At a crossroads are diving into Form

[backcountryplatinum]

I spent about 5 hours going through Form’s content and a lot of it stuck. I was previously running 7mm copper bullets, and now I’m at a bit of a crossroads and would like your thoughts.

I really like my 7mm Tikka T3x—it shoots great and I’m planning on a few upgrades like the Precision Altitude stock, upgraded brake, etc.

My question is: do I stay the course with the 7mm, switch over to the 7mm .284 162 gr ELD-X fragmenting bullets in line with his recommendations, and proceed with the upgrades? Or, before putting money into it, do I spend the extra ~$1,000 and move to a Tikka T3x in 6.5 PRC or something similar?

I’m a sub-600-yard hunter, and I’m wondering if the recoil reduction is really $1,000 better for the couple of hunts I do each year.

If money weren’t a factor—since I could likely sell my current rifle for what I paid given Canadian price increases—would that change your answer?

Thanks!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Do whatever you want. Hunting with smaller cartridges is nothing new. Nobody on rokslide came up with the idea. In reality it’s probably the least important thing to get hung up on.

If you want a new gun, get one. If you want to keep using what you have already, do that. Do both….dosent matter.

Fitness and skill mastery will take you a hundred times farther than changing a rifle cartridge…

 

[Steve300xcw]

Could always just screw on a different barrel..

 

[Q_Sertorius]

For my money: keep your current rifle. Get a .223 or similar as a practice rifle.

 

[handwerk]

Have you been happy with the results of your copper bullets thus far?
At those ranges you'll likely be fine shooting the right monos, don't over think it.
There seems to be a lot of great bullets nowdays, including copper monos...which is what I happily shoot and don't plan to change.

 

[bigunit]

If you've been happily killing stuff with it as is, leave well enough alone. Monos kill stuff too. I like not having lead in my meat and the last 3 moose, 2 elk and handful of deer have died from monos in short order. If you follow every recommendation on here, the journey will never stop.

 

[backcountryplatinum]

Appreciate the feedback above. I have been somewhat happy with my TSX Barnes coppers. Had good success on an elk, but longer range on a white tail I was not happy with the result.

Trying to keep it to 1 rifle. Idea of lower recoil is of big interest as I plan to shoot longer range and I am at the point where it's almost cost neutral to switch calibers.

 

[Macintosh]

Have you been happy with your gun? It’s still precisely the same gun it was before your reading.

Trying different ammo is cheap and easy.

You didnt say what 7mm, assume you mean a 7rem mag? Is a 6.5prc so different? I doubt it. I wouldnt get a new gun to make an incremental change. Make a real change if you want to try something different.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

id keep what you have and upgrade it if you feel so, maybe add something you can put a lot of volume work through. Good barrel life and cheap practice ammo.

I had a 7rem mag T3x it was a hammer as well, I had great luck with 162eldx on Deer/Elk.

 

[Tmac]

Appreciate the feedback above. I have been somewhat happy with my TSX Barnes coppers. Had good success on an elk, but longer range on a white tail I was not happy with the result.

You might try 139gr or 145gr LRX’s. They should open a little faster than the TSX. I’ve had good results with the 145 out of my 280 Rem. Would have used the 139’s for more velocity but they were not produced when I selected the load.

Hammers are another option some like, but I’ve not used them. I prefer light for caliber mono’s where I want to minimize meat loss or insure lots of penetration. They have their place.

 

[backcountryplatinum]

id keep what you have and upgrade it if you feel so, maybe add something you can put a lot of volume work through. Good barrel life and cheap practice ammo.

I had a 7rem mag T3x it was a hammer as well, I had great luck wit

h 162eldx on Deer/Elk.

Its a 7rem mag t3x veil lite so about 10lbs all in. looking to switch to that exact ammo. Can you expand on your experience?

 

[Pharmseller]

Sorry to be that guy, but you don’t specify which 7mm cartridge.

Edit, you beat me to it by a minute.

I load the 162 ELDX in our 7mm Rem Mags with great results.

 

[backcountryplatinum]

You might try 139gr or 145gr LRX’s. They should open a little faster than the TSX. I’ve had good results with the 145 out of my 280 Rem. Would have used the 139’s for more velocity but they were not produced when I selected the load.

Hammers are another option some like, but I’ve not used them. I prefer light for caliber mono’s where I want to minimize meat loss or insure lots of penetration. They have their place.

I'm in Canada- here are my options:

1. Barnes TSX
2. Barnes TTSX
3. Barnes LRX
4. Hornady ELD-X
5. Nosler AccuBond
6. Nosler AccuBond Long Range
7. Federal Trophy Bonded Tip
8. Federal Terminal Ascent
9. Berger VLD
10. Gunwerks Absolute Hammer

 

[backcountryplatinum]

Sorry to be that guy, but you don’t specify which 7mm cartridge.

Edit, you beat me to it by a minute.

I load the 162 ELDX in our 7mm Rem Mags with great results.

Apologies - 7 rem mag

 

[Pharmseller]

Between the 162 ELDX and the 160 AB, I’d pick the one:

1. You can find

2. Shoots the best

 

[Hydra6]

162 ELDX has served me well in 280AI for mule deer and antelope from 75 to 350 yards.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Its a 7rem mag t3x veil lite so about 10lbs all in. looking to switch to that exact ammo. Can you expand on your experience?

3 deer 1 elk, kind of what you expect makes the insides a mess and things die fast. Hit bone it’s messy. I “liked” them. And still do in other caliber/cartidges.

If that’s not the performance you want maybe try what others suggest with hammers. I have net zero experience with anything Mono so I cannot comment or expand on them or their performance.

Edit: if your 7mag is 10lbs thats already a good start I certainly wouldn’t make it lighter in that cartridge. That’s about where I would land.

 

[backcountryplatinum]

Between the 162 ELDX and the 160 AB, I’d pick the one:

1. You can find

2. Shoots the best

Do you guys see any concerns shooting that bullet in the 50-400 range?

 

[The Harbor Master]

Fwiw, I'm in a similar boat. I started off with a 7mm for various reasons, and wish I knew more at the time. I'm not a rich dude, so I can't just buy/build another rifle when I decide it's time for a change. Like you, I find my 7RM to shoot really well so the idea of just selling it to build a different caliber and start all over kills me... troubleshooting a new system, finding the right bullet, etc.

Adding a suppressor and limbsaver makes the recoil really really manageable on the 7mm. I still will be moving to a lower recoiling system like 6CM or fast twist .243, but will have to do it eventually, over time. I'll keep the 7mm if for no other reason than having the dope figured out already.

I say if you stick with the 7mm, have a .223 trainer. If you sell to chase lower recoil, consider something less than the 6.5PRC. You're not losing THAT much recoil going from 7RM with can and limbsaver to a PRC.

 

[DLIP]

I loved my 7 rem mag and shot it more than any other bolt rifle I had owned to that point with the help of a muzzle brake. I just sold my 7 rem mag after moving to a lower recoiling cartridge and dropped to the 6.5 Creedmoor. Also just put together a 6 Creedmoor. To be transparent I haven’t shot a 6.5 PRC but I looked into them before I made the switch and decided that to achieve what I wanted (higher volume practice, easier to spot impacts with a suppressor and without a brake), that the 6.5 cm would be the on the upper end of recoil that would still accomplish what I wanted. After shooting 500 rounds through my 6.5 cm the last several months, my rationale was confirmed and it had me looking to go even smaller (6 cm).