It looks like i will be hunting mule deer in eastern Oregon this year.
I think i will use my Blue and wood stocked Ruger hawkeye in 7 mag.
Its got a 3.5x10 leupold VX3 on her , and i think i might want to work up a deer specific load for her.
I have a good 160 grain load, and it would sure do well, but i am thinking a 140 grain acubond at 3200, should be laser flatt out to 300yards.
Any body think my 160 rain partition load is better ? ...tj3006

I'd go 140 AB personally. Nothing wrong with the 160 partition either. I just happen to think the AB is at its best with deer.

For what it's worth I used a 150 ETip at 3000 in Africa to take everything up to Eland. I think you'll be fine either way.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I'd go 140 AB personally. Nothing wrong with the 160 partition either. I just happen to think the AB is at its best with deer.

For what it's worth I used a 150 ETip at 3000 in Africa to take everything up to Eland. I think you'll be fine either way.

Excellent reply

Any of them well work just fine along with others of the 7mm caliber.

The key is to place them in the proper location on the deer.

use what ever your gun likes best.

My 7mm STW likes the 160 grain Nosler Partition enough that it puts them in one ragged hole when I do my part. My rifle is a Model 70 Laredo bull barrel with the Boss. Good shooting.

You can go either way, it isn't going to make much difference. I've shot truckloads of mule deer with 140 ballistic tips. My current 7mm seems to do fine with 160 Accubonds.

If I were you I'd be awful tempted to just stay with the partitions and leave well enough alone.

Yes i think its time to look at my stock ,
I bought a bunch of the 160 grain partitions , on sale , thinking of a one load for deer and elk load.
But i have a .338 win now, so thats my elk rifle.
Phurley, i had a stock model 70 wood and blue in the stw , and it was super accurate too.
...tj3006

The 7mm-08 will drive a 140gr bullet to 2900fps which will flatten any deer, goat or African plains game so there is no point to a 7mm Magnum. A 7mm Magnum however will drive a very ballistic efficient 160gr bullet to 3000fps and the 7mm-08 never will.
The 7mm Mag with 160gr is a killer from close to very long range.

I used a 7x61S&H for decades with the 160gr Sierra Gameking and shot a power of a lot of deer (red, whitetail and fallow), chamois and tahr and there was nothing better. It could sure reach out and flatten anything.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
The 7mm-08 will drive a 140gr bullet to 2900fps which will flatten any deer, goat or African plains game so there is no point to a 7mm Magnum. A 7mm Magnum however will drive a very ballistic efficient 160gr bullet to 3000fps and the 7mm-08 never will.
The 7mm Mag with 160gr is a killer from close to very long range.

A hearty Amen! My two favorite cartidges.

My 7mag equivalent wildcat always gets 160AB. The wife's 7x57 uses nothing but 140AB. Never had an issue with either.

Anything from 140-175 will kill deer just fine. Chose whatever your rifle shoots well. Myself, I'm partial to the 160's.

I can get 2900 from my 7x57,
And real tight groups too , but 300 fps more with the mag, probably would not need it, but at 300 yards, i should be damn near dead on.
I had a couple 7mm08s , i prefer the .308. Really practically speaking they are about the same , a little less kick from the 7mm08 but
I have had better luck with the .308...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I'd go 140 AB personally. Nothing wrong with the 160 partition either. I just happen to think the AB is at its best with deer.

For what it's worth I used a 150 ETip at 3000 in Africa to take everything up to Eland. I think you'll be fine either way.

Good choice! Both are very accurate bullets!

For years I used 140 Partitions in my 7-08s and 160 partitions in my 7mag. When I moved to WV, I tried some Hornady 154 RNs in the 7-08 just to see. That bullet is a absolute hammer on WT deer.

Use the Hornady or Sierra 175gr BTSP. These are very good at stopping game animals.

I think I just need to send you a box of the old original Nosler Solid Bases in either 140 or 150 grains...

Mule deer only? Any medium bullet that shoots well, the 140/150gr ballistic tips, accubonds or even the excellent sierra SBT's in 140 and 150! As long as you put them in the right spot they will do a stellar job.

I use the 160 Accubond in my Blaser 7mm Rem Mag. A 160 is a natural in the 7 mags.

I've used 140 grainers in all the .284's in the past.




