Goldilocks - which "middle" 7mm?

[DJL2]

The trick, of course, is that there are so very many 7mm choices. I've left out a few that some swear by, I'm sure. I cobbled this list together based on what I've encountered or what I've seen crop up here on the Hide with some regularity. If you are so inclined, please take a moment to vote on your choice for Goldilocks and throw in some rationale. Two votes afford some flexibility - reload vs. factory, comp vs. hunting, break 'em down how you like.

 

[BurnOut]

I see it like this:

7mm-08 = small
.284Win/.284AI = medium
7mm WSM/SAUM/Rem Mag/LRM = large
7mm-300 Norma/28 Nosler = extra large

This opinion is worth everything you've paid for it.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Depends on what your definition of goldielocks is but I’m seeing more and more 280AI pop up lately. I like the ballistics of it just from the reading I’ve done.

 

[Jeeper48]

I'm in a similar boat, building off a tikka action, I think I'm going to go 280 AI or 280 Sherman.
Will be a good middle ground for hunting, can still launch a respectable bullet far enough to be effective at range, but not overkill

 

[cleric]

Why not 7mm saw?

 

[mcfred]

I did a 7mm WSSM. 180s at 2850fps out of a SA magazine. Stubby little cartridge. Lots of barrel life compared to the WSM I ran before that. Funny that the WSSM brass is actually easier to find than 7mm WSM brass. IMO it's too much recoil for the PRS-style steel matches where they have you standing on one leg, shooting weak-side off some POS flimsy barricade. But if you want to plug steel in the wind, then it's hard to beat the 7mm's BCs.

My "elk rifle" is a 7mm WSM. I don't care much about the barrrel life on that one.


The F-Class Open guys seem to be getting the most points with the .284Win.

The 7mm SAW is really just a 7mm-08 AI. Like all cases, throat it long, and lean on the pressure and it'll display good velocities.

 

[hereinaz]

My vote is for the 7 ss. Stupid easy to load for and shoot small groups with the 180 vld. Also, true short action with the long bullets. Other than that, 7 saum in a long action.

The shorter cases match the 7 rem mag for velocity, but use less powder. I got more speed from my 7ss but was running about 7 grains less powder than my 7 rem mag.

 

[Supersubes]

I see it like this:

7mm-08 = small
.284Win/.284AI = medium
7mm WSM/SAUM/Rem Mag/LRM = large
7mm-300 Norma/28 Nosler = extra large

This opinion is worth everything you've paid for it.

Peterson announced 7mm BR brass earlier this month. You can add that to your list under “teeny-weeny”.

 

[Eric_F]

I like the numbers on the middleweight 7mm cartridges a lot. Great ballistics out to past 1000, great bullet selection for targets or elk hunting, efficient with powder, and not too much recoil. I have brass and dies (though not yet a rifle) for both 280 AI and straight 284 Win. I'll be building a Tikka eventually, and decided to go with 284 (long action) to take full advantage of the 180 class bullets.

 

[slm9s]

STW!

 

[supratt96]

I have two rifles chambered in 284 Win. It's a great round although you need a long action to realize it's full potential. Very accurate, manageable recoil, enough power to handle the heavy 7mm bullets, plenty of knock down power for hunting or long range steel, good brass availability, lots of excellent bullets available and decent barrel life. Only drawback is not much in the way of factory ammo.

 

[Steel head]

My vote is 284 and 7 saum.

 

[CerebralDistortion]

7mm-08 and 280AI. Magnums have never been my thing...

 

[10ring1]

280 rem lifer here. Kills PA whitetail deader than hell. Everytime!

 

[moosemeat]

284 is what's on my list. Easy to load for, can be optimized in a long action, just right case capacity(I know it's about identical to 280). Half of it is nostalgia and half is it does great in F class. My second choice(if brass was easier to find) would be wsm.

 

[7WSMShooter]

If you already have a standard bolt face la I would go 280AI, SA magnum 7WSM or 7Saum,
LA magnum, I guess 28 Nosler or 7-300PRC.
If you don’t already have an action, just pic an go. Obvious which one I choose, ive had 4 of them.

 

[Simia Dei]

7mm SAW. Can hunt and shoot comps with it

 

[Action Guy]

I am fairly new to the 7mm. Always been a .30 cal guy and then .264. The 7mm intrigues me now and I could never decide on just one, so I went with three:

7mm-08 in two different hunting rifles, for whitetail and moderate distances.
.280 AI in a heavier, long range hunting rifle.
.28 Nosler in a heavy precision rifle.

I really only have experience with one of the 7mm-08s and the .28 Nosler. The others are still projects and will fill only scant need. (I have too many projects and too many aspiration rifles).

