7 Rem Mag for African plains game

Quaticman

AH veteran
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Messages
167
Reaction score
413
Location
Kitchener
Media
26
Hunted
Namibia
What are your thoughts on using the good old 7 Rem Mag loaded with the Berger 195 grain EOL Hunter on some of the larger African plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Hartebeest and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra?
Is it enough gun to ethically harvest these big animals or do I need to use my .300 Win Mag or 9.3 x 62?
 
Assume you have a custom barrel as the 195s won't realize full BC in a standard factory twist 7RM. If you have the correct twist, that cartridge and bullet will take all those animals at extended ranges (beyond 700 yards). Having said that, Berger 168s will easily do the job.
 
I used 160 grain TBBC on blue Wildebeest, oryx with good results. Sorry no experience with Bergers
 
What are your thoughts on using the good old 7 Rem Mag loaded with the Berger 195 grain EOL Hunter on some of the larger African plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Hartebeest and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra?
Is it enough gun to ethically harvest these big animals or do I need to use my .300 Win Mag or 9.3 x 62?

The caliber is fine, plenty of power. A 195gr bullet in a 7mm Mag however I have some question about. A 160gr or 175gr tough bullet will get the job done. A-Frame, TTSX, North Fork etc is what I mean by that. Even a 175gr Partition will do just fine.
 
Assume you have a custom barrel as the 195s won't realize full BC in a standard factory twist 7RM. If you have the correct twist, that cartridge and bullet will take all those animals at extended ranges (beyond 700 yards). Having said that, Berger 168s will easily do the job.
Yes this is a full custom rifle with a 1:8" twist barrel.
 
On two different hunts in the eastern cape, my daughter and I used a 7mm mag with 162 gr Hornady SST. We took 9 PG on each hunt and everything was a one shot kill, with the exception of eland, where we used a 375 H&H. The 7mm mag with a good bullet and placement will do the job.
 
Yes this is a full custom rifle with a 1:8" twist barrel.
Good to go with that bullet. I used it in a 28 Nosler custom, 1-8. You'll have plenty of horsepower but when you show up with that bullet, it's fairly certain the PHs will look at you like you had two heads. :D Mine did. :p
 
Of the animals you listed, I made one shot kills on Kudu, Gemsbok, and several other PG with my 7 mm RM with 140 grain Ballistic tips on one trip. With the same rifle on another trip, I made one shot kills on red hartebeest and several more PG animals with 160 grain Accubonds.

The 160 grain Accubond has become my favorite hunting bullet for my 7 mm RM. I will probably be using it for Woodland caribou and moose next fall.
 
I used 150gr Barnes TTSX i 7mm RM om my first trip to South Africa.
Shot 8 animals from jakal to kudu and blue wildebeest.
No animal left eyesight.
 
You should be fine with that rifle. Enjoy!
 
I think 7mm mag. is plenty for plains game. 160 to 175 grain will work great.
 
Should work fine, but you might want your PH to buy in to it. After all, they have to do the tracking.
Me, I’m a “bigger is better” kind of guy. JMO
 
The caliber is fine, plenty of power. A 195gr bullet in a 7mm Mag however I have some question about. A 160gr or 175gr tough bullet will get the job done. A-Frame, TTSX, North Fork etc is what I mean by that. Even a 175gr Partition will do just fine.

Exactly this.

There have been probably thousands of tons of mid-sized PG taken with 275 Rigby (and now 7mm08) shooting 160 gr bullets in the 2500-2600 fps range. And the 175 gr .284 bullets, with SD at .310, is exceptional at penetration (good construction being a given). The only thing the 7mm RM gives you over 275 Rigby or 7mm08 is more range. That would be useful in the Eastern Cape or the really dry, open country in Namibia. In thicker country where 100 yards is as far as you can see, it confers little advantage over slower cartridges in the same caliber.

I'm not suggesting your 7mm RM is too much gun, but am suggesting there's really not any need to go heavier than 175 gr. And with the kind of velocity you can get with the 175s, and especially the 160s, you'll get better range than the 195s, and the same lethality.
 
And count me as another vote for better bullets like A-Frame, Partition, Northfork SP, Woodleigh PP, and Oryx.
 
My opinion is take the one u shoot best
Your 7mm rem mag will take it all
Quality bullets are cheap
 
The 7x57 is a pretty common caliber used by locals in southern Africa. My PH in Namibia used a 7x57 for years on plains game with no complaints. I seem to recall his preference for 175 grain bullets for eland. So the 7mm Remington Mag is a no brainer to me. I tend to agree the modern 160 grain bullets would be better, but to each their own.
 
7mag is a wonderfully versatile choice.
however berger bullets are less so.
at close range they virtually rely on blowing up for killing effect.
this limits shot placement, particularly on larger species.
bu
 
7mag is a wonderfully versatile choice.
however berger bullets are less so.
at close range they virtually rely on blowing up for killing effect.
this limits shot placement, particularly on larger species.
bu
Bruce, I have to ask if first, you have used them on plains game and second how do they limit shot placement. Thanks, Hog
 
If the jackets are thin, it means especially no shoulder shots from close distances. At the range VLDH 175 is the most accurate out of my 308. I wouldn't even use them for white tails or pigs, though. Yotes, definitely.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,624
Messages
1,131,353
Members
92,679
Latest member
HongPilgri
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Impact shots from the last hunt

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top