Home › Browse Calibers › 7mm Wby. Mag.
Common uses: Hunting, Big Game, Long Range
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 160gr Federal Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded Tip |
| Muzzle velocity | 3100 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 3415 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.52 |
| Case length | 64.8 mm |
| Overall length | 82.6 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 65000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:10" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3100 | 3414 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2910 | 3008 | 0 |
| 200 | 2728 | 2643 | -2.6 |
| 300 | 2553 | 2315 | -9.9 |
| 400 | 2385 | 2020 | -22.6 |
| 500 | 2224 | 1756 | -41.3 |
At 1,000 yards, 7mm Wby. Mag. (160gr at 3100 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 25.4 MOA / 7.4 MIL, retaining 1518 fps (supersonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2553 | Supersonic | -9.9 | 3.2 | 0.92 |
| 400 | 2385 | Supersonic | -22.6 | 5.4 | 1.57 |
| 500 | 2224 | Supersonic | -41.3 | 7.9 | 2.29 |
| 600 | 2068 | Supersonic | -67.1 | 10.7 | 3.11 |
| 700 | 1919 | Supersonic | -101.0 | 13.8 | 4.01 |
| 800 | 1777 | Supersonic | -144.4 | 17.2 | 5.02 |
| 900 | 1643 | Supersonic | -199.0 | 21.1 | 6.14 |
| 1000 | 1518 | Supersonic | -266.4 | 25.4 | 7.40 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The 7mm Weatherby Magnum is a belted, high-velocity magnum prized for its flat trajectory and hard-hitting downrange performance on open-country game. Its large powder capacity drives 7mm bullets fast enough to flatten trajectories and resist wind, making it a favorite for mountain hunting, pronghorn, deer, sheep, and elk across long shots. It handles heavier premium bullets well enough to take larger game while producing recoil that most shooters find more tolerable than the larger .30-caliber magnums. The tradeoffs are the usual magnum costs: significant muzzle blast, accelerated throat erosion, and ammunition that is pricier and less widely stocked than mainstream 7mm options. Long overshadowed commercially by the 7mm Remington Magnum, it retains a loyal following among hunters who want maximum reach in the 7mm class.
The 7mm Weatherby Magnum was developed by Roy Weatherby in the mid-1940s (designed around 1944, commercially introduced in 1947) as part of the first family of proprietary Weatherby magnums. It is built on a shortened .300 Holland & Holland Magnum case, blown out and necked down to .284 caliber, and carries Weatherby's signature double-radius shoulder. Introduced roughly two decades before the 7mm Remington Magnum, it gave shooters factory-loaded 7mm magnum velocities that were otherwise available only through careful handloading, and it remains a chambering offered in Weatherby's Mark V rifles.
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