ammo question

[velasquez8]

hi i shoot a remington 7mm bdl. i was just wondering if anyone had a suggestion for the best cartridge? i like to shoot 160 gr. for elk, but i am still experimenting with cartridges and havent found one that won me over. Any suggestions? or even a reloading recipe.

[legotp456]

I would go with a barnes TSX bullet which i know federal has in their factory ammo or i would use them if you reload which would prob be better. I would use on of the hogdon extreme powerds like 4350 as it wont be affected by temp. and so if you are hunting in the mountains you wont have to worry about the cold. I know they have a 150 gr. tsx and i think there is a 160 also and even a 175 if you want some extra power, which they sell on cabelas website however if you are going really long range like 200 or better being the normal with a good chance of a longer shot i would use the barnes MRX bullets. They are pretty expensive but if you habdload them it is alot chaper than the federal factory ammo and they wil be your best choice as they are psecifically designed to expand at long ranges. and they are offered in a 160 gr. which should suit you well.

Tony

[Yooper]

I love the 7mm mag.

I've tried just about every one of the factory loads out there and have no doubts that the best is a factory loaded Hornady Interbond. I currently am shooting 139-grain moly-coated interbonds in Hornady factory loads. I would take them after anything up to an elk, maybe a moose, but I'd rather go p to a .338 or bigger there...

[velasquez8]

thanks guys, ill try these out...yea i hunt in colorado in the mountains...so it tends t get cold...and most shots i have made have been more than 200 yards...do u think i should maybe stick with the 150 gr. would that be a happy medium for antelope, deer, and elk?

[legotp456]

Yea the 150 will do fine for antelope deer and elk which really i not that hard of animals to bring down, it is all about shot placement! PLenty of elk have been taken with .270's and even .25-06 becasue they where hit right so i would stick with the 150 so you dont end up destroying your elk or whatever animal you might be hunting. That said though with the antelope i am assuming you mean pronghorns which you are talking about shots that could regularly be around 300 yards so for that i would go with something like a 120gr barnes TSX as it will be alot flatter shooting and be less affected by winds due to the much higher velocity, and also it will not rip up the animal as much seeing as prognhorn are like rabbits compared to a 900 pound big bull elk. Also i would not go with a .338 as it is way to much gun and while granted it would be a better bear gun should you run into one on a colorado elk or deer hunt it is oging to kick like heck and be heavy and so in the long run will end up hurting your shooting. And while i am on the bear note i would sugest buying a box of barnes banded solids bullets and loading them to darn near max and keep them as the thrid and forth bullets in your magazine so that if you shoot at an elk or something and make a near by bear angry you will have alot of penetrating power right in your hand without reloading. The only reason i wouldn have a banded solid as my second round is that having two of the 150gr TSX's as the first two would give you a first shot and a follow up and then two bear stoppers.

Tony

[Miraclefly]

Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw - Get the HE if they make it

[rem 700]

Anywhere from 139s for antelope, 139-154 for deer, and 160-175gr for elk. There isn't a magic bullet for all three. If I were going for antelope and deer with the same bullet I'd use probably 139gr SSTs, but for elk I'd use a different bullet. I like Partitions, 4831 is what I load in my 7 mag. Not that I would use the same bullet for all three, but if I was going to, I would use handloaded 150gr Nosler Partitions. Should hold up and do the job on elk and will still have a soft enough front to open up on antelope.