Lighter 7mm RM Load for Does

cunanse · June 28, 2009, 03:08 PM

I was thinking about loading 7mm Rem Mag 140-gr Nosler Partitions this year for a Muley doe hunt. Should I be okay going that light? What about 130-gr?

Buzzcook · June 28, 2009, 03:21 PM

If you load it down to 7mm-08 or 7x57 levels you'll still have more than enough power.

cunanse · June 28, 2009, 05:39 PM

I agree. Loading it like a lighter cousin would still pack plenty for a deer. I always wondered why 150 seems to be the magic weight for deer with the 7mm RM. Why not go a little bit lighter on a doe? Will it fragment, even with a nice bonded bullet like a Partition?

jon_in_wv · June 28, 2009, 06:05 PM

Another question may be the twist of your barrel. It may not stabilize the lighter bullets as well as the 150gr and up.

cunanse · June 28, 2009, 09:36 PM

Exactly. I'm calling Ruger Records Dept. to find out. It's a 1978 M77. It'll probably be either a 1:10 or 1:9.5. If ever I dropped below 130 grains, I'd probably cut back the powder charge to keep it under 3000 fps.

Art Eatman · June 29, 2009, 08:51 AM

Thre have been certain "standards" for decades: 130-grain for the .270, 139 or 140-grain for the 7mm and 150-grain for the .30s. For the deer-sized critters, anyhow. Heavier for elk, for probably-better penetration.

Sure, you can mess around, but it's sorta like reinventing the wheel.

The main reason I know of to load down is to reduce recoil. I figure that if you download for a doe, you might as well stay with it for a buck...

ZeroJunk · June 29, 2009, 09:25 AM

For whatever reason the 7 MM barrels are often 1 in 9 twist I suppose because they were thinking about heavier bullets being the norm. I have not had one that really shot the 130 grain well. My 280 shoots 140's Ok but shoots 160's better. But, yours may shoot 130's fine, who knows.

Doodlebugger45 · June 30, 2009, 01:25 AM

It sticks in my mind that a lot of shooting records were set with various 7 mm using 139 gr bullets. It sticks in my mind because my shooting partner has been insisting that I try that weight in my 7 mm mag this fall just to prove him right. I have a pretty good 160 gr load that I use. To tell the truth I had planned it all out to use completely different hunting tactics this year and leave the 7 mm mag at home, but maybe I'll drag it out some evening to bag a whitetail if I feel like it.

sasquatch · June 30, 2009, 10:39 AM

Isn't a 7mm 139 gr. bullet a target bullet, not intended to be used for hunting?

Art Eatman · June 30, 2009, 11:01 AM

The most commonly used bullet when the 7mm Rem Maggie was first introduced--as competition for Roy Weatherby's whizbangs--was the 139-grain. In the early days, this was The Big Medicine for Texas guys heading to Colorado to go elk hunting.

Folks got to messing around with other loads and long-range target competition. At one time, it held the record for small group at 1,000 yards.

Fremmer · June 30, 2009, 02:12 PM

I suppose you can try a different load if you want. I wouldn't think it would make too much of a difference, though. The 7mm wacks deer pretty well, regardless of the bullet weight.

Sounds like something interesting to try, though. Let us know how they work out, and good luck with your mulie hunt!

GeauxTide · June 30, 2009, 02:41 PM

I quit loading any bullets in the 7RM lighter than 154 Hornady. Had a good load in 145gr Speer at 3130 and it was too explosive. A 154-162 @ 2800 would be good for does.

lockedcj7 · June 30, 2009, 02:55 PM

I've used a 139 gr. Core-Lokt @ 2800 fps on whitetails with great success. Of the several I've shot with that load, none made it more than 30 yds and several were DRT.

My other favorite load is a 120 gr. BTBT @ 3000 fps. They fall like they've been struck by lightning.

James R. Burke · June 30, 2009, 03:41 PM

If you already have a load worked up that works good I would just stick to it, and not download it. Just my thoughts.

June 28, 2009, 03:08 PM	#1
cunanse Member Join Date: February 15, 2006 Posts: 37	Lighter 7mm RM Load for Does I was thinking about loading 7mm Rem Mag 140-gr Nosler Partitions this year for a Muley doe hunt. Should I be okay going that light? What about 130-gr?

