7 mm 140 gr Barnes TTSX load needed for DRT Deer and Hogs

[searcher]

Well, @searcher....

You searched..
And responded to a 7yr old thread.

I'm sure that the OP has found a load by now.

You never know - maybe he is as slow as I am...... Don't know how I fell onto this old thread.

 

[Hipshoot]

A Whitetail is almost always gonna run! It may be dead right there but good chances are IT'S GONNA RUN!

 

[FDCaptain]

While all these suggestions work in their guns, they may not work in yours.

 

[AckleymanII]

160g Sierra BTSP:
61g of IMR 4831-cci 250
61g of IMR 4350, Rem 9 1/2-Max load for my rifle
65g of R#22, with CCI 250
Remington cases
Deer rarely if ever run, complete penetration, and a lot of shock put on the deer. Will break all shoulder bones and exit.
Work up to these loads in your rifle, we are shooting Remington 700s and Browning A bolts

 

[Charlie-NY]

I've hunted with a lot of 7s. 7mm-08, 7WSM, 7STW, 7Rem, 7Wby, 7PRC and 280AI. The fastest incapacitating bullet that I've used on whitetails is the 162gr Hornady A-Max, now ELD-M bullets. On or off the shoulder, this bullet results in more DRT kills than anything else that I've used. Broadside chest shots always exit. Shoulder shots normally don't but the deer drop to the shot anyway.

I shot at a nice 8 pointer that was 300yds in a soybean field with several does. The beanfield was high and i could mostly see their heads and necks. At the shot, a few does bolted and a few just moved 30-40yds but I didn't see where the buck went. When I walked over, there he was DOA with a high lung hit. That buck never moved. The bullet did exit with a silver dollar size exit.

For anything larger than whitetails, I've had very good results with 160 Accubonds. Results are reliable and repeatable.

 

[std7mag]

I'll disagree to a point with @Hipshoot.

I've only had 3 deer in 40 years actually run after a double lung or double lung/heart shot.

My old 30-06 with the 165gr Ballistic Tip always left deer right where I shot them. Never had one run off.

Furthest run was a buck at 20-30 yards from me. 250 Savage with a 100gr Ballistic Tip. Bullet hit a twig. Hit deer high and back. Bullet entered sideways. Friend's mom found it the next morning at the base of her tree stand. About 400 yards straight line from where I shot it through some truly thick brush.

Second longest did a 180° turn and made it maybe 20 yards. 7mm-08AI with a 140gr Berger VLD at 413 yards (ranged before the shot).

I've shot a lot of deer with various 7mm cartridges with different bullet weights and manufacturers.
Everything from the 120gr Ballistic Tip through the 168gr Berger VLD.
Hornady, Berger, Nosler, Speer, Sierra.
While they all worked, my go to's are Berger and Nosler.

Cartridges include 7mm-08, 7mm-08AI, 280 Rem, 284 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm WBY Mag.

 

[searcher]

I've hunted with a lot of 7s. 7mm-08, 7WSM, 7STW, 7Rem, 7Wby, 7PRC and 280AI. The fastest incapacitating bullet that I've used on whitetails is the 162gr Hornady A-Max, now ELD-M bullets. On or off the shoulder, this bullet results in more DRT kills than anything else that I've used. Broadside chest shots always exit. Shoulder shots normally don't but the deer drop to the shot anyway.

I shot at a nice 8 pointer that was 300yds in a soybean field with several does. The beanfield was high and i could mostly see their heads and necks. At the shot, a few does bolted and a few just moved 30-40yds but I didn't see where the buck went. When I walked over, there he was DOA with a high lung hit. That buck never moved. The bullet did exit with a silver dollar size exit.

For anything larger than whitetails, I've had very good results with 160 Accubonds. Results are reliable and repeatable.

It really is interesting to see what folks think of various bullets. I shot the AMAX for many years out of my 7 Mag due to the great accuracy. I finally quit using it altogether due to the poor killing performance I often experienced. For me, getting perfect shot placement with that bullet was easy. The bullet just didn't work as well as desired when it did impact. That wasn't a rash decision for me, having taken many years and animals to show me accuracy wasn't enough. If I were to shoot a lead core bullet again when hunting with those 7 Mags, I'd definitely try out some of the newer, high BC, bonded bullets.

 

[Charlie-NY]

It really is interesting to see what folks think of various bullets. I shot the AMAX for many years out of my 7 Mag due to the great accuracy. I finally quit using it altogether due to the poor killing performance I often experienced. For me, getting perfect shot placement with that bullet was easy. The bullet just didn't work as well as desired when it did impact. That wasn't a rash decision for me, having taken many years and animals to show me accuracy wasn't enough. If I were to shoot a lead core bullet again when hunting with those 7 Mags, I'd definitely try out some of the newer, high BC, bonded bullets.

I'm really surprised that you had anything less than stellar performance with the A-Max bullets. All of my kills, over an extended period of time, were very predictable. Many guys are having good results with the much smaller/lighter ELD-M bullets, ie: 6mm 108, 6.5mm 140, etc.

For a high BC bonded bullet, you might want to take a look at the Norma BondStrike. Good luck.

 

[Rat Rifle]

Jimbires.... that is NOT good to hear... WOW

Thanks for that link Homerange... I'll check it out

Jimbires.... after reading that Great link that Homerange posted... it sounds like the 160 gr ttsx were too heavy for expansion purposes.... probably why tracking animals was needed.

Yes. Too Heavy. Not Me talking. The History is all over the NET.

 

[searcher]

I'm really surprised that you had anything less than stellar performance with the A-Max bullets. All of my kills, over an extended period of time, were very predictable. Many guys are having good results with the much smaller/lighter ELD-M bullets, ie: 6mm 108, 6.5mm 140, etc.

For a high BC bonded bullet, you might want to take a look at the Norma BondStrike. Good luck.

Yeah - I'd definitely like to try out some of those newer bonded bullets if I were to return to lead which, at this point, is unlikely. Thanks

 

[SeabeeKen]

If you want to anchor a whitetail instantly, center neck shot with any bullet. They drop strait down on their feet. Ive done it dozens of times. Even did it with a 17 hmr once

 

[AWS]

I don't know your ranges. I hunted a couple seasons with a 7mm RM and like just about everything else I load for hunting the big woods of WI and MN heavy RN's work great. 175gr RN pushed hard would take deer down from and angle.