If I could only use one load for deer in my 7mm rem mag??

H

hooligan1

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If I could only use one bullet and one load for whitetails, using my 7mm. rem. mag.. I'm looking for a good standard starting point. the ranges are between 20 yds- 500yds, I've been shooting Hornady's factory stuff and it's likes it so far..I guess my question is, Has any else shot deer (of any size or color) with a Hornady 139 gr. Interlock BTSP cartridge???: Penetration (wound channel), animal's reaction to being hit, that kind of stuff.........:cool:
 
I have. They work just like a Speer, Sierra, or any other hunting type bullet. On deer size game the premium bullets like Nosler Partition, Barnes X etc. are probably a waste of money since penetration at the velocities you are talking about will not be an issue.
I use the 139/140 grains bullets for deer in 7mm cartridges because I think they are the right size for that job. But, 150's or 160's would work fine also.
 
Pretty much any hunting bullet from a 7mm Rem Mag will do what you're asking. IMO, you're just about right on bullet weight, too.

Back in the mid-1980's, I started with 130 grain Sierra bullets, and finally went to Speer SPBT's for deer. A few years later, I had trouble finding the lighter bullets, and switched to 145 grain. I've been using 145 grain Speer SPBT and Grand Slam bullets in my 7mm mag ever since. Loaded to around 3100 fps, they're devastating on the stuff they hit without ruining too much meat.

I've shot coues deer, mule deer, antelope, elk, bear, bison, and all sorts of stuff with the load. My longest shot was 472 yards on a coues deer down in Sonora, Mexico in Jan 2006.

What do they do when I hit them with it? They typically fall down and don't get back up. One antelope ran about 20 yards before he fell, and one bear rolled about 30 yards down a steep hill, but he was already dead. Two bison dropped DRT, and one swapped ends, shuddered, and fell dead in something like 3 seconds after the shot through the chest.

It's a load I've proven to be effective over a 20+ year period. I'd bet that the Hornady load you mention will work equally well.

Daryl
 
I have only loaded one bullet for my old Rem 700 ADL 7mm Mag. I have popped crows out of Pine Tree tops at over 200 yards and it definitely will kill a deer dead. Used the Hornady 154 grain spire point. I used IMR 4350 and the Hornady Manual. To me it is a very accurate deadly round. Lemmon
 
I've killed a number of deer with the 139 grain Interlock sitting on a charge of Hodgdon 4831 SC. It is a fine load and a deer slayer when you put the bullet in the right place.

In the last few years I've started shooting 140 grain Nosler BT's and they group extremely well and are hell on a whitetail.
 
I have had good results using Hornady 139 gr Interlocks and SST bullets as well as Sierra 140 gr spitzers. I have used both H-4350 and 4831 and now 4831 SC. I'm still searching for a load that is as accurate with the 154 gr Hornadys. Probably don't need the heavier bullet though because the 139/140 gr bullets do the trick just fine on big bull elk. Obviously they work well on mule deer too if I happen to use the 7 mm mag for that purpose.
 
Heck, my buddy just points at them and yells "7mm Rem Mag" and deer fall over dead...

Seriously, I am pretty sure he is running 150 gr Accubonds in handloads for mulies. Honestly dead is dead.
 
I have used 140 Sierra Pro Hunters since 1966....probably the cheapest on the market and in my opinion quite effective. On top of 69 gr of H4831 I get 3000fps and under 3/4" at 100yds. have killed deer from 10yds to350 quite well. I have also used Nosler 140gr BT with 66 gr of RL 19, velocity 3050fps. This load by the way matches Remington 140 gr velocity from my rifle. Will shoot essentially one hole...killed a nice caribou in N Quebec with this load. Ran about 10 yds and piled up. Stoppped using the Noslers only because they are twice as expensive and not twice as effective. I still have some of the 100 count BT boxes...the price was less than $12 a box, course the Sierras were about $6.95....:rolleyes:
 
I've found the combination of >3000fps and < 150gr bullet weight in standard bullets to be too explosive. I'm now using 154gr Interbonds and 150 Partitions.
 
Just myself I like the Partitions. They always make a pass thru with the 06, my wife use's them in her .243 with good results. May be worth a try.
 
