7mm mag
10-18-2015, 07:15 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: lynn haven fl USA
Posts: 234
7mm mag
I bought a 7mm mag and love it. Killed 2 deer this weekend with it and even though both deer fell within 100 yrds the blood trails were almost non existent.
I am shooting Hornady 139gr SST and both deer where shot at about 75yrds just behind front shoulder. First was thru and thru but found no blood for almost 40 yrds and it wasn't much.
Second deer was quartering slightly toward me and the bullet went in just behind shoulder and stopped just under the skin just in front of the opposite side ham, massive blood where he was standing and about 30yrds or so then nothing even right up to where he fell.
Is there a better choice of bullet and is this typical of this bullet. The gun shoots every weight and type round I put through it fine but don't really want to spend $30 or $40 a box experimenting.
I do not reload and I refuse to do like some people and shoot through both shoulders and waste so much meat.
I am shooting Hornady 139gr SST and both deer where shot at about 75yrds just behind front shoulder. First was thru and thru but found no blood for almost 40 yrds and it wasn't much.
Second deer was quartering slightly toward me and the bullet went in just behind shoulder and stopped just under the skin just in front of the opposite side ham, massive blood where he was standing and about 30yrds or so then nothing even right up to where he fell.
Is there a better choice of bullet and is this typical of this bullet. The gun shoots every weight and type round I put through it fine but don't really want to spend $30 or $40 a box experimenting.
I do not reload and I refuse to do like some people and shoot through both shoulders and waste so much meat.
10-18-2015, 07:27 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Maine & northern FloRida
Posts: 195
I am really amazed with your results, I have a 7 also and have taken at least 3dz deer with it. I do not remember any deer going more than 10 feet, most just drop. I found that it liquifies the lungs. I shoot a 160 gr serria boat tail pushong near 3000 ft. Per sec. Find a faster round in the 150 weight and you will love your 7....
10-18-2015, 07:37 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: lynn haven fl USA
Posts: 234
Thanks. There was plenty of damage and I do love the gun and round. I have killed probably close to 100 deer in over 30 yrs with everything from a bow to 243, 270, 30-06 and was just a little surprised and disappointed with performance
10-20-2015, 05:29 AM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Titletown, WI
Posts: 15
I have been hunting Whitetail with My 7mm mag savage since I was 12 years Old. I am 38 now and there is no rifle I would rather have by my side. I shoot Winchester 175 and 150 grain. I also usually drop them right next to where I Shot them. I believe I did trail one or two In there but never too far. I also do not believe in wasting all that meat. You will enjoy that rifle for many years. Welcome to the club.
10-20-2015, 06:00 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
I've had one of my 7mags since I was a teen in the late 80s. The only time I've had deer run over 10-20yds is when shooting Nosler Ballistic Tips (140s) and Hornady SSTs (154s). The ballistic tips made a mess and I soon replaced them with Sierras and Nosler Partitions. The SSTs shocked me because they blew up on does so I certainly never tried them on larger bodied bucks.
I bought a 280 back in the late 90s and the first hunting rounds I used in it were 139SSTs Light Mags. I shot an old 154 inch 14pt southern Missouri buck in the boiler room at 40yds with one round. The buck staggered then ran about 30yds and stopped. I was just about to pop him again when he went down. The bullet hit him perfectly and it did dispatch him quickly but there was no exit hole nor any blood trail had I needed one.
I prefer Barnes Triple Shocks, you'll NEVER have to worry about exit holes and bloodtrails with them! If you don't want to shoot Barnes then look at the Nosler Accubond. I've only taken one deer with an Accubond, a 200+# cull buck I busted lastyear at 120yds with 150 ABs from my 300Wby Mag. The bullet held together, raked the buck nearly lengthwise and he barely made 20yds before he piled up.
Todays "super bullets" are pretty amazing and they dont require weight to still reliably penetrate. That allows you to utilize max velocity and trajectory which is the reason for shooting magnums in the first place as far as I'm concerned! (Mags have their place, usually I'm in the dark timber of my west TN swamp so my 35 Marlin or 7-08 Savage get the call. But when I'm "going long" I'll reach for my 280 or one of my various mags, depending on my mood that day)
If there's a critter on the North American continent that a 7mag firing 160 Triple Shocks or AccuBonds wont kill inside of a 1/4 mile, then I can't think of it!
