best bullets for 7 MM Mag ??

[ReloadKy]

I am trying to gather opinions / information on the best bullets to reload for elk size game in my 7mm Mag. Any of you all that have a favorite bullet or two I am open to suggestions.

[jamaica]

Hmmm, 150 grain soft point will do the job.

[BBarn]

I would recommend at least 150gr. bullets for elk. The 154gr. and 160gr. seemed to shoot better than the lighter weight bullets in my 7mm Mag as well. The bullet makers also typically have game recommendations for their bullets.

[std7mag]

While i haven't been lucky enough to draw a tag here in PA, i do talk with lots of hunters out west that regularly hunt elk.

A lot of them love the Nosler Partition, and Barnes bullets.
A lot of guys like the Accubond also. My rifles don't like them.

Gunwerks uses 168gr. Berger VLD Hunting.

I'm ready with either the 150gr. Nosler ABLR, or 160gr. Sierra HPBT Gamekings.

[jmr40]

Anything from 140-175 gr will work, but I'd be looking at something in the 160's if you're looking at most lead core bullets. I'd be shooting 140's with copper bullets.

I don't think exactly which bullet matters that much, but I do like the newer high BC bullets available today. The Hormady ELDX is earning a reputation as a tack driver in just about every caliber. It isn't the toughest bullet out there, but not so soft that it over expands either. Especially in the heavier weights they are offered in. That bullet in 162 gr would have to be considered

There are a lot of guys getting good results with the copper Barnes bullets. For a variety of reasons you want to go with a lighter copper bullet. They don't make anything heavier than 150 gr in 7mm and even the 120's will probably shoot all the way through an elk.

And the safe bet is always Nosler Partition, although the Accubond gets a lot of praise too.

[ReloadKy]

I bought a box of the hornady ELD X in 150 grain. I have shot two groups and got the second group to 1.094 inches. I wish I would have paid more attention when purchasing and I would have gotten the 162 grain. My barrel has 1:9.5 twist. I am thinking the 162’s would do better in my Tikka.

[math teacher]

My friends and I have killed around 25 moose with the 160 grain Accubond without a failure. It works great on elk and deer as well. I have used the Partition on elk as well. Both seem to perform equally well, but the plastic tip on the Accubond prevents deforming in the magazine under recoil, and they have a higher ballistic coefficient.

[Scoits]

Partition is hard to beat but recently moved to a 150 TTSX. Shoots as well and should be a good all around.

[hooligan1]

I'm not sure I will ever hunt elk, but I do use 160 grn Accubonds in my 7mm rem mag for deer, my load isn't a burner, it's accurate and consistent.
I bought 100 150 grn Accubonds Long Range bullets for testing, and so far I'm pushing these pretty hard and getting decent accuracy, but I'm still testing powders with them so jury's still out.

If I was planning to walk out the door right now today to kill a bull elk, Id pack those 160 grn Accubonds and have all the confidence it would get the job done for me...

[jamaica]

The main trick is to hit the critter in the right spot. A shot to the head or heart gets the job done. Sight those guns in to shoot 2 inches high at 100 yards. They will be right on at 200 and about 3 1/2 inches low at 300.

[Wendyj]

reload ky. I use the 162 eldx and it is an extremely accurate bullet out of the Tikka Hunter I have in 7mm mag. I reload them with IMR 4831 and couldn't be happier with velocity or accuracy. Only thing more accurate in mine is the 150 combined technology bullets but I have never shot anything with them. Mine has the same 9.5 twist as yours.

[Mobuck]

Only one choice IMHO: Nosler 160 grain Partition. Broadside ribcage, quartering to shoulder, quartering away back of the ribs, or square in the butt will secure your elk. Not saying I recommend shooting them in the butt if you have an option but the 160 Partition will break them down allowing a follow up.

[ReloadKy]

Thanks to all. Wendy I tried some loads with IMR 4831 and my 150 grain eldx last night. If those do not shoot I will be anxious to try the 162. Nosler 160 are also on my list to purchase and experiment with.

[Wendyj]

Good luck with them. Let us know how they shoot. Reloader 22 also works good in that 162 grain eldx. I think I ran about 61-62 grains and oal at magazine length.