June 30, 2009, 10:39 AM	#9
sasquatch Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2005 Location: Western WA Posts: 1,347	Isn't a 7mm 139 gr. bullet a target bullet, not intended to be used for hunting? __________________ Just my 2¢.

June 30, 2009, 02:55 PM	#13
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	I've used a 139 gr. Core-Lokt @ 2800 fps on whitetails with great success. Of the several I've shot with that load, none made it more than 30 yds and several were DRT. My other favorite load is a 120 gr. BTBT @ 3000 fps. They fall like they've been struck by lightning. __________________ To a much greater extent than most mechanical devices, firearms are terribly unforgiving of any overconfidence, complacency or negligence.

June 28, 2009, 03:21 PM	#2
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	If you load it down to 7mm-08 or 7x57 levels you'll still have more than enough power.

June 28, 2009, 05:39 PM	#3
cunanse Member Join Date: February 15, 2006 Posts: 37	I agree. Loading it like a lighter cousin would still pack plenty for a deer. I always wondered why 150 seems to be the magic weight for deer with the 7mm RM. Why not go a little bit lighter on a doe? Will it fragment, even with a nice bonded bullet like a Partition?

June 28, 2009, 06:05 PM	#4
jon_in_wv Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2004 Posts: 670	Another question may be the twist of your barrel. It may not stabilize the lighter bullets as well as the 150gr and up.

June 28, 2009, 09:36 PM	#5
cunanse Member Join Date: February 15, 2006 Posts: 37	Exactly. I'm calling Ruger Records Dept. to find out. It's a 1978 M77. It'll probably be either a 1:10 or 1:9.5. If ever I dropped below 130 grains, I'd probably cut back the powder charge to keep it under 3000 fps.

June 29, 2009, 08:51 AM	#6
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Thre have been certain "standards" for decades: 130-grain for the .270, 139 or 140-grain for the 7mm and 150-grain for the .30s. For the deer-sized critters, anyhow. Heavier for elk, for probably-better penetration. Sure, you can mess around, but it's sorta like reinventing the wheel. The main reason I know of to load down is to reduce recoil. I figure that if you download for a doe, you might as well stay with it for a buck...

June 29, 2009, 09:25 AM	#7
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	For whatever reason the 7 MM barrels are often 1 in 9 twist I suppose because they were thinking about heavier bullets being the norm. I have not had one that really shot the 130 grain well. My 280 shoots 140's Ok but shoots 160's better. But, yours may shoot 130's fine, who knows.

June 30, 2009, 01:25 AM	#8
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	It sticks in my mind that a lot of shooting records were set with various 7 mm using 139 gr bullets. It sticks in my mind because my shooting partner has been insisting that I try that weight in my 7 mm mag this fall just to prove him right. I have a pretty good 160 gr load that I use. To tell the truth I had planned it all out to use completely different hunting tactics this year and leave the 7 mm mag at home, but maybe I'll drag it out some evening to bag a whitetail if I feel like it.

June 30, 2009, 11:01 AM	#10
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	The most commonly used bullet when the 7mm Rem Maggie was first introduced--as competition for Roy Weatherby's whizbangs--was the 139-grain. In the early days, this was The Big Medicine for Texas guys heading to Colorado to go elk hunting. Folks got to messing around with other loads and long-range target competition. At one time, it held the record for small group at 1,000 yards.

June 30, 2009, 02:12 PM	#11
Fremmer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 3,482	I suppose you can try a different load if you want. I wouldn't think it would make too much of a difference, though. The 7mm wacks deer pretty well, regardless of the bullet weight. Sounds like something interesting to try, though. Let us know how they work out, and good luck with your mulie hunt!

June 30, 2009, 02:41 PM	#12
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	I quit loading any bullets in the 7RM lighter than 154 Hornady. Had a good load in 145gr Speer at 3130 and it was too explosive. A 154-162 @ 2800 would be good for does.

June 30, 2009, 03:41 PM	#14
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	If you already have a load worked up that works good I would just stick to it, and not download it. Just my thoughts.