I have worked up a good load for my 7Mag using the 140gr TripleShock. With 72gr of RL22, I can get 3300FPS and .75' groups at 100yards. This will be my PA whitetail load. I'm wondering if the 140grTSX would be enough for blackbear? or should I go up to the 160gr? I bought a box of the 160gr for Elk and moose, but I think if possible, I'd like to stick with the 140's for everything in PA.
Also, my father just purchased a 7mm-08 Remington Mt. Rifle. This gun is beutiful! It's the LSS style. I never loaded for this caliber. I'm looking for some loads using the 140gr Ballistic tip, or any 140gr to that matter. Thanx for your time. Ryan
Redneck7MM, I don't know about the 7 Mag. and your load for Black bear, but I've killed a nice 300 pound Black bear with my .280 Remington, and my handload of a 140 gr. Nosler Partition bullet in front of 57 grs of IMR 4350, chrono'd at 3050 FPS. One shot, through and through, just behind the shoulder, broadside, at about 75/80 yards.
A good friend of mine has used the Browning BLR 7mm-08, with his handloaded 139 gr. Hornady Interlock bullet to kill Black bear, Mule deer, and antelope, with no problem at all. I don't know his powder load, but the combo works great for him.
I've also used the 139 gr. Hornady Interlock in my .280 Rem. for Mule deer and antelope, and have had great success with it. So far, have not recovered a bullet. I'm a big fan of Nosler Partitions and Honrady Interlocks.
I have a lot of experience with 7mags and 7-08's. Your Dad has the better rig. Expecially for hunting in PA. The only time your 7mag will best the 7-08 in real world hunting is in elk or moose hunting. And then only if you use it to shoot a heavier bullet at a nominal 2800-2900 fps. For PA, load Dad's rifle with a common old 139 Hornady or 140gr Rem corelokt and he'll be set. If you want the added peace of mind, use a 140gr Nosler partition or a 145gr Speer grand slam.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
Quote: The only time your 7mag will best the 7-08 in real world hunting is in elk or moose hunting. And then only if you use it to shoot a heavier bullet at a nominal 2800-2900 fps.
You obviously have no experience with the barnes x(or tsx), or failsafe bullets.The 140gr versions of both bullets perform just as well at very high velocities as conventional bullets at lower velocities.They also offer flatter trajectory than heavier bullets.
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
With the paper results you speek of with the TSX, the only way you could have a more perfect black bear load for your 7MM is if it would field dress the animal for you too. I never used the 7mm barnes x but have killed several with .308 and .338 calibers. Both these loads were around 2800 fps and speed only make the X and Fail Safes work better. I typically shoot through the shoulders and the bear I killed last spring, I shattered the shoulder joint on his right side and them broke the leg bone on the left befor exiting. I have never recovered one of these yet and every one has encountered bone of some sort. Hope this is some useful real world info for you.
Posts: 741 | Location: NB Canada | Registered: 20 August 2002
Bear hunting is going to be fairly close range no need for high velocity, I'd go for the 160. Did you know that the three largest bear taken in PA last year weighed over 800 lbs ?
Stubble, you are right. I have never used an x bullet nor a failsafe bullet. Why fix what ain't broke? The various bullets that I have used for years have stood me in good stead. Just how dead is dead? Cooking your round up to a "boy howdy, look what I can do" velocity with a small bullet doesn't kill the animal any deader; it just spews a whole lot of engery into the sunset on the far side of the animal. And if you're sniping away at a distance where the trajectory advantage comes into play, you ain't hunting. If you think a 7mag and some sort of wonder bullet is needed to kill a black bear deader than you can kill it with say a 7-08 and a 150gr corelokt bullet, you must have some really, really tough bears at your place.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
Quote: Bear hunting is going to be fairly close range no need for high velocity, I'd go for the 160. Did you know that the three largest bear taken in PA last year weighed over 800 lbs ?
Have you ever used a tsx bullet or any barnes x for that matter?A 140gr tsx or barnes x will retain more weight and penetrate more than most 160 or even 175gr bullets of conventional construction.
