BSA 7mm magnum

Status
Not open for further replies.
That's a true BSA action. Circa 1970, they were imported by Herters. Yours appears to have the extra cost higher grade stock. There may have been othe importers.
Added: IIRC, Stocks were made by Fajen. The Weatherby "California" look was the rage at the time. The sling swivels are added, and improperly done, imo.
Nice find!
Given the condition of the stock and metal, I doubt it's been shot that much.
Don't let the naysayers get you down about the 7mag. With the 150gr Remington Corlokts, recoil is similar to .30/06 in same gun. Remington also produces a reduced recoil load but I doubt you'll have much need for it.

The whole point of the 7mag was to give '06 energy with .270 trajectory for shooting elk. An outfitter guiding elk hunters who included a couple of Remington executives wanted a "loaner" gun for clients that would shoot the excellent Sierra 160gr boattail to 3,000fps. The Remington execs thought that it was an excellent idea after trying a custom 7mmSharpe&Hart rifle in a Shultz and Larson action. I personally prefer the 7mag to the .300's. Not much real difference imo, however.
 
Last edited:
Those guys asked if we wanted any meat left.
I believe I'd have asked those guys, "So you've done a lot of 'Texas Heart Shots,' have you?":D
I learned a long time ago, over a half century ago, the secret to not messing up a lot of meat is to not shoot a big game animal in the butt or the shoulder. I also learned there's a heck of a lot of hunters out there, some good, some not so good, that need to let you know they're a better hunter than you by hinting that your choice of a high powered rifle cartridge will somehow mess up more meat than their choice of a high powered rifle cartridge. I've even heard that nonsense about a .308 versus a 30-06 for heck sakes! Although I'll have to admit, I've most often heard it when someone says "magnum.":D
 
Last edited:
Well, the 7 will mess up meat up close with a rapidly expanding bullet where a lesser round won't. I've seen that, too. But, when you're shooting at over 100 yards, the extra umph is appreciated. And, the gun doesn't mess up much at long range which is what you probably are going to be toting a 7 for in the mountains of New Mexico. I'd have felt a might under-gunned with my .257 Roberts, though it might well have worked. But, I shot one across a canyon out there at 350 yards. That .257 is running short at those ranges. The 7 is extra insurance out there, flatter shooting, too. That's the longest shot I've ever taken on a deer, but those mulies are a might bigger than a Texas whitetail and the 7 just seemed like the best tool I had for the job. No, I don't use it out here in the woods, but if it were the only rifle I had, I WOULD. I'd probably download it or just shoot behind the shoulder as you suggest. Can't shoot behind the shoulder on a pig, though, unless you want a gut shot. I've shot one pig with it, prefer 160 Nosler Partitions for that as they do damage less meat than a 150 Game King. I have milder short range weapons for pigs, though. :D

Yeah, when someone tells me something about meat damage, I just roll my eyes and move along. I'll often hear "I take neck shots, doesn't ruin meat". Well, heck, I'd as soon grind neck meat as shoulder meat for chili or sausage. I prefer to ANCHOR that animal. Miss by a little bit and you've lost that "neck shot". I'm probably a better rifleman than most that tell me they take neck shots, I just prefer not to take iffy shots. I often wonder how many neck shots cause lost game every season.

But, it's all good. I won't dis THEIR rifle, don't care if they dis mine. I know what I'm doing with it. :D
 
Ive looked at a few of those BSAs on gunbroker. I like the way they look, so was considering one for a while. Might again in the future.
Nice snag!
 
