I've used both the Nosler 175 Partitions and 150 Ballistics on elk and wasn't impressed with either on the ones I've shot with this gun.
Is there a better choice?
Thanks.
Is there a better choice?
Thanks.
Good 7mm mag hunting bullet
- Thread starter montana_native
- Start date
I shoot a 280rem for deer and ive been load 120gr. barnes TSX. they are extremely accruate out of my stock ruger M77MKII for elk i would up the grain weight to the 150 or 160gr.
With the 175 Partitions I had expansion issues. I chono'd the loads at about 2900 fps. One elk I shot three times through the lungs and the exit holes were barely bigger than the entry holes. The next year I shot one with the same results. Only one hit and he made off about 600 yards before dying. I tried slowing it down a bit for the following year to no avail. I shot one AGAIN twice through the lungs as it meandered away. He died about 400 yards from where he was hit.
I was having grouping issues with the 175's and got some real nice groups with the 150 gr Ballistic tips at about 3100 fps. These things gave poor penetration. The last two elk I shot had no exit hole and the bullet fragged once it hit the things and the shrapnel went in and did the rest. Again both elk scurried off 4-500 yards before dying.
It's frustrating because I've had them run shorter distances after getting stuck with an arrow.
I never had a problem shooting factory loads. I'd shoot one and they would usually fold up where they stood and very seldom was there an exit hole. Maybe I am doing something wrong with my handloads but I don't know what it would be. I just figured I'd give a different bullet a shot before I went back to off the shelf ammo. I thought about buying a 30 cal of some sort since my buddy's 300 win usually drops them right in their tracks. Maybe it's the nut behind the wheel....
I was having grouping issues with the 175's and got some real nice groups with the 150 gr Ballistic tips at about 3100 fps. These things gave poor penetration. The last two elk I shot had no exit hole and the bullet fragged once it hit the things and the shrapnel went in and did the rest. Again both elk scurried off 4-500 yards before dying.
It's frustrating because I've had them run shorter distances after getting stuck with an arrow.
I never had a problem shooting factory loads. I'd shoot one and they would usually fold up where they stood and very seldom was there an exit hole. Maybe I am doing something wrong with my handloads but I don't know what it would be. I just figured I'd give a different bullet a shot before I went back to off the shelf ammo. I thought about buying a 30 cal of some sort since my buddy's 300 win usually drops them right in their tracks. Maybe it's the nut behind the wheel....
Don't give up on the 175 Partitions. "Normally" if you want to drop an animal "in their tracks" you have to hit bone hard enough to cause the animal to go unconscience>> or "knock him out".. If it is possible,an Elk is a BIG animal so it should be possible) try and place the 175 right INTO the shoulder "knuckle". That will produce enormous shock to the animals body,hence nervous system) and may very well "knock him on his can"... If not, trust me he will be hurting to such a degree that he won't run far.. He will then bleed out and voila you have your animal..
I'd like to second treeman's advise. The Barnes bullets are always my first hunting bullet choice for any caliber. Only if I can't get it to shoot will I go to a differect bullet. I've only done that once, and that was for an end of WWII Japanese Arisaka, but that's another story.
I've used the 168 gr TSX in my 300WSM on elk at 400 yds. The elk's lungs were liquified and the elk went 10 yds before piling up. The bullet fully penetrated, and the elk bled a lot.
Nice thing about the TSX,or tipped TSX as they become available) is that you can you a lighter weight bullet than you'd normally use. If you use 175s on Elk, give TSXs in the 140-150 gr class a try. I'd look for the tipped version, but I can't remember what weight they are in for 7mm. If you have any doubts about the TSX performance, take a look at the Barnes website. They have some pictures of the TSX going through ballistics gelatin. The pressure wave created by each of the petals as the X bullet spins through the medium is real. I've seen the results in deer and elk.
Oh, and accuracy, using the .050" advise that treeman gave has almost always resulted in 1 MOA or better groups in all my,non Japanese War) rifles. They do advise that if that jump doesn't work, try anything from 0.030-0.070" of jump. I've never had to play with that though.
One last thing, don't worry about the fouling. Between the the grooves they lathed into the bullet to help reduce fouling and the newer copper removers,Montana Extreme and Wipe Out for instance), fouling isn't a problem.
There are a lot of other bullets, Scirrocos, A Frames, Accubonds and others, but I think the TSXs top them all.
Good luck! -bnw
I've used the 168 gr TSX in my 300WSM on elk at 400 yds. The elk's lungs were liquified and the elk went 10 yds before piling up. The bullet fully penetrated, and the elk bled a lot.
Nice thing about the TSX,or tipped TSX as they become available) is that you can you a lighter weight bullet than you'd normally use. If you use 175s on Elk, give TSXs in the 140-150 gr class a try. I'd look for the tipped version, but I can't remember what weight they are in for 7mm. If you have any doubts about the TSX performance, take a look at the Barnes website. They have some pictures of the TSX going through ballistics gelatin. The pressure wave created by each of the petals as the X bullet spins through the medium is real. I've seen the results in deer and elk.
Oh, and accuracy, using the .050" advise that treeman gave has almost always resulted in 1 MOA or better groups in all my,non Japanese War) rifles. They do advise that if that jump doesn't work, try anything from 0.030-0.070" of jump. I've never had to play with that though.
One last thing, don't worry about the fouling. Between the the grooves they lathed into the bullet to help reduce fouling and the newer copper removers,Montana Extreme and Wipe Out for instance), fouling isn't a problem.
