Which new 7 Rem Mag

[Riptilyaflip]

I’m looking to get a new left handed 7 rem mag elk rifle.
I have narrowed it down to either a Tikka semi custom carbon or the Fierce Rage
My only concern with the Tikka is the limitation of longer ammo. I currently do not hand load, so realistically it should not be a problem up to 168gr, however it’s still a consideration if in the future I wanted to hand load.
The Fierce looks promising and has some nice feature, but have read mixed reviews on Fierce.
I’m not interested in the shorter 7‘s as ammo availability is a problem, same for the 300wsm.
Thoughts?

 

[Davidson51]

I just received a new rifle from Fierce and am very happy with it. It's a Fury build in a Rage sock. The gun is lightweight and an absolute shooter and is currently my favorite gun in the safe. Like others, the original ejector would extract casings but not eject them consistently. Fierce fixed it right away and sent me an extra just in case.

I'm happy to talk to you more about my experience with Fierce if it's helpful.

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Thanks for your response 51, but that’s exactly what I don’t want or expect to have to deal with on a new gun of that expected quality.
At that price it should be a shooter and I am glad that it is!
However, receiver issues on a rifle at that price are unacceptable, especially since they have had that problem in the past.
Just curious if that is a 2 or 3 lug and SS or Ti?
I hope it’s fixed and functions flawlessly for you from now on!

 

[Davidson51]

I hear you. Its been flawless since the fix. Its SS, not sure on the lugs, but its a 300 wsm if that helps answer it.

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Cool. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[Pharmseller]

I loaded 180 VLD Hunting bullets for my brother’s Tikka. That’s a looong bullet and I had no problems finding accuracy inside Mag length.

I load the 162 ELDx now, it’s a long bullet too.




P

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Good to know. Thanks for that info. P
Love your avatar. Been a life long Rush fan!

 

[LeftyWilbury]

have two left handed tikka T3s in 7 mag in factory configuration with the exception of threading one of the barrels. <1 MOA w barnes 140, 150, and 139 grain factory ammo.
even better accuracy with HSM 168 grain berger VLD loads (and reloads with that bullet) but I wasn't impressed with terminal performance on elk (sample size of one so take that with a large grain of salt).
never worried about loading past mag length and i've become lazy so i just fill my freezer with the results from barnes ammo.

never fired a Fierce but the ones I've handled are nice and make me want one. bolt cycles smoothly, trigger is crips, firearm handles nice and is light. good thing I don't have $3000 burning a hole in my pocket. also, as you pointed out, for $2k+ i don't want to have to ship it back to make it work....

i've been tempted to turn one of them into a .300 WSM w a threaded carbon fiber barrel since tikka so far refuses to make us lefties a 300 WSM of any sort, but then i'd only have one tikka 7 mag and that's simply unacceptable! plus even in factory configuration, they're perfectly accurate. i'd hate to lose that. also, 90% of my hunting can be done with a .308 so really tikka just needs to get me a left handed roughtech in 308.

 

[Gila]

The 7 Rem Mag is one of those cartridges that is so versatile that it is difficult to improve on. You have plenty of case space for powder. If you need to stuff a long, heavy bullet into the case to make the Tikka mag length, it would probably shoot well with acceptable performance. Having said that, depending on the upgrades you want do with the Tikka at the very least you will be into the T3x for at least $2,500. That is just with a decent custom stock, bottom metal, third lug bolt shroud and bolt handle, pic rail and etc but no custom barrel. The carbon fierce sure is a nice rifle. The fierce mags are good to go for longer cartridges out to 3.7”.

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Thanks for the info Lefty.
Lots of people really like the 168 vld for elk.
I’m of the belief that a tougher bonded bullet like the 160 accubond or 155 Terminal Ascent or 160 Barnes might be better for elk and meat.
However, I have no doubt that a properly placed vld will drop an elk.
I also looked at getting a 300wsm barrel for a Tikka, but ammo availability including brass is ridiculous.
In the end the cost for a semi custom Tikka is the same as a Fierce, but you rarely hear of cycling issues from a Tikka.
Really leaning towards the Tikka.

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Agree with everything you said Gila.
I guess at the end of the day I have more faith in someone like Mike at HCA over a higher production rifle that seems to potentially have extraction issues far to often.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I shoot 162gr ELD-M bullets from my 7RM. My last two elk have been one shot kills and dead within 15 seconds. They were also both at 505 yards.

My 7RM is a Steyr Pro Hunter which has a 3.600" mag but I load them SAAMI length.

 

[TNKnoxville]

My sons dropped their bull elks this year from their Bergara 7 mm mags with the 155 Terminal Ascents. One at 600 and the other at 660 yards both one shot kills. Those bullets are awesome!!!!!! Pass thru and blew out a lung on the 600 yard shot.

I shoot a Browning XBolt 300 win mag and I just went out a bought the Bergara 7 mm mag and 5 boxes of Terminal ascents.

The guns were set up for hand loaded 180 Berger VLD's. They shot great but we were a bit disappointed with them after shooting a cow elk last year.

 

[kevin11mee]

I have a Fierce Fury that I really like so I'll vote for the Fierce. It is a 3-lug. I guess it depends what you want to spend though. Would you be rebarreling the Tikka? I assume a new stock.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

My favorite rifle (and I have many) is a Tikka T3 SL in 7RM. I shoot Barnes Vor-Tx 160 grain TSX and have killed everything I have shot with it including a 528 yard shot on a cow elk. Super smooth cycling and crisp trigger. I don’t dislike any of my other rifles (Browning Hells Canyon, Browning A-Bolt, Christensen Ridgeline and Remington Model Seven) but the Tikka 7RM is my go-to rifle most of the time. Good luck on your quest.

 

[Pharmseller]

Good to know. Thanks for that info. P
Love your avatar. Been a life long Rush fan!

Don’t get me started. Huuuuuuge Rush geek.

Yes, I incorporated Rush lyrics into my wedding vows.

I’ll be quiet now.




P

 

[Riptilyaflip]

I have a Fierce Fury that I really like so I'll vote for the Fierce. It is a 3-lug. I guess it depends what you want to spend though. Would you be rebarreling the Tikka? I assume a new stock.

Complete rebuild. Only using the receiver and trigger.
Will try and sell the unused stock and fluted barrel .

 

[Riptilyaflip]

My sons dropped their bull elks this year from their Bergara 7 mm mags with the 155 Terminal Ascents. One at 600 and the other at 660 yards both one shot kills. Those bullets are awesome!!!!!! Pass thru and blew out a lung on the 600 yard shot.

I shoot a Browning XBolt 300 win mag and I just went out a bought the Bergara 7 mm mag and 5 boxes of Terminal ascents.

The guns were set up for hand loaded 180 Berger VLD's. They shot great but we were a bit disappointed with them after shooting a cow elk last year.

Nice. I’ve been using 175gr TA in my 308 with good result.
Plan on reaching out a bit further with the 7RM.
Seems like the bonded bullets might be better for elk.

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Don’t get me started. Huuuuuuge Rush geek.

Yes, I incorporated Rush lyrics into my wedding vows.

I’ll be quiet now.




P

That’s some funny s**t

 

[Riptilyaflip]

Thanks for everyones input. I feel much more confident moving forward with a Tikka 7RM build.
I’m sure the Fierce is a nice rifle.