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I am a gunsmith and hunting guide for almost 40 years now. I have made a lot of rifles in 7mm Mag, and loaded a lot of ammo for them too. I have seen many animals killed with them in several states.
If I had one word of advice for the caliber it's this;
Use bullets that are tough enough to hold up to impact at close range, and you will still be ok at longer ranges. As a rule, that means 150 grains and more.

It's an interesting fact, but none the less a fact, that most of the worst failures I have seen from hunting bullets in the many years I have hunted and guided have come from 7mm Mags.

However in all fairness, I must say that the results from the same rifles are extremely good if the correct bullets are used.

The 7mm bullets or 150 grains and lighter made in the USA are nearly all made for 7mm Mauser velocities and perhaps not even that fast. There are a very few 150 grain bullets that will hold together when shot through the 7mm mag (like the Barnes and the Swift) and when we get to the 160 and 175 range, the results start to get impressive. A 175 gr Nosler Partition from a 7mm Mag is a real killer, and VERY reliable.

Resist the urge to get higher velocities by using a light bullet. Stick with GOOD bullets at 160 to 175 grains and shoot them at all animals from 10 pounds to 900 pounds.

The 7MM mag is a versatile rifle round, but all it’s handicaps come from using bullets that are too light.
It’s versatility comes into play when you use it with a good long heavy bullet, and have no 2nd thoughts about shooting that bullet at coyotes, dingos, or rabbits. Work up an accurate load with that one bullet and shoot it at all your game up to the limit of the cartridge, and you’ll never be unhappy.

Edited by szihn (02/10/10 12:11 AM)

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