HuntingNut
HuntingNut
   Login or Register
HomeCommunity ForumsPhoto AlbumsRegister
     
 

User Info

Welcome Anonymous


Membership:
Latest: RichardZ
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 13126

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 583
BOT: 1
Total: 584
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Forums
02: Forums
03: Photo Albums
04: Forums
05: Forums
06: Forums
07: Home
08: Photo Albums
09: Forums
10: Forums
11: Forums
12: Forums
13: Forums
14: Forums
15: Forums
16: Forums
17: Forums
18: Forums
19: Forums
20: Home
21: Photo Albums
22: Forums
23: Home
24: Photo Albums
25: Forums
26: Forums
27: Your Account
28: Forums
29: Your Account
30: Home
31: Forums
32: Forums
33: Forums
34: Your Account
35: Forums
36: Forums
37: Your Account
38: Forums
39: Forums
40: Forums
41: Your Account
42: Forums
43: Forums
44: Photo Albums
45: Forums
46: Forums
47: Your Account
48: Forums
49: Forums
50: Your Account
51: Forums
52: Forums
53: Forums
54: Home
55: Forums
56: Forums
57: Forums
58: Your Account
59: Home
60: Forums
61: Forums
62: Home
63: Photo Albums
64: Forums
65: Forums
66: Forums
67: Forums
68: Forums
69: Forums
70: Home
71: Forums
72: Forums
73: Your Account
74: Your Account
75: Forums
76: Photo Albums
77: Forums
78: Forums
79: Forums
80: Photo Albums
81: Home
82: Forums
83: Photo Albums
84: Photo Albums
85: Forums
86: Forums
87: Forums
88: Forums
89: Photo Albums
90: Forums
91: Forums
92: Forums
93: Your Account
94: Home
95: Home
96: Forums
97: Photo Albums
98: Home
99: Forums
100: Your Account
101: Forums
102: Forums
103: Home
104: Forums
105: Your Account
106: Forums
107: Forums
108: Forums
109: Forums
110: Forums
111: Your Account
112: Forums
113: Photo Albums
114: Forums
115: Forums
116: Your Account
117: Photo Albums
118: Your Account
119: Forums
120: Photo Albums
121: Photo Albums
122: Forums
123: Home
124: Your Account
125: Home
126: Forums
127: Forums
128: Home
129: Your Account
130: Home
131: Forums
132: Forums
133: Forums
134: Home
135: Forums
136: Forums
137: Home
138: Forums
139: Forums
140: Forums
141: Forums
142: Your Account
143: Forums
144: Forums
145: Forums
146: Forums
147: Home
148: Forums
149: Photo Albums
150: Forums
151: Forums
152: Forums
153: Forums
154: Forums
155: Forums
156: Forums
157: Forums
158: Forums
159: Forums
160: Forums
161: Photo Albums
162: Forums
163: Forums
164: Photo Albums
165: Forums
166: Forums
167: Your Account
168: Forums
169: Your Account
170: Home
171: Home
172: Forums
173: Home
174: Home
175: Forums
176: Forums
177: Forums
178: Forums
179: Forums
180: Forums
181: Forums
182: Forums
183: Forums
184: Forums
185: Forums
186: Your Account
187: Forums
188: Forums
189: Photo Albums
190: Your Account
191: Forums
192: Forums
193: Forums
194: Home
195: Forums
196: Your Account
197: Home
198: Forums
199: Forums
200: Forums
201: Forums
202: Home
203: Forums
204: Forums
205: Home
206: Forums
207: Forums
208: Forums
209: Forums
210: Your Account
211: Forums
212: Photo Albums
213: Home
214: Forums
215: Your Account
216: Photo Albums
217: Forums
218: Home
219: Your Account
220: Forums
221: Forums
222: Home
223: Forums
224: Forums
225: Photo Albums
226: Forums
227: Photo Albums
228: Forums
229: Your Account
230: Forums
231: Photo Albums
232: Forums
233: Forums
234: Forums
235: Forums
236: Forums
237: Photo Albums
238: Home
239: Forums
240: Forums
241: Forums
242: Photo Albums
243: Forums
244: Photo Albums
245: Forums
246: Your Account
247: Forums
248: Forums
249: Photo Albums
250: Your Account
251: Forums
252: Home
253: Your Account
254: Your Account
255: Forums
256: Home
257: Home
258: Home
259: Forums
260: Home
261: Forums
262: Your Account
263: Home
264: Forums
265: Forums
266: News
267: Forums
268: Forums
269: Forums
270: Forums
271: Forums
272: Forums
273: Forums
274: Home
275: Your Account
276: Forums
277: Forums
278: Photo Albums
279: Forums
280: Forums
281: Forums
282: Forums
283: Forums
284: Forums
285: Forums
286: Your Account
