7mm Mag Question Need Help

[DaveB]

I began to handload after a trip where a for-sure dead buck showed zero signs of being hit and as you reported, no trail. Went to a range and my core-lokts shot like normal for one round but second fell way short and out of my alley.

The entire .284 family tends to have very accurate rifles so my thought is the low-end ammo is probably the cause. You can go up in quality and price-figure 2 bucks a round even when inventories are back to normal. I cannot accept these empty shelves or factory ammo in which I have zero confidence.
We handload and our 280 using 140 Accubonds will put 5 downrange into one raggedy hole day after day. IMR4350 max load Fed 210M, T/C Venture, Leupold Vari-X III 3.5 x 10. We have two 7mm08 rifles and we keep them well fed with 120 NBT rounds loaded to DA's recipe. Very accurate and deadly.

BTW, we never run out of ammo. The red boxes contain loaded 280 rounds

 

[SilvaDoc]

Hillbilly Hunter

Your comment reminded me of a time when I was a young'ster. I had just gotten a 30/06 for Christmas and was slap full of opinion, one being 150 grain bullets were the only thing for deer. An old gent in deer camp carried 220 grain bullets and, of course this just could not be right, in fact was plumb "ig'nert," in my feverishly enlightened state. Those were for Grizzlies and such. I made my case and he showed me two of the old yellow boxes of Winchester's, each with three shells. He carried a pre-64 Winchester with a 4-power Weaver scope and would pull a single shell from one box for a pre-season check. However much it was off he made the clicks and was done. He pointed to the second box with 17 shells missing and said "17 dead deer."

Dang. Good debate point.

 

[SilvaDoc]

Sorry ... wrong spot for this post ... but the sentiment being he had a fine reply ....

 

[SilvaDoc]

Well, shucks ... it is right. I quit, obviously not capable of high-tech.

 

[Snake]

"Light bullet?" Good question and not an answer I can defend too vigorously. However, I want the bullet to upset relatively quickly. Inside the narrow chest cavity of a deer "lighter bullets" tend to do this more efficiently than heavier bullets. Of course all of this is relative to bullet construction. But, the forensics of a bullet path inside a deer, and exit, needs to be as severe as possible to create the wound needed for a consistent blood trail. Lighter bullets do this better on lighter game.

All of this is a little picky. The last deer I shot was with my elk load and it fell down pretty darn dead ... pretty quick. But with a poke-hole wound, in and out, from that heavy bullet, it also did not bleed along the way.

Heavy bullets, heavy for caliber, are usually the ticket for heavy game. White tails are light.

Trying several different loads when I first purchased my 7mm the load was a 139 grain bullet but can't remember the manufacturer but believe it was Winchester . They sucked in my gun ! Accurate sure but couldn't kill squat . Shot one doe three times and she didn't even act like she was shot . Shot another buck and couldn't find him that's when I tried thev150 grain Balisitic Silvertip with great results. Guys at work all was using those light bullets and praising them but myself and a friend had terrible results . Could have been us but for just a little less speed I like the heavier bullet.

 

[Labboy]

I also prefer a lighter bullet. I only shoot 150 grain Hornady's in my Remington 700 .300 win mag. Knock on wood I have never had any trouble at all.

 

[timberghost35]

I got a Tikka 7mag this year when of course you couldn't find bullets anywhere. The gun actually shot the Winchester silver box really well. I just wanted something a little heavier.
Went with Hornady Percision in 164. Of course, got the gun sighted in and my score literally come apart. Vortex swapped it out and then had to re do the sighting. Had 4 bullets left after it was all said and done.
Shot my biggest bodied deer ever, 243lbs, on opening day. Bullet went in one shoulder, passed through the other and lodged right beneath the skin. No blood whatsoever, but his insides were literally jello. It was NUTZ how that bullet tore him up inside. Shot was at prolly 80 yards.
Deer was hit, stood on his back legs, and locked up and hit the dirt...

Of course, now I can't find another box ANYWHERE...

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I'll be honest, I've shot 140 Nosler Ballistic Tips out of my 7mm RM for years and always had great performance. Good blood, pass throughs, rarely run, etc.

 

[SilvaDoc]

Making a caliber or bullet "performance theory" on unrecovered deer is a tricky deal, unless it just keeps happening. I have heard tales, and can tell some of my own, about deer that were flattened only to get up and run away, leaving the hunter (me too) disgusted with his outfit. For example, the "dead space" between vitals and backbone is sometimes blamed; but the space, or almighty little of it, actually exists. The curvature of the spine hugs the cavity where vitals lie. What does exist is the musculature (backstraps) alongside the tall spinous extensions (wings) extending off the upper spine. Put a bullet there, torque those extensions at 2,500 feet per second, a deer will go down like electrocuted, quiver, wiggle and get up and run away, and maybe leave very little blood. Looked good. We are left to wonder: either a super deer, rotten bullet or bum shot.

