New 7mm Project gun

[Chuck White]

Just been wondering if the 7mm Bench Rest in a 26 inch TC Encore would be a good whitetail rifle out to 250 yards or so?

I have a 7mm Rem Mag in Rem M-700 BDL and a 7mm-08 in a Rem M-7, but just looking for something a little different!  
I can't help myself, I really like the 7mm!

What is the host brass for the 7mm BR?

[mjshell]

chuck,

I use the 7mm br in a 15" barrel for whitetail hunting.  Longest shot has been 135 yards complete penetration thru the rib cage.  I use 120 gr. balistic tips.  7mm br brass is readily availible.

[jason280]

I think you can make brass simply by cutting down .308 brass.  With a 24" barrel, you should be able to get around 2600fps with a 120gr bullet.  It should make a decent round for small deer, but I do think you would be better off with a 7mm-08 for 250 yards.

[Chuck White]

Thanks for the replies!

I was thinking that the 7mm BR in a 26 inch barrel would have a little more punch than my Remington M-7, 7mm-08 with it's 18 inch barrel, but less than say the 280 Remington or the 284 Winchester!

Just wondering, kinda like thinking out loud!

[jason280]

I don't think you can get the BR velocities higher in a 26" barrel than a 7mm-08 in an 18" barrel.  If I remember correctly, a buddy of mine chronographed factory Federal Premium 140gr Partitions out of his 7mm-08 in a 18.5" Remington Model 7, and the average velocity was above 2600fps.  I don't think you could get very close to that even with a 26" barrel on the 7mm BR, especially with 140gr bullets.

Check the following link.  The highest velocity the author reached with a 27" barrel was just over 2500fps with 130gr bullets.

http://www.accuratereloading.com/7mmbr.html

[Chuck White]

Thanks Jason

I guess the 7mmBR isn't as much as I thought!

Back to the wondering what to get!

Thanks for your replies

[drags]

Chuck, I have a 7br with a 26' barrel that I use for high power silhouette the longest distance is the rams at 547 yds. I use 168gr smk loaded at 2400fps could go to 2450fps and would be safe in my rifle. I load the 130gr smk at 2500fps for the c, p, t, mild load could go to 2650 easily, you could reach 2650 with the 120gr bullet easily. A 250yd shot would be a piece of cake, also factory brass is available from rem. or you can use lapua 6mm br brass and neck up to 7mm. You no longer have to use .308 brass. My gun is a rem 700 pac-nor barrel. I have a contender carbine 21' barrel in 7mm tcu I load 120gr nos. bt at 2530fps I shot two whitetail deer with this rifle and load and I watched them go down in the scope a 250yd shot with this gun would also be a piece of cake. This fall I shot some 300yd groups with my 7br (Which has over 1000rds through it) The group was 1.5 inches. Chuck get a 7br you'll love it very accurate and fun to shoot.
Drags

[drags]

I don't think you can get the BR velocities higher in a 26" barrel than a 7mm-08 in an 18" barrel.  If I remember correctly, a buddy of mine chronographed factory Federal Premium 140gr Partitions out of his 7mm-08 in a 18.5" Remington Model 7, and the average velocity was above 2600fps.  I don't think you could get very close to that even with a 26" barrel on the 7mm BR, especially with 140gr bullets.

Check the following link.  The highest velocity the author reached with a 27" barrel was just over 2500fps with 130gr bullets.

http://www.(censored word)/7mmbr.html

Jason you can come close with a lot less muzzle blast and recoil, and a 7br would come very close to 2600fps with a 26' barrel.
drags

[Chuck White]

Thanks Drags.

Your reply kind of resurrected my original thinking!