Well, heck, I'd as soon grind neck meat as shoulder meat for chili or sausage.
Me too.:)
I often wonder how many neck shots cause lost game every season.
I sometimes wonder about that too. It's probably been 25 years ago when I could have easily lost a good sized mule deer buck to a neck shot. He was standing on a hillside, probably 80 or 90 yards from me, and I shot him in the middle of his neck with a .270. He didn't do anything except jump and start trotting off towards the heavy timber. I managed to quickly chamber another round and put a 130gr Speer GS through his ribs, which dropped him.
When I got him back to camp and skinned out, I saw that my first Speer GS had done nothing but make a heck of a bruise, ruining most all of the hamburger meat on his neck. It hadn't broken his neck, nor had it cut his jugular or wind pipe. That was the last neck shot I ever tried.
Speaking of messing up meat though, one of the worst messes I've ever seen was another mule deer buck that my wife shot with a 7mm-08 - twice! At a hundred yards or so, he was quartering away, when she managed to shoot him in his left leg, above his knee. He kept running with a badly broken left leg, and she shot him again - this time in the ribs, behind his left shoulder. As it exited, that 139gr Hornady took out the little buck's right shoulder with extreme prejudice! Of course he was anchored then, but we weren't able to salvage much meat.:D
On the other hand, once upon a time in my younger years, I decided I needed a .338 Win Mag for elk. So I had one built around a pre-64 Model 70 action that I'd picked up. I never did kill and elk with it. All I killed with it before I started fancying 30 caliber magnums, was one, small mule deer buck. He was standing uphill, broadside at 100, maybe 125 yards, and I shot him through the ribs. The 225gr Hornady went through him, and kicked up dust on the other side of him so fast I thought I'd missed. But he just tipped over and slid down the hill.
When we skinned him out, I saw that my mighty .338 Win Mag bullet had passed between two ribs on its way in, and taken out about a 1" section of a rib on the other side as it went out. I've never seen less meat damage. As they say, "You could eat right up to the hole.":)
I'd like to someday, but I've never killed any pigs. How do you use the meat? Have you ever tried a handgun for them? Or is it unlikely a pig hunter can get close enough to cleanly take them with a handgun?
 
Pigs are normally shot at night, so optics and a good spotlight (I have a green laser) or a good (read expensive) night optic. BUT, I have taken a few in broad daylight with a .357 magnum. They die just as good as if hit with a .44, though one of 'em was all of 80 lbs. LOL Big hogs, I reckon I'd rather use my Ruger .45 Colt and the killer +P loads I load for it. I've got a better tool,though, TC Contender in .30-30 Winchester with a 2x scope on it. Taken 5 deer with that, but yet to take a hog with it. I have no doubt it'll work, though. :D

To get a pig in daylight, there needs to be a good population of 'em. I shot one one morning with my 6.5" blackhawk about 8 AM. He just happened to be going to my feeder, eating his way to it. That was a 60 yard shot. Most are taken at feeders 50 yards or less or just over some bait poured on the ground.

The meat is GREAT for putting on the smoker. It's usually quite fatty, corn fed around here. The hams are great smoked as are the ribs. I grind the shoulders and neck meat for sausage and, of course, cut the loins AKA back strap out for pan frying or you can do about anything with 'em you can do with domestic pork loin if you have a favorite recipe. I'll smoke ribs and a link of sausage now and then, awesome. :D Don't need to add a thing to the sausage except, of course, the seasoning. The meat is quite moist.

Two nights ago I put a ham in the crock pot. They're good that way, too, but the meat tends to fall apart. It's just got so much fat in it. I think I like 'em better off the smoker, but I was lazy and didn't wanna mess with the smoker. LOL
 
Last edited:
ginger or maryanne

if you dont mind me asking you i have the same exact gun, just curious to what there worth these days. just got it from my step dad and so far love it compaired to the savage 30/06. very curious to how it shoots and how acurate it is and all of that. havent had the chance to get it out yet due to having a baby this morning and just getting the gun the other day
 
Can't help with the rifle, but don't let a 7 mag intimidate you. They shoot the same bullet weights as 30-06 at the same speed for virtually the same recoil. The 7 mag burns a touch more powder so in theory it'll recoil slightly more. A lot of people get it in their heads that anything with "magnum" in the name just has to recoil a lot. But if I handed someone 2 rifles and let them shoot them without knowing which were a 7 mag and which were a 30-06 no one could tell the difference. If they know in advance most will swear the 7 mag kicks more. It's a mental thing.

Where the 7 mag has the advantage is that within the same bullet weight 7mm bullets are a lot more aerodynamic and retain speed and energy much better at longer ranges than 30-06. They don't mess up meat any more than the same bullet weights in 30-06. Maybe if shooting bullets lighter than normally shot in 30-06 at much faster speeds.

I've owned a couple in the past. The big 7's are a well designed, well balanced long range cartridge. But a 30-06 or even 308 is just as capable at ranges inside 400 yards and that is about as far as I can shoot anyway. I can't keep them all and had other rifles with more sentimental value. That is the only reason I don't own one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top