I am looking for suggestions for a good, well constructed factory load in 7mm Rem Magnum. I will be going on an Aoudad hunt in Texas next season, and want a rugged bullet that will cut a good wound channel and penetrate well. I have used Nosler Partitions in the past, but had a bad experience with them on a Northern whitetail, and want to try something different. Anyone have any good suggestions for a good loading?
Winchester's 160 gr accubond CT shoots under an inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards out of my Remington custom shop ks mountain rifle. I would think it would do well on deer and aoudad. Just curious gracedog, why did you have a bad experience with the nosler partition?
Bgomez, I was hunting in Alberta in November of 05 when a nice 11pt whitetail stepped out to my right at 75 yards. I was in an elevated box blind. The buck was slightly quartering away, feeding with his head down, and I carefully shot him behind the shoulder. The deer reared up, and ran for the treeline, where he went down. We got down out of the blind to retrieve the deer, and found that the buck had gained his feet and went into the brush, which was about 10 acres in size. We looked for him until darkness put an end to things. The next day, 3 of us combed every foot of that patch of woods, finding nothing. The next day, I shot a huge mulie, then returned to the blind to hunt whitetails. I saw a buck on a hillside 400 yards away walk into sight and then bed down. We got down out of the blind and I stalked and shot this deer. It was the same buck from two days previously. I found that my bullet had struck him where I aimed, tight behind the left shoulder, passed through the lungs, and broke the off shoulder, which was frozen solid. The lungs were black. There was no way that this buck should have still been walking around in this condition. I would not believe it if I hadn't seen it myself. Anyway, this is my "bad" experience with Partitions. While it may be a freak occurence, I sure wouldn't want it to happen a second time.
Messed up lungs and a busted shoulder?? That musta been one of those bulet-proof deer. Why do you think a different bullet would have made a difference??
Washbeeman, I understand your skepticism, I would be calling BS if I hadn't seen it myself. Anyway, what I was hoping for were suggestions from people who'd used premium bullets in 7mm's on strongly constructed animals. I have heard that Aoudad can take a pounding and keep on going, hence my quest for a bullet that will do the job.
Gracedog: I shot my aoudad last year with federal's trophy bonded bear claw; Albeit in a .338 with 225gr bullet. Aoudad went about 30 yards and dropped. I Used this bullet in south africa and Botswana on several plains game animals and will be using it later this year in Zambia on leopard and other plains game. Federal makes a 175gr trophy bonded bear claw in the 7 mag. But it might not be so flat shooting as other choices though. I've had good luck with Remington swift A-frames in my .375 and Remington makes a 160gr A-frame in 7 mag. I think that would be a good choice.
It's not exactly skepticism, but it seems that if you take out the lungs and fuck up the off shoulder of any animal, you've got a sick critter on your hands. I've never shot an aoudad, I'm not even sure I know what ones looks like. But I've used 160gr NPs and Grand Slams in my 7mags at @ 2900fps and they've fetched everything I've sent them after. That includes antelope, mulies, and elk. I don't recall having to shoot an animal twice with these bullets. I have never shot a single round of store bought ammo thru any of my mags, however.
Originally posted by Gracedog: I am looking for suggestions for a good, well constructed factory load in 7mm Rem Magnum. I will be going on an Aoudad hunt in Texas next season, and want a rugged bullet that will cut a good wound channel and penetrate well. I have used Nosler Partitions in the past, but had a bad experience with them on a Northern whitetail, and want to try something different. Anyone have any good suggestions for a good loading?
Barnes TSX or TTSX work great for me.
Remember, forgivness is easier to get than permission.
Posts: 3994 | Location: Hudsonville MI USA | Registered: 08 June 2000
Gracedog, What part of trashed lungs and broken shoulder indicates that the bullet failed?!! That bullet did its job. Big white-tails are tough and I believe pound for pound are tougher than elk. I don't, however, believe that you gain anything by shooting deer with premium bullets. Often, they do not perform as well as standard bullets because they are made for heavier critters.
An aoudad is tough and the premium bullet will probably do a good job. I have killed several elk with Partitions and they work great. I killed three Oryx in New Mexico with Barnes bullets and they did great because the Oryx is a ver heavy-boned, tough animal. I also have killed elk with them.
Those Noslers will do fine, but if you don't like them, then Barnes, North Forks, or any other premium could be substituted depending upon what your rifle likes.
Posts: 224 | Location: North Platte, Nebraska | Registered: 02 February 2005
I live in West Texas and have hunted Aoudad and shot placement is important. Heart lung shot will kill them, but high shoulder shot puts them down now. I used a Partition, but any premium bullet will work. Accubond is my new favorite bullet.
Paul Gulbas
Posts: 340 | Location: Texas | Registered: 29 January 2009
