7MM Rem Mag

[Jazz]

You're right, even the wrong bullet is deadly out of a 7 mag . There's not much speculating what bullets will work from what I've read or posted. The only thing missing is first hand personal experiences. I agree, I don't have it on elk. BTW, I have plenty of range time with my semi-custom 7mm magnum and I'm sure the others who have posted do as well.

 

[BigDMT]

I agree. Shot placement and accuracy is key here. A well placed shot from a 7mm RM will most likely work very well with any bullet on North American game.

 

[effendude]

I have an outfitter friend who is a fan of the 168 VLD. He actually encourages hunters to shoot into the "grass bag" instead of the vitals. Much less meat damage and no shoulder blade to worry about. He said every elk that doesn't drop instantly takes about 3 or 4 steps and tips over with feet in the air when shot with the VLD. I am not convinced yet but he shoots more elk in a year than I will in a lifetime. He doesn't get a tip on a lost elk.....
Scott

 

[Nodak7mm]

Cowboy Tom,

I agree with you on the premise of using the proper bullet matched to the game your hunting. I have used SMK's and Amaxes on ND & MN whitetails for the past 15-20 yrs. Pretty much all one-shot kills, I take my time, choose my shot carefully. If I cant make a good quick killing shot, I dont pull the trigger. I love my so-called target bullets and their performance on thin skinned game. And I tend to think, most folks spouting the "you cant use target bullets on game or you'll burn in hell" line, have absolutely no personal experience in the first place."

On the same token, I have several boxes of Partitions for if and when I ever get a elk tag. personally I wouldn't try a thin jacketed bullet or a run of the mill remchesterfederal bullet on a big boned big game critter. Growing up on a farm, I know what it takes to put a big critter down.

What matters is choose the properly constructed & proper weight bullet for the game animal your chasing, choose your shot carefully and dont pull that trigger unless you know you can make a quick killing shot.. Bottom line my friend..

On the other side of the coin, a point I'd like to bring up regarding matching the bullet to the game is & it is no reflection on your post at all, just something that has irked me for yrs; I am tired of seeing the average Joe, advocating buying heavy built-heavy weight bullets designed for moose, elk sized critters and then using the latest whiz-bang magnum to shoot whitetail deer at an average range of 100-150 yards or far less.. And the dang bullet passes thru without expanding and they just keep a blasting until the dang thing is drilled full of holes, then crawls off to the swamp to bleed to after being chased across 4 sections. And the boneheads advocate buying these "bullets" thinking that "Hey, I want to be ready in case I cant get any closer than 973 yards from the road and these big 180 gr maxi-bondpartition brush buster bullets wont get deflected by the treelines I shoot thru and I might just hit the damn thing."

Thats the burr under my saddle...

Sorry, but rant-ed out now, thanks for listening.. Good discussion thus far...

Rod

 

[djtjr]

I have an outfitter friend who is a fan of the 168 VLD. He actually encourages hunters to shoot into the "grass bag" instead of the vitals. Much less meat damage and no shoulder blade to worry about. He said every elk that doesn't drop instantly takes about 3 or 4 steps and tips over with feet in the air when shot with the VLD. I am not convinced yet but he shoots more elk in a year than I will in a lifetime. He doesn't get a tip on a lost elk.....
Scott

are you saying there is a guide advocating gut shooting animals????

 

[wapiti25]

I just killed my one-in-a-lifetime moose in Colorado with the berger 168 VLD hunting bullet. The jacket was under the hide on the other side.

 

[jotrot]

i use nosler 160's partions or barnes x 160's if you can get the barnes to fly. i like 2 holes in the elk in case i have to blood trail it 2 bleeding holes is better. i once double lung a bull ran almost a mile but i found him. some times they drop and some times they are hard to put down

 

[dakor]

My dad used a 160 Nosler Accubond on a cow elk and that is a great bullet for elk if you ask me. To the comment about target bullets I have never shot any of the 4 elk I have shot with anything but Berger bullets including a cow elk at 80 yards with a high shoulder /spine shot with a 180 Berger out of my 7mm STW. The cow dropped on the spot and the bullet went through all that bone and exited out the other side. So those bullets do work as well. If you are worried about it I would go with the 160 Accubond they are very tough and have a good BC.

