7mm 150gr. Winchester Power Points

[TXSPIKE]

I was given some Winchester 150gr. Power Point factory ammo when I bought my 7mm STW.It shot them really well so I decided to buy some bullets for reloading.WOW! shot a one ragged hole three shot group with them.Looks like I may have to give them a try on deer and hogs this coming season.Anybody use them and how do they perform at high velocities?

[ms]

Thats the only factory load I can get for  my 284 winchester.  You have a great bullet.

[SuperstitionCoues]

I have a bunch of them in bulk for my 7mm-08 and 7mm WSM.  Haven't a load for either catridge though.  Anyone wish to share?

[flinter54]

Txspike,

Good afternoon. I have plenty of range time with the 150 power point out of my 7 Rem Mag. They are a very accurate bullet indeed, however the bullet failed on the one and only deer I shot with it. It anchored her right there in her tracks BUT the bullet litteraly came apart. There was no exit anywhere and I found bits and pieces of jacket and lead all throughout her right front shoulder. The shot was about 85 yards slightly down hil and she was quartering to me (right to left). The velocity at which your STW can attain really puts a lot of demand on a bullet, if the shots are close. For white tail here in Michigan it works fine, although next time I would wait for more of a broad side shot. If I were to hunt anything larger, I would go to a bullet with a thicker shank to help keep its integrity on impact regardless of the shot angle.

Are you a handloader? If you are there are many different options out there. Anyway, good luck and shoot strait.

Flinter54

[TXSPIKE]

Yes I handload.I like the 145gr Speer Grand Slams a little better than I like the 140gr Nosler Accubonds in my 7mag.They also shoot real well in my 7mm STW.I placed an order for some 139gr Hornaday Interbonds,I'll load some of those up and see how they shoot,then hopefully this fall I can do some testing to see how the different bullets perform for me.

[BBF]

WW Power Points are a fast expanding fragile bullet in all cal. I would not use any of them in high velocity impact situations.

[flinter54]

I really like the Grand Slams as well. I have not used them yet in my Seven Mag, but I have shot the 130 GS out of my .270. They have performed great on the deer here in Michigan. I have no experience yet with the Accubonds or Hornady's Interbond. At some point I would like to give them a try and see how they fair. Another great one is the TBBC, if I wanted to shoot a premium bullet. As for my Seven, the Ruger 1 seems to like the 160gr weight the best. For the 2008 season, I think im just going to stick with the 160 GS. Good luck with the 139 interbond. Im currious to see how you like them.

Flinter54

[john keyes]

however the bullet failed on the one and only deer I shot with it. It anchored her right there in her tracks BUT the bullet litteraly came apart

at what point during the animal's death did the bullet fail?

[AtlLaw]

At what point during the animal's death did the bullet fail?

Darn I hate that over used statement...

[Sweet 6.5]

however the bullet failed on the one and only deer I shot with it. It anchored her right there in her tracks BUT the bullet litteraly came apart

at what point during the animal's death did the bullet fail?

  It would be have been at the point were it was contaminating the whole shoulder with pieces of lead.

[Siskiyou]

Some years back I bought two boxes of 150 grain Power Points, and printed on the box was a statement to effect that they were for a magnum.  I traded them to my brother for two boxes of flat base Speer 160-grain bullets to shoot in my 7MM Remington Magnum.  It worked for both of us because the Speer 160-grain has been the go-to bullet in the Magnum.  He need the 150-grain bullets for his 7mm-08 which he was loading for his young son.

I have always had good luck with Power Points in standard calibers.

P.S.  I think I have four boxes of 145-grain Speer bullets for the 7MM Remington Magnum.  I did a bunch of load development with them using H4831.  That is before I got a chrony.  It sure seemed those bullets got to the target real fast.  I backed off from using them for deer hunting after reading in Speers Manual #12 that they recommend them for antelope and smaller game.

[flinter54]

"at what point during the animal's death did the bullet fail?"

Your right, the bullet killed the animal right there on the spot, and my freezer was full of wonderful venison. However Txspike's question was how do the Bullets perform at high velocity? If a big game bullet with a decent sectional density like a .284 150gr comes apart on a small 110 lb doe. It tells me one thing, and that is at the velocity spectrum the 7mm Magnums operate in, it is a poor choice of a hunting bullet. With the variety of bullets available to handloaders today, it is my opinion that txspike would be better off with something other than 150gr Win PP for his 7mm STW.

[john keyes]

You guys are right, I don't think too much in the hypervelocity realm, and I shoot heavy bullets with respect to caliber, 180 in .308, 170 in .30-30, 405 in .45/70, 300 in .50 cal muzzleloader and .444 Marlin, 265 in .44 Mag so on and so on.

In .260 rem and 7mm-08 I shoot 120's and 140's too, nowhere near 7mag or 7MMStW velocities.

Now I see where you are coming from, thanks.

 

[flinter54]

Yeah I prefer heavier slower moving bullets as well. The ruger #1 7mag I have was given to me as a gift 4 years ago. I have way more range time with it than actual field time as I have only deer hunted with it once.  I am sure I will bring it with me more often, but where I hunt here in Northern lower Michigan where the average range a deer is shot is under a hundred yards the need for a magnum is nil. I had a 45-70 in the standard marlin 1895 that I used but had to part with it to pay a bill, but now I shoot a hawken in .54 cal. It spits a 230gr round ball at just shy of 1800fps and it is an old fashion deer slayer.

Flinter54

[jro45]

Sounds like you have the right bullet. Winchester 150gr I'll have to try them some time.