Author Topic: Who uses, or used to use, the 7x30 waters? (Read 2286 times)

hunt4570 · « **on:** January 22, 2011, 04:24:04 AM »

I'm leaning real heavily towards getting a 7x30 Waters and want to hear your thoughts on the caliber.I'm looking for a 200+ yard deer gun and am trying to improve over my 30/30. I don't have the coin for a custom JDJ or anything like that so this is the caliber I'm thinking.
Did you leave your 7x30 for greener pastures? Where did you end up and why?
Love to hear your thoughts before I jump in with both feet...

Curtis · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:45:36 AM »

Of all of my barrels it is hard to pick a favorite but you would be hard pressed to pry my 7-30 away from me. In my 14" barrelled pistol, it is my second most accurate barrel and only a hair behind my 10" 223. It is one of only two of my deer calibers that I have complete faith in, not because of any shortcoming of my other deer calibers but because of the amount of range time I've put in behind my 7-30. It is just so much fun to shoot. It is a big enough bang to know you're shooting something, but I can put in long range sessions without fatigue from recoil. When I want to carry a 14" pistol to the stand it's the Waters and if I'm walking a lot and want to take a 10er it's my 357 Herrett. Those are my goto barrels right now. Not surprisingly those two and my 223 are my favorite centerfires for poking holes in paper from the bench. The only others that come close to them in range time are my various 22 rf barrels.

Curtis

Delkal · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:59:30 AM »

My 14 inch 7x30 is my "go to" barrel for long range shooting. I am a member of a club with ranges to 500 yards. The 7x30 will always hit the metal silhouette at 500 yards if I do my part. Just for fun one day we put some clay pigeons at 500 yards and started shooting at them. After a few spotters we started hitting them (every now and then). Case forming is easy and good practice.

For long range bigger critters I do favor my 30-30 AI. It will push a heavier bullet and is just as accurate. Midway had them on closeout years ago and dies are cheap. Check its specs, its closer to some of the more elaborate (and expensive) wildcats than most will admit.

hogcowboy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:15:09 AM »

I've taken deer easily at 250 yards with my Waters. I've taken a 200+ pound hog a 200 yards. I think the Waters is a darn good caliber. I do think 250 to 300 yards for large game is about as far as I would push it though. I like my .7-30 Waters a bunch. If I were to change it would be to a .30-06.

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:48:21 AM »

I have used the 7-30 Waters in both 10" & 14" T/C Contender Handguns. I have used a couple different powders for loading the 7-30 Waters (H-322, W-748 & H-4895) but only ever used one bullet the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip.

All in all I have taken 6 Whitetails at various ranges with the 7-30 Waters (with the farthest being farther than the 200 yards you questioned about) and all were one shot kills. I did have one mishap in that I had to finish off a 7th Deer due to bad shot placement on my part but that was not the fault of the Gun, Cartridge or Load.

I would have to say that 250 yards and under with proper shot placement the 7-30 Waters should have you eating venison. As I have stated I have only used the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips but I am sure there are other bullets that work equally as well.

On a different note if you have a .30-30 Winchester that you are happy with the accuracy of you may want to consider sending it off to SSK for a rechamber to the .30-30 AI. That is exactly what I did with a 14" .30 Herrett several years ago. The .30-30 AI will push a 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip a bit faster than the 7-30 Waters will push a 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip. However due to the better ballistic coefficient of the 7mm Nosler the difference down range is equalized fo the most part.

I just checked with SSK about rechambering a Contender Barrel (thinking of having my 7-30 Waters rechambered to the 7X30 JDJ which is an improved 7-30 Waters with a sharper shoulder and less body taper). I was quoted a cost of $95.00 and that includes a heavy duty locking bolt spring. One nice thing about the .30-30 AI is that you can still shoot .30-30 Winchester ammo in it and upon firing out pops a .30-30 fireformed case ready to reload.

