7mm R.Em mag on Elk

[AckleymanII]

160gr Sierra GameKing is another bullet I would consider.

The 160g Sierra BTHP is a lot tougher than the spt version

 

[Brians356]

He's used the 130-140 grain variety but now uses the 150s that are best.

I didn't refer to "he" but to the "thousands and thousands of guys" who have killed elk with the 270 and 140-gr bullet.

For at least a half a century, 140-gr .277 bullets were not widely available, and, to this day, Speer (closely associated with "Mister 270" himself Jack O'Connor) have not yet seen fit to offer one!

But more importantly, the vast majority of all big game have been taken with factory ammo, and 130 and 150-gr 270 loads have have been standard shelf fare throughout big game country for nearly a century. It's telling that the Big Three hunting ammo makers offer so few 140-gr loads even today - Winchester one 140 (vs ten 130/150); Federal one 140 (vs fourteen 130/150); and Remington still offers no 140 load at all! There were no 140 factory loads until around the turn of this century.

All this considered, a very small percentage indeed of the elk killed with a 270 Win have been taken with 140-gr bullets. And undoubtedly the large majority have been taken with 150s. There's the "thousands and thousands ".
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[Drop Port]

I never met a short mag I liked... I had a few and they didn't last long. That's just my preference..

Just curious, what is it you don't like about the short mags?

 

[bigngreen]

The 270 WSM is my 0-1100 yard elk chambering launching a 165 Matrix, absalutely favorite combination.

 

[284winner]

I didn't refer to "he" but to the "thousands and thousands of guys" who have killed elk with the 270 and 140-gr bullet.

For at least a half a century, 140-gr .277 bullets were not widely available, and, to this day, Speer (closely associated with "Mister 270" himself Jack O'Connor) have not yet seen fit to offer one!

But more importantly, the vast majority of all big game have been taken with factory ammo, and 130 and 150-gr 270 loads have have been standard shelf fare throughout big game country for nearly a century. It's telling that the Big Three hunting ammo makers offer so few 140-gr loads even today - Winchester one 140 (vs ten 130/150); Federal one 140 (vs fourteen 130/150); and Remington still offers no 140 load at all! There were no 140 factory loads until around the turn of this century.

All this considered, a very small percentage indeed of the elk killed with a 270 Win have been taken with 140-gr bullets. And undoubtedly the large majority have been taken with 150s. There's the "thousands and thousands ".
-

I think but not positive that he used Hornady. I remember back in 1994 him using Hornady ammo on an elk hunt. Believe it was a 140 grain bullet as well at that time. They shot very well And killed better. I've shot the 130/150 version for years but never tried the 140.

 

[Rem06]

OH BOY, another 7mm circus. a 7mm can't kill elk, nor can copper bullets. what are you thinking? and that plastic tip? don't it melt in flight? I sent my old amax and vmax back in and traded them in on the tips that don't melt. didn't you?
350yds is waaaay out there. you need to build a 300NM

 

[Rem06]

I am doing some load work for a 7mm Rem mag on for a friends elk hunt. I was going to load 150 grain Barnes TTSX bullets. Is this an adequate choice for 350 yards and under?
Thanks

NO FN WAY will that kill it....

you need a 30 cal MAGNUM

I been tellin' ta that, maybe a 28 Nosler with 195 bergers have a shot?

 

[Brians356]

I think but not positive that he used Hornady. I remember back in 1994 him using Hornady ammo on an elk hunt. Believe it was a 140 grain bullet as well at that time. They shot very well And killed better. I've shot the 130/150 version for years but never tried the 140.

Jack O'Connor died in 1978 aboard SS Mariposa in the Pacific Ocean. He preferred the Nosler 130 Partition in 270 Win.
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[284winner]

Jack O'Connor died in 1978 aboard SS Mariposa in the Pacific Ocean. He preferred the Nosler 130 Partition in 270 Win.
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Tough to beat a nosler partition even in a .224 caliber.

 

[Jason_A]

The 270 WSM is my 0-1100 yard elk chambering launching a 165 Matrix, absalutely favorite combination.

As I recall reading on another forum you get a 270 WSM shooting pretty fast as well.

After Broz's reports of that other bullet I still want a new 300, but the 270 WSM holds a lot of interest for me.

 

[bigngreen]

A 7 mag and a 150 TTSX is plenty capable of killing an elk, it also has a lower margin for error than a lot of bullets a guy could choose. It's a typical combination to see guy show up with thinking the can shoot an elk from any angle and trap door an elk. This is a typical deer load and would be an excellent one, it will work awesome for elk inside 300 if shots are kept broadside through the lungs just like a 270, 6.5 or 22 cal. The 7 mag behind it gives it no more capability the the smaller cals!! In my 7mm stuff if a copper bullet is wanted I load 177gr Hammers.

 

[PAshooter20BR]

So all please tell me what is the go to bullet for this 7mm mag for elk, weight and type, shots kept under 350. Thanks to all.
Brandon

 

[AckleymanII]

PA shooter, if you go with a 160g partition you are good to go. This bullet prints an inch in most rifles with a load of 60-61g of IMR 4350 at 3000+ fps.

