Which 7 mm Bullet for Deer?

[miller64]

Need some practical experience here.
First time (seriously) going to hunt for whitetail with contender, will be shooting a super 14 in 7mm TCU.
Haven't finished all of my fireforming loads yet, but have to get busy soon, getting it finished and set up for deer.
I have couple of powders to try already, just wanted to save some time and money on bullets.
Which 120 grain bullet would I best be served with at the 7mm TCU velocities?
Thanks Kris

[jhalcott]

miller, any 120 grain will do AS long as you can place the shot accurately!
  I have used 120 hp's and softpoints to take deer at up to 100 yards with the 7tc/u. I have used 139's also.The deer were crop damage does on the smaller side. A large doe was hit with a130 ssp bullet thru the shoulder and above the heart.She ran all of 50 yards before piling up.Just remember that velocity drops quick as range increases. Bullet drop might become a factor too! :wink:   jh

[Graycg]

I strongly recommend the 120 grain Hornady single shot pistol bullet in the 7mm pistol rounds. Highly accurate and expands at the lower velocities of the TCUs, Waters and BRs.

regards,
 Graycg

[Chuck Buster]

I shoot 140gr sp Sierras in my 7TCU 14” contender and I am using 26gr of 2015 powder with a Rem 7 ½ primer. It is a great hunting round and I have no trouble shooting 40s with it out to 220yds in IHMSA shoots and usually score pretty high on the little shoot of targets at the same distance. The big secret to that round it to touch the lands with the bullet in order for it to be accurate. I always Moly Coat all of my bullets, when touching the lands, it helps keep the pressure spike down.

[ras308]

I shot a hog the other day with my fireforming loads, 25 grns. of H322 under a 120 grn. Sierra pro hunter.  I wanted to see if it would expand so I shot her through the shoulders, left a very nice exit but I did not recover the bullet.  She went straight down, came back to her feet only to go 15 yards.  I think this bullet would be great if you like to shoot for the shoulder, but I prefer behind the shoulder so as not to mess up very much meat.  I plan on loading Nosler BTs in 120 grn., they should work great, just a little too high for fire-forming.  I have no idea about velocity, but with a 4X scope, they are shooting less than 1/2" center to center at approximately 55 yards.

[Chuck Buster]

:grin: I am pushing my Sierra 140 SPs out of the 14” TCU at close to 2050fps, according to my coronagraph.
I shoot a lot of Nosler BT in my 6BR rifle and if you don’t like to mess up too much meat you better select something that isn’t quite as explosive. I have blown up ground hogs with that dumb thing out to about 400yds, but then again the velocities are quite a bit higher with the rifle.
I use Sierra 70gr Blitz Kings, which is the sequel to the Nosler BT, on half scale critters in IHMSA out of my XP-100 in 6BR, and they will shoot just a little under one minute of angle at 200 meters. I was lucky enough to wine the Ohio State IHMSA half-scale any sight championship with it a couple weeks ago. I credit it all to divine intervention along with a well-tuned gun and just the right caliber and size of bullet.

[KYODE]

hey chuck buster! have you got a 70gr blitzking load to share? i'm working with that bullet in my 13" 6br barrel with 1 in 12" twist.

[Chuck Buster]

Hi Koyde,
I have a one in 14” twist in my 14 7/8” barrel, that I built myself from a Shilen SS select grade match blank. I lapped the action lugs on my XP-100 and the head space is less then .001”and here is the load.
I am using 30.5gr of 2015 with a 70gr Sierra Blitz Kings that I Moly coat myself. My brass is 6BR Lapua and I am using a Rem. #7 ½ BR primer. The bullets are engaging the lands by .005” and all I do is neck size with Redding “S” sizing dies after the first firing. I am using an “S” bushing that is giving .0015” interference fit on the bullet, i.e. .2415” ID in the neck. The bullets are staying within .001” on concentricity in the case so I don’t even bother checking them all.
                  I hope this helps, Chuck Buster

[kciH]

130gr Sierra SPT, single shot pistol, I've used it in the 14" TCU and 15" 7mmBR.  Not only will it work properly at your velocity, but it is so accurate, you might just use if for everything.  There is plenty of data available for this cartridge.  I've had very good results with H322 and AA1680, with a preference for H322.  If you don't like the Sierra, I'd give the lighter Nosler BT's a try, just don't let your shots go so far that you don't have at least 1600fps in velocity, 1700 would be better.

[rimfire]

What velocity are you getting from your gun with 120 grain bullets?  I get just over 2200 fps with my 7-30 Waters and a light load of win 748.  Have been more than satisfied on deer out to 90 yards so far...just haven't gotten a longer shot yet.

I use the 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip.

[HHI #4694]

Nosler 120 grain ballistic tip is the best deer bullet in the 7mm TCU. :wink:

[Lloyd Smale]

this bullet works so good in my 7 waters contendor that I dont load anything else 4 deer now all one shot kills none took a step.

Nosler 120 grain ballistic tip is the best deer bullet in the 7mm TCU. :wink:

[JRWHITETAIL]

I have a XP 100 in a 7mm br. The boolet that works best for me is a 140 nosler bt. I shot a doe once with a hornady 139 sp. And it went right through her. I had to track her for a long while. I finish her off with my 357. At the time they did not have those single shot pistol boolets out yet. I called nosler and they said the BT boolet expans at 1200 fps. So far I have not used them on deer yet. But boy do they shoot good on paper! I plan on useing them on deer this year. Hart shots only.