I can't believe I forgot that little bit of info, it's a 1:8 barrel. Yes I'd like to keep the gun light as possible without sacrificing anything. That's why I've been leaning saum or max lately.

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[Crowmangler]

Just keep it simple & get a Christensen Ridgeline 7mm RM. You'll be happy you did

 

[ODB]

A 7mm? The 7x64 Brenneke. A product of the design genius Wilhelm Brenneke. Far ahead of its time (1917) as were most of the German cartridges

 

[Studd muffin]

I'd say just keep the 7RM barrel and build off that.