7mm mag mule deer load?

[Shortdraw]

Have a high country mule deer hunt coming this fall. Will be bringing my trusty ol Ruger 7mm mag. Usually I shoot either 140g or 160g Federal Premium w Nosler Partitions. Wondering if there might be a better round to begin experimenting with now. Or should I just stick w the Noslers? Thoughts?

 

[realunlucky]

More than enough bullet to do the job. If they shoot well I'd leave it alone

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[toddh]

I'm shooting 140 gr Noslers. Shoot great. More than enough.

 

[5MilesBack]

My 7mag shoots the 175gr Partitions into the metal gong at 600 yards with ease. So from an accuracy standpoint, the Partitions will get it done.

 

[mcseal2]

Nothing wrong with what you are using. If you are just wanting to play I'd try Accubonds. 140gr accubonds if it's only a deer gun, or 160gr accubonds if it's a deer and elk gun. The nicest thing about the 140's is that the cheaper ballistic tip bullets have the same shape and BC, I used to use them for practice and load the accubonds for the hunt with my 7. Both shot the same through my rifle. The 150gr Swift Scirocco II is another one that's darn good a buddy uses it. It retains a little more weight than the accubond but makes a little smaller wound channel from what we saw.

 

[Shortdraw]

So basically it sounds like I'm at the "if it ain't broke, don't mess with it" place.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I went with 160 grain Accubonds in my 7 SAUM. The Partitions shot equally as well. I thought about going with a 140 grain, since 99.99% of its life is spent as a deer rifle. I decided to stay with the 160's, due to the few times I actually shoot deer a season. It just wasn't worth going back and forth between the 140's and 160's for the little bit of lower recoil benefit. Now, it's good to go for my WY elk hunt this October. However, Shooters Pro Shop(SPS) has good deals, so swap away. Lol

Disclaimer: I need a sponsor to help me with my SPS addiction.

 

[jack88]

Accubond or BTSP

 

[jonny5]

160 gr nosler accubonds for me...work well for pronghorn, deer or elk.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

140 grain Barnes ttsx

 

[CareyJAF50]

last year I hand loaded 160 Accubonds and worked perfectly on an Elk, Muley, Barbary and an Oryx. Expansion was well controlled for 3100 FPS and relatively close shots (70-250).

 

[Ingo]

If it's any bullet other than a SST(vmax) you will be just fine if its shot out of a 7 RM. Now that I have been reloading for a few years I have to look back and chuckle at how simple things use to be. I would go buy 2 boxes of Winchester power points before each season, sight the gun in.
You know what, everything I shot from deer to moose died from those power points with little to no tracking. Now I sit here and wait for a shipment of accubonds to show up at Cabelas lol.

I have two boxes of 162gr SSTs sitting around that I picked up on sale ($18/100) to shoot from my 7mm-08 just for fun/long-range steel. I was thinking about loading them up under some H4831SC for my mule deer hunt this year in my 7mag. I'm guessing by your comments they're not a recommended bullet?

I haven't had a rifle deer tag since I was a teenager. I know SOME guys shoot mulies with 7mm A-Max out of magnums here in Arizona (for extreme-range).

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[Jon Boy]

I have two boxes of 162gr SSTs sitting around that I picked up on sale ($18/100) to shoot from my 7mm-08 just for fun/long-range steel. I was thinking about loading them up under some H4831SC for my mule deer hunt this year in my 7mag. I'm guessing by your comments they're not a recommended bullet?

I haven't had a rifle deer tag since I was a teenager. I know SOME guys shoot mulies with 7mm A-Max out of magnums here in Arizona (for extreme-range).

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SST's are an incredibly accurate and deadly round for mule deer in any caliber. Some have had problems with them on elk. Its all ross uses on elk and has the pictures to prove its effectiveness. Ill be shooting the 154 ssts out of 7mm mag for everything..

 

[Ingo]

SST's are an incredibly accurate and deadly round for mule deer in any caliber. Some have had problems with them on elk. Its all ross uses on elk and has the pictures to prove its effectiveness. Ill be shooting the 154 ssts out of 7mm mag for everything..

Thanks. I'm going to see if my 7mag likes them. It did really good with a few different 150gr bullets. It's a 2moa gun with any factory loads but I've been able to eek out 3/4-1" with hand-loads. Good enough for 400 and in, for sure.

I have a .260Rem project I probably won't finish before deer season or else I'd be taking it.

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[jonny5]

160 gr Nosler Accubond...works every time!

 

[Shrek]

The 154 and 162 SST are made with the 7mm rem mag in mind and work perfectly in it. The 140 SST is lighter in construction and works perfect in my 7-08. The 120's are varmint bullets and not meant for big game. I'd put the 162's in and hunt anything right up through moose.

 

[Rackmastr]

Stick with whats working for you and the gun. Will work ridiculously well on any mule deer I've ever encountered.

I've shot mulies with older Corelokts, BTs, Accubonds, Partitions, etc, etc. I now use a 140 TTSX from a 7SAUM and love it, but any of your options will work well.

 

[avluey]

If it ain't broke I wouldn't change, certainly more than good enough for mulies. I shoot 160g Barnes TSX for both elk and deer as I get better than 1/2 MOA and the terminal performance can't be beat in my book. I did take a decent 6x6 elk with a 154g SST several years ago, but never again. Absolutely thumped him in the shoulder from 325y while he was rubbing a sapling and he lurched up like he was going to drop on the spot then sprinted right back into the timber he'd just come out of. In the end he really didn't go very far (80-100y) but he was a mother to find even in the snow as there was almost no blood trail. Pencil entry on the shoulder that did not bleed a bit and the only blood was coming out his nose and mouth. That bullet absolutely detonated on impact.

 

[jvonbank]

My 7mm shoots 160 gr Barnes triple shocks great. More than enough bullet for about anything in NA.

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