Hello all,
I am working up a load for my 7-30 Waters in a 14" TC. Any one use this to hunt mule deer? Any loads you are found of? And last anyone reload their Waters with Varget? Thanks
Styme

My most accurate load is with IMR4895 and Sierra 120gr. bullets. Sub MOA at 100 yds, close to 3/4" groups. I haven't chrono'ed yet, but should be somewhere between 2300-2400 fps and should be sufficient for Mulies.

IMR4320 for accuracy. WW760 for velocity. I tried a few with Varget and don't recall it doing anything exciting.

The TC action is marginal with the 7-30 and will seperate cases after a few reloads if the loads are too hot, so take it easy. Some of the early published loads (i.e. Ken Waters) were never pressure tested and are actually too hot.

I've used it for mule deer, elk, and bear, and while it will do the job if you place the bullet carefully, there are better cartridges. Expansion is unreliable with 140s and penetration is unreliable with 120s and 130s. If there were a 125 gr. Nosler partition, it would be a different story.

Probably won't be of much help but I did use my 7-30 Waters several seasons for mule deer.....quite successfully to. The problem is that I was using the Sierra SSP 130 gr. bullet...which is no longer made. I liked WW748 powder in mine but I am sure many others would work. All shots were taken at less than 100 yds. and all quite fatal. I did use the same setup for a season of antelope hunting and made a 165 yds. shot on a nice little buck.

Thanks for the response, I am looking at the 120gr TXS. I e-mailed Barnes and they responded that they should work well if keep above 1800fps. I have read alot of good about them here in these forums, anyone use them in the Waters?

popenmann wrote:

quote:

penetration is unreliable with 120s and 130s

Nothing could be farther from the truth. The 120 grain Hornady SSP, 120 grain Nosler BT and the Sierra 130 grain SSP all perform extremely well at Waters velocity and virtually always exit given any broadside presentation on deer and even medium-sized hogs. At the velocity you are operating at, sufficient penetration is not a problem.

The Hornady bullet, both in lead-tipped (#2811) and polymer-tipped (#22811) format, is getting hard to find, but the Sierra 130 SSP, also discontinued, is out there in good supply and easy to find.

But if you are still unconvinced, get the 140 grain Accubond. It will expand down to around 1700 fps, and its penetration and weight retention is superb.

The X bullets are not the best choice for cartridges such as the Waters. The transmitted shock is minimal at the lower oeprating velocities of the single shot pistols.