Need a good 7mm bullet for white tails and varmints??

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Hey all! Its been a while since I've been on here and its good to be back! My cousin just purchased a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum. He is going to hunt white tail deer in Northern Michigan and coyotes, wood chucks, etc. here in S.W. lower Michigan with this rifle. As I don't have any experience with the 7mm bullets at all, we need some help finding a good do-all bullet for this rig. We need a bullet that will penetrate deer sized game but, expand well on varmint sized quarry also. Any help would be appreciated. If there isn't such a bullet out there, we can appreciate that too. Also, as I have never reloaded for the 7mm mag before, what is a good powder to start with? Thanks again!

Mike

 

[Romulus]

Although the Nosler partition does not have a great BC it doesn't sound like your application really needs one. It will penetrate well for most game yet it will expand. Somewhere in the middle between the extremes of a Barnes or Berger. It's a great all around practical bullet, but I have found they foul worse than other projectiles after long shooting sessions. Your post didn't hint that you would be shooting 50-100 bullets a week so I think it will be fine for your purposes.

http://www.nosler.com/bullets/partition.aspx

I have also found they are a breeze in load development.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks Romulus! We'll have to give those a look.

 

[MrMajestic]

162 grain A-Max and, if you can handle the temperature sensitivity, Reloader 22. If temperature is a concern H4831. Oh, Federal 215M Match primers and Norma brass is a good start also.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks MrMajestic! Temperature will be a bit of a concern so thanks for the heads up on the powder. I like the idea of Norma brass and the fed mag primers. Can't go wrong with either!!

 

[bheadboy]

Having used the 280AI which come in the velocity area of the 7rm i would suggest the Nosler 140 bt, as it is deadly on deer and the varments will explode. My son and i have taken mule deer out to 385 with one shot, no step kills.

the partition is more than you need, and the lighter bullets would do well for varmints but do not have the bc of the 140 for deer to give retain energy if you have a longer shot. that rifle with the 140 BT would easily be a 500yd deer rifle.

Bob

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks Bob! We will have to look at the 140gr. Nosler ballistic tips also.

 

[savageboy]

I have killed many whitetails w/ my 7-08 w/ 22" bbl using: 140gr. Sierra Game Kings and 140gr. Nos. Bal tips. Killed a few at closer ranges w/ Hornady spire point 139's too. The last one was at 320yds, 1 shot 140gr. bal tip. It buckled, ran 30yds and crashed. It was a very large 9 pt. Big deer for here in NC and the longest shot I have ever taken. Conditions were perfect after I got it to stop by yelling "Hey"- top of back hold, no wind. bang...

 

[Nodak7mm]

I am with Bheadboy, the Nosler BT is a great deer bullet/varmint bullet. I would suggest the 120 NBT too but think the 7RM powder capacity is being wasted with such bullet.. I use the 100gr NBT in my 257 Bob as a dual purpose rig and nothing but 162 Amaxes outta my 7RM.

Regarding powder, this particular 7RM is my third and it loves RL22 as did my others, but H4831 worked as well as RL19. But the RL22 & 162's are a match made in heaven out of this barrel..

Rod

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks guys! Keep the suggestions coming. The more options we have the better!

 

[SEB-USA]

I use the 162 A-Max for deer and antelope-works great!
Also works good on varmints as well

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Another vote for the 162 A-Max! Thanks xp!

 

[280shooter]

140 nosler Bal Tip an good brass an whatever powder an primer combo the rifle wants

 

[H2OBUG]

I am shooting 140 NBT's over H-V100 Powder with Federal Mag primers--I tried the Speer 145's the Sierra 160's and hornady 139's in my development-- went withthe 140 NBT's

I was using PMC brass

My load shoots sub 1" in an old tang safety Ruger

I also use this bullet in my 7-08

 

[wboggs]

Two of my hunting buddies use 7mm Rem Mags and we load them with 150NBT's.
They have taken about 500 whitetails in the last 20 yrs. The NBT always performs well and they are accurate. If you want complete penetration on any type shot go to the Barnes TTSX, also very accurate.

 

[abishai]

I have always been a sucker for hornady's SST . I use the 162's in my 7mag, the 154's in my 280, and the 139's in my 7-08. pick your poison.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks again to all who replied on this thread! Unfortunately, we went to have the scope installed on this rifle last night and the rear scope base mounting holes weren't tapped correctly from the factory. The 2 screws just wouldn't tighten up like they should so the fellow putting it on for us took them out and the screws were stripped at the tips!!! So, the rifle is boxed up and on its way to Weatherby in California for, hopefully, a short hiatus! If you're wondering, as I said in the op, the rifle is a Weatherby Vanguard. Myself and the guy putting the scope on have never seen anything quite like this. I'm not poor mouthing the Weatherby Vanguards, its just that, shit happens for some reason lol!!! Thanks again all!

Mike

 

[Clod-NC]

Hi Canus

Read your post,you seem to be the exact guy for checking a very interesting New Zealand based site dedicated to long range shooting in actual hunting conditions,it's called ballistics studies,created by Nathan Foster,with an amazing knowledge base that covers almost all of hunting calibers,I suggest you give it a go.And all the best with your Weatherby rifle.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I appreciate it Clod! I'll have to give that ballistics studies site a good look and learn a few things. Thanks again!

 

[uncle crusty]

Hey Mike:

Take a look at the 130 grain Speer flatbase bullet with a dense charge of H1000 Hodgdon powder.

In my experience, group sizes really closed up when I switched from the 4831 powders to H1000 Hodgdon powder.

Accuracy is very good. Won't say what group sizes were, as no one would believe me anyway. Maybe all my stars really lined up that day.

Old Crusty