7mm rem. mag

[steve04]

Looking at 7mm rem mag cartridges but don't know what to get? Can someone point me in the right direction? I will be hunting mule deer with shots no further than 300 yards.

[jay.sharkbait]

At that range and shooting deer just about anything.

[Wea300mag]

I shoot low budget ammo and my last three shots have resulted in two dead bears and one elk.

[steve04]

What's low budget ammo to you? I'm seeing cost of about $40 a box.

[Wea300mag]

Less than $30 for a box of 20.

It may still be hard to get right now so some vendors are trying to cut a fat hog.

[bobcat]

I'd go with a bonded bullet like Nosler Accubond, or a 100% copper bullet like the Barnes TSX. The 7 mag moves those bullets right along and cheap bullets can come apart easily at higher velocities. Not that they won't kill a deer, but wouldn't you rather not have lead fragments spread throughout your meat?

[Biggerhammer]

A 7mm Magnum with a 160gr Nosler Accubond or Partition will take care of everything on the North America menu.

[Hunt4ever]

A 7mm Magnum with a 160gr Nosler Accubond or Partition will take care of everything on the North America menu.

    partition all the way!!!

[huntnphool]

A 7mm Magnum with a 160gr Nosler Accubond or Partition will take care of everything on the North America menu.

My go to rifle has been a 7mm for many years, no old jokes from the peanut gallery either, and Nosler Partitions have never failed me.

Like BH says, most 7's shoot the 160 very well, I'd take a good hard look at the Federal Premiums if you don't load your own.

[6x6in6]

A 7mm Magnum with a 160gr Nosler Accubond or Partition will take care of everything on the North America menu.

My go to rifle has been a 7mm for many years, no old jokes from the peanut gallery either, and Nosler Partitions have never failed me.

Like BH says, most 7's shoot the 160 very well, I'd take a good hard look at the Federal Premiums if you don't load your own.

 

What phool and hammer said.

[Smokepole]

With fancy ammo, I've heard you can kill stuff really, really dead.  Over the years, mostly dead has been good enough for me, so I go with the cheap stuff like wea300mag uses.  I've been using it for years, and I can attest that all of my big game has been mostly dead.   

[norsepeak]

nothing wrong with Core-Lokt, my family has been using them for 40+ years with no problems on LOTS of critters.  I've been having very good luck with the Bergers too.  Got some loaded 168 VLD's and have had great luck with them.

[jay.sharkbait]

With fancy ammo, I've heard you can kill stuff really, really dead.  Over the years, mostly dead has been good enough for me, so I go with the cheap stuff like wea300mag uses.  I've been using it for years, and I can attest that all of my big game has been mostly dead.   

I see Bobcats point about loss of meat.

But as Ron White says, you can always shoot 'em in the head..............  Ron White: California Cops

********WARNING!******** there is a naughty swear word in the video, so kids please don't watch

[idahohuntr]

I've been pleased with Barnes TSX 160gr in my 7mm...entrance and exit wounds on a bull's heart from 2012...suffice it to say there was little tracking involved.

[mountainman]

Center shot thru the pump house! Nice work, and no blood shot meat I bet!

[bullcanyon]

160gn Barnes tsx shoot very well out of my 7mm. An old timer told me years ago to throw away those light bullets and get some 160 grainers.

[Fowlweather25]

 

A 7mm Magnum with a 160gr Nosler Accubond or Partition will take care of everything on the North America menu.

The only others i would suggest would be the 163 hornady gmx or the berger 168 vld. Both perform very well out of my 7mm. I still shoot the accubond 160 though.

As Phool said, federal makes a very good factory load with the accubonds.

[Mongo Hunter]

If you can load your own that's best but if not any of the higher end federals, Winchesters, Remington's will work. stay around 150gr or 160gr +/- for deer sized game. some of the cheaper ammo will work but I don't really like it for hunting  (not as consistent, bullet fragging, etc.) just my preference not scripture though.

During my initial sight in for my scope I tried Winchester Supremes out of my Remington 700 in 7mm and I got a pattern not a grouping, switched to the Remington CL and it tightened right up. When I get the scope close I switched to my hand loads and they were actually pretty darn close, my hand loads we better though. Like I said sight in was fine and I could probly use them for hunting I just like MY loads more.

So try what works best for your rifle some CAN be ammo picky.

