7mm rem. mag

[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?