 

[Luckybuck16]

I switch to hornady sst 162 grain superformance and the results speak for themselves .

 

[TNBillyEarl]

I can chip in with more of what not to try. Saturday morning I shot a deer w/ my 7mm rm at 100 yards. My first time using Hornady's ELD-X (I was expecting to be shooting 200-400 yards on this hunt, and they grouped so well at distance.) He trotted off over a ridge like nothing hit him. Zero blood. I thought I missed him, but felt great about my shot. I found him maybe 80 yards from where he was hit, but I was unable to find an entry or exit hole until skinning him. The bullet fragmented and had complete separation from the jacket. I hit him just behind the front shoulder and found the jacket in the opposite shoulder. Back to Partitions and Core-Lokts for me.

 

[WilcoKen]

I can chip in with more of what not to try. Saturday morning I shot a deer w/ my 7mm rm at 100 yards. My first time using Hornady's ELD-X (I was expecting to be shooting 200-400 yards on this hunt, and they grouped so well at distance.) He trotted off over a ridge like nothing hit him. Zero blood. I thought I missed him, but felt great about my shot. I found him maybe 80 yards from where he was hit, but I was unable to find an entry or exit hole until skinning him. The bullet fragmented and had complete separation from the jacket. I hit him just behind the front shoulder and found the jacket in the opposite shoulder. Back to Partitions and Core-Lokts for me.

 

[SilvaDoc]

"I can chip in ..."

interesting experience. Real life evidence from recovered deer is the ticket.

 

[SilvaDoc]

There are some very interesting choices in this thread. I am mighty tempted to go out and purchase a box of them (and probably will), but fear my rifle will splatter them all over the target instead of the Barnes' half-inch, and if my waggles compensate for my wiggles, quarter-inch groups.

To get full advantage for this rifle, I would need to adopt DaveB's advice and reload.

Did I say "purchase?" I forgot - this is the Year 2020.

Another year like this and I will be throwing 140 grain spears.

 

[WilcoKen]

There are some very interesting choices in this thread. I am mighty tempted to go out and purchase a box of them (and probably will), but fear my rifle will splatter them all over the target instead of the Barnes' half-inch, and if my waggles compensate for my wiggles, quarter-inch groups.

To get full advantage for this rifle, I would need to adopt DaveB's advice and reload.

Did I say "purchase?" I forgot - this is the Year 2020.

Another year like this and I will be throwing 140 grain spears.

Yes with the lack of ammo available this thread is almost a moot point. But I've taken good notes for if and when times change. Gotta love 2020.

 

[Specializedjon]

It's what I love about the TNDeer fam. You ask a question and you get THIS haha. Freakin smart dudes on here. More often than not I just shut up and learn (if you can believe that )

Good luck with your 7mm "issues". I'd side with a heavier bullet just for giggles. I shoot the 175gr. out of mine and it's devastating.

 

[Deer Assassin]

I have shot 7mm mags for over 30 years and I only had a similar situation once. I was hunting with 160 grain Winchester Premium Failsafe bullets. The Deer ran 60 yards with little to no blood. After that I started reloading 162 grain Hornady Interlocks. I have since swapped to 160 grain Nosler Accubonds. They are great! Regardless of bullet, shot placement is most likely your culprit. I am not saying you can't shoot, the problem could be the factory ammo. Your bullet is going 3000+ FPS, a shot in the vitals should produce a plenty good blood trail.

this


IMO most bullet failure is a bad shot... or should i say bad shot placment

a rock at 3000 fps will kill

i would recommend 140 or 160 accubond
140 barnes

cheaper selections

162 hndy interlock as well as the 139 grains .... not sst but lead tipped

 

[Winchester]

Your 150 grn bullets are a fine choice and will perform well. Most important with a 7mm or any caliber is accuracy. Shoot what your gun likes best in most any quality bullet.

 

[smkm]

150 grain Remington corelocs is all i have shot in my 7mm...never had a deer move out of its tracks

 

[UTGrad]

175 grain Nosler Accubond Long Range out of my 7mm STW. The 175 grain has a BC of .63 and a sectional density of .310. Bad to the bone. I shoot heavy in my 6.5, .308 and 7mm STW. Higher BC and sectional density plus it just anchors them.