287: Your Account
288: Home
289: Your Account
290: Home
291: Forums
292: Your Account
293: Your Account
294: Forums
295: Forums
296: Your Account
297: Forums
298: Your Account
299: Forums
300: Forums
301: Forums
302: Forums
303: Forums
304: Your Account
305: Your Account
306: Home
307: Photo Albums
308: Forums
309: Forums
310: Forums
311: Your Account
312: Forums
313: Forums
314: Forums
315: Forums
316: Home
317: Forums
318: Forums
319: Your Account
320: Home
321: Forums
322: Forums
323: Forums
324: Forums
325: Your Account
326: Forums
327: Photo Albums
328: Forums
329: Photo Albums
330: Your Account
331: Forums
332: Forums
333: Forums
334: Forums
335: Forums
336: Forums
337: Forums
338: Forums
339: Forums
340: Photo Albums
341: Forums
342: Photo Albums
343: Your Account
344: Your Account
345: Forums
346: Forums
347: Forums
348: Home
349: Your Account
350: Forums
351: Home
352: Forums
353: Forums
354: Forums
355: Home
356: Forums
357: Forums
358: Forums
359: Forums
360: Your Account
361: Forums
362: Forums
363: News
364: Forums
365: Forums
366: Forums
367: Forums
368: Forums
369: Home
370: Home
371: Your Account
372: Photo Albums
373: Forums
374: Forums
375: Photo Albums
376: Forums
377: Photo Albums
378: Forums
379: Forums
380: Home
381: Home
382: Forums
383: Your Account
384: Home
385: Your Account
386: Forums
387: Home
388: Forums
389: Forums
390: Forums
391: Forums
392: Forums
393: Photo Albums
394: Forums
395: Forums
396: Forums
397: Forums
398: Your Account
399: Home
400: Forums
401: Forums
402: Forums
403: Forums
404: Your Account
405: Forums
406: Photo Albums
407: Forums
408: Forums
409: Forums
410: Forums
411: Photo Albums
412: Forums
413: Forums
414: Forums
415: Photo Albums
416: Your Account
417: Forums
418: Forums
419: Forums
420: Home
421: Forums
422: Forums
423: Forums
424: Photo Albums
425: Forums
426: Forums
427: Forums
428: Forums
429: Forums
430: Forums
431: Your Account
432: Forums
433: Forums
434: Forums
435: Photo Albums
436: Statistics
437: Your Account
438: Forums
439: Forums
440: Forums
441: Forums
442: Forums
443: Your Account
444: Forums
445: Forums
446: Forums
447: Forums
448: Forums
449: Your Account
450: Forums
451: Forums
452: Forums
453: Forums
454: Forums
455: Your Account
456: Forums
457: Forums
458: Forums
459: Forums
460: Forums
461: Your Account
462: Forums
463: Forums
464: Home
465: Forums
466: Photo Albums
467: Forums
468: Forums
469: Forums
470: Forums
471: Forums
472: Forums
473: Forums
474: Forums
475: Forums
476: Your Account
477: Forums
478: Forums
479: Forums
480: Forums
481: Forums
482: Forums
483: Forums
484: Your Account
485: Forums
486: Photo Albums
487: Photo Albums
488: Photo Albums
489: Home
490: Forums
491: Home
492: Forums
493: Forums
494: Home
495: Forums
496: Forums
497: Your Account
498: Forums
499: Forums
500: Forums
501: Forums
502: Forums
503: Forums
504: Your Account
505: Home
506: Photo Albums
507: Forums
508: Forums
509: Forums
510: Forums
511: Forums
512: Forums
513: Photo Albums
514: Your Account
515: Forums
516: Forums
517: Forums
518: Your Account
519: Photo Albums
520: Photo Albums
521: Forums
522: Forums
523: Home
524: Forums
525: Forums
526: Home
527: Forums
528: Forums
529: Your Account
530: Your Account
531: Forums
532: Your Account
533: Forums
534: Forums
535: Forums
536: Your Account
537: Forums
538: Forums
539: Forums
540: Photo Albums
541: Forums
542: Forums
543: Forums
544: Forums
545: Home
546: Forums
547: Forums
548: Forums
549: Your Account
550: Photo Albums
551: Home
552: Photo Albums
553: Forums
554: Home
555: Home
556: Photo Albums
557: Home
558: Forums
559: Forums
560: Forums
561: Your Account
562: Forums
563: Forums
564: Forums
565: Forums
566: Home
567: Forums
568: Photo Albums
569: Forums
570: Photo Albums
571: Your Account
572: Your Account
573: Your Account
574: Forums
575: Forums
576: Forums
577: Home
578: Forums
579: Photo Albums
580: Forums
581: Forums
582: Your Account
583: Photo Albums
  BOT:
01: Home