[pogson]

jmr40 wrote, "Anything from 140-175 gr will work".

I have to disagree. At high velocity/close range, I've seen a 140 SP explode on contact with no exit wound or penetration to the diaphragm. Sierra 140SP is not recommended within 200 yards on medium game. I shudder to contemplate the result on elk.

Many lighter bullets have light jackets and soft cores for varminting where devastation is all that matters. For big game reliable controlled expansion and penetration are key. Some light bullets are pure lead and will squash at 2000 ft/s. At 3000, they can just fall apart. I recommend heavy RN bullets loaded down in velocity for close shots on big game with heavy pointed bullets for big game at longer ranges. Some heavy pointed bullets have very hard cores and won't expand on medium game very well but if elk is the target that is not a consideration. One has to choose bullet as carefully as calibre, powder, rifle and situation to have maximum chance of success.

[Mobuck]

I too, have seen 139, 140, and 150 grain cup and core bullets from a 7mag disintegrate on deer with close range. One memorable hit of a Hornady 139 BTSP on a coyote @40 yards +/- nearly blew the animal in half leaving only the spine holding front and back half together.
I've hit big bull elk on the point of the shoulder @ 40 yards with the 160 Partition and lost the bullet in the paunch(2 1/2-3' of penetration-DRT). On the other end, a mulie buck hit broadside through the ribs with same bullet/load @ 350 yards showed plenty of expansion and dropped within 50-100'. Simply can't ask for better performance than that.

[HiBC]

I'm in the 160 gr camp,probably an Accubond. Its fair to say I quit using the 7mm Rem on big game over 20 years ago.
That's not a comment on the cartridge,I just went another direction.
I like how the .30 cal 200 gr Accubond performs.

A bullet I chose and have experience with more than 30 years ago was the 160 gr Sierra Gameking. At that time,it was a good flying bullet that was accurate in the rifles I shot it in. I'd call it a "Loose" bullet...it tended to wreck a big hole.
But I don't expect the 160 gr Sierra of today to be the exact same bullet it was 30 years ago.Our component suppliers can and do strive to make improvements.
Anyway,I'd expect a heart/lung with a 160 Sierra to give a quick kill,but be messy when you dress out. I'd choose the Accubond.

H-1000 is a powder worthy of trying with 160 plus gr bullets.

[Chainsaw.]

ReloadKy, I was gonna ask for a tad more info, but, frankly, the answer has been give. Nosler partition. They hold up well and penetrate deep into larger bodied game like elk.

Where ya hunting?

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Best all around bullet. 139 gr. If you have to shoot heavier bullets? that's better suited to 300 win mag use.

[Wyosmith]

I have hunted elk for almost 1/2 a century and I don't know how many I have killed. What ever that number is, if you multiply it by about 4 or 5 is the number I have seen killed by friends and clients I have hunted with and guided.

7MM Mag is one of the more popular cartridges for elk hunting. So I do have some knowledge as to what works well and what doesn't.

If the words "elk" and 7MM Mag are together, I say without any hesitation use a 150 to 175 grain bullet and NOTHING that doesn't weigh at least 60% of it's fired weight when it STOPS!

Use NOTHING that comes apart more then 40%.

Barnes X, Nosler Partitions, anything bonded from any company, and Swift.
If you ignore everything else you will not be one of those people that has a report that is so-so or poor. If you use something else you may have a good report and you may not, but if you use one of these I recommend you will not have a bad report!

There are some other bullets that fall into the "good elk bullet list", but if you don't live in "elk land", and you are going to spend time and money to hunt them, do yourself a favor and take the advice I just gave. You will not be sorry.

A recap:


Any bonded bullet from any company of 150 grains or more.
Nosler Partitions of 150 grains or more.
Barnes X bullets of 150 grains or more.
Swift bullets of 150 grains or more.

[ReloadKy]

Thanks Wyo

[flashhole]

I'm a heavy-for-caliber with controlled expansion bullet fan when it comes to hunting. Seen too many blow ups of lighter constructed bullets leaving the escaped animal badly wounded.

I especially like the Speer Grand Slam or Magtech 175 grain bullets in the 7mm Rem Mag.

[Wyosmith]

Flashhole summed it up very well.

"heavy-for-caliber with controlled expansion bullet"