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If you were going to work up a 7x57 elk load, what bullet weight and brand would it be? Max shot distance will be 250 yds. Your ONLY 2 choices are 140 and 150! Thanks Daniel

Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame.

150 grain Nosler PT is what I used in the 7x57 with RL17 to move it along. Inside 250 yards, you'll be golden. My back up would be the 140 Accubond.

I would also be grabbing a Partition.

Beretzs, how much RL-17? Approximately? REM. 700 Mountain Rifle.

140 or 150 TTSX

140 or 150 NP, 140 NAB, or 150 NBT. I can tell you the 150 NBT worked very well on a rather large bull from the lowly 7mm-08,

Partition or North Fork. I've used both, along with Accubonds and TBBC's, on elk. With great results. That being said the NF has absolutely blown me away with both its accuracy and terminal performance...better than any other bullet I've used on elk.

Give em a try and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I'd be very happy with the 145 LRX.

150 grain Partition if your rifle groups well with it.

OP said 250 yd max, so it wouldn't have to shoot MOA

Based on results this past fall on elk at ~460 yards, I'd definitely give 150 gr Scirocco SII the nod. Velocity off the muzzle was 2,950 fps with a different 7mm cartridge, but just the same, the darn things more than do the job. Bullet fully expanded and kept most of it's weight, retrieved from off-side hide, left a big hole with lots of blood pouring out of it. The elk basically sat down and expired. I would have no issue running them out to 400+ yards on these critters if you can get your velocity up there.

Not surprised to run into Beretz here, he can back this up since he was there.

Glad to be here.

--Matt

140 Accubond, 225 yards, 7mm-08





140 Partition, 346 and 68 yards, 7mm-08












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I think I am around 50 grains. I am away from my loading book right now, but I remember I am in the 2875 range with the load, 22 inch barrel as well. I am using Norma brass as well, if that makes any difference.

140 NAB.

I'm not saying it's the best, but I have killed elk and deer with it. It's been 100% reliable for me.

Brad, you said the 150 NBT had performed very well for you on elk. I spoke with Nosler about what bullet would be best. Nosler did not recommend the ballistic tip at all for elk, what velocity were you pushing the 150 NBT? Thanks, Daniel

I know your'e talking 7mm here, and I don't disagree with any of the advice you've gotten, but the Ballistic Tip just may be more bullet than it gets credit for. Took my cow elk this year with a 165 grain Ballistic Tip from my .30-06, at 338 yards. One shot through the shoulder. Quick, final results.

On the other hand, there's certainly nothing wrong with a good bonded bullet or a Partition. I just wanted to use the same load I'd been using all season on other species. My first preference would be for a Nosler Partition, and second choice an Accubond.

Regards, Guy

My 7mm pals have had good luck with both in Nosler BTBT.. I have been shooting Accubonds in several calibers, and right now it is a favorite for me...

150 Partition. No questions as to its abilities, fast or slow, near or far, any sane angle.

Well I think I will find some 150 & 140's Partitons and give them a try. Hope I can come up with a decent load in the REM 700 Mt Rifle. Thanks Daniel

My 7-08 Mtn Rifle likes 140 NABs and RE19. Good medicine for elk.

If well placed, anything that will slide down a 7mm barrel should work.

Really? you'd be ok with a 100gr Sierra HP Varminter or 110gr Speer TNT??

Well if it's well placed you can kill them with a 22 LR.

Or so goes the argument...

I'd start with the 150 Partition and see if you can get those to shoot. If not, then I'd try the 140 Partition.

I like a Partition!

I use the 150 grain Barnes TTSX and think it is the way to go for elk if you plan to go through bones or bad angles at all. I had a Nosler Ballistic Tip blow up on the ribs of a good sized bull and leave a palm sized entry wound. He ran over 500 yards before he died - left a spray of blood on the snow every 25 yards or less or if have lost him.

That is the last NBT I'll shoot at an elk. Partitions and Accubond work from my small sample but not as well as the TTSX.

Will need to give it another try but may have found the load for the wife and her 7x57. Nosler 150 Partitions with 50 gr RL 19 looks good, 3 shot group under 1 inch. Just don't know MV yet.

Nosler is in the business of selling bullets, all of their bullets, so of course they're going to push Accubonds or Partitions for elk. Quite a variety of Ballistic Tips have very heavy jackets, the 150/7mm being one of those. They're really stouter than many of their counterparts by other mfg's. I'd put a 150 NBT against a 154 Hdy Interlock any day, and I doubt anyone would question the Interlock's game performance.

As to speed, I got 2,700+ from the 150NBT from my 7-08. The 140 or 150 Partition or 140 NAB would have been my first choice, but that particular rifle didn't like them, but absolutely bug-holed the 150 NBT.

Here's what a 150 NBT did to this mature bull... bullet angled through the ribs, hit both lungs, and was under the offside scapula. That's about 3' of penetration. Bull ran 25 yards and piled up stone dead. Fastest kill on a good sized, mature (6.5 yo+) bull I've ever had. I believe the 150 Partition might have penetrated through the off-side scapula, but it wouldn't have changed the outcome:

I stocked up on 150 BTs a while back after hearing about your friend Mark D's experiences with them. How many elk kills with 150s do you reckon he's been in on?

Smoke, I'm not really sure, but I'll ask him later today. He uses them primarily in his Mashburn, which isn't exactly a velocity slouch!

