bullet weight

[remmag]

when selecting bullet weight for load what are the deciding factors
i am going to load 7 mm rem mag for deer hunting, i have decided to use the barnes tsx bt , they are available from 110 grain to 175 grian. is a heavier grain any more effective for deer than the lighter bullet, how does weight affect accuracy

just trying to learn

thanks

 

[jem375]

I personally like the 162 gr. bullets in the 7mm caliber...

 

[remmag]

thats what i have always shot in factory loads, now that i am going to re-load i want to learn more

thanks

 

[dawico]

Look on the manufacturers website. I don't have a 7mm, but for 30 cal the 150 and 165 are good for deer sized game, and the 180s are more for bigger game, but will work for deer also. I am sure the 7mm bullets are grouped in a similiar fashion.

 

[Rokman]

My Barnes number 4 manual lists 120gr TSX BT for the lowest grain bullet in 7mm Mag. It would be a screamer and definately kill deer. I would probably choose the 140-160 grain bullets personally. The manual states that a 1-9" or faster is needed for the 175 grain TSX BT bullet, so you may want to give that some consideration when choosing.

 

[nastynatesfish]

I use the 120 ttsx in my 700 and I wouldn't shoot more than the 140gr at muledeer here in az. I shot my buck 2 years ago with the 120 and dropped him in his tracks. The heavier bullet I don't think is necessry for dear and antelope size game. If I was gonna go bear or elk I'd use the 160 flat base. And the 120gr ttsx infront of 62gr or rl22 was my most accurate and was running just over 3300. I'd say perfect for open area shooting. I recently bought 100 of the 140ttsx bullets to cover everything and they shoot awesome with the same 62gr load. IMO

 

[flashhole]

Light weight bullets in the 7mm RM tend to be screamers and can cause a lot of meat damage. I prefer the 160-175 in mine and have had no problems. My gun barrel has a 1:9 twist and is specifically designed for the heavier bullets. I hunt in NY state where a 200 yard shot is a long shot in the forested terrain. I usually load for accuracy and don't get bothered if I give up a couple of hunderd feet per second velocity. I have plenty of bullet to get the job done.

 

[rcmodel]

I think a 7mm 175 grain solid copper TSX would be too much bullet for whitetail deer.

It will penetrate like a FMJ on deer size game.
It is intended for very deep penetration on the largest game animals.

I think the 120 or 140 TSX would be a better deer killer.

The other thing is if your rifle has a fast enough twist to stabilize the long 175 grain copper bullet.
Barnes says you must have a 1/9 or faster twist to use them.
Many 7mm Mag rifles are 1/9.5 or 1/10?

rc

 

[remmag]

rc i went ahead today and got tsx 150 grain, i came up with another problem though

run cases through properly adjusted lee full lengh sizing die, when i insert the bullets and seat they have slight neck tension, pulled thos bullets out and re-ran through the neck (collet) die and it helped a little

i think i am going to have to polish my mandreal on the sizing die but not sure how to do correctly

i had to come in and cool off but will go out and double check bullet diam.

thanks

 

[nastynatesfish]

Not sure why the necks would be looser fitting. Have you had the problem with other bullets? I fl sized all my rounds since I'm waiting on a new barrel in december and the barnes are to expensive to shoot like I do the amax and sierras. The barnes bullets in mine were tight like my amax. How many times have you loaded your brass. Make sure that its in range to be trimmed too.

 

[rcmodel]

but not sure how to do correctly

Take it out, chuck it in an electric drill or drill press, and polish it down with emery cloth strips.

I'd probably start out with 240 or 320 emery to remove metal, then finish polish with 600 Wet or Dry black paper.

Just keep the emery cloth moving back and forth on the mandrel so you don't take off more in one spot then another.

rc

 

[Steve C]

Light bullets and hollow points 110 to 120gr pushed at higher velocity are for varmints where you don't care about meat damage since you don't eat them. They provide flat trajectory at long range but have explosive type expansion on target.

Medium range soft point bullets in the 130 to 16o0gr would be for medium weight game with the lighter bullet for lighter game at longer ranges like antelope with the heavier bullet for heavier animals like mule deer and the intermediate 145gr for white tail.

The heavier bullets in the 160 to 175gr weight would be for the heaviest game likely to be hunted with the 7mm mag like elk. Heavier bullets provide deeper penetration needed on thicker, heavier game.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Why such an expensive premium bullet for killing deer? Deer are thin skinned and not hard to kill. A "normal" bullet like the Sierra GameKing and similar bullets will do just fine and cost you a lot less. Just a thought because I think about prices all the time...

 

[nastynatesfish]

My main reason for getting the barnes was I want to start putting in for deer and elk in nothern arizona and a lot of the units up abouve and around flagstaff are "green" units so lead isn't aloud

 

[Captcurt]

I try to stay in the middle of the bullet lineup when it comes to deer. I haven't hunted with a 7MM, but I have used 120 gr. in 6.5, 130 gr. in 270 and 165 in 30 cal. No problems with any of them. For the seven I would choose a 140-150 gr. in a good controled expansion bullet. The Barnes in that weight should work well. You need to remember that the lenght of the all copper bullets make them longer than their standard jacketed lead counterpart. A 160 or 170 gr. would be as long as a maidens arm.


P.S. I used the 120gr. Barnes X in 6.5 Swede. It worked fine, but is not necessary for whitetails. It didn't do anything that a Nosler Accubond or Partition, Speer Grandslam, or Hornaday SST wouldn't do.

 

[Muttt]

162 work great. That's my go to bullet.