Author Topic: 7tcu for deer (Read 1551 times)

rickyp · « **on:** August 21, 2003, 03:44:14 PM »

doe you all think a 14 inch 7 tcu will work for deer and out to what range?

KYODE · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2003, 04:12:16 PM »

rickyp, i havn't actually used one, but i'd guarantee it to be a good deer getter. if you use the right bullet and find the right load, i can't see why a couple hundred yards wouldn't be doable(hehe, is doable a word?). like i said, i havn't actually used one, but i have seen reports of 2400fps with 120's with, i think h335. if you could get 2400 fps, i see a great deer barrel to at least 200 yards.

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2003, 05:01:30 PM »

Can't speak from experience about the 14" but my old 10" sure did in all the deer I shot with it just fine. I used only the Sierra 130 SSSP but then folks who know much about me know I'm sold on that bullet for the 7MM handguns. I'm sure a 120 BT or SST or the old Hornady SSP would also do fine.

I do NOT agree that it is a 200 yard deer gun however. I personally consider the 7-30 Waters to be about a 225 yard gun and the 7 TCU is not that close to it. I'd draw the line in the 150-175 yard range myself.

I've never used it when I thought I'd get a shot over 100 and all deer killed with it have been inside of 75 yards.

GB

handcanon · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2003, 09:31:56 AM »

I have killed a coyote at 125+/_ with a 10" (Iron sites and a 120gr. seirra sp) she didn't take a step. It looked like you turn her switch to off.
The best kill with it was a ground hog (or at least what we call ground hogs in Mississippi, about 45 or 50 lb) at 268 paces off a truck hood with a 7X scope.
I think greaybeard is right 150 to 175 yards with the right bullet, alot of pratice and good shooting stick. Now that Sierra 130gr. SSSP is out there!

KYODE · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2003, 09:58:21 AM »

well, the reason i said 200 yards was based on my shot last year with the 7-08, 120gr nosler bt. it was taken at 250 yards with a mild charge of h4895. i havn't shot the load over a chrony yet, but would guess it around 2500fps, not much more. IF you can get 2400fps out of the 14" 7tcu, the bullet should expand at 200. now, when you get that far out, i think conditions have to be perfect. i had a perfect, rock solid rest and a broadside shot, with plenty of time.
now, can someone shed some light on their 14" 7tcu velocities, especially with h335.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2003, 10:13:01 AM »

Kyode, I believe if you get an honest 2400 fps from a 7TCU you are loading it way beyoud SAMMI level pressures for such a case. Yeah I know there are no SAAMI specs on it but there are for the parent .223 case and I don't think you'll see 2400 fps at the SAAMI pressures for the .223.

The 7-30 case will barely beat that with best loads. Generally the TCU gives up 200 fps to the 7-30.

That is not to say you won't get some expansion from a 120 at 200 yards. You might. But will you consistently get enough? I don't have enough confidence in it for me to personally use it that far. Others likely do and might do fine with it.

GB

handcanon · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2003, 10:21:54 AM »

KYODE
a 120gr. with 27gr of H335 is 2030 fps (40 round avg.) over my chrony
130gr with 26gr of H335 is 1929 fps (20 round avg.)

T/C nimrod · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2003, 10:32:16 AM »

I think the only way to get a definitive answer to this question is find what the manufacture has designed the bullet to expand at. Then set up a chronograph at 200 yards and shoot, find out your "true" velocity at 200 yards and see if it's fast enough to meet expansion velocities (given by the manufacturer). Then we'll add-up all the other variables that may take place and go shoot again. After this we'll figure in temp. and humidy swings and go shoot again. Then Kyode won't be happy with his groups and we'll have to go shoot again.

The first few sentences were meant to be serious.

handcanon · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2003, 10:48:42 AM »

Why not just shoot a coyote at that range and get the bullet out, look at it, weigh it, see how it did. Or try it in wet news paper at the range you want to know about.
It my not be as good as what T/C nimrod said but its a lot more fun.
No offense to T/C nimrod

T/C nimrod · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2003, 10:58:49 AM »

No offense taken my friend, but I can tell you the wet newspaper thing is a hoax. My story involves Sierra 120 spitzers and a 14" 7-30 Waters. I'm on a new kick using newspapers; it involves old deer hides, wet phonebooks, a sandwich bag filled with red colored water, and some thread. Maybe this weekend, don't know if my used deer hide supplier will come through for me or not. (the colored water is for visual effect) :-D :eek:

handcanon · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2003, 11:02:56 AM »

T/C I have got to try that I have some deer hides laying around and may try that. It dose sound like more fun, would it work with coyote hide???

handcanon · « **Reply #11 on:** August 22, 2003, 11:05:11 AM »

oh yea and use ketchup its thickera!!!

Graybeard · « **Reply #12 on:** August 22, 2003, 12:14:17 PM »

Yup Handcannon those are about the velocities I averaged from my 7 TCU also. Real close.

GB

jhalcott · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2003, 12:56:50 PM »

Ricky & all,
I know a 7tc will kill a deer at 150 yards with a 120 gr bullet! I've done it several times while hunting ground hog and had a deer crop damage permit in hand.H322 or W748 powder(which are not the fastest for the round)was used because I had it on hand.The internal damage was NOT as severe as the same bullet from a 7IHMSA or 7-08 bolt gun but still VERY effective.The deer seldom got out of the field and were easy to find if they did! 200 yards could :be done if every thing was perfect.I would hope to get closer,nothing's ever perfect!! jh :grin:

quicksdraw45 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2003, 01:22:03 PM »

Something I often find Interesting is that the loads listed above by Handcannon are found in several of my manuals , In a couple of manuals they are listed as starting loads , In another manual they are listed as Maximum loads .
At what point have you begun to see signs of pressure with H335 ?
I just starting loading for the 7 tcu and found resonable success with blc-2

handcanon · « **Reply #15 on:** August 22, 2003, 02:08:24 PM »

I start looking for pressure with a stuck case then I look at the primers. But each barrel is differnt.
you can go higher on the loads but why, I have a 7-30 waters if I want more speed and if I want even more I would get a bigger case.
I like H335 in the tcu becouse it gives me small groups but I get even smaller groups with H4198.