The 7mm-08 shoots incredibly well with reloads in my M70 Classic Compact. Really easy to carry, beautiful little rifle and hell on whitetail.

The .28 Nosler is awesome at distance. Just starting to reload for it. Previously shot very expensive Nosler factory loads basically to gather brass and get some base-line experience. So far, I love the cartridge and the idea. Might not have a long barrel life, but it should be fun burning it out.

AG

 

[Shoots 700's]

I have had a 7MM Remington Mag for 25 plus years. My brother has one as well. I voted 7SAUM due to the short action.

 

[mcfred]

Peterson announced 7mm BR brass earlier this month. You can add that to your list under “teeny-weeny"

7mm TCU is pretty teeny too. We won't mention the 7x33 Sako though.

 

[CerebralDistortion]

Found this today:

 

[b6graham]

7SAW; short
7SS(max); medium/tikka
28 Sherman Magnum; long
7/300 Norma Improved; lapua

 

[DJL2]

It's interesting to see the preference for SAUM versus WSM. Looking quickly at AmmoSeek, the WSM seems to be less expensive and more plentiful. However, it seems like maybe the WSM-SAUM-SS relationship is a bit like .243-6CM-6BR - you give up some performance, but gain efficiency. I imagine that sways a group that is, on balance, perhaps more likely than average to reload.

It's nice to see .280 AI and .284 running well, too. If you run a long action, it really is a bit of a toss-up.

 

[b6graham]

It's interesting to see the preference for SAUM versus WSM. Looking quickly at AmmoSeek, the WSM seems to be less expensive and more plentiful. However, it seems like maybe the WSM-SAUM-SS relationship is a bit like .243-6CM-6BR - you give up some performance, but gain efficiency. I imagine that sways a group that is, on balance, perhaps more likely than average to reload.

It's nice to see .280 AI and .284 running well, too. If you run a long action, it really is a bit of a toss-up.

most reload and shoot 180-195s
ADG SAUM/SS/SST/MAX brass
SS beats a SAUM in speed, efficiency, and ideal bullet placement

 

[Steel head]

It's interesting to see the preference for SAUM versus WSM. Looking quickly at AmmoSeek, the WSM seems to be less expensive and more plentiful. However, it seems like maybe the WSM-SAUM-SS relationship is a bit like .243-6CM-6BR - you give up some performance, but gain efficiency. I imagine that sways a group that is, on balance, perhaps more likely than average to reload.

It's nice to see .280 AI and .284 running well, too. If you run a long action, it really is a bit of a toss-up.

7wsm is a longer case than all the other WSM’s and brass is rare, hence why 7mm/300 WSM is more popular.
7 saum has excellent ADG brass.

most reload and shoot 180-195s
ADG SAUM/SS/SST/MAX brass
SS beats a SAUM in speed, efficiency, and ideal bullet placement

Yea.
I’m not seeing much of a speed difference and I follow the discussions here and LRH.
I’m burning the same amount of R26 as they are.

If you want to mag feed 180’s and are afraid of jump 7SS is for you.

 

[txguero]

I’m hoping someone will to a 7-6.5prc (basically just because) and report back. Seems like it might have some promise.

 

[swampbuck]

I vote 7mm-08 and 280 AI. The 280 is nice to have an extra round in the magazine. It is very efficient. Great velocity with not too much recoil

 

[Bradu]

I guess it would depend on what you were going to do with it. I have a 7 wsm and a 7-300 norma. I wish the 7 wsm had better brass available, it would be an easy decision for a middle of the road 7mm. The 7-300 norma is impressive and if I had more opportunities to shoot a mile, I would own a reamer so every barrel would be almost identical.

 

[DJL2]

The WSM and SAUM are interesting to compare ammo/brass wise. AmmoSeek lists WSM around $1/rd and the SAUM as like $2/rd - I note that trend holds, generally, across almost anything with WSM on the head stamp. It's interesting that WSM seems to have won out as a factory offering, being both cheaper and more diverse, but the SAUM is preferred by reloaders.

I agree that .375 Ruger makes a great Dad/Grand Dad, and a 7 PRC would be interesting for folks wanting a little more out of 7mm from a short action. With the exception of the 7mm-08 and a 7 SS, I consider the 7s in the poll medium/long action cartridges.

 

[fdkay]

284 is what's on my list. Easy to load for, can be optimized in a long action, just right case capacity(I know it's about identical to 280). Half of it is nostalgia and half is it does great in F class. My second choice(if brass was easier to find) would be wsm.

While the case capacity is the same, you'll likely have higher velocities with the .284. The short, fat powder column produces higher velocities.