7-30 Waters Loads

[Dakota30.06]

Just picked up a Super 14 7-30 Waters barrel for my TC. I've heard this cartridge is ideal for deer, so we'll see. Does anyone have any good loads worked up for the 7-30?

[Bill In SC]

Dakota:

I'm a great fan of the 7-30 Waters, as it has put a bunch of venison in the freezer for me.

A excellent load I found is the 120 grain Nosler Ballistic tip using Accurate A2460 and CCI primers. 

I have also found Winchester 748 to give consistent Sub MOA groups.  Grab your loading manuals and start working up...   



100 Yards off the bags with a T/C 4X scope

[Darrell H]

I use IMR4895 and 120 grain Ballistic Tips with great results in my 15" 7-30 Improved. 

Good luck with your 7-30 Waters.  IMHO, the best all around deer cartridge for the Contender.

X

[handi243]

Bill how does the BT working on deer? i have a waters coming and am a little scared of the BT i have a bad past with them in rifle blowing up on deer i was thinking of the accubonds.

[Bill In SC]

The BT has performed great on the deer that I harvested with it.

I think the key, is that the velocity from the 14" barrel is in the correct range for the bullet to operate as designed.

I too have seen and read the stories of the BT failures.  It appears to me that when this bullet is driven at a very high velocity, that's when we get into trouble.

The only thing I use the BT's in, are Contender handgun length barrels. 

A couple of bullet manufactures in the past offered "Single Shot Pistol" bullets.  They have all since dropped these.  I still have a few boxes left in 7mm and 30 cal.  I went to the BT as a replacement for these.

Driven at the correct velocity and putting the shot in the right place, I think you will find they work very well.

Bill

[handi243]

I think your right on the speed on the Nosler web sight they give you the "range" of speed for each kind of bullet i'll try some this coming season they shot great on paper from my 7mm tcu.

[Rog]

In the past, I had pretty good luck with Hodgdon's Varget and the Nosler 120 BT.  3/4" groups consistantly.

I'm a big fan of the Nosler BT.  My brother in law borrowed my 7Mag rifle one year and shot a 140lb 7 pt through both shoulders at just over 100 yards with a Nosler 150 BT that I'd loaded up to 3000 fps (chrono'd).  The bullet did it's job correctly, blowing through both shoulders and leaving a half-dollar size exit hole.  The buck flipped over backwards and died.  No bullet failure.

I also shot a small buck with my 30-06 JDJ loaded with a Combined Technology (Nosler) 168 Ballistic Silver Tip chrono'd at 2715 fps.  That bullet blew through the buck, leaving a half-dollar sized exit hole.  The shot was at 65-70 yards and the deer ran maybe 30 yards and piled up about 40 yards from me.  Excellent bullet performance.

I will be adding another 7-30 Waters barrel to my meager collection very soon (I sold my other barrel.....).

[Graybeard]

My favorite 7-30 loads are listed here:

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/730.htm

I have laid in a life time supply of the now discontinued Sierra 130 SSP bullet which is my all time favorite bullet for the 7-30 but I have other loads listed for bullets still available there as well.

[Bill In SC]

Bill...

I printed that out years back and it sits right in front of my log book for the 7-30...  Some great information!

Now...   You don't know any sources for more of the 130 SSP's do ya...   

[MnMike]

The 120 gr Nosler works pretty well with 748 or Varget.

I tried to get a load for the Sierra 130 SSPs for a while, but failed until I tried RL15. It worked great - 1/2" @ 100yds. That was about the time they dropped the SSP. Grrr - oh well, I have a few left.

mike

[jhalcott]

  Believe it or else! I have a 7-30 14" tc barrel that shoots very well with factory loads. Sub inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards if I do MY part. The BAD loads are always under 2" and I am the fault there. (carpal tunnel/arthritis and old eyes.) I have ALMOST given up on hand loading for this barrel ,prices make me continue though.120 grain to 145 grain bullets work fine. The 120's do work better at longer ranges .