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
 

Coppermine Stats
Photo Albums
 Albums: 308
 Pictures: 2451
  · Views: 820725
  · Votes: 1316
  · Comments: 86
 

... on bullet selection.
Discussion regarding the reloading of ammunition and tuning of loads for accuracy
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index » Reloading Ammunition

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
al_in_cedar
Rookie Member
Rookie Member


Joined: Sep 06, 2008
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:09 pm    Post subject: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

Okay, I'm getting closer to the ponit of actually buying a box of bullets.

Im not sure I know the answer to my question, so I'd like to take an informal poll.

Here are the story problem for you: You are shooting a 7mm remMag, Ruger MK77 II and you will be using it on Muley and possibly Elk. You are a first time reloader and want to limit the variables to learn.

Question: what bullet weight, make and powder will you buy to kick off this campaign?

I'm just faced with so many choices and options... Although it's fun, I'm shaking my head thinkng "someone just tell me where to start!"

My good friend swears by the Barnes tripple x, but before I go buy me a box and matching recipes, I need more opinions. I couldn't tell you what my rifle likes and doesn't like, so I just want someone with a similar set up to share their expericence.

thanks fella's
Back to top
View user's profile
Pumpkinslinger
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 5001
Location: NC foothills

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:18 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

Odds are you'll get enough answers to confuse you even more! Considering the possibility of elk (which I haven't hunted) I'd stick with a heavy for caliber bullet like a 160 or 175. Any of the "premium" bullets from Barnes, Nosler, Speer or Hornady would work. I know we have some elk hunters who also reload here so I'm sure they can give you more complete info.

