.7mmRM and/or .7mmWSM and elk

[bowhuntinggw]

i know there is mixed opinions on everything, but, what do you think about the .7mm rem. mag. and/or the new .7mm WSM with a 160 nosler partition or hornday 162 BTSP pushed to about 3000fps, rank as a good elk caliber for shots up to about 400yds? maybe even an all-round northamerican biggame combo?

 

[wmidbrook]

Yeah, I'd say it's plenty of gun. Some others prefer larger magnums for elk like the .338 class.

With your 160 grainers you're well over the recommended minimum of .250 for sectional density. The energy out at 400 yds is just a hair under 2000 ft lbs.

With your 7mm, penetration should be fantastic and you even have the option of all these new bonded bullets geared for greater penetration like Nosler Acubond, Hornady, Trophy Bonded, Barnes X.

I would think that the 7mm sectional desity is so high anyway on the 160 grain bullet that you may want to pick a partition over an accubond like design--it's at the expense of penetration but will do more damage or likely to have a greater 'shocking effect' on the way thru the body.

I.E. If you accidently 'butt shot' an elk, I'd hope you had an accubond or the like...if it's a shot to the boiler room, a partition would be a better bet.

I know a fellow who shot a huge Roosevelt Elk up in Washington. It took 3 shots to the shoulder using 180 gr. Ballistic Tips out of a .300 Win Mag to anchor it @ 250 yds--IMO that was too frangible (explosive) of a projectile not geared enough for penetration.


Anyway, that's my two bits worth for what it's worth.

 

[tmoniz]

I took a nice 6x6 in Wyoming with 175 partitions in a 700 7mm rem mag at 300 plus yards. My partner took his 6x5 with the same gun in 7mm rem mag with 160 Speer boattails. No complaints here.

I used the 7mm rem mag all through Alaska on Bear, Deer, Sheep, and Goat. But back then I was young and it was all I owned. If I had to do it all over again I would probably opt for the 35 Whelen or the 338 mag.



elk

 

[East Sloper]

wmidbrook
I witnessed a similar situtation with the ballistic tip bullets on a mule deer hunt (300WSM using 150g BST). I gave the BST rounds I had away after field dressing and butchering the deer. I have never seen a bullet perform so poorly on deer or so must bloodshot meat with 3 pretty well placed shots!

As far as a vote for an all around No. American big game rifle goes, I'm a .300 magnum fan. 300 Weatherby, 300 win mag, 300 WSM, or 300 RUM...
Good hunting

 

[subfan]

For some chat on the short fat ones; www.shortmags.org I like my 300 WSM

I also will not use BT bullets after seeing how a deer reacted to being shot by my son. It's Corelokts, Partitions, or Accubonds for us.

 

[azbiggame]

Have been hunting Elk with a Rem 7 mm mag since the 70's with 160 grners and have taken Biggame out to near 400 yards with this setup,even own 2 of these rifles in this Caliber,but if I didn't have a 7 Mag today,would buy the "NEW" wsm in 7 mm mag over the Rem 7 mag,big difference,especially if You want to reload.Good luck,the .28 cal is a great all around hunting choice.

I also have had a horrible

hunt using Ballistic tip ammo from a 7 mag,fraged on contact on a Nev Antelope hunt in 2000.Very accurate bullet,"BUT" not for Biggame,use now only on Predators,if I don't want the Fur ---

 

[buckscounty10point]

What BT bullet were you guys using that exploded so badly?

 

[azbiggame]

a 140 grn Ballistic Tip,wrecked my Antelope hunt,never have I seen so much artificial "Damage"from a marginal Good hit.Will never again use this load on a Biggame hunt.Now coyote are a different story

---

 

[East Sloper]

azbiggame
Glad to hear I'm not the only one with bad BST experiences. It is disappointing that Winchester ads suggested it is a medium game bullet. I will give it extreme accuracy (.25 to .38" groups at 100 yards), but useless as a hunting bullet. Perhaps it should be marketed as competition, rather than a hunting bullet...

 

[doghouse95]

I want to say what I really mean, BT's suck on deer and elk.
If I were loading for a 7mm mag, I would load the 175 Nosler CT's.
I have taken many deer, black bear and elk with an assortment of 280 Rem rifles.
Think more about shot placement and you will do better. I know a lot of folks that have hunted elk for many years with a 270 or 06.
Someone in here said it best, the farther away from elk hunting you live, the bigger gun you think you need.

 

[wmidbrook]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Think more about shot placement and you will do better.[/b]

That's for sure...

On shot placement for elk (for arrows and bullets):
http://www.nbef.org/elk_java.html

 

[fossilman]

I,ll shoot anything you want with my 7MM Rem-Mag....Its the placement not the rifle...

 

[subfan]

All comes down to your choice of a short action or a long action.

 

[Coues]

I have good luck with the Winchester Supreme Silver ballistic tips on deer and Antelope. You have to know however, that they don't perform well on close range shots. I would never use them in a hunt where shots could be under 150 yards. Antelope and Coues deer though were made for 150 grain BT's. IMO.

I was thinking about a WSM, until I saw the pries of factory ammo.

 

[raidernation]

The 7mm WSM is pleanty of power, Although I prefer the .300 WSM for better Ballistic's