Plus, they're just damn accurate.

I prefer BT's over accubonds. the 6mm 95gr, 7mm 150 and 30cal 180 are all excellent hunting bullets.

Not near as good as Scenars tho

I've worked up good loads with both the 280 and 7 SAUM with 150 Scenar L's. Just haven't shot any game with 'em yet.

I've not used the 150's, I bought some but the 180's shot so good I never tried them. Sent them to tanner but i dont think he ever got them to shoot consistently.

They have the loong hollow nose like the 155 30cal, so i bet they will perform.

Tanner shoots?

Although I have taken at least 40 elk over the years only about a dozen of them were shot with a 7mm RM or 280. I believe that most of those taken with a 7mm rifle were with NP 160 grain pills but I have used the 160 grain Accubond and Barnes. I have used a .280 quite a bit in Africa on elk size game also. All of the bullets worked well enough but I was a just a little bit disappointed in the Barnes. I now use the 160 Accubond almost exclusively in my 7mm rifles.

I've used the 150 NBT out of a 7mm Rem and a vanilla 280 on elk and several mule deer and seen elk taken with that bullet out of a 280 AI, no drama whatsoever. In fact, when I got my 280 AI it was the first bullet I grabbed to start working up loads. I'd not hesitate to use it on elk.

There are no warts on the 150 Ballistic Tip or the 154 Hornady.

Noslers would be my pick, I'm kinda partial to'em. At the range you specified, you bout' cannot go wrong.

Partitions or Btips Killed elk for me from a 280 and 7rm.

A 7mm 150 gr. Btip from my 280 even busted a shoulder on the way out of a bull as he quartered away from me at 80-ish yards, do not underestimate the Btips for durability, especially from a 7x57....

160 and a few 175 gr. 7mm Partitions slain many a pick-up load of elk from both 280 and the 7rm. with boring reliability. Weather shots have hard angles, bone structure or just plain ol' classic threw the slats the partition works well.

I'm not trying to be contrary but maybe someone has a good explanation. I was shooting current-at-the-time Nosler 150gr BT's in a 7mm08 on an antelope hunt in 2012 - if I remember right my MV was a hair under 2700fps. The first doe I shot was 220 yards, she went right down but jumped up as I was walking up and made it over a hill where she got killed by another hunter - my bullet had splashed on the shoulder blade and never made it into the chest. The next day I filled both my doe tags - one was about 100 yards and the bullet blew up on the humerus. A piece of bone was in her heart which is what likely killed her because I found no bullet fragments bigger than a broken pencil lead in the chest cavity. The second doe was about 85 yards and the bullet disintegrated in the chest cavity with the largest piece recovered being the copper jacket from the base of the bullet.

Have they changed the jacket since 2012 or maybe the old ones were tougher? Was there a bad lot that acted like grenades? I don't doubt anyone else's experience but I went 3 for 3 with bullets exploding on doe antelope of all things.

Top one is a 150 grain ballistic tip that was started at 3250fps and connected on an elk at 60 yards. Bottom one is a 150 grain ballistic tip same load pulled from an elk at 300 yards. Middle bullet is a 160 grain accubond started at 3200 pulled from an elk at 460 yards. As you can see not much of a difference. I'd have no problem launching 150 grain ballistic tips into elk at even slower velocities.

Great picture Laker. I know the 150 BT works for a few MSM fellas.

Interesting photos. You'd think there would have been a more noticeable difference between the NBT at 60 yards versus 300 yards. Maybe the jacket on those NBT's are thicket than we think? I'm resigned to use either a Partition or Accubond - short blood trails are welcomed.

Do recall reading Dober's recommendation for the BT.

Wouldn't be afraid of the 150BT in a 7x57. I load them for my daughter for elk hunting in a 7mm-08

Tonk, mind sharing your load? Thanks Daniel

47g RL 17 2770fps 22"

46g Big Game was about the same thing but the RL17 load was more accurate--that rifle hates 140g.

Thanks, will give it a try. Found a good load with 150 Partition and RL19. Have only grouped it once. The REM Mt rifle is picky!

another good 150 is the swift scirroco 2 however they are a bit more expensive than a 150 ballistic tip or 154 or 139 grain hornady.

I seem to always default to loading partitions, 140-160 gr. But my Father used a 150 gr BT out of his .280 for a couple of cows that seem to be final as well. so in the end I would pick the most consistently accurate one and go hunting.....

I am really liking that bullet alot. It put up a heckuva good show this fall on elk. Plan on running it some more in the future.

My 7 Rem Mag Pac-Nor barrel shoots 160 Partitions with 69 grains of R-25 very well. I was impressed with the performance I got on a big bull buffalo and plan to use it for elk next fall.

I'm not sure how it became so fashionable to shoot light bullets in the 7x57. Most of what i read on here is about 140 or 150 grain bullets, which are short for most 7x57 throats and barrel twist rates. All of my 7x57's, (6 so far) have shot best with 160-175 grain bullets. With the exception of the monometal types, heavier bullets perform better on bigger critters. By limiting the choices to 140 and 150 grain bullets, I believe the penetration and bone breaking power will be somewhat limited as well.
To me 140's are deer bullets that can be used for elk if nothing better is available. Oh well to each their own.

Castnblast, reason for the lighter bullets is a small frame wife will be shