7mm Rem Mag Rebarrel

Hello fellow gun nuts! I recently came into possession of a rather nice tang safety Ruger chambered in 7mm rem mag on my search for a dedicated PG rifle. This rifle was a bit of an accident in all honesty, the 7mag was not on my list for potential cartridges but it was a rather good deal. This leaves me at a bit of an impass. I do not need or particularly want another 7 mag, I have 2 7prcs and a 7rem mag already, so I have decided I need to either sell it or turn it into a cartridge I will use on PG.

If you were in my shoes what would be your choice for a rebarrel? Magnum bolt face standard length action and a cartridge preferably older than 1960. The majority of the cartridges I want require a standard bolt or a magnum length action. Sell me on something that suits this rifle!

When I rebarreled my 7mm Rem Mag, I made a 458 Win Mag out of it. But that would be overkill for your particular intended usage. Your rifle could be rebarreled to accept any of the following. The ones in red might be a bit big for plains game or were developed after 1960.

257 Weatherby
264 Win Mag
7mm Rem Mag *
300 Win Mag
308 Norma Magnum
338 Win Mag
358 Norma Magnum
375 Chatfield-Taylor
416 Taylor
425 Express
458x2 American
458 Win Mag

So your decision could probably be refined by deciding what size plains game you expect to hunt with it. Do you want to go up or down in size? Are you intrigued by unusual chamberings or does readily available ammo & components appeal more?

To my mind, going up or down a single caliber size would make me question if the juice was worth the squeeze. Do I want to go through the effort & expense of a rebarrel to own something that is very close to what I already have? So for me the 264 Win Mag & the 300 Win Mag would probably be out based on proximity.

It would probably be the 257 Weatherby if I wanted a bullet that was light, fast & flat or I would choose the 338 Win Mag if I was going for larger game.

Just to be argumentative, I would probably only rebarrel if I was going to choose something I couldn't readily buy (e.g. the 358 Norma Magnum or 416 Taylor). Otherwise I would just sell the 7mm Rem Mag & buy the more common chambering I wanted. For example earlier this week I passed on buying a really affordable Sako in 338 Win Mag that I could have easily bought with the funds from a 7mm Rem Mag sale. The rifle I was considering rebarreling would of course be a factor in that decision if it was something special that I really wanted to keep it (like a tang-safety Ruger).

Well said odonata. The 257 weatherby and 338 win mag are actually my two front runners currently if I decide to keep this rifle. 358 norma mag is one I had not thought of, 35 whelen is one of the cartridges I have strongly been considering so this has definitely perked my curiosity.

In my previous reply, I simply listed the easy conversions that were based on the same H&H parent case since my 7mm Rem Mag to 458 Win Mag upgrade was so easy. But since you're swapping the barrel, I assume you could get any long action round that uses a .540" bolt face to work. For example, I didn't know if there would be any concerns with things like magazine size or feeding problems with the cartridges that use the 375 Ruger as a base case due to inexperience with building rifles using these cartridges:

6.5 PRC
7mm PRC
300 PRC
375 Ruger
416 Ruger

So while I originally listed a dozen possibilities to consider, I'm sure there's some potential contenders that I've overlooked like maybe the 26, 27, 28, 30, 33 Nosler rounds or other Weatherby cartridges.

odonata said:

In my previous reply, I simply listed the easy conversions that were based on the same H&H parent case since my 7mm Rem Mag to 458 Win Mag upgrade was so easy. But since you're swapping the barrel, I assume you could get any long action round that uses a .540" bolt face to work. For example, I didn't know if there would be any concerns with things like magazine size or feeding problems with the cartridges that use the 375 Ruger as a base case due to inexperience with building rifles using these cartridges:

6.5 PRC
7mm PRC
300 PRC
375 Ruger
416 Ruger

So while I originally listed a dozen possibilities to consider, I'm sure there's some potential contenders that I've overlooked like maybe the 26, 27, 28, 30, 33 Nosler rounds or other Weatherby cartridges.

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6.5 and 7 prc would both work and I believe both of the ruger rounds would as well. 300prc as well as the nosler cartridges and several weatherby cartridges will not fit due to length. Most all of these are excellent options but I am looking strictly for older cartridges pre 1960. It is a strange preference I know but for me pre 60s was the peak of Safari hunting.

My 2¢, Sell it and get something else that shoots a classic PG cartridge. Rebarreling would wind up an exercise in redundancy.

Wyit76 said:

Most all of these are excellent options but I am looking strictly for older cartridges pre 1960. It is a strange preference I know but for me pre 60s was the peak of Safari hunting.

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You're preaching to the choir! I shoot 11 different cartridges and 10 of them were designed before I was born. Most of them by the time my 375 H&H was introduced in 1912. I'm a big long-action classic cartridge fan.

How about two classics with excellent present day bullet selection, a 7x57 or 6.5 Swede? Both would take you back to before 1900.

Hogpatrol said:

How about two classics with excellent present day bullet selection, a 7x57 or 6.5 Swede? Both would take you back to before 1900.

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I have both & they're excellent for deer hunting. My Ruger No. 1A in 6.5x55 has put more deer in the freezer than any other rifle I own. But the OP's rifle has a .540" bolt face & both of those suggested cartridges are .470".

Hogpatrol said:

How about two classics with excellent present day bullet selection, a 7x57 or 6.5 Swede? Both would take you back to before 1900.

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Two cartridges I would love to have and will be adding to the collection in time, especially the 7x57. If I could find a winchester model 70 in 7x57, even the push feed, that would be the perfect rifle for what I want. Unfortunately both are standard bolt face cartridges.

Re-barrel to .338 Winchester Magnum. Select twist rate to optimize 250 gr and 300 gr bullets.

I am currently doing the same dance with a 1909 mauser custom that was a 7RM. there is a 416 barrel in the lathe and 416 taylor reamer sitting close by. Just need to get the time to finish.

416 taylor would be my choice for you. My .02.

AZDAVE said:

416 taylor would be my choice for you. My .02.

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As a left-handed shooter, my 416 choices are limited as 416 Rigby, 416 Rem Mag & 416 Ruger rifles for southpaws are rare sometimes bordering on non-existent. The 416 Taylor would be my top choice if I ever decide to add that caliber to my safe because I can always upsize a more readily-available & affordable LH 7mm or 300 Win Mag.

Wyit76 said:

Hello fellow gun nuts! I recently came into possession of a rather nice tang safety Ruger chambered in 7mm rem mag on my search for a dedicated PG rifle. This rifle was a bit of an accident in all honesty, the 7mag was not on my list for potential cartridges but it was a rather good deal. This leaves me at a bit of an impass. I do not need or particularly want another 7 mag, I have 2 7prcs and a 7rem mag already, so I have decided I need to either sell it or turn it into a cartridge I will use on PG.

If you were in my shoes what would be your choice for a rebarrel? Magnum bolt face standard length action and a cartridge preferably older than 1960. The majority of the cartridges I want require a standard bolt or a magnum length action. Sell me on something that suits this rifle!

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@Wyit76
Being the idiot I am if'n there was enough meat in the barrel I would send it off to JES and have it rebored to 35cal and make it into a nice 358 Norma mag. That way you could just neck up your 7mm REM mag cases and go have fun.
Cheap,easy and practical. Well it is to me.
That way you could leave the little 7mms at home and still have all the range and power you need.
Did I mention I'm an idiot tho and love 35s
Bob

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Wyit76
Being the idiot I am if'n there was enough meat in the barrel I would send it off to JES and have it rebored to 35cal and make it into a nice 358 Norma mag. That way you could just neck up your 7mm REM mag cases and go have fun.
Cheap,easy and practical. Well it is to me.
That way you could leave the little 7mms at home and still have all the range and power you need.
Did I mention I'm an idiot tho and love 35s
Bob

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I believe I have seen your love of the 35 cal mentioned a few times through other posts, by you and several other! I most definitely would not call you an idiot for it though, doing so would make my a hypocrite since I have been flirting with the idea of a 35 whelen for longer than I care to admit!

I have looked into the 358 norma a bit since posting this and seeing it mentioned. In theory it checks a fair few of my boxes but the lack of factory components makes it difficult for me to justify. I am sure there are methods to get head stamped brass but from what I saw it was few and far between. The whelen has far more luster for me than the norma at this point especially as a rifle I plan to take to Africa in the near future.

Wyit76 said:

Hello fellow gun nuts! I recently came into possession of a rather nice tang safety Ruger chambered in 7mm rem mag on my search for a dedicated PG rifle. This rifle was a bit of an accident in all honesty, the 7mag was not on my list for potential cartridges but it was a rather good deal. This leaves me at a bit of an impass. I do not need or particularly want another 7 mag, I have 2 7prcs and a 7rem mag already, so I have decided I need to either sell it or turn it into a cartridge I will use on PG.

If you were in my shoes what would be your choice for a rebarrel? Magnum bolt face standard length action and a cartridge preferably older than 1960. The majority of the cartridges I want require a standard bolt or a magnum length action. Sell me on something that suits this rifle!

Click to expand...

264 or 338 wm

Wyit76 said:

Well said odonata. The 257 weatherby and 338 win mag are actually my two front runners currently if I decide to keep this rifle. 358 norma mag is one I had not thought of, 35 whelen is one of the cartridges I have strongly been considering so this has definitely perked my curiosity.

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@Wyit76
The reason I said the 358 was because the Whelen is the wrong head size for a magnum bolt.
The 257 Weatherby is a great cartridge that will handle most plains game with ease just ask @One Day... . He used one with great effect.
Bob

odonata said:

I have both & they're excellent for deer hunting. My Ruger No. 1A in 6.5x55 has put more deer in the freezer than any other rifle I own. But the OP's rifle has a .540" bolt face & both of those suggested cartridges are .470".

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Wyit76 said:

Two cartridges I would love to have and will be adding to the collection in time, especially the 7x57. If I could find a winchester model 70 in 7x57, even the push feed, that would be the perfect rifle for what I want. Unfortunately both are standard bolt face cartridges.

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My suggestion was referenced on selling the rifle not a rebarrel.

I am a huge fan of the 7mm Remington Magnum. I like the 338 Win Mag just as much. I’ve used both in tandem and they compliment each other very well.

Gomer said:

I am a huge fan of the 7mm Remington Magnum. I like the 338 Win Mag just as much. I’ve used both in tandem and they compliment each other very well.

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@Gomer
So would a 280 REM and a 35 Whelen.
Ha Ha ha Ha ha
Couldn't resist it.
Bob