What to do?

[Kachok]

Some of you are familiar with the drama I had in getting my Browning 7mm-08 to shoot, well I eventually got it grouping good (BTW 47.5gr of Big Game and a 140gr SGK) but now I am stuck with almost a dozen boxes of 7mm bullets that it doesn't like. I think that is a perfectly good excuse to get another rifle
I already have a collection of sissy kickers, and the one load my Browning likes is the fastest published load anywhere (over 2900fps) so a 280 Rem would be a little redundant. That narrows it down to a magnum cartridge, I was hoping I could get some feedback from fellow reloaders on the 7mm Magnums on the market.
7mm Rem Mag: I have owned three of these over the years, but that was before I began reloading so I know nothing about it. Brass is common enough and good reloading data is everywhere, but I have heard that belted magnums are a pain in the butt, they supposedly stretch or bulge at the belt. What kind of life expectancy do they have vs unbelted cases? There is some special die set that reduces the belt bulge, are these availible for a Lee/RCBS setup? Do they really work? Are they even needed?
7mm WSM: The short mags don't scare me, I already have a 270 WSM that I like alot. While I am not one that needs every newfangled gadget on the market I do like the improved efficiency over the long action cartridges and the short stout WSM brass seems to hold up really really well. Performance is a wash with the 7mm Rem Mag in every bullet weight. Brass is less then abundant but I have seen some "once fired" at the range, or I am sure I could form 270 WSM which is very common around here.
280 AI: While less potent then the magnums by about 80-100fps it is becoming popular with the long range shooting crowd because of it appears to be a very inherently accurate cartridge, and offers a noticeably better barrel life then the magnums. Only downside is that I would have to fire form my own brass or pay $.75 a piece for Nosler Custom. I doubt I could find any once fired stuff laying around the local shooting range anytime soon.

 

[beatledog7]

The ubiquitous 7mm Rem Mag is a great cartridge and may well be less bullet picky. My A-Bolt shoots pretty much anything so far, but I do find that cases are somewhat tricky to size so they'll chamber.

If you're looking for something more manly than the 7mm-08 then why not a 7mm SAUM, Weatherby Mag, or RUM? Or if the esoteric suits you go for a 7mm STW or Dakota.

 

[Kachok]

Thought about the hotter magnums, but most if not all of them burn barrels faster then themite. I want at leased 1,500 rd before I have to visit the gunsmith. The SAUM is fine but I cannot see it doing anything the more common WSM cannot, in fact the WSM holds about a 100fps advantage over it's Remington counterpart from what I have seen, though the SAUM is available with Remington brass which I normally prefer over Winchester brass. I have never owed a Wby Magnum and with what they charge for brass I don't ever plan to.

 

[hueyville]

I have a few 7mm REM mags. Even though belted magnums are reputed to have headspace issues based on belt variations I have found them to be very accurate. Two of mine are box stock REM 700's. One does have some minor smith modifications. All three shoot very well to exceptional. Nothing bad to say about the cartridge on my part. Have fun.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

If you like Brownings, they make very nice .280 Remingtons (using the 7mm or .284) bullet. You give up a bit of recoil and a bit of speed compared to the 7mm Rem Mag...and gain performance that allows heavier bullets than the 7mm-08. It won't do anything a .270 Win won't do (well, it will shoot 160-175gr bullets well) but it will be a fun caliber to work with.

My go-to hunting rifles are .30-06s...but I love my Win M70 EW so much that I jumped on one in 7mm Rem Mag. My only useful answer to my wife's question why was "Because...". She also asked me what I could hunt with a .375 H&H Mag when I got one, and I told her, "anything on this planet and mayhaps in this solar system!"

FH

 

[Kachok]

Do you use any special dies or anything? How is your case life vs the unbelted cartridges? The 7mm Rem Mag is my top pick, easy to find the rifle/brass and I can have my 26" tube back but that mess with the belt has me worried.

 

[Kachok]

If you like Brownings, they make very nice .280 Remingtons (using the 7mm or .284) bullet. You give up a bit of recoil and a bit of speed compared to the 7mm Rem Mag...and gain performance that allows heavier bullets than the 7mm-08. It won't do anything a .270 Win won't do (well, it will shoot 160-175gr bullets well) but it will be a fun caliber to work with.

My go-to hunting rifles are .30-06s...but I love my Win M70 EW so much that I jumped on one in 7mm Rem Mag. My only useful answer to my wife's question why was "Because...". She also asked me what I could hunt with a .375 H&H Mag when I got one, and I told her, "anything on this planet and mayhaps in this solar system!"

FH

Not thrilled with Browning, I really like it now that I finally have it shooting good, but I have never in my life had to work so hard to get a rifle to group. No joke 4 trips to the range, I would not even dare count how many experimental loads. I bought a dozen boxes of bullets and 7 different powders trying to find anything it liked. In contrast my Savages/Winchester have always found a good load by the second trip to the range and my Tikka well you would be hard pressed to find anything it did not shoot well, cheapest factory fodder on the planet shoots 3/4". Thus far I have only found one bullet the Tikka does not like and it is the Berger VLD a high end match bullet LOL.

 

[MtnCreek]

Don't sweat the belt. Loose primer pockets will probably be what kills your brass.

 

[Kachok]

Good to know. I always liked the big 7, while I know the WSM is just as good I can more easily get good brass for the Rem Mag and a 26" barrel. Yes I know long barrels are a pain the in the butt stalking in the woods but I have a collection of 22" barrel rifles to choose from when stalk hunting is on the menu. I would get a 28" if they offered one, if this gun ever sees brush it will be from 700 yards away Give me speed I'll carry my 70 if I am worried about compact.
Since I lean toward the longer tubes I have to figure out what rifle I like, sadly Tikka is not offered in a 26" in anything otherwise that would be an obvious decision. HIGHLY accurate rifles and would be an ideal for for a purpose long range gun.
Browning makes a nice rifle with a long barrel but given my last experience I don't know if I want to risk that again, besides Browning is a hard rifle to rebarrel most gunsmiths won't touch them so an overbore 7 is not their best suit, that is in fact the reason I bought a 7mm-08 and not the magnum.
Remington is OUT three duds in a row and I won't touch a Freedom Group firearm ever again I don't care if they are on clearance right now I am tired of wasting money on them, CCM can kiss my @$$ for ruining my favorite gun maker.
Savage makes a long barrel but it has some funky Accubrake which is simply not needed on a 7mm anything, that one is a bit on the pricy side too.
Kimber does make a beanfield rifle that is sharp but I would have to save my nickles for that one, but it is $1200 worth of hardwood/steel CRF goodness
Ruger does make a long gun version of the 77 Hawkeye, but I have never owned a Ruger anything, alot of mixed reviews on accuracy, some say they are fantastic others swear they are worthless, in their defense most of the guys who handload seem to like them, much like Savages I guess.
The most logical option I see is the Winchester 70 Sporter, I have one of the Featherweights and I LOVE it so having the grown up version is appealing, sadly nobody within 200 miles of here carries the Sporter, and you don't buy a hardwood rifle over the internet, good walnut has character and you have to make sure it suits you.
They sure don't make this easy do they.