Very interesting..The last couple of days I have spent loads of time checking out different calibers since I am adding to the arsenal. One thing stood out caliber "x" was compared to 30-06 performance many times over..I found this interesting I guess the '06 is familiar and makes a good bench mark..I ignored that and focused on ballistics alone....but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a 7mm rem mag. as a matter of fact it is a great round...and the 162 gr. sounds about right...rifle twist might have a bearing also ...Also funny I have been checking out the .264 very interested in it

I have always thought of the 7m Rem Mag as a speedster. Growing up on the prairie, I saw a lot of 100g and 120g bullets flying at over 3500 fps. People loaded it up with bigger bullets for a Muley or an elk but that was pretty much the exception. My biggest concern was that compared to a 30-06 it took an expensive case and a lot of powder if all you are going to shoot is little bullets. I really never realized it was that close to 30-06 performance with the bigger bullets until you brought it to my attention.

Clay my 165 Accubonds already push 3000 and they are not even at the top of the book, like I said I have not had good luck with Hornaday rifle bullets.

Don't know how the deal with the 7mm got sidetracked but the 6.5 is the real deal. Compare .308 with .260 Rem @ 4 or 500 yds and see what you won't believe, much less with the .264 mag. My deal with the 7mm and the .264 is the noise and commotion, and the only place where I can shoot 500 yds. where I live is straight UP.
Check out Carmichaels article in Jan. 97 Outdoor Life about the .260 Rem. and the long train principal.

Brotha` Coop...good points all around, and the 7MM Rem mag is a kick butt cartridge!

7mag with a 168 grain or 180 grain Berger VLD would be hard to beat. I almost chambered my .300 win mag in 7mag, still am questioning that move, but that .300 with 210 grain Berger's does very well and as many times as the .300 has won the Wimbledon Cup, I think it's as good as choice as any.

It's gone to the 6.5mm because of less recoil and its low drag bullets. THe 6.5's have just recently began to dominate the 1000 yard line. Look at the records form the Wimbledon cup winners in th past, there seems to be a rather high occurrence of the the .300 win mag showing up there hmmm ... don't recall ever seeing the 25/06 as a Wimbledon winner. If I was serious in 1000 yard competition, my rifle would be chambered in 6.5-284 Norma, but I wanted a hunting rifle for longer range, hence the .300.

I'm sure you've done well with your M1A but honestly, headstamps don't mean anything, they're just propaganda in my eyes. But for fun, lets assume you are shooting two back to back strings on the 1000 yard line, one relay with your M1A and the other with a rifle chambered in .300 Win Mag. Also, you shoot both rifles equally well. If the same switching winds were present during both strings, I'd bet the string with the .300 would be better than the M1A. Simply because there is less flight time on the bullet, which allows less time to act on the bullet, which helps decrease shots into the 8/9 ring. The ballistic advantage helps improve scores, however, over 95% of winning matches is the shooter, not the rifle/cartridge.

There are really only two ways to compensate for wind and they are as follows:

1) the easiest way is to use cartridges and bullets that help minimize the effects of wind, which means using high BC bullets pushed at adequate velocities. This gives you more lee way on estimating wind speed, direction, and sight corrections.

2) Shoot a lot in windy conditions and keep meticulous notes on conditions and sight settings.

Matches are won in 200 yard standing and lost in ________________?

600 yard slow fire was the answer I was looking for.

In all fairness, I reload with Hornady Interlocks in three calibers and have yet to have a problem with accuracy. I have been underwhelmed by their Interbond factory offerings and won't buy them again. May just be my (3) rifles, but two other close friends have had the same issues. I just picked up some 130 gr Hornady Interlock SP's for .30-30 (it's a single shot) and .300 Savage to try out. My 7mm Weatherby shoots MOA with 139 grain Hornady Interlocks in Weatherby (loaded by Norma) factory ammo, so it ain't the bullets!

JMHO

I have not tried them since I don't own a lever action .30-30 Win. My only dirty thirty is a Savage 219 single shot .30-30 Win. I'm gonna buzz through those 130 Interlocks before I spend more money on the .30-30 loads. I can use the SP's on all my .30's

I took a 7MM Magnum to British Columbia to elk hunt and the only time I felt a little undergunned is when we came across fresh grizzly sign. We had several encounters with the griz and I wish I had my 300WSM or I would have liked my new 338 Federal.

I load 180 grain Hornady Interbonds for my heavy load in my 300 WSM and if I was sure to see a grizzley I would probably load a 200 grain bullet.. Of course I would feel more secure with my new 338 Federal with 225 grain Hornady Interbonds. I haven't shot anything with the Interbonds but that is supposed to be Hornady's answer to the bonded bullets. From the success I have had with all of the other Hornady products I tend to believe what they tell me about the Interbond bullet. The outfitter we had had been in the business for over 40 years and had guided a lot of grizzley hunts. He said the 300 Magnum was the minimum he thought for the big bear. He frowned on the 7MM Magnums we were carrying. When we rode the horses into the camp The shed that had the horse tack and feed in looked like a giant can opener had opened the brand new tin roof. There was blood all over the roof. I started to have concerns then. I had seen grizzlies on TV and movies but not upclose and personal like that.