I too share your affinity to the 7mm diameter. As I kid growing up, my dad, uncles, great uncles and older cousins all had 308's. My grandfather had the '06 and 8mm's. EVERYONE had 30-30 Winchesters. I wanted something different, something no one else had and that "opinion" continues today. I always gravitate to the less popular rounds. I always wanted a 35Rem Marlin 336. One of my cousins also liked that model and bought one. As soon as I put my hands on it, MAN I was in love. But pop told me it wasn't what I wanted. It was a close range gun and not suited for the longer shots we occasionally had. So I shifted gears and looked at bolt guns and calibers, the 700 Remington and the 280 Rem came into focus. I was beginning my own hunting career and forming my own opinions on what a good caliber made. Gun Rag authors fueled the fires in my soul and when my ability to buy my own rifle came along that Remington 700 BDL in 280 Remington was mine. But with its long barrel and the woods hunting I had gravitated to didn't "jive". I ended up with a 358 Win in a Browning BLR. I hunted that rifle for many years leaving the 280 in the gun rack. Times changed and the 280 became the 7mm Express. I was rejuvenated and took the 280 out. (I still didn't have a 35Rem) A friends wife came to me looking to buy her hubby a rifle for Christmas and he wanted a 270 Rem pump. I looked and looked but none where available... but the 280 was!! That's what we got him. He thought it was typical "wife" nomenclature misnaming the caliber from lack of interest... he called me up later that morning with a thank you and an question as he never herd of the caliber. Together year after year we put and kept venison in the freezer with our 280's.
Threw the years I have owned and still own many 7mm's. (more than a few marlin 35Rems too.) I own more 7mm's than any other single caliber, followed by 35's. Like Bill, I discovered the 7mmTCU in a contender with my silhouette stint in the late '80's and early '90's. Then, I bought a 7mm/08 in early '85 just after they where introduced. The 7mm Mauser came later but it merely spanned my interest in the case and the 257 Roberts. I began building Mauser's for myself and the 280 was another must have caliber.
Unfortunately, that first Remington 280 is long gone. One of my most cherished rifles is a Argentine Mauser in 280 Remington, and a slick as grease functioning Marlin in 35 Rem.
Yup, I love the 7mm's too... It's a rainy day here, I think I'll head down to the safe and give 'em all a rub down...
CW
