Recommend a whitetail round for..

J

jrothWA

New member
a post 64 M70 (first series - wide barrel channel) in 7mm Mag.


Most likely area of usage in the Zone 2 of Michigan, wide open fields and some moderate heavy brush, max range 200yds, minimum "white of their eyes"!

Originally bought for eastern Washington and Montana but that deal fell thru.

Rifle has a Pentax "Gameseeker" 3X9-40 with ranging abilities.

Thanks.
 
Any soft point or hunting ballistic tip that you and your gun will shoot well. Really, with that caliber and those close ranges.... It doesn't matter at all as long as you put the bullet in the kill zone.
 
Go to Walmart and buy whatever suits your fancy. I'd probably stay with something in the 139/140 gr weight range although any would work. Your rifle is suitable for anything in North America and at ranges or 600+ yards for most of them. When you start talking about larger game and at longer ranges then bullet choice starts to become important. Not for deer at 200 yards.
 
I agree with the previous comments. Find a good commercial expanding bullet that shoots well in your rifle and stick with it. You don't need anything crazy if you're hunting only whitetail deer at those ranges and most of the bullets available these days will work well.
 
At the posted ranges, I'd stay away from anything less than 150 grains. The 7mm Rem is infamous for making a God awful mess with light bullets over 3000fps. I'd pick a 154 Hornady or 150 CoreLokt.
 
At 200 yards, I'd be surprised if you couldn't buy 5 random boxes of 5 different brands, mix them all together and still get groups under 1/2 what's needed to kill a deer.
 
Most any commercial soft point will work great. I will say if thete is possibilty of really close shots I would avoid any ballistic tips unless they are bonded as they tend to blow up at magnum velocities at short range.
 
When I had my 7mm I hunted NW WI most shots were 50 yards or less. The 139 grn bullets caused massive tissue damage and meat loss. I would go with 150 grn or larger and avoid hitting the shoulder blade at all costs at short range. A nice double lung will fold quickly with the 7mm . Some of my early hunt I hit shoulder with 139 at 30 yards and it was like a hand grenade going off. Massive meat loss.


Mwal
 
Interested

I'm interested in this thread because I have often wondered about getting a 7mm Mag. I have a 30-30 and a 30-06 so I seem think my deer hunting is well covered. Is the 7mm mag really overkill or too much for deer? Or is it a better choice for large deer or longer distance deer? I'd appreciate learning a little more about the 7mm mag for deer from you guys that already know. I often see 7mm mag ammo on the shelves and that makes me wonder- perhaps I should have one of those as an option for hunting. I don't hunt out west, no pronghorn, no mule deer, no elk, no bear. Maybe with the 30-30 and 30-06 I just don't need one? Or maybe I do but just don't know it yet?
 
Steel chicken shooter, I bought a 7 mag 2 yrs ago to hunt open fields in NY state, big mistake, way to much gun for whitetails, shells are expensive and I didnt appreciate the recoil. I did shoot a doe thru the lungs at about 80 yds and it dropped in its tracks, probably would have done just as well with a 243 on that particular deer. Just my thoughts..you asked..
 
Any 150 grain hunting ammo will work fine. I use Winchester Ballistic Tips but good old Remington Core Lokts will work just as well.
 
175 gr is not needed for whitetail - save that for your elk hunts. 150 gr works fine. 139 gr Hornady works fine too. The 7mm Rem Mag round is devastating to internals no matter which size bullet you select. I do not think that I have seen a white tail NOT drop in its tracks after being hit with a 7 mag - it would have to be one really unfortunate shot. Soft point Winchester or Remington will result in success every time with those deer. Ammunition costs among the various calibers are negligible. The beauty of the 7mm Rem Mag is that you can hunt everything in North America and most things beyond with that rifle. It is truly a reach out and touch you kind of caliber for those that can execute a long distance shot.
 
I bought my 7mm Mag specifically for an elk hunt that never materialized. It was only impressed into deer hunting duty when I had to outfit both sisters and the former lady friend with deer rifles one season.
 
minimum "white of their eyes"!
Click to expand...

If you do not use a contolled expansion bullet, avoid the lighter weights ..... 3K+ f/sec impact velocities with fragile bullets will make a mess of meat.

If you use one of the controlled expansion (Partiton/A-Frame, any of the bonded or solid copper/gilding metal bullets) bullets take care with the target angle - even a 170 grain Partition will go through a deer, lengthwise, which makes field dressing ..... um, "messy".
 
Hornady Superformance 139 grain GMX.

About the same cost as most standard factory loads but faster and with a better bullet.

Good for bigger stuff like elk too if that's your cup of tea.
 
I'd recommend a pretty tough heavy, controlled expansion bullet or else you're gonna make a mess and damage a good bit of meat, especially at close range. Unless you don't care about meat loss.

175 gr Nosler Partition maybe?

A 7mm Rem Mag is overkill for whitetail under 200 yards, period. And it won't put 'em down any faster than a .243 or anything else. A well placed shot means everything, and a bad shot is a bad shot no matter what caliber you use.

If you reload, use starting loads and you will be better off.

Or just buy a 7mm-08

Ok magnum lovers, go ahead and start ripping this post to shreds.
 
I have to agree with steveNChunter I had a 7 mag here in NH, switched to a 7-08 and my shoulder is much happier and the deer are just as dead..
 
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