Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Non lead 7mm Mag load

We in California now must go to non lead ammo. I know, I know its stupid but we have no choice due to the nature of the politics here. Looking for a 140 grain factory load. Of course there is the Barnes Vor-Tx, but also the Hornaday 139 grain GMX and Federal Vita-Shok Trophy copper. Not interested in the Winchester but would like to hear your experiences with the op three. This will be mostly an Elk load if we are lucky enough to get drawn.

I have no experience on game with these bullets, but I will refer you to the reviews on the MidwayUSA website for the Vor-TX ammo using 160 grain Barnes TSX bullets. Almost all give five stars. I have shot the 140 grain Barnes TSXs and the 160 grain flat-base TSXs in my 7mm Weatherby Magnum rifle. Both shot well, and the 160s shot extremely well: 4 shots into 1/2" at 100 yards and into 4" at 450 yards. At 100 yards, the 160s stick into a hardened 1/2" steel plate like a dart. If that's not enough for you, read the stories in the Barnes loading manual #2 by the son of an African PH who has shot hundreds of animals all over the world with various 7mm rifles. His favorite bullet? The Barnes 160 grain TSX.

Don't know about factory, but based on what I've seen with some 2nds 139 GMXs I've been loading in the 7 Rem Mag, I'd have to say this bullet has plenty of potential for shooting very well. I have had no trouble making 3-shot MOA groups with a couple different powders at varying charge levels, repeatedly, and with a fixed 4X scope. Not sure why these bullets are seconds...

I'm not as crazy about monos as I was at one time, but monos work well through bone structure when you can push them fast like a 7 Mag does.

If you reload look at GS Custom bullets I'm loading them for a 375 Ruger and they recommend lighter than usual bullets in my 375 I'm using a 200gr and getting 3213fps and less than 1" groups.
This is a light bullet but is the one they recommend for anything up to and including Cape Bufflo. The company is out of South Africa but has a plant in USA.

The thing I noticed waa I have shoot couple of different bullets and others make barrel hot after 2 shots I can shoot 5 GS Customs and still be cooler.
Good luck

Barnes 145 LRX or 140 TTSX.

I've shot a number of elk with a Barnes, along with other big game, out of my 270W, and I've mostly used the 130gr weights.

So far, I have never recovered a Barnes out of a big game animal, but I have recovered every big game animal shot with one.

Up until last week, I had never had to take a 2nd shot at big game using a Barnes, and I have been using them since 1992.

Last week, I jumped a whitetail buck at about 10 yards and took a 'Texas heart shot' with my 243 using the 80gr TTSX. That shot pretty much stopped him and when he turned broadside a little I shot him again through the lungs. Both bullets exited. He took about 2-3 steps after the first shot hit him, and no steps when the 2nd arrived.

So, stick a 140gr Barnes TTSX in your 7Mag and be confident it will do the job.

TTSX. 140 grain. Best thing out there.

I shot a elk last monday with a 150 grn TSX and it performed perfectly.

Shot it with a Tikka T3 and loaded under 63grn's of IMR 4831. The round worked so well on the elk that i'm now certain that this will be the rifle I use on my Oryx hunt in January.