I almost never shoot factory, but had a box of 7 mag, 160 gr Partitons.

Had no problem with this 300 yd. plus shot.

An example

Nosler#7 Book BC's and Universal Drop Tabel


140 gr Accubond.
Book BC = .485
velocity, say 3,200
200 yd. zero

0 yd. - .5"

100 yd. 1.2"

200 yd. 0"

300 yd. -5.7"

400 yd. -16.2"

500 yd. -32.8"


160 Gr. Partition.
Book BC = .475
velocity, say 3,000
200 yd. zero

0 yd. -1.5"

100 yd. 1.5"

200 yd. 0"

300 yd. -6.4"

400 yd. -19.0"

500 yd. -38.2"


160 gr Accubond.
Book BC = .531
velocity, say 3,000
200 yd. zero

0 yd. -1.5" +

100 yd. 1.5"

200 yd. 0"

300 yd. -6.3"

400 yd. -18.3"

500 yd. -37.2"


I very seldom shoot game past 300 yds, as with a 200 yd. zero, hold over is very simple. No dialing.

Your mileage may vary.

IMHO one cannot go wrong with Partitons or Accubonds.


Best,

GWB

My 12 year old took a Zebra with his 7x57 using 140gr North Fork BC's with a MV of 2850fps. 125 yard shot, quartering to. Bullet entered traveled at an angle across the onside shoulder, over the top of the heart severing the major blood vessles and was found at the back of the offside shoulder just under the skin.

The zebra dropped at the shot, regained it's footing when my PH's Jack Russell moved in and then dropped for good about 30 yards later.

I can't imagine a mulie with proper shot placement standing up to a 140 or 160gr 7mm bullet in either the Partition or AB flavor out of the considerably more potent 7mm Rem Mag. So let your rifle tell you what it likes best.

The Accubonds do have a sexy white tip, and higher BC, but. The 140 will not ballistically out perform your 160 partition in trajectory to any appreciable degree at any distance and it will definitely not outperform the partition when it gets there. That said, it is always good to have a second bullet/load worked up if the day comes when the components of your 160 load become scarce. The 160 and 7 em em are good medicine.

its my opinion that the 7mag is too fast for deer under 400 yards -- but if you must, use a heavy weight barnes bullet -- it might NOT purple the entire onside shot...

or, 140gr tsx at 3000fps -- likely a good mild and highly effective load

It would be easier to find a bullet that wouldn't work well on deer..

With most calibers I would prefer a medium weight bullet in most brands or a heavy weight bullet in Nosler partitions..Meat destruction is a pet peeve of mine, but too tough a bullets might give one a long blood trail so as in most matters the middle ground usually works best..

In the 7 mag I would opt for a 160 gr. Hornady BTSP or Nosler partition for deer. The 140s particularly with Balistic tips, Sierras, Speers, work great but I have seen a massive amount of blood shot tissure with them.

One thing I like about Nosler partitions on deer is they expand on contact but hold together and don't do excessive damage as a rule.

One of the most accurate bullets in my 7mm-08 is the 156 grain Norma Oryx. I may well try it for elk in October. I'm guessing that it would be a great bullet in a 7mm Rem Mag for deer since it opens and expands quickly. Being a bonded bullet I've read several articles that say it is a good choice for an all-around bullet for large game.

I found about 25 each of the 140 grain partitions, an accubonds on my shelf, think i will load 12 of each and buy a box of the most accurate.
I have loved RL22 with 160s, thinking the same Or Rl 19 for 140 s ? ...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
its my opinion that the 7mag is too fast for deer under 400 yards -- but if you must, use a heavy weight barnes bullet -- it might NOT purple the entire onside shot...

To an extant I agree with you. However, damaged meat has more to do with placement and bullet construction then it does velocity. A 140gr soft point traveling at 2800ft/sec. will probably do more damage then a 140gr. Accubond/Barnes at 3100ft/sec. For deer I like to keep my impact velocity around 2400-2500ft/sec with my 7mm-08 using accubonds. The bullet opens up nicly and mitigates unnecessary meat damage.

velocity has just about everything to do with meat damage.

a bonded bullet is just a cup and core bullet with the core stuck to the jacket.
everything inside and outside that bonded part/line between the two is still the some components that "blew up and cause all that damage years ago".

bonding is not some super hero additive that makes a bullet defy the laws of physics.
copper peels, lead smears, and fragments.
gluing or melting the lead to the copper doesn't stop that.

