Currently I reload my own shells. I use 60.2 grains of imr4831 with a speer 160gr boattail. The load is real accurate except I've had a few problems on animals. I shoot my first buck at 250 yards in the neck. This deer went down on impact then after 5 secs got back up and ran 50 yards. I recovered this deer due to a decent blood trail. Next though I shot at a deer 40 yards away. I hit him a little back but should have still caught the liver and prob part of lungs due to the angle. The knock down power made the deer roll backwards 20 yards then it got back up and started running. Once again it was hit(in the guts) the deer was on a dead sprint shooting off hand. Is there a better bullet for what I'm doing. I'll shoot out to 450 yards at deer and elk will be 400 also. I want good devistation. more concerned about deer and elk stopping than conservation of meat. Because I seemed to be doing better with the old .243. All input welcome

Boat-tails don't stay together just because the way they are constructed. The only BT that I think stays together is a Barnes XBT because it is a solid copper bullet. I would use a Barnes X, Nosler Partition, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Swift A-Frame, or Win. Fail Safe.

I would definitly consider the Barnes XBT, it holds together wonderfully. I shot my bull this year with a 120 gr XBT and i was stunned at how well it held together, it went straingt through both lungs, creating tons of damage, not to the meat though, hardly a speck of bloodshot and the exit hole was tiny, i lost very little if any meat at all and the bull didnt go 10 meters.

ScottFisher

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I use the same powder with 150gr partitions. I believe the powder measurement is 62 grains but I'll have to double check that. That combination is very accurate out of my rifle and the on game performance has been excellent. Used boattails a few years ago and switched to partitions because of trailing a wounded deer myself. The boattails were slighty more accurate but not enough to worry about.

My mistake, I use 63 grains of of the IMR4831 with my 150gr partitions.

handloader listed some excellent bullets. You want at least 1000 ft-lb for deer and 2000 ft-lb for elk the 7mm mag can take a deer out to 400 yards but, the effective range for elk ends at about 250 yds.I personally use the Barnes XLC 160 gr. in a 7mm mag. (@ 250 yds about 2000 ft-lb)which, has performed flawlessly in the field.

there is no subsitute for quality

Edited by - Losthwy on 12/03/2002 15:40:36

losthwy, according to the majic formula of 2000 ft lbs to kill an elk, my set up (150gr partition handloads) has enough to kill an elk at about 350yds. At 300 yds it has over 2100ft lbs. I disagree with the 2000 number anyway, in my opinion its closer to 1700 or 1800. At 400 yds my bullet set up is a little over 1800 ftlbs. I'd say if you want more range change your set up. There is no way anyone will every convince me that the 7mm mag is only effective on elk up to 250 yds. Too much experience that says otherwise.

Bigsmooth35
When you decide on a load, if you have access to a chrono, test the ammo. You'll find what is printed on the box is seldom what you'll experience on the range. The manufacturers are somewhat liberal on their data. Search some of the past posts here and other sites like www.gun-tests.com they have a comparision of premium ammo and www.huntchat.com to get the all the info you can for what works and what doesn't. Their are alot of opinions out there, choose carefully on what will (and here is the key)consistently and confidently do the job, avoiding marginal situations. Good Luck.

there is no subsitute for quality

I use 65 grains of H4831 and 160 grain Nosler Partition bullets and they perform wonderfully out of my Remington 700. I tried the Barnes bullets but the Noslers grouped much better out of my gun, YMMV.