 

[.260 james]

I have an outfitter friend who is a fan of the 168 VLD. He actually encourages hunters to shoot into the "grass bag" instead of the vitals. Much less meat damage and no shoulder blade to worry about. He said every elk that doesn't drop instantly takes about 3 or 4 steps and tips over with feet in the air when shot with the VLD. I am not convinced yet but he shoots more elk in a year than I will in a lifetime. He doesn't get a tip on a lost elk.....
Scott

Please post your friends business name so no one hunts with him. The fact that he recommends "grass bag shots" speaks volumes for the respect of the game he"hunts". Any purposely placed shot there is a total disgrace and I seriously doubt the DRT factor he claims. Just my humble opinion.

 

[PrecisionRifleBlog]

I've heard a couple people mention Lapua brass for a 7mm Rem Mag. There are even a few references out there that elude to the fact that it existed at some point (although Lapua reps differ greatly in their stance on that).

I wrote a blog post that summarizes what I've been able to gather so far on this consipiracy. Check it out here: http://precisionrifleblog.com/2013/05/31/lapua-brass-for-7mm-rem-mag/

 

[roninflag]

Treestand- i have killed 8 elk and guided other hunters to over 30 more . most were shot with a 7mm mag.

 

[effendude]

I have an outfitter friend who is a fan of the 168 VLD. He actually encourages hunters to shoot into the "grass bag" instead of the vitals. Much less meat damage and no shoulder blade to worry about. He said every elk that doesn't drop instantly takes about 3 or 4 steps and tips over with feet in the air when shot with the VLD. I am not convinced yet but he shoots more elk in a year than I will in a lifetime. He doesn't get a tip on a lost elk.....
Scott

Please post your friends business name so no one hunts with him. The fact that he recommends "grass bag shots" speaks volumes for the respect of the game he"hunts". Any purposely placed shot there is a total disgrace and I seriously doubt the DRT factor he claims. Just my humble opinion.

My friend respects game animals more than anyone. As an outfitter and guide in Alaska, Montana and Wyoming for over 30 years, he has chased wounded animals shot by experts his entire life. Dead is dead, the quicker the better. Between the three states, he and his guides are hunting for 5 months straight. I have no cause to question his experiences. He has had a fair number of the 7mm VLDs and other thin jacketed bullets blow up on the shoulder blade and never reach the vitals from both his and client's rifles. Remember the VLD bullets are designed to penetrate 2-4" and then explode into many small pieces, shedding all energy inside the animal. Hydrostatic shock kills as fast or faster than loss of blood to vital organs.

BTW, he is booked as far into the future as possible. No worries.

Scott

 

[mikeinct]

I never got to use my buddies Fathers old Rem 700 in 7MM Mag on elk..But we have shot the old gun a few times..That one loves the old 170 grain blue box peters brand ammo ..It kicks something fearsome but shoots cloverleafs at 100 yds..mike in ct

 

[waterfwlr]

That "friend" of yours should not be encouraging anyone to be shooting in the "grass bag". Period.

I bet a lot of those booked hunters wouldn't be if they knew that prior.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I haven't used it on elk, but I have shot a 5/8 plate of steel at 100y with some nice holes gleaming strait through! (7mm) 160 gr. SBT Sierra.. This doesn't give the shock value some may want for fast kills but it does help with penetration.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Grass bag, My guess he was to tired to process anything and carry it out! what a joke, really!

 

[2dogs]

I have to agree with Cowboy Tom. I've never shot an Elk, but have shot several Nilgai here in S. Texas. My brothers both shoot 7mm Mag 175 Nosler Partitions for this duty. Every one has been a one shot kill. I prefer my 338 WM and personally consider the 7mm a bit on the light side. I would err on the side of caution and run that 175 Partition. Its quite accurate, hits hard, and from dressing those Nilgai I can tell you it certainly gets the job done.

In any case, let us know how it works out for you and good hunting!