Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Shot of a lifetime - 7mm Magnum Bullet

Thanks for the kind words!

Dunno if I can come up with a list of five bullets, but do have some comments on the ones you list, and an additional bullet to suggest.

I dunno where your friend is hunting, but bighorns can be bigger-bodied than any other North American sheep (unless, of course, they're desert bighorns). The heaviest on record here in Montana went 302, and I am sure there have been quite a few others at least that big. This doesn't require vast penetration, but the size is similar to a big mule deer, and with an angling shot a possibility I'd prefer a little stouter bullet than the Hornady 139 BTSP. I've used that bullet a lot and while it normally works great, I've also seen an occasional Hornady BTSP come apart, especially when pushed fast.

One consideration you listed is cape damage, one area where the Berger VLD might not be the best choice. They can exit on game that size, and when they do the hole is typically pretty large.

In my experience Partitions typically leave fairly small exit holes, because the front core blows off and essentially leaves a wadcutter with a little fringe of peeled-back jacket. I just ran the numbers for a 150 Partition at 3200 fps (easily possible in the 7mm RM) and wind drift at 500 is even a little less than with the 160.

In addition, in my experience the 150 Partition is often easier to get to shoot really accurately than either the 140 or 160 Partitions. The late Chub Eastman suggested that to me years ago, when I was having difficulty getting 140's or 160's to shoot in a very accurate custom .280, and it sure worked in my rifle. Have seen the same thing several times since in cartridges from the 7mm-08 and 7x57 to various 7 mags.