7mm Remington Magnum

Introduced in 1962 with the new Remington 700 rifle, the 7mm Remington Magnum can trace its roots back half a century. The .275 Holland & Holland appeared in 1912. Its 2.5-inch case shared head dimensions with the .375 H&H, also a 1912 development. Fourteen years later, Western Cartridge Co. brought the .275 H&H stateside, with a 175-grain boattail at 2,690 fps.

Western discontinued the round in 1939. Five years elapsed before Weatherby announced the potent 7mm Weatherby Magnum on a 2.5-inch hull with steep, radiused shoulders. Norma gave that round commercial status. Beginning in 1953, Schultz & Larsen chambered its rifles in 7x61 Sharp & Hart. The final 7x61 version, designated "Super" and loaded by Norma, paired the 2.4-inch belted case with 160- and 154-grain bullets at around 3,100 fps. Norma no longer lists it.

Norma does still catalog the 7x64, a Wilhelm Brenneke design dating to 1917. Almost identical to the .280 Remington, which arrived four decades later, it employs a rimless case with roughly the capacity of the .270 and .30-06. It won't match the performance of belted magnums--which, by 1962, included several wildcats by Luft, Ackley and Mashburn.

The 7mm Rem. Mag. has surpassed all in sales for two reasons. First, it appeared in the Model 700 and, subsequently, other modestly priced commercial rifles. Second, it was deftly promoted as a long-range deer and elk cartridge, with the reach and power of belted magnums but the manageable recoil of a .30-06. Wyoming outfitter Les Bowman sang its praises when Winchester's .300 Magnum was still speculation. In surveys I've conducted for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the 7mm Rem. Mag. rivals the .30-06 as the most popular of elk cartridges.

Suitable Applications

Factory loaded with bullets of 139 to 175 grains, the 7mm Rem. Mag. is a most versatile cartridge. Muzzle speeds exceeding 3,100 fps with bullets of modest weight make it ideal for long shots at deer. Controlled-expansion bullets of 150 to 160 grains suit it to elk, moose. You'll endure less recoil than from most .30 magnums, so you can shoot it comfortably in rifles that carry easily.

Ballistics

The most suitable bullets for the 7mm Remington Magnum weigh 139 to 165 grains. I once asked Remington executives why they cataloged 175s, which wouldn't equal the most ambitious 180-grain .30-06 loads. Response: "We had lots on hand." Pick lighter bullets and you'll get high speed, flat flight, plenty of sectional density and energy.