7 rem mag elk loads

[CharlieNC]

Check out ballisticstudies.com for comprehensive research regarding the performance of many bullets. I purchased a book, and found it very informative.

 

[ROBARRC50]

Any of those bullets you have will work. Animals are not bullet proof. Hit them in the correct spot caliber really does not matter. Hit them wrong and you better know how to track with any caliber used. My preference is 160 -175 grain bullets. For 7mm mag. Useing 168 berger classic hunters currently out of my ruger m77 mk11. Plenty accurate. Remember bench or prone shooting is going to be your absolute best accuracy. Field accuracy is usually rushed not rock solid winging it type, possibly shooting a non stationary target, unless you do longrange hunting where you can setup and shoot like you would at the range.

 

[AckleymanII]

I killed two bull elk with the then new 140g Nosler ballistic tips, prior to them changing the design. MV of my load with IMR 4350 was 3200 fps out of a very accurate Browning Stainless stalker. Both bulls flopped at the shot, hit slightly quartering to broadside, dead center of the body. One bull never twitched the other kicked one hind leg once...done.

 

[MAGNUM44270]

Partition

 

[billshehane]

Barnes 150gn. TTSX with H-4831, 215 Fed. primers and WW brass. Strong legs with plenty of Lung power.
Proper bullet placement and know your equipment is above all else.
Good Luck

 

[Ray123]

I may have an opportunity to hunt elk in Co this year, which I ahve never done before. I have a 7 rem mag that shoots 150 ballistic tips decent enough for deer, 150 partitions are not quite as accurate. I will most likely be shooting a cow, possibly get a mule deer tag as well.
My first choice would be 160 partitions but I cant find them. I have the following
150 grain:
Partitions, ballistic tips (154) sst
160 grain:
Speer hot core, nosler balistic tips, (162) interlocks, sst. Also some mystery 160 blem hunting bullets that are bonded (they look simalor to a federal fusion.

Any of these jump out good or bad? I am kind of leaning to the 160 hot cores

Any bullet in the vital area will kill an elk, especially a cow, at reasonable ranges, from 150 to 175 gr. bullets.The larger question is can you shoot fast and accurate off hand, if needed. Shoot rabbits and squirrels with your elk gun, off hand, under field conditions,...practice on moving targets, in cold or wet conditions. Any factory rifle in reasonable caliber, and bullet will kill elk, including the lever action 30-30 at close to moderate range...if you're good with it.
The 7 mm mag was not my favorite elk caliber...it kills about like a 7 mm mauser at normal ranges...but it's what I used for years, and it works. Used the 160 gr Speer to kill a nice 5 point bull ...so it will work...the 175 Nosler partitions didn't open as quick, but they penetrate...one big, frighten, running, bull took 4 rds 7 mm mag 175 Nosler in the chest and ran off, about 150 yds before collapsing. All bulls killed at 100 yds, and most less in the pole thickets where the hide, and bed down, so I went in after them. They have a big vital area...pin point accuracy in not necessary...and factory 2nds work just as good here...used them to take alot of game back in the day...saved the good ones for paper targets, in my younger years...same with arrows, when I bow hunted, used the new ones for targets.

 

[FNSafari]

In a New Ultra Light Arms 7x61 Sharpe & Hart (ballistically about the same as a 7mm Remington Magnum), I've had very good results on several bull elk with two bullets: the 160 Partition (H4831) and the Barnes 150 TSX (H4350).

Great cartridge selection on your part!!

 

[lotech]

With regard to my New Untra Light Arms 7x61... It's on its third barrel now and for some reason won't shoot the 160 Partition as accurately as the the first two barrels did. I can probably average 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" 100 yard groups with the latest barrel. I think the 150 TSX BT still did very well, but I'd have to check my notes to be sure. When doing load development for the new barrel, I found the Barnes 140 TTSX BT to be very accurate with H4831. That's probably all I'll use now.

As for elk bullets ... people will argue this forever, but a stout spitzer bullet that shoots accurately has always worked for me. There's not much more to it than that. Some become fixated on ballistic coefficients, ES and SD numbers, neck tension and other factors of questionable usefulness. Shoot your loads for accuracy at the longest reasonable distance you would shoot at game and go hunting.

 

[vicomb]

I agree with some of the comments here, in a
7mag with most bullets mentioned here will get the job done if you put it where it counts.
Like some said, I would squeeze every bit of accuracy out of it.
This was a 30yr old Browning A-bolt with
Berger 168gr VLD’s. It surprised me how well it shot. 1st picture is after 2 shots and 2nd after 3.

What powder were you using with the 168gr VLD's?

 

[30378]

168gr Berger VLDs with a stiff dose of Retumbo is all ya need!!

 

[6BRAIman]

What powder were you using with the 168gr VLD's?

H1000

 

[centerlineseal]

What powder were you using with the 168gr VLD's?

IMR7828 has been very good in my 1970s era Remington M700 with the VLDs