Larry

hunt4570 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:11:40 AM »

Thanks, this is the stuff I'm wanting to hear.. Larry5081, what loads were you using for that pig? and SD Larry.. I was thinking thinking exactly that, rechambering my 30/30 to the AI, was on the SSK site this morning...by the time I rechamber and get the dies ect I could almost get a used 7x30 bbl and still have my 30/30 bbl. And the AI isn't much of an improvement over the 7x30..
Again thanks everybody, keep it coming..

hogcowboy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:03:53 AM »

That hog shot was with a 120 gr TNT HP using 36 gr of Reloader 15. I don't remember who makes the TNT though. It might be Nosler or Speer. It's been a long time ago.

hoghunting · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:19:35 AM »

I also use a 14" 7-30 Waters Contender barrel. My best accuracy was with RL-15 and the Hornady 120 gr SSP. The SSP was discontinued a few years ago, and started using the 120 Gr SP at Hornady's recommendation. It's extremely close to the same accuracy, and equal in performance on deer, hogs, and coyotes.

Every barrel is different, mine just doesn't like the Nosler BT.

Bull1899 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:45:28 AM »

I've used the 7-30 Waters for a while now and is one of my favorites. I have taken deer and other animals with it and accuracy is exceptional. I reload and I have shot groups over the bags that you could cover with a dime and recoil is minimal...works great on coyotes too.

Shortgun · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2011, 04:17:02 PM »

I bought my first 7x30 barrel over 30 years ago..and I still have it. That should tell you something about what I think of it. That old barrel has had 1000's of round sent down range since and it is still a GREAT shooter..bested in the accuracy only by a small margin by a couple custom barrels I have. IT AIN"T FOR SALE at any price. My longest big game kill with that barrel came on a 1985 Wyoming antelope hunt and the shot got me a free hunt when the outfitter bet me I could not make the shot. He lost. And he learned a thing or two about handgun hunting on that day.
I have had two loads for that gun that have remained unchanged for many years. I use AA2015 for light bullets and 4895 for heavies. There are several good 120 gr bullets that work well at 7x30 speeds and the NBT is the most accurate in my gun. I have had terrific luck with the old 120 Flatnose HP as loaded in Federal factory ammo as well. The old 130 SSP worked well also and for shorter ranges the 140 NBT is a real hammer on deer and would be my choice for hogs as well. My last deer fell to the excellant Hornady 140 SST. That barrel has severed me well on about 40 deer and I have extreme confidence in its capibilities. Like others have said I would keep the distance at 200 yards or so unless you are well practiced and with a good rest. If you are confident in your skills you might be able to reach a bit futher..I did on that beautiful October day in Wyoming.
shortgun

hunt4570 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2011, 05:22:09 PM »

Thanks Shortgun.. And nice story also!!

Dezynco · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2011, 03:20:24 AM »

I just got a 7x30 Waters "Super 14" from one of the members here. So far I'm well pleased with it, but haven't had time to really nail down an accurate load for it. It seems to be a little pickier about ammo than my old trusty 30-30 barrel in the same length. It's not that I couldn't hit a deer easily with it, just that so far it is a little more fussy about ammo than the 30-30, which is my faforite barrel.

However, where it shines is out past 100 yards. It is still sizzling while the old 30-30 is starting to run out of steam. One day some friends and I were doing a little shooting. We set an old oil bottle up at the "top of the hill" which is 215 yards from where we were set up. I can easily hit it every time with the 7-30, where I had to do a little guess work to hit it with my other calibers. I'm loading mostly with Sierra 140 grainers and BLC-2.

Hope this helps you make up your mind. The 7-30 Waters is an excellent choice if you're needing to shoot 200+ yards.

hunt4570 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 23, 2011, 04:31:50 AM »

Thanks dezynco.. My mind (what little is left

) is pretty much made up. I'm starting to lean back towards a 14" as opposed to a 16" barrel though. I've looked all over and just not any 16 inchers out there, besides if I ever get to hunt again the longer barrel might proove to be a pain..There are plenty of brand new 14 inchers out there for sale and starting with a new one would be kind of nice I think..
I can't wait till this weekends gun show to start my "shopping"..

Scott

Curtis · « **Reply #13 on:** January 23, 2011, 05:13:59 AM »

Dezynco if you get the urge to experiment with different powders, give AA-2460 a try. Outstanding for me under either a 120 gn Hdy V-max or Nozler Ballistic Tip.

Curtis

hunt4570 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:15:10 PM »

Thanks all, between your reccomendations and all that I've read the past few weeks I'm convinced, in fact I found a good deal on a used (barely) 14" barrel...MO went out today....now I have some playing to do...