P.S. My hand loads are Nosler 150gr Ballistic tips loaded to 3100 FPS in Winchester supreme brass (when my rifle didn't like the Winchesters I pulled the bullets lol)

[BULLBLASTER]

Considering sbots to 300 yards anything that shoots accurate will be plenty. I shoot 140 accubonds or b tips from my 7. They are great. Have wanted to try some 160s but these shoot pretty well and I have a bunch of them and they work... last year shot a bull elk at 340 yards amd broke both front shoulders and hit the heart with 140 accubond. Elk was down in short order.

[762Armo]

I've been using 175G remington core lokt, after reading this thread, wonder if I should switch to a lighter bullet.

[724wd]

my dad only uses 175s in his 7mm Mag.  used to be Hornady SPBT's but lately it's Partitions and Accubonds.  heavy bullet at moderate velocity = dead animal with little bloodshot meat.

[huntnphool]

I've been using 175G remington core lokt, after reading this thread, wonder if I should switch to a lighter bullet.

If you can put that 175 in the right spot every time then don't mess with it, shot location is most important. That being said, I hunt primarily with 140gr. Partitions

[C-Money]

If you are buying ammo, I would look at the 150gr Federal Classic ammo, in the blue box. Always been accurate for me. For the one 7mm mag in our family, we use a 160gr Accubond. Let us know what you pick!

[steve04]

How is the federal fusion?

[fastdam]

At that range and shooting deer just about anything.

I agree. Just about any factory 7mag round will work for deer within that range.  I would say shoot whats accurate out of your rifle. Whatever that may be

[GoldTip]

My dad's 7mm Rem mag ate a very steady diet of 175gr Core Lokt's from the day my Mom bought it for him in 1965 right on until today in my brothers hands.  Can't say I can ever recall him or my brother losing an animal with it.  Did just fine on deer, elk, bear, antelope and Moose all over Montana.

[Curly]

175 gr Core-Lokts would be great. 

I bet 140 gr and 150 gr Core-Lokts would tend to bloodshot a lot of meat and maybe blowup when hitting bone.  With non premium bullet (or non Partitian) I'd go with 175 gr.  With a Partitian or bonded/solid copper bullet, you can get away with the lighter bullets.

With that said and the ammo shortages going on now, it seems like you may have to shoot whatever you can find.  

I just looked at MidwayUSA and almost everything is unavailable.  It does look like they have Winchester Supreme loaded with 140 gr Accubonds though ($40).  Those would be good if they shoot well.

[762Armo]

Just bought an extra box of the 175s just to have on hand, and the prices went up to $35!!!

[steve04]

Ok so Walmart has 7mm rem mag 175 grains for $30 a box. As much as I don't like to shop there let alone step foot in that place, I'm going to. Thank you all for your advice and comments.

[Wea300mag]

FYI, I just walked through Cabelas (Tulalip) and 150's were $26.99. I didn't see any 175's.

[Smokepole]

I've got to be honest here...  If we are so worried about blowing up meat, then maybe the 7mm magnum isn't the caliber we should be shooting.  We're are talking about a 160grain projectile traveling around 3000 fps with over 3000 foot pounds of energy.  I don't care what kind of bullet you use.  If you hit bone, you are going to ruin all kinds of meat.  Bone fragments damage lots of meat when you hit an animal in the shoulder.  If you hit an animal behind the shoulder, you can have a wound channel the size of your arm and not have to worry about meat.  I've destroyed entire quarters of meat, and found a perfectly mushroomed core lock bullet with bone fragments everywhere.  So what gives?

So why are we talking about bullets again?  Cause guys like to talk about bullets, that's all.  Not because one is so much better than the other.  Not because one is a meat saver.  If you want to hit big game in the bones & save meat, try a .243 or some other smaller caliber, flat shooting rifle.  The 7mm is a cannon.  You should just take good shots & enjoy the heck out of that gun!

Smokepole

[Dan-o]

7mm Rem Mag on deer to300 yards.....

I'd go with a cheap 175 grain factory load that shot well.    The 175's are a bit slower - lessening the risk of a bullet bomb on impact and you don't need super Nosler Speer Tipped GTMXSS NITRO Injected bullets to kill deer.

Same rifle for elk.....   I'm buying a premium bullet like a 160 grain  Nosler Partition.

[Crunchy]

You dont need to go over 160 for deer and elk.  I kinda laugh at some of the weight you guys throw down range.  I guess we are all a little guilty of overkill.  I would find a good 150-160 grain or so bullet that shot well and go with that.