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
Quote: Stubble, you are right. I have never used an x bullet nor a failsafe bullet
Yet you make the statement
Quote: The only time your 7mag will best the 7-08 in real world hunting is in elk or moose hunting. And then only if you use it to shoot a heavier bullet at a nominal 2800-2900 fps.
So if you have not used the barnes x bullet how do you know that you need to shoot a heavier bullet and at only 2800 or 2900fps?While the 7mmremmag shooting the 140gr tsx may not offer any great advantage for hunting black bear under most conditions it will certainly not offer any disadvantage either.Flatter trajectory is not always an advantage but it is never a disadvantage.
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
Stubble, the point of my post was WHY WOULD I NEED TO SHOOT AN X BULLET! What I use works fine. A 160gr NP or GS in a 7mag @2900 is as good as it gets. I don't care how fast your little screamer is going, it ain't gonna kill the ......(fill in the blank) any deader. And any trajectory gains are simple smoke and mirrors to justify the mantra "speed kills". Wonder why the folks hunting the great bears don't use little, bitty bullets at hyper velocity? I will stand by my original statement that your Dad's rig, for hunting east of the river, is the better rig.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
Quote: have worked up a good load for my 7Mag using the 140gr TripleShock. With 72gr of RL22, I can get 3300FPS and .75' groups at 100yards. This will be my PA whitetail load. I'm wondering if the 140grTSX would be enough for blackbear?
The point of this entire thread is that redneck already has an accurate load for his 7mm remmag using the 140gr tsx that is going to be his deer load.Given that,he wants to know if this load will do a good job on black bears.The answer to his question is yes, this load will certainly do a fine job on black bears.The point of this thread never was whether or not you need to shoot an x bullet for black bear.
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
Actually, he was asking about loading his Dad's 7-08. And I, based on experience with both types of rifles, gave him what he wanted: which was a premium bullet is not needed for his application. Regards.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
I used the 140 XLCBT for my biggest black bear. I too was getting 3300 fps at the muzzle. The bear was at 150 yards and slightly quartering away from me with his right side to me. The bullet entered behind his right shoulder, passed through his vitals and busted his left shoulder and then exited. The bear dropped and went nowhere. He was still alive though when I got up to him a couple minutes later. He turned his head and looked at me with his beady eyes. It was rather unnerving so I shot him again through the chest which instantly put and end to him. That bullet was fired at a range of 5 feet. It too exited. The bear weighed about 375 pounds and made a 6.5' rug. I now use a 300 Win Mag and feel better about that choice but your 7mm and that bullet will do just fine so long as you put that bullet where it needs to go. Rufous.
Posts: 224 | Location: Walla Walla, WA 99362 | Registered: 05 December 2001
I used a 300WM on the last two bears. I still say heavier is better. Although relatively soft targets they can take a lot more punishment than you think.
Posts: 4106 | Location: USA | Registered: 06 March 2002
I would say stay with the same bullet, no need to buy something extra . I use a 150 gr. Fail Safe (very similar to X) factory load in my .308 Win and it devastates hogs which are also very tough.
I've got a friend that loads 130 gr. Xs in 7mm-08 for another friend's young sons and the reports on white-tails are "lights out". Thus, the 140 gr. TSX should do whatever your father wants East of the Mississippi.
Posts: 842 | Location: Anchorage, AK | Registered: 23 January 2004
Nope, I just prefer the heavier bullets. They are more forgiving if one isnt perfect with the shot. Use what you want its your hunt. There is no right or wrong answer(within reason) just personal preferance. Also, all the guns you mentioned are also fine, although I am not a big 30-30 fan. I am talking about bullet weight not velocity. Again it dosnt matter, use what you want.
Posts: 4106 | Location: USA | Registered: 06 March 2002
. I use a 150 gr. Fail Safe (very similar to X) factory load in my .308 Win and it devastates hogs which are also very tough. 