Dezynco · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2011, 03:41:12 AM »

Quote

Dezynco if you get the urge to experiment with different powders, give AA-2460 a try

I may just do that now that deer season is about over. I've never used Accurate Arms powders except for AA-1680 in my 300 Whisper AR-15. AA powder seems good so far, so I may pick up a pound of 2460 as soon as I get a chance!

Thanks!

DANNY-L · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2011, 12:54:29 PM »

I get good 100yd groups (have'nt tried further yet) with w748 but a quite a bit better with 37gr.imr4064 with sierra 120gr. pro hunters. Took my 1st deer last year with it at only 30-35yds. I also use a burris 2x6 and the 14" 7x30 is just a joy to shoot. I also wear earplugs,that dang thing is loud

hunt4570 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2011, 01:02:04 PM »

Yeah, I cant wait till my barrel gets here, should be next week. going to a gun show this weekend to start looking for some stuff to go with it...dies, brass, ammo maybe, stuff like that..already have a scope for it.
I also think I'm going to get some custom furniture for this one...a range stock if you will...I see so many nice looking grip sets, I want to get one for myself.

flipajig · « **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:06:08 PM »

I load and shoot a 7-30 it was my first barrel for my tender its a 15''Bullberry and im verry happy with it.
I have used it to shoot Rock chucks out to 250 to 300 yds on the snake river canyon
for deer I like the 140 grn Nosler BT like stated its a hammer on deer and pigs.

hunt4570 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:41:02 PM »

140 BT's for deer..good to hear .. What are you using for those long distance chucks?

The Famous Grouse · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2011, 07:14:50 AM »

I just bought a 7-30 barrel after about 6 years of handgun hunting with other calibers. Because of case restrictions, the 7-30 wasn't an option, but now I hunt in-state where there are no restrictions.

I think the 7-30 is just about an ideal medium game handgun cartridge from the ballistics standpoint. There's a wide variety of bullet weights and types available, case capacity provides good loading flexibility, the brass supply is cheap and practically unlimited, and yet the recoil is still manageable. And for non-handloaders there is some factory ammo available.

About the question of effective range, lot of cartridges are technically capable of 200+ yard shots, but that leaves out the most important part of the equation: How tight is the nut behind the stock? I.e. the guy pulling the trigger?

Closer is better, no matter what weapon you're using. I'm a quality deer management hunter and I don't like seeing longer-than-necessary shots because IMO for the average hunter, every extra yard increases the chances of a wounded deer instead of a dead deer. What I'm saying is that I feel handgun hunters need to practice and to carefully understand the limits of their gun/cartridge and their own shooting abilities and then stay within those limits when on the deer stand. I've even gone so far as to put up markers on some of our stands that present the opportunity for longer shots. It's just too easy for hunters who aren't familiar with the stand, to see a deer on the fenceline, get excited, and misjudge the distance. It takes many years for a trophy buck to develop and one bad shot means the coyotes and wolves get to enjoy the harvest instead of the hunter.

Grouse

RicMic · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2011, 08:22:42 AM »

I use to have a 7x30 Waters in a contender rifle. Shot a couple of deer with it. I moved to Encores for rifles and Contenders for pistols. So my big game pistol caliber of choice is the 35 Remington. With the Hornady SSP 180 grain bullet MV of 2200+ deer can be had quite a ways out there. Right now "I" am only good for 100 yards or so, but I'm working on that.

hunt4570 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 28, 2011, 12:36:19 PM »

<<<Closer is better, no matter what weapon you're using. I'm a quality deer management hunter and I don't like seeing longer-than-necessary shots because IMO for the average hunter, every extra yard increases the chances of a wounded deer instead of a dead deer. What I'm saying is that I feel handgun hunters need to practice and to carefully understand the limits of their gun/cartridge and their own shooting abilities and then stay within those limits when on the deer stand. I've even gone so far as to put up markers on some of our stands that present the opportunity for longer shots. It's just too easy for hunters who aren't familiar with the stand, to see a deer on the fenceline, get excited, and misjudge the distance. It takes many years for a trophy buck to develop and one bad shot means the coyotes and wolves get to enjoy the harvest instead of the hunter.

>>>

I agree completely, I used to run a 1600 acre "deer ranch" down in texas and the injured deer scenerio was strictly taboo.Some folks we would let hunt on their own, others had to be watched, and some not allowed to shoot but only wthin a certain range.. hence the watching...that and for proper target identification,not all deer were allowed to be shot.
Rangefinder in hand is always a good thing also...