There are a lot of other bullets, Scirrocos, A Frames, Accubonds and others, but I think the TSXs top them all.
Good luck! -bnw
I'd like to add something about partitions. I once shot a w.t. doe at about 70 yrds with a partition in 25 cal. i was shooting from a rest and knew i made a good hit. after the shot the deer ran over the hill they were standing by. i walked over to where they were standing and found no blood or hair.i walked to the top of the hill and could see no deer. 3 of us looked for 3 hours and found nothing. the next eve we were headed to our stands down the highway and saw a deer laying out in a wheat feild so i went to investigate and there was an entrance wound and exit wound but very little blood on the out side. I'm sure this was the doe that i shot 1-1/2 miles from where i shot her. I think the N.P. bullets lose every thing up front and punch through like a solid. jmo.____treeman
Interesting. I only shot one big bull elk with the 175 Nosler Partition, loaded to about 2930 fps, but it nailed him. He only went a few steps, then fell dead. Full penetration through the chest, not a real big exit hole, maybe a little less than a half inch. The 175 Sierra SPBT Gamekings shot a little more accurately, but I chose the Partitions for their penetration. I haven't shot any great mountain of game with them, but the Partitions have always worked out well for me.
Barnes TSX bullets were used to nail my last couple of mule deer. They worked great and based on their performance I suspect a 150 grain Barnes TSX from a 7mm maggie would be very good on elk.
Berger VLD's are being used more and more for all sorts of hunting, and I've now worked up loads for both my .25-06 and my new .300 WSM with the Bergers. Check out the short video clip on Berger's web site for more info. They seem to offer both good penetration and good expansion. Hope to be able to tell everybody about that next fall!
Best of luck, Guy
Barnes TSX bullets were used to nail my last couple of mule deer. They worked great and based on their performance I suspect a 150 grain Barnes TSX from a 7mm maggie would be very good on elk.
Berger VLD's are being used more and more for all sorts of hunting, and I've now worked up loads for both my .25-06 and my new .300 WSM with the Bergers. Check out the short video clip on Berger's web site for more info. They seem to offer both good penetration and good expansion. Hope to be able to tell everybody about that next fall!
Best of luck, Guy
I use a 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip out of my 7mm RUM at 3500fps.
You can rest assured you won't have to track any game
I shot a Pronghorn at 300 yds quartering away, held just behind rib cage and dropped him where he stood! Shot a mule deer at 250 yds broadside and again collapsed like a building fell on him.
This deer season I used it on a doe at 225 yds and she fell in her tracks. Yes it is over kill for white tails didn't buy the gun for white tails but I have it so it is what I use. 3 other people shot deer at our camp and had to track them down and 2 of them got away. Anyway you can't kill em too dead!
Stosh
You can rest assured you won't have to track any game
I shot a Pronghorn at 300 yds quartering away, held just behind rib cage and dropped him where he stood! Shot a mule deer at 250 yds broadside and again collapsed like a building fell on him.
This deer season I used it on a doe at 225 yds and she fell in her tracks. Yes it is over kill for white tails didn't buy the gun for white tails but I have it so it is what I use. 3 other people shot deer at our camp and had to track them down and 2 of them got away. Anyway you can't kill em too dead!
Stosh
I've shot NPs on everything from Elk to Cape Eland with excellent results. The disintegrating nose is an issue at close range with Magnum velocities, but when you start to reach out and the bullet slows it's nice to know it will still expand.
I have several slugs that were recovered from deer at close range. After striking bone they mushroomed back to the partition before stopping.
Don't forget death from a lung shot comes from the lungs filling with blood, which may take a while. I've also found that shooing high in the lungs works much faster as the blood can't run out, it can only fill them up.
I've only ever dropped 1 deer in it's tracks with a lung shot and that was a young buck at 20 feet with a muzzleloader.
I have several slugs that were recovered from deer at close range. After striking bone they mushroomed back to the partition before stopping.
Don't forget death from a lung shot comes from the lungs filling with blood, which may take a while. I've also found that shooing high in the lungs works much faster as the blood can't run out, it can only fill them up.
I've only ever dropped 1 deer in it's tracks with a lung shot and that was a young buck at 20 feet with a muzzleloader.
M700, That is my thinking also, I load it for Antelope and Deer sized animals at longer ranges. I do believe if you had a broadside shot on elk it would have no trouble because It will pass thru white tails with the same shot. Problem would be a quartering shot up close it may not penetrate.
Sorry if I was unclear.
Stosh
Sorry if I was unclear.
Stosh
I ended up buying the Hornady 162 gr SST's. I loaded a bunch and will go to our range when the snow melts. I'm anxious to see how they perform on an elk this fall.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Montana Native:
Try some Swift Sciroccos and/or Nosler Accubonds you want be sorry. They are expensive but they are the best bonded bullet with a polimer tip and bigh BC. You want deep penetration and controlled expansion with weight retention. The aforementioned give you this without question.
Rustystud
Try some Swift Sciroccos and/or Nosler Accubonds you want be sorry. They are expensive but they are the best bonded bullet with a polimer tip and bigh BC. You want deep penetration and controlled expansion with weight retention. The aforementioned give you this without question.
Rustystud
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
154g Hornady Interlocks....they just keep on trucking! Very accurate bullet and plenty for elk!
On a quartering shot on bull elk, you can depend on breaking the shoulder on one side and the bullet ending up under the hide on the off side in the middle of the rib cage!
On a quartering shot on bull elk, you can depend on breaking the shoulder on one side and the bullet ending up under the hide on the off side in the middle of the rib cage!
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