I had very good results with the 162 grain hornady spirepoints.
Cal30

Lamar,
I think i would disagree if i understand you correctly.
I bonded bullet will hold together better than a cup and core.
That's why they bond them. My experience is that cup and core bullets are great up to about 3000 fps.
But after that they tend to break up.
Partitions hold together real well , but i have never shot anything with an acubond moving faster than 3000, so i cant say for sure...tj3006

I'm starting load development for a 280 AI. My hopefuls' are:
Barnes TTSX 140
Nosler AB 140
Swift A Frame 140
Swift Scirocco II 150
Sierra GK HPBT 140 & 160

This is a Kimber 84 select, with a Leupold 2.5 x 8 w/ BC reticle. Hopefully one of these will work out to be a good match for this gun. Will probably take it to Wyoming for Antelope, and maybe Colorado for Elk.
Really like the feel, and the trigger is great.

Any recipes would be appreciated.

The time is near!

I got to shoot my rifle today !
Its been to dry , but not now, The 140 grain partitions shot ok , and so did some 139 grain hornady ,bts i tried. They both were about 1.5 inches at 80 paces of my truck hood.
Seeing as hunting season is 3 weeks away i think i will go back to 160s
Already loaded 15 160 grain speer hot cores.
And will do the same with some 160 partitions...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by tjroberts:
I got to shoot my rifle today !
Its been to dry , but not now, The 140 grain partitions shot ok , and so did some 139 grain hornady ,bts i tried. They both were about 1.5 inches at 80 paces of my truck hood.
Seeing as hunting season is 3 weeks away i think i will go back to 160s
Already loaded 15 160 grain speer hot cores.
And will do the same with some 160 partitions...tj3006

Yep you won't get any better than a 160gr bullet in any of the 7mm Magnums.
I prefer the 160gr Sierra Gameking myself because I never found a bullet more accurate in the two 7x61 rifles I had and they kill at any range without question. Others have their own preferences based on their experience.

I have never seen the point of using a 7mm Magnum with light bullets or any magnum cartridge for that matter with light bullets, just defeats the purpose of a magnum cartridge.

yep

I think the 160s are THE bullets for the 7 Mags.

I keep the 160's on call for my 7 Mags. In particular I have used the 160 AccuBond , the 160 Partition and the 160 Game King. The Speer 160 bullet is similar to the GameKing as well and actually has a bit better ballistic coefficient.

Before I tried the AccuBonds we used the GameKings on deer and the Partition on anything larger. But my rifle really shoots the 160 AccuBonds well and so does my sons 7 Mag.

We have used the 160 AccuBond as the hunting load for deer and hogs and also on almost all of the African plains game with excellent success.

For deer hunting I would say whichever 160 your rifle shoots the best.

I like the 175's best myself, either Sierra or hornady. But any 140-175 of the top makers will work dependably with good placement.

I'll throw my two cents in- 154 gr. Hornandy Interlock. Nothing new or particularly sexy about this bullet just a cup and core flat base but it has worked well for me on whitetail and hogs.

I have to disagree with Lamar also..IMO the bonded core is about the same as a partition bullet on game, under duress the partition is probably a little stronger bullet when it comes to staying in one piece...but I have no complaint with either method, they both work well.

In fact I've had excellent results with the old Rem corelokt and the Hornady Interlock on animals up to and including elk size. It seems to me some are living in the past, or reading some old magazines..Todays bullets are phenominal for the most part. I remember when most bullets were prone to failure with the exception of Corelokts,

Silvertips were always hit and miss. Win. would put out a great Silvertip bullet then change it for whatever reason, and it was a flop, they did this over and over, hit and miss. I always suggested to the reps to consider "if it ain't broke then for Gods sake quit fix'en it."

So far my 7 mag likes the 160 grain partition best. It tends to throw one every now and then though.
I think i will take it along with my savage 99 in .308. After the season is over i think i will get an HS precision stock...tj3006

How far out does it toss one would be my question? if its over 2 inches I'd have it glassed or at least re-bedded.That problem is usually the gun moveing in the stock, or the shooter moving the gun!

I have never seen anyone improve the Nosler, only those that claim to better it, that means its the bullet by which all others are judged, go figure!