# 7mm Mag what kind of game can I use this gun for?



## rob1089 (Mar 1, 2005)

I won a Ruger 7mm Mag at a baquet. I live in Michigan and I don't know if its to big for deer. What are your thoughts on this caliber. I was thinking of trading it in and getting a 22-250 or a 243 for coyotes. I'm sure it is way to big for coyotes!!!???


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

Actuall, you can use it for just about anything that you'd care to hunt. With light bullets it'd be a heck of a coyote gun out to as far as you'd ever want to shoot and with med. weight bullets it'll make a great deer rifle. Ballistics aren't really all that much more then the good ol' 30-'06 so whatever you can use the '06 for you can also use the 7mm Mag for. You lucky dawg, LOL., wish I could win something like that.
:beer:

P.S.
Here's a link where you can compare ballistics.
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

The 7MM Mag is a fantastic all around chambering. I personally feel this round is the crossroads where accuracy, tolerable recoil (shootability), and ballistic efficiency meet. The 7MM Mag produces quite a bit more perrformance than non-magnums, while doing so with extreme accuracy potential, and with recoil that most anyone can handle comfortably.

I'll have to disagree with Frank, in that having shot both the 06' and 7MM extensively, I can tell you that the 7MM has a considerable edge, ballistically, in flat trajectory, and in downrange performance, over the 06'.

You're a lucky gent to have won one, even if it is a Ruger...


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

http://www.remington.com/products/a...ive_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R7MM2*R30062
With the same bullet weights they look pretty close to me. Granted the 7mm has an edge on the ol' '06 but not by much. Either will do the job on deer out to 400 yrds. if the hunter does his part. :beer:


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Ballistic's tables don't always tell the whole story. As Frank already knows, handloading can make a huge difference in a cartridge's performance as can barrel length and to a lesser extent, the quality of the rifle's chamber. Another thing to consider if you will reload the 7mag, is the life of the brass. A belted cartridge usually won't last for as many loadings. Of course if you hotrod anything it'll wear out sooner. To get back to the original post, if you want a dual purpose rifle, trade off the 7mag for a .243. A 7mag is a poor cartridge for varmints, in that you will destroy every pelt you shoot. If you don't care about that, shoot it, but it can be expensive. Having said that, I like to shoot my .270 Wby Mag at prairie dogs, so to each his own. Good shooting, Burl


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Well, at least Frank and I agree that shotguns are great for self defense!


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

NDTerminator said:


> Well, at least Frank and I agree that shotguns are great for self defense!


Hey, that's why there's so many calibers and guns out there, everyone has their own idea of what they like and don't like. Doesn't make em' right or wrong, just different. 
For up close and personal you just can't beat a good shotgun loaded with 00 buck, it's just physics, 9 holes of .33caliber in the target all at once WILL shut down the Central Nervous System because of ths shock of the impacts. You can't get that with a handgun or rifle. Of all the mags I like the 7mm Rem Mag. and the new .270WSM is a good looking ctg. too on paper. Not too much power, good ballistics, I think I'd be happy with either ctg. 
:beer:


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