[bobcat]

While you don't need a heavy bullet for deer, it doesn't hurt anything either. Heck I've shot deer with a 400 grain bullet with my muzzleloader, and the deer wasn't "over killed."

 And as Dan said, it's not a bad thing to slow the 7 mag down a bit by using a 175 grain bullet. The heavier bullet will penetrate better as well, which may not be needed for deer, but some people, me included, like to use the same load for everything.

Having said that, personally, I'd be using something in the 140 to 150 range, in order to lessen recoil somewhat. That's the nice thing about going with a premium bullet like a Barnes. You can go with a much lighter bullet and still have the penetration you'd get with a heavier bullet of the conventional design.

[Smokepole]

Here's the only picture I have of a 150 grain Remington core-lokt bullet.  I dug this one out of a buck & decided to save it.  I've used factory Winchester loads too, but I prefer the Remingtons.  Over the years we've dug quite a few nice bullets out of big game.  They hold together well, and the price is right for me.

[huntnphool]

Here's the only picture I have of a 150 grain Remington core-lokt bullet.  I dug this one out of a buck & decided to save it.  I've used factory Winchester loads too, but I prefer the Remingtons.  Over the years we've dug quite a few nice bullets out of big game.  They hold together well, and the price is right for me.

Thats cool, I have never once been able to retain one of my 7mm bullets, every single one has been a through and through.

[Smokepole]

Well, I'm not a very good shot.  So I usually find my bullets somewhere I don't expect them.

[nwwanderer]

These are 154 Hornady from an elk.  My old Sako likes them

[Dan-o]

You dont need to go over 160 for deer and elk.  I kinda laugh at some of the weight you guys throw down range.  I guess we are all a little guilty of overkill.  I would find a good 150-160 grain or so bullet that shot well and go with that.

I agree you don't need the weight for deer.

But, I have personally experienced cor-lokt bullet explosion from a 7 mm at about 100 yards into the shoulder of a deer......    Bullet hit so fast it blew into teeny pieces.

I said 175 just to slow it down a bit, since trajectory wouldn't be much of an issue with a 7mm out to 300 yards.

[huntnphool]

Well, I'm not a very good shot.  So I usually find my bullets somewhere I don't expect them.

LMAO

[fishunt]

Shoot 140g for deer and 160g for elk, both partition bullets.

[HntnFsh]

 Been shooting a 7mm mag for a long time. 30 years maybe. Mostly factory ammo. My Savage and my Ruger both shoot Federal ammo best. Tried 150 grains and ddint like them here on the west side. Seemed like in the brushy areas I usually hunt, all it would take was a leave or twig or someting to deflect or destroy the bullet. Went to 175 grain federals and have had great luck with them. I have a bunch of them that I have recovered from deer and elk. If I was hunting more open areas a lot I would probably consider a lighter bullet.

Might consider trying some of the other ammo mentioned here to see what I think.

[arees]

175g Partition handloads.  The rifle is a tack driver with those.  I just need to get back to shooting more so I can shoot as well as I used to.

[Taco280AI]

I'd go with a bonded bullet like Nosler Accubond, or a 100% copper bullet like the Barnes TSX. The 7 mag moves those bullets right along and cheap bullets can come apart easily at higher velocities. Not that they won't kill a deer, but wouldn't you rather not have lead fragments spread throughout your meat?

 

[steve04]

How are the federal power shok 7mm rem mag 150 gr  soft points/ blue box?

[7mmstalker]

The 7 Rem mag has been my favorite for years, and always lands near the top in "if you could have only one rifle" polls.
Heavy -for -caliber ammo has few drawbacks, other than a bit more recoil. Shooting 175gr 7mm loads doesnt have much more kick than a 180gr 30-06 load.
The benefits are many, as others have suggested, less violent expansion-especially important at close range, better downrange energy, bucks wind MUCH better,  premium bullets not necessary for excellent performance.
I've used 140, 150, 160, 175, bullets. The 175 has been the most consistent and least trouble to get an accurate load worked up for 3 different rifles- Ruger M77, Rem 700, my current favorite-custom barreled Mauser. That one shoots factory ammo near MOA accurate.
If you're using "off the shelf" ammo, the premium stuff will probably get you better accuracy, but the high-end bullets really aren't needed. Using standard factory stuff may give you equal accuracy, but require more testing to discover which load works best.
More shooting, that's always a good thing!