Are semi autos less powerful than a bolt action?

Dude, you can get banned for posting the same question over and over. Wait for replies on your ORIGINAL thread, or post more specific questions in that thread. Double-posting is not going to get you an answer any faster.

I think what the OP may be referring to is that many auto-loading rifles are built in a carbine configuration and the reduction in barrel length often results in lower velocity. So, to answer the question, neither action is more "powerful", but the inherent capabilities of the cartridge are sometimes compromised by an auto-loading rifle with a relatively short barrel. For the 7RM, this would be anything less than 26" and even some bolt-actions do not have a barrel that long. A 20" barrel on a 7RM will make it "less powerful" than a 24" barrel on a 30-'06. Does that help answer your question, SquirrelSniper?

squirrelsniper said:

i think i'll just get a 7 mag bolt action.

Click to expand...

All other things being equal, the bolt-action has several advantages over a semi-auto, for hunting purposes. They are lighter, so they're easier to carry over hill and dale. They are typically a bit more accurate, making longer shots possible, if you practice quite a bit. Finally, they do not compromise on performance in any way, nor are they prone to getting dirty, the way some semi-autos are. Plus, they're usually a bit less expensive, if you're comparing quality rigs.

Get a bolt-action, learn to shoot it well, and you will quickly develop the confidence to be very effective with it.