_________________
Mike

"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
shrpshtrjoe
Super Red Neck Member
Super Red Neck Member


Joined: Jan 26, 2005
Posts: 2965
Location: Maryland

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:47 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

I haven't reloaded for the 7mag but if it were me. I would start with Hodgdon Retumbo it has exellent velocitys, it's one of Hodgdons Extreme powders and changes in temp has very little efect on pressures. I would get a box of 160 grain Nosler Accubonds ( it's not made in 175 gr ) and a box of 175 grain Partitions and I would start load development. Both are well known and respected performers on deer and elk. I would find the best loads for both and use the 160 for deer and 175 for elk.
Joe

_________________
"MOLON LABE"

P E T A
People Eating Tasty Animals
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Handloader
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Aug 22, 2005
Posts: 1032
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

Barnes changed the relationship between bullet weight and penetration. With conventional bullets, a higher sectional density (heavier bullet) aided penetration, then along came Nosler Partitions that offered deeper penetration by having a heavier jacket and a partition that resulted in added retained weight. And, they have been superb. More recently, bonded core bullets became more available that kept the core and the jacket from separating and they, too, represented an improvement over conventional bullets. Then came Barnes with a homogenous bullet and things changed again. For the better.

With the TSX, lighter bullets can be used and still give better penetration and weight retention than conventional bullets or even the much admired Nosler partitions. Lighter bullets can be driven faster with flatter trajectories. Instead of the old school 160 and 175gr in the 7RM for elk, the same or better results can be had with the TSX in 140gr. Afterall, it isn't the bullet's weight that kills game, its pentrating to the vitals, sometimes after smashing through bone. The disadvantage is higher cost.

The anti gunners next attack may be on lead useage in any ammo. Effectively, this is a back door approach to firearms control -- OTOH, Nosler's new eBullets and the TSX gives us a better bullet that is leadfree.
Back to top
View user's profile
wncchester
Member
Member


Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 160

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:05 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

"My good friend swears by the Barnes tripple x,..."

Your friend is not wrong but he is perhaps under rating the 7 mag with more conventional, and much less expensive, bullets. Any common 160-175 gr. hunting bullet from Sierra, Hornady, Remington, etc. will easily be sufficent for mulies and elk, IMHO.

The heavier built premium bullets would come into play with, maybe, moose and certainly for big bear.
Back to top
View user's profile
Handloader
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Aug 22, 2005
Posts: 1032
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:35 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

We often think of the premium bullets in terms of performance, especially, at longer ranges. One of the major advantages, however, of bullets like the TSX is at shorter ranges where the bullet is still closer to muzzle velocity. When conventional bullets strike game at close distances the impact often causes core/jacket separations, whereas, the premium bullet is more likely to survive and perform well.

Guiding an elk hunt in Idaho several years ago, I had a hunter shoot a big bodied bull at less than 30 yards. His 300 Win Mag with 180gr conventional bullet, badly wounded the bull after encountering the right front shoulder. The bull disappeared into the dark timber, but, we closed for a follow up shot a short while later. That shoulder was a mess with bone driven into the body cavity. IMO a premium bullet would have avoided this problem given the same velocity and point of impact.
Back to top
View user's profile
Pumpkinslinger
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 5001
Location: NC foothills

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:08 am    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

Handloader wrote:
Afterall, it isn't the bullet's weight that kills game, its pentrating to the vitals, sometimes after smashing through bone.

Handloader hits the nail on the head. For example, a match bullet and a "solid" can both weigh the same but the match bullet generally isn't designed or constructed to penetrate anything more than a sheet of paper while the solid is designed to punch through whatever it encounters. (Note: Berger match bullets seem to be the exception to this.)

_________________
Mike

"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
sendin
Rookie Member
Rookie Member


Joined: Aug 19, 2008
Posts: 23
Location: Sebastopol, CA

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:45 am    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

I will have to dig out the exact info, but if I remember correctly, I used a 160g boat-tail bullet from Hornady or Sierra that gave me great and consistent performance for hunting pig - long shots on some big pigs. I reloaded these in the early 90's and I suppose there are some better bullets now as noted in these posts. I will get the info later today if I can and reply with the rifle info and powder/quantity used and it might help you. I switched from a 308 to the 7mag and was really impressed with the new capabilities although there was nothing wrong with the 308. My experience was that once the basics were covered most problems were with the shooter when it came to hunting!

