Recoil issues

Why do you wish you had the 7 mag when you carry the 7-08? Were the deer not killed dead enough? I think I would shoot a rifle I was most comfortable shooting. If you develop a flinch from shooting you magnum it won't matter what rifle you are shooting. You probably shoot you magnum better because you have confidence and familiarity with it. You might just need to build you confidence in your 7-08 to shoot it as well as your mag.
I have had my 7RM for close to 40 years now and it has never let me down when I do my part. It is also about all the recoil I care to handle.
 
There's several things you could do to tweek either rifle to make it work for you.
1) If you don't wanna brake the 7 mag, have a Smith bed a mercury tube in the stock as mentioned and that will cut it down a little bit.
2) reduce your 7 mag loads to 280~ velocities so you still have better performance than the 7mm08 but less recoil.
3) add a little weight to the 7mm08 stock where you feel it needs it and see if it handles better and use it.
4) bite the bullet and get a new rifle that handles well in a lighter chambering. If you like the 7mms you could get a 280 rem and not even have to change bullets.
 
okie_hotrod said:
There's several things you could do to tweek either rifle to make it work for you.
1) If you don't wanna brake the 7 mag, have a Smith bed a mercury tube in the stock as mentioned and that will cut it down a little bit.
2) reduce your 7 mag loads to 280~ velocities so you still have better performance than the 7mm08 but less recoil.
3) add a little weight to the 7mm08 stock where you feel it needs it and see if it handles better and use it.
4) bite the bullet and get a new rifle that handles well in a lighter chambering. If you like the 7mms you could get a 280 rem and not even have to change bullets.
Click to expand...
I had not really considered adding a mercury tube to the 7 mag. That is something I may think about.
Adding a little weight to the 7-08 is something I have thought about for a few years and I think it might be worth a try.
Purchasing a 280 has always been on my list and I almost bought a 280 when I purchased the last 7 mag. I have my eye on a really nice one that belongs to a guy who no longer hunts. He won't part with it yet because it is his favorite rifle.
I have not ruled out buying a new 7-08 that I like the feel of but I am not in a hurry.

As to why I wish I had the 7 mag on some hunts when I do carry the 7-08 it is a confidence thing. My last 2 bucks were both bucks that I jumped while moving in timber. One I had time to drop to one knee and shoot from my sticks. This last year it was off hand or nothing. Both were one shot kills. Hunting heavily pressured public land in California you don't get a lot of opportunities so sometimes a moving target is all you get. The 7 mag comes up just right and I usually connect when I pull the trigger. Both of those bucks were around 100 yards so no doubt that the 7-08 would have done fine.
 
I went through the same thing. I started with and used a 30-06 for 20 some years. When the magnum kick was in I purchased a 270 weatherby mag and also a 300 weatherby mag. Both assume killers but I thought they where too heavy and too much recoil for my purposes. So for the next few years I went back to the 30-06. I then tried the 7mm08 in a MRC X2. It killed deer and hogs plenty dead but I always felt it was not up to par with the 30-06. Over the next few years I gained confidence in it as deer and hogs stacked up. I then customized a rem 700 xcrii 270 win with a timney , mcmillan edge stock , Talley LW"s and a Vx3 3.5-10x40. I fell in love with this package and the 270 gave me great confidence. But I would be just as happy if that 700 was in 7mm08. So what I found with myself its more the rifle package rather than the headstamp.
 
I use a muzzle brake for my 35 Whelan TC. My wife shoots it and has taken a deer at 300 yards. I also have had great results with the limbsaver. I use it on my 7mm. It slips on. I would just use this as a reason to get a new gun!
 
I shot a 7mm mag with a brake one time. One time was enough to let me know that wouldn't happen again. Actually if you can handle the 7mm08, I'd stay with it. If you find the 140gr load in it to much, I would go to a new rifle. Something like a 260/6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x55. Then drop down to 129/130gr bullet. I don't have any idea what monolithic bullet's are out there for 6.5's. I use 140gr bullet's a bunch in my 6.5x55, easy for me, I'd suggest you find some with one of them and try it.
 
what about a threaded muzzle brake

target shoot with the brake, then hunt without the brake. just have to figure out the change in point of impact between the two
 
I’ll turn 62 soon. Over the years I went through the big magnum phase. I still have some and gave some away. Point is I received a 7mm-08 X Bolt hunter. It felt light and I thought this is going to kick close to my other rifles. I shoot 120 grain ballistic tips for deer now. It’s crazy accurate and the recoil is very easy to deal with. The deer I shot since then fell as quick with that than any of my other guns. I simply love it. First time out I was a little concerned about using it. I believe now its the best thing I ever started using. I spend some much time shooting it because of very little recoil. You become very effective with the gun because you can enjoy range time. I have left a 338 win mag, a 7mm Remington mag and a 30-378. I still shoot then but sometimes I dread taking them to shoot. Pretty soon they’ll be leaving also. Add some weight to your rifle if you feel you need to. As far as the 7mm-08 goes there might not be anything better to fit your needs. You’ll enjoy shooting it and that’s why we buy them. Take care and good hunting.
 
Put a brake on the 7MM RM and wear hearing protection at the range. Hunting, you'll only fire one round from that rifle anyway.
 
Been thinking about this. Is the attraction the rifle or the cartridge? I suspect it's actually the rifle! The rifle that was hard for me to give up was a Rem 660 in 308. My son has it now but the little snot won't let me borrow it! Everything about that rifle I loved. Quick handling, ugly fence post stock, good enough trigger and 2 3/4x Redfield widefield scope. Thinking about it I probably could have had it rebarreled to a 260/6.5CM and still would have been the same rifle!
 
electronic Ear Pro is great, cranking the sensitivity way up will help your hearing (extra twig snaps and such).
the 7mm-08 will surpass the ballistics of the 7x57 which is considered by the old school hunters to be one of THE calibers from Elephants and Elands to Elk. I have two guys in my hunting party that kill hogs one with a 7RM or with an 08, either has lost a hog and at the distances most of us hunt I've seen no difference in wounds.
if you can bear it add some weight to the rifles this will help with the recoil while maintaining the aesthetics of the rifle.
 
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