NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE How To
The 7mms have the highest BC projectiles available able to be pushed at good velocity without the recoil becoming unmanageable in a lightweight rifle. Various 7mms have been the most popular standard and magnum chamberings in new rifles sold for many years – specifically the 7mm-08 and the 7mm Rem Magnum
The 270 is also making a bit of a resurgence now that there are some great projectile choices available in .277”, but its only 7 thousandths of an inch smaller than .284 anyway so is really an honorary 7mm. The 308 is popular in bush rifles but can't compete ballistically with the 7mms, and the bigger 30 cals shooting the heaviest projectiles that can compete have a pretty significant recoil penalty that proves too much for many.
THE CARTRIGE
So 7mm is the bullet diameter, but then there are many case capacity options you can choose behind that bullet depending on your velocity requirements, and they largely depend on the ranges you want to be able to accurately shoot to. I have said this repeatedly, if you have the ability to consistently and humanely take animals at 500 to 600yds, you increase your hunting opportunities immensely. And this is very achievable with modern equipment if you are prepared to put the time into learning how to use it properly. Let's take two of my all-time favourite hunting projectiles – the Hornady 175gn ELD-X and the Berger 180gn Hybrid. Take the most common smaller 7mm with 55 grains of water capacity to overflow/ top of the case, the 7mm-08. Its only capable of about 2450 to 2500fps with these projectiles if loaded up to around 65,000psi out
