I've been thinking about getting into hunting deer and pronghorn with a handgun. I've got an old Contender with a couple barrels that I've played with some. Of the barrels I have, I think the 7mmTCU is probably the best for the mule deer and antelope I will be trying for.

So, my questions is, Does anyone have any particular experience with the cartridge and loads for it? I've loaded lots of rifle ammo over the years, but never loaded for this cartridge. Any advice on bullets? I have been shooting a 7mm Mag for over 30 years, but I would imagine the 160-175 gr bullets I use for it are the wrong choice for the TCU. What velocities can I expect out of the 10 inch barrel?

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Mac

My old Speer manual #11 only gives velocities from a 14" bbl. With that, max load for a 130 gr bullet yields 2287 fps over H322, while you can get 2080 fps with their 160 gr bullet with H322 and a couple of other powders. With the higher BC of the heavier bullet, I'm guessing you could use your heavy bullets, sight in at 150 yards, and be point blank and deer-killing deadly to around 200.

Depends on your twist though. I'd probably try the Hornady HP 120 gr bullet if I had to pick one and live with the result.

From the 10" barrel, there is only one bullet that truly shines for the purpose of deer hunting, and that's the 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Using H335 powder and Rem 7 1/2s, you can expect just over 2000 fps at the muzzle, and the bullet will perform flawlessly out to at least 175 yards.

If you can't get accurate results with that bullet (which would be a rarity), the next best thing would be the 120 grain V-Max offering from Hornady.

Bullets such as the 160 grainer as mentioned in the previous post have NO PLACE in the hunting fields in a 10" 7mm TCU.

Just for the heck of it since I wasn't all that familar with that cartridge, I did a quick search about it for myself.
Anyway, I came across this info you may want to see..?

http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w7mmtcu.html

Many thanks Gents. Really appreciate it.

Mac

The best weight for 7 TCU is a 145 grains bullet.
With a 10' you have 600m/s.
I use french powder S.N.P.E Sp10.

PatM1-

The 145 grain bullets may be great for targets, but from the velocities possible in a 10" pistol barrel, it will not expand reliably on thin-skinned game.

I have been useing 120 gr Nozler Ballistic Tips in my 7-30 Waters.There does not seem to be much difference in MV between the two cartridges.However I just bought a 7TCU from a Forum member and will be able to compare them when I get it.I have taken 6 Speed goats and a couple Muly`s out to 200 yds with no problem sending the 120gr Bt out a 2450FPS.

I formed some Brass today and it sure is a breeze.I hope to start some load evaluation tomorrow!!!!

I have not used the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip in a 7mm T/CU, but I harvested 4 Whitetails (and my cousin's husband used it to take one whitetail) with that bullet from a 10" 7-30 Waters Contender. I was pushing the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at 2258 FPS from the muzzle of the 10" 7-30 Waters with W-748 Powder. As long as I kept the IMPACT VELOCITY above 1800 FPS the bullet performed great. Below that impact velocity and I had to hit bone to get expansion.

Back in 1982 I had a 7mm BR Remington XP-100 rechambered to the 7mm I.H.M.S.A. (simply a .300 Savage necked down to 7mm). I didn't have a chronograph back then so am not sure what the muzzle velocity was, but a good guess would have been about 2500 FPS. At any rate I harvested a couple Whitetails that first year with that 7mm using 130gr. Speer Spitzers (don't remember if they were the Boat Tails or the Hot Cores). I had a heck of a time unless I hit bone. If I didn't hit bone the bullets simple penciled through leaving an exit hole the same size as the entrance hole.

The next year with that 7mm I.H.M.S.A. I switched to the 120gr. Nosler Solid Base Spitzer Boat Tail and had much, much better bullet performance.

I have been harvesting Whitetails since 1982 with Single Shot Speciality Pistols chambered for Rifle Type Cartridges. I have had to track several Whitetails due to my bullets not expanding properly, but do not recall every having to track a single Whitetail because my bullet failed to penetrate.

Good luck with the 7mm T/CU. A few years ago I worked up a load for my sister in law's brother's 10" 7mm T/CU. I used 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips with H-322. If I remember right the muzzle velocity was like 2050 FPS, and it was scary accurate.

Larry

the old hornady 120gr ssp bullet was the best deer bullet that I have used. I have taken several deer with my old 10" tcu and always had great results. I think the hornady sst 120gr bullet is a tad softer than the nosler, but both work well. I have used the nosler in a 21" carbine, and in a 14" TC with good results. One year I shot 13lbs of powder in my old 10" tc just plinking around the farm, it is a great FUN combonation. Easy on the hands, very accurate, and a great teacher of longer range pistol shooting.

I dont know if anybody has tried.. but what kind of velocity could one get with the 7mmTCU using a 22" barrel?

From 140grain to 160 grains?

Nortman, I believe I read about a guy who used a TCU in a carbine, seems like 150fps over super 14, which can give upwards 2400 or so with 120's, 140's go about 2200 when formed.

Brass not fireformed can be about 200fps slower.

I would also recommend to the OP to try 2460 and 2015, I would think you might get 2100-2200 with 120s with optimum powder in 10". 14 was too long for me but shot great, too muzzle heavy, the 10 was nice compact but louder, I think a 12 to 12.5 would be about perfect but given choice in that caliber, rather a 10 than 14 for carrying and shooting w/o sandbags.

NICE round, MOA and better is easy with that round. Mild recoil, very fun.

Forgot to add, my one TCU deer was about 30 yds, fire forming cases so about 2000 fps with 140gr ballistic tip in 14", deer went about 100 yds as either my bullet hit brush or the deer took a step and the bullet hit far back, left a blood trail. It told me what that bullet would do if you shot it from a rifle at very long range.

Agree with Bobby Tomek, a 120gr is the ticket for hunting/expansion

It's been awhile since i have been here, but 6.5 is correct about 150fps or so over the 14" barrel is a very good place to think your carbine loads will be. The 7-tcu is a great low recoil round for deer