I personally preferred Hornady 139 BTSP in the 7 mag. I also used it for longrange coyotes so that was part of the reason. The light bullets like these and the Nosler BT are very destructive on the meat but do provide good on the spot kills even at extended range. I tried some Win 150 factory loads once and didn't like them due to fragmentation. When hunting in Montana, the preferred bullet was the Nosler partition 160 for deer and elk at any range. Open quick enough to drop deer on the spot and still punch the lights out on an elk at close range.
 
140 Nosler BT

Not a 7mm mag guy but my best buddy is. He loads 7mm ballistic tips and snipes deer off two green plots behind his house. (he's disabled w/ a back injury, sad story) The plots are about 200 yds out. Sometimes I get calls to help him get the deer and help butcher and have seen the results many times first hand.

The bullet is pure devastation on our 150 lb whitetails inside of 100-150 yds. The trajectory is flat due to the velocity for longer shots. We think ideal for his use.

I was in a lease that was a "long range" sort of club. Many ROW's, gas and powerlines, shooting houses. The 7mm mag and the 139-140 bullet was the favorite for its flat trajectory.
 
I have killed a locker room full of Michigan whitetails over the past 20 years, all but a couple with a 7 mag and 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3000 fps out of the muzzle. The couple were with 150 grain Partitions. Ranges were from 75 to 350 yards, and as long as I hit them where they are supposed to be hit they ended up in the oven.
 
150 gr Thermo Nuke warhead...or...some of those kick butt exploding arrow heads that Rambo used in bullet form...lol:D Just kidding, I use 150 gr in Winchester...but am looking at transitioning over to Hornaday Superformance, not sure if I'll go for the 139 gr or 154 gr...haven't decided yet.
 
If I could only use one bullet and one load for whitetails, using my 7mm. rem. mag.. I'm looking for a good standard starting point. the ranges are between 20 yds- 500yds, I've been shooting Hornady's factory stuff and it's likes it so far..I guess my question is, Has any else shot deer (of any size or color) with a Hornady 139 gr. Interlock BTSP cartridge???: Penetration (wound channel), animal's reaction to being hit, that kind of stuff.........
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Hi,
I just got back form my 2nd hunt this season.

So far, I can "report" as follows"

Hornady Interlock 180 Gr', fired from a 30-06 at 2550 Fps.
Black Wildebeest, 95 Kg of meat (after skinning, taking lower legs and head)
Head shot, the bullet went right though, fell down on the spot.

Blue Wildebeest, 106 of meat after skinning, taking lower legs and head.
Shot through the lungs, bullet found under skin in far side ( it mushroomed nicely. the core did separate, but only at the point where the bullet stopped)
He ran for 150 Meters and dropped dead. on inspection I noticed that while the entry hole was caliber size,(on the skin) the hole in the meat between the ribs was already more than twice the size, indicating good mushrooming, and yet the bullet traversed though the vitals.

I also used it on Springboks, Impala and Blesbuck, wiht the same results.

In previous years I have used it on the above as well as Kudu, Oryx and Warthogs.

As far as I am concerned if a core separates from the jacket after traversing though the animal, it has done it's job.

For their price, good value for money.

on the other hand, I had a 150 Gr SST (at a very mild velocity of 2550 FPS) hit a Sprinbok on a frontal shot to the center of the chest. the lungs were literally liquified, but there were only tiny frangments of metal to be found and the meat on the ribs (the whole rib-cage) was bruised. so SST's are nice for paper but I wont be using them on game again.

A friend of mine owns a 27000 Hectare game farm in Namibia. he uses the 7mm Rem Magnum. I load for him 170 Gr' Hornady Interlocks. he uses them for all types of animals at ranges from 100 to 350M.

Best Regards,

Danny
 
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I have shot the 139gr SST bullets for some years and they proven to be good at both close range and up 400yards. A bit tougher than Ballistic tips . I shoot the old heavy mag loads and have been very pleased.
 
Good grief, what's a "hectare". Measure land in acres 'round here?
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LOL!!! but seriously, what is a hectare? It is a serious, inquizative question & not an insult...just expanding my pea brain!:D
 
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