what bullet for deer.. i have rl15 and h4895 powder

I'm in the same search as my stash of 100+ Federal factory loads is expended.

The Nosler 140 grain BT was the recommended bullet (apparently the 120 grain is not up to the task when used on deer).

Both RL15 and H4895 are used but aren't the best powders. Apparently the best velocities are achieved with W748 and H335.

Can you get either of these or are you limited for some reason?

i have found a neighbor who has been using a 7-30 for years and he uses 140 bt and w748.. he has lost several deer with 120 gr bullets.

i plan to use 140 bal tips and rl15..will let you know how it works.

in the mean time i have purchased a 375 win carbine and will probably start the season with it..

Well, I am about to start developing a load with the 140 grain Nosler BT and W748. This should do well enough in my Contender carbine for deer, etc. I'll let you know what I find out.

Tom,

The slowest of the RL series that Ken Waters uses is RL-12. I'd recommend using H4895 working up to 33 grains. This gets 2500+/- fps in the rifle barrels. Fully as good as the W748 (of which I happen to have a quantity), H335 or BL-C(2).

RL-12 tops out at 35 grains for about 2500 as well. This makes me think that RL-15 is just too slow for the 7-30 Waters.

I have had limited success (limited by use, not outcome) with 120 grain BT and RL 12 powder in a 15" contender barrel. Have not shot carbine yet that I have, but am going to try 140s and RL 15. Let me know how yours works out. Do not fear the 120's, they work fine if place correctly.

i just got back from the range from shooting my carbibe with the ken waters load of 35.0 gr rl15 with a 140 nosler bal tip and got a 3 shot group just under 1" using a burris mini 4x scope..this is more than satisfactory but the primers are a little flat.i did not set up the chron which was a bad mistake. . i loaded all 42 of an old red box noslers so if i don't get around to trying another load i can use them for my this year's hunting load..

i just got a box of hormady 139gr sst that i am going to try with 34.0 gr of rl 15..

shot hornady 139sst with 34.0gr rl15 and got 2.5" groups with verticle stringing..shot some federal factory and got the same flat primer signes as 35 gr rl15 and 34 gr rl15.. hope the gun don't blow up.. i am going to use the 140 gr bal tips as a hunting load..

anyone else having the same flat primer problens???

If you want to go better than the 7-30 Waters...try a 7 GNR....go to Gary Reeder Custom Guns for a site on the caliber....he does the rechambering....very nice round in a TC Carbine barrel...Hal

I had Gary Reeder make me a custom 20" 7 GNR contender carbine bull barrel. It is by a long shot the best barrel I own in accuracy and workmanship. To form brass just shoot factory loaded or equivalent hand loaded 7-30 waters. Matte finish is black with expoxy silver inlay. The barrel is so accurate that even the 7-30 factory ammo I used for forming the brass shot one hole groups.