Being a guide, you know that clients can't shoot for sheet, so you can't blame the bullet for crappy shot placement or using too light of a bullet for the caliber ;o). I personally have killed 7 bulls with 7mm mag and 140 grain Nosler Ballistic tips moving along from 3,200-3,300 fps. Ranges were from 150-420 yards. Only one bull moved out of his tracks and that was because I muffed the shot at 420 yards in a blinding snow storm. He went 3 steps and tipped over. I killed 4 other bull elk with a 30-06 and 165 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. Oh, and a 38" Shiras bull at 25 yards with the .30-06 and 165 ballistic tips. All dropped at the shot...dead. I recovered about half of the bullets just under the skin on the off side out of the .30-06, including the moose. They are perfectly mushroomed and retained about 60% of their weight over all. The others exited with golf ball sized exit holes. The 7mm bullets retained about 40% of their weight on the recovered bullets. A couple did come apart, but only after shattering the shoulder bones and making mush out of everything, inside. I have shot them through shoulders, face on, quartering away, didn't matter, they always stir things up inside in a big way. I couldn't care less about exit holes, which the vast majority of hunters hang their hat on.
Turn the 140 grain Ballistic Tip down a notch in speed from the 7mm mag to 7mm-08 velocity and it REALLY shines. I have actually killed 18 pigs and 10 deer with the 120 grain Hornady hollow point shot out of the 7mm-08 at a smidge over 3,000 fps. It has been a heck of a bullet for under 300 lb. critters. I have dumped them with clean one shot kills past 550 yards. It is an amazing and over looked round. I think it is due to the lack of rifles in the caliber. The ones that are available have 18-20 inch barrels and short stocks. Sure, they are neeto to pack around, but the velocity suffers. I just picked one up with a 24" barrel (thank you Remington). Love that round and I could rule the world with just that one round in in my stable. It digest every bullet on the market easily and accurately. If you want a heck of a varmint round, the 120's are amazing (I have shot dozens of prairie dogs past 400 yards). If deer, pigs, or any other medium game is on the menu, 120-140 grain cup and core bullets rein supreme. If you want elk and moose, 140-160 grain bullets work fabulous and again you don't need the expense of premiums. Let's not forget, they can be light (22-24" pipe) and are still gentle on the shoulder. My favorite one is 7 lbs. all up in a McMillan Remington Classic stock with a 22" buggy whip barrel. Everyone that shoots it or hunts with it falls in love with it. Flinch
