Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer

[J Bolt 7mm]

I am alittle confused with the performance of balistic tips out of a 7mm rem mag at close range on a deer. Will they cause too much damage to the meat at close range. I am using Federal Premium Ammo with the Nosler Balistic tips in 150gr. Does any one have any real world info on what I have described above. I would like to use this ammo because it shoots so well out of my rifle. By the way I have an Browning A-Bolt Hunter in 7mm Rem Mag with a 26 inch barrel. Thanks. Counting the days until the season opens. Good Luck/Skill to all.

[Stone Cold]

I can only give you my experience and this was about 8 years ago. I killed about 5 deer with the Win. Ballistic Silver tips. My findings was that close range wasn't good. I past a bullet through one shoulder hit the other and it bounced and went straight out the top of the back. Everything was jello and it didn't leave a blood trail. I shot a doe through the neck with the same bullet...knocked it straight down and 3 min. later it got up and ran off. I had similar experiences with the others.

Reloaders have told me that the 7mm is too fast for the ballistic tip and that it will explode at the hint of something hard. The result is a bunch of wounded deer. I only shoot my 7mm rem mag up to 200 yards but I shoot the Hornady Custom 139 gn. BTSP. You can hit them just about anywhere and watch them fall. I have killed many of deer with this round and have not had any lost deer.

[stubblejumper]

I have taken in excess of 20 of our large bodied canadian bucks with the 140 gr ballistic tip out of my 7mmstw's.All were one shot kills and not one animal covered 50 yards after being hit.Most dropped on the spot or within a step or two.The muzzle velocity was 3500fps or 200fps to 300fps more than most 7mmremmag factory loads.

[J Bolt 7mm]

Stubblejumper. At what distance did you take your deer. Thanks guys that exactly what I'm looking for.

[stubblejumper]

The ranges varied from 25 yards to well over 400 yards.

[skeeter 7MM]

My experiencemirrors Stubblejumper's.The 150 NBT has been my deer/lope load for my 7mm rem mag harvesting numerous deer and antelope at ranges from 20 to 350 yards, yet to disappoint just flattens our bigger bodied deer.

I will say at close ranges (under 100) or if you strike bigger bone at closer ranges be prepared for a larger wound channel and this can obviously translate to some meat loss. I have never worried about it as I aim for the ribs and don't eat the ribs on a deer anyway, so meat loss isnill from my perspective.

[TomFromTheShade]

If you are looking for a bullet that won't explode at high velocities try the Federal 160 grain Barnes X round. That should hold up, get you great penetration, and still open up a good wound channel.

[Vapodog]

There is some oxy-moronism in the statement...I use a 7MM magnum and don't want to destroy meat. The 7MM Magnums will destroy a whole lot of meat no matter what bullet you use if the placement is poor.

It boils down to placement again and again. Place the bullet in the rib cage and little meat loss will occurr....it's as simple as that. Shoot a deer in the ham and it's a lost ham almost regardless of the bullet used.

[cj7zrcool]

Been using 140 grain ballistic tips in the Texas Hill Country for years. NEVER lost an animal and the ones that don't fall in their tracks have seldom gone more than 50 yards. It's like Vapodog says "It boils down to placement again and again." This isa great cartridge for deer sized game. If I were going after Elk or similar bodied animals, I'd use something bigger like the 160 or 180 grain.

[Swampdog]

I have had mixed results.Like Vapo says.It is all in where you hit the deer.I have tore them up pretty bad with the 140 BT with my 7 MM Rem Mag.(Quartering ,shoulder ,etc.)But if you high rib one he is DEAD without all of the damage.He might run a little ways but not far.I have recovered as much as 95 grains of bullet .Most of the time they are complete pass throughs.At all ranges.The older BT's were more fragnable(sp) than the "new and improved} I always said they just called them that and dropped from 100 per box to 50 because they were selling so many .Everyone ,well most everyone jumped on the Ballistic tip band wagon at the begining.If you reload the hornady boat tail spirepoint is a great deer bullet but will still do a lot of damage.bullet + meat =big hole unless it is a non-expanding round.Rib'em ,find 'em and eat 'em.JMHO