_________________
Molon Labe!
Back to top
View user's profile
Grumulkin
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Apr 16, 2007
Posts: 365
Location: Central Ohio

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:49 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

My formula for success with my 7mm Rem. Mag. is RL-22, Fed. 210M primers (these are large rifle and not magnum primers) and 140 or 160 gr. bullets.

As for bullet brands, there are several good ones. For my 7mm Rem. Mag. I use Hornady 160 gr. or Barnes 140 gr. bullets. They both do better than 1 MOA.

Match bullets are very misunderstood. Ones like the Sierra Match King actually perform more like solid bullets than to many expanding hunting bullets.

As for Berger VLD match bullets; I've used them to take 4 pronghorn antelope and a whitetail deer. On antelope, they were all blow throughs (out of a 300 Weatherby Mag.) including one shot at 292 yards. I used a VLD to take the whitetail deer at a bit over 200 yards with a 25/06. The bullet hit the rear of the left leg and angled to the right to the vitals; pretty impressive penetration if you ask me.
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
whittling
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Apr 21, 2008
Posts: 586
Location: Texas (home state is Mass)

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:00 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

A heavy , Expanding bullet like the Nosler.

_________________
Molon labe!
Service, honor and courage, without these a warrior is nothing.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Grant
Super Member
Super Member


Joined: Aug 28, 2006
Posts: 325
Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:32 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

I use in my 7mm Rem mag for the last 10 years...175 grain Speer Grand Slams with 63.5 grains of IMR4831 driving them. I've taken Black Bear, Mule Deer and Moose with mine out to 400+ yards. My last Mule deer with it was taken at a hair over 50 yards. The Grand Slams seem to penetrate well at range and still expand well in close. I'm happy with this load and don't care to try any of the newer bullets with the performance I get from these.

_________________
If God wanted us to be vegetarians, he would have made broccoli more fun to shoot!..
Back to top
View user's profile
bradking1
Member
Member


Joined: Mar 03, 2005
Posts: 53

PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:21 pm    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

I think shrpshtrjoe's advice is really good. I have loaded a similar combo with retumbo and an accubond. If you don't want to spend the extra money on the accubonds i would shoot Sierras. I did a load up for a buddy with 73 or 74 grs retumbo and a 160 gr Sierra HPBT Gameking (don't let the hollow point thing fool you...these are designed for hunting big game and are the toughest bullets Sierra makes) and they shot like gangbusters out of a stock remington sps...1/2" to 3/4" groups consistently. I loaded these up for him because he'd drawn an elk tag in a very coveted area. They worked perfectly for him...big bodied bull and dropped with one shot through the shoulders (bone).

Hard to beat these bullets and if you can afford the more "premium" bullets then go for it but I think the bullets that Sierra makes are just as good for what you will be using them for. They are tough and very, very accurate...I went to South Africa several years back and took Sierra bullets with me and had no problems and they performed exactly as expected, wonderfully, on a big kudu bull and a "tough as they get" gemsbok...one shot through the shoulders and went down like they'd been struck by lightning

Hope this helps

Brad
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
al_in_cedar
Rookie Member
Rookie Member


Joined: Sep 06, 2008
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:58 am    Post subject: Re: ... on bullet selection. Reply with quote

Thanks for all of your help!! I will publish my first load recipe and let you know my results... just waiting for my buddy to send me the dial calipers so I can get started!!
Back to top
View user's profile
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index » Reloading Ammunition
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 7 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Valid CSS! Valid HTML 4.01!
Click to check if this page is realy HTML 4.01 compliant for speed :)

All logos and trademarks in this site are property of HuntingNut.com.
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest © 2011 by HuntingNut.com
Interactive software released under GNU GPL, Code Credits, Privacy Policy

.: Upgraded to DragonFly 9.2 by *Dizfunkshunal* :.