Just so you know, I shot two bulls with the back then latest and greatest bullet from Nosler, the first edition of the 140g nosler ballistic tips. Both of the two bulls were shot with a 7 mag with a load of 65.5g of IMR 4350, Rem case, and Rem 9 1/2 primer, and they flopped on the spot, middle of the rib cage hits. One bull was at 150 and the other at 200 yards, muzzle velocity was 3200 and change.

We rode mules, got close to the animals. From then on, I put in for cow tags. I used a 243 with a load of 41-41.5g of IMR 4350 with a 100g partition, large cows flopped. Long shot was 175 yards.

I would sight the rifle in at 200 yards, train your buddy to aim at the spine for a 300 yd shot with the 160g partition.

Partitions slaughter animals in every caliber...I am talking mess them up!

You get very little if any blood trail with a barnes tipped triple shock, stuff in side the animal is blended well. I would shoot a 140g tipped triple shock with a load of 67-69g of R#22 with a fed 215 at 3300 fps, seat the bullet .050 off the lands. You will NOT find this bullet in the elk.

I am a firm believer in a partition and it's killing stomping ability on an animal.

The bonded bullets do not penetrate like the partition, but a good shot placement is what it takes, which is to say that my opinion is that the partition creates a larger temp wound channel.

Bullets do some strange things in bone and flesh, shot placement will make up for a lot of not so good bullet expansion.

 

[jimbires]

I'd be using a 160 gr Partition or accubond . I've switched to the 160 gr accubond , but would have no hesitation using the 160 gr partition . I have not found a accubond inside the elk I've shot . my load is ; 7mm rem mag , Win brass , fed 215 primer , 66.0 gr RL22 , 160 gr accubond . 200 yard zero .

I've shot 160gr TSX bullets in my 7 rem mag . two years ago I hunted the Thorofare with a guy that used TTSX bullets in a 280AI this is about a twin to the rem mag . the results were the same as I was getting with the TSX's . after tracking a long poor blood trail the animal is found alive ,head up watching you come in on him , trying to get up but can't , requiring a finishing shot . our guide told the 280AI hunter that was the longest successful tracking job he can remember being on . it took hours to find that elk .

 

[fredo]

So all please tell me what is the go to bullet for this 7mm mag for elk, weight and type, shots kept under 350. Thanks to all.
Brandon

Whatever bullet you wind up picking, shoot your elk behind the shoulder...not IN the shoulder!
Why make a bullet work harder than it has to? Know your quarry's anatomy & avoid a potential bullet 'failure' altogether...

Pick your shot, aim for the vitals, and you won't have to worry about having to plow through the front shoulder/leg bone. I don't subscribe to that "break them down" baloney. Not with an elk sized animal! If ya wanna DRT one, shoot high in the vitals & hope some expanded bullet fragments clip the spine/cord...that'll blow their circuit breaker. But you'll at least get vitals which will kill the animal, cleanly...

If they're straight on, aim for the neck/top brisket. That will also avoid heavy (leg/support) bones, penetrate thru to the vitals & likely get you a bang/flop for your effort. See here, look at that nice void of bones to shoot for that's just loaded with hoses & vitals...

Breaking leg bones doesn't result an immediate kill anyway, it only renders an animal semi-immobile. Ya gotta hope bone/bullet fragments actually make it beyond that heavy bone, and into the vitals to cause enough trauma to be lethal. If you've ever butchered an elk, you'd know that trying to shoot thru that front femur/blade socket is a really dumb thing to try...that area is HEAVY DUTY and to be avoided at all costs...

Have fun & good luck!!!

 

[Barlow]

I was Elk hunting in Montana years ago when I met another hunter. We talked for a while and I found out he was a local guide on his day off trying to fill his freezer. I asked about his choice of cartridge and ammo. He replied, 270 Winchester and cheapest 130 grain ammo he could find, which was Remington core lock's. He said, shoot them through the ribs they will run a few yards and fall dead. Fredo, I completely with your advise. Barlow

 

[Barlow]

I was Elk hunting in Montana years ago when I met another hunter. We talked for a while and I found out he was a local guide on his day off trying to fill his freezer. I asked about his choice of cartridge and ammo. He replied, 270 Winchester and cheapest 130 grain ammo he could find, which was Remington core lock's. He said, shoot them through the ribs they will run a few yards and fall dead. Fredo, I completely with your advise. Barlow

I forgot the word "agree", but you get the idea. Barlow

 

[JRS]

If you can't drop an elk with the 7 mag, you've got shooting problems.

 

[284winner]

I was Elk hunting in Montana years ago when I met another hunter. We talked for a while and I found out he was a local guide on his day off trying to fill his freezer. I asked about his choice of cartridge and ammo. He replied, 270 Winchester and cheapest 130 grain ammo he could find, which was Remington core lock's. He said, shoot them through the ribs they will run a few yards and fall dead. Fredo, I completely with your advise. Barlow

Exactly. Hit vitals = Dead animal.Period. I've hit deer where I thought was in the vitals oy to find out a mile later was in the chops. Impact locations sometimes deceive.

 

[Barlow]

My Dad had a saying, "shoot them where they live". Barlow