I bought a 280 back in the late 90s and the first hunting rounds I used in it were 139SSTs Light Mags. I shot an old 154 inch 14pt southern Missouri buck in the boiler room at 40yds with one round. The buck staggered then ran about 30yds and stopped. I was just about to pop him again when he went down. The bullet hit him perfectly and it did dispatch him quickly but there was no exit hole nor any blood trail had I needed one.
I prefer Barnes Triple Shocks, you'll NEVER have to worry about exit holes and bloodtrails with them! If you don't want to shoot Barnes then look at the Nosler Accubond. I've only taken one deer with an Accubond, a 200+# cull buck I busted lastyear at 120yds with 150 ABs from my 300Wby Mag. The bullet held together, raked the buck nearly lengthwise and he barely made 20yds before he piled up.
Todays "super bullets" are pretty amazing and they dont require weight to still reliably penetrate. That allows you to utilize max velocity and trajectory which is the reason for shooting magnums in the first place as far as I'm concerned! (Mags have their place, usually I'm in the dark timber of my west TN swamp so my 35 Marlin or 7-08 Savage get the call. But when I'm "going long" I'll reach for my 280 or one of my various mags, depending on my mood that day)
If there's a critter on the North American continent that a 7mag firing 160 Triple Shocks or AccuBonds wont kill inside of a 1/4 mile, then I can't think of it!
10-20-2015, 07:42 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
I got my 7mm Mag in 1975 when I was 12. My father and my grandfather both shot them. I don't know how many heads of game I've taken with mine but it has been used in at least 10 states, 2 Canadian provinces and has got to Africa 5 times. I've taken everything from cottontails (head shots only) to wildebeest and zebra with it.
I use one bullet and one bullet only: 160 gr Nosler partition in a handload. I tried the Hornady interlocks in 139 gr for awhile but got erratic performance with them. I think the speed was too great and they opened too quickly. I have found the 160 gr Noslers perform well every time and that's why all bullets seem to be compared to them. If you can't find rounds loaded with the Nosler Partition look for rounds loaded with the Nosler Accubond. My brother shoots those in his 7mm Mag and they seem to work well too.
To really make your 7mm shine I suggest you take up handloading even though you say you don't do it. They are much cheaper to shoot when you roll your own and you can tailor a specific bullet to a specific load.
I use one bullet and one bullet only: 160 gr Nosler partition in a handload. I tried the Hornady interlocks in 139 gr for awhile but got erratic performance with them. I think the speed was too great and they opened too quickly. I have found the 160 gr Noslers perform well every time and that's why all bullets seem to be compared to them. If you can't find rounds loaded with the Nosler Partition look for rounds loaded with the Nosler Accubond. My brother shoots those in his 7mm Mag and they seem to work well too.
To really make your 7mm shine I suggest you take up handloading even though you say you don't do it. They are much cheaper to shoot when you roll your own and you can tailor a specific bullet to a specific load.
Last edited by flags; 10-21-2015 at 04:04 AM. Reason: Add on
10-20-2015, 08:29 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orange County, Virginia....
Posts: 556
I have been shooting my 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag since I bought it in slightly used condition back in 1988. I have only used Remington Corelokt bullets in it at 150 to 160 grain and have never had to trail a deer shot with it and there have been many....
10-20-2015, 03:04 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Maine & northern FloRida
Posts: 195
All this 7mm Mag talk is great. I picked mine up in 86 (weatherby vanguard series synthetic) I then moved on to single shot rifles and have barrels in half a dozen cartridges but none hold the same place as the 7. I do agree that hand loading helps to optimize the cartridge.
10-20-2015, 06:02 PM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 8
I have noticed the same results based on the grain weight. I shot 150 gr for years and they always dropped within 20-30 yds with a double-lung shot. I switched to 140 gr a couple of years ago and they do run a bit more. They still bleed good for me though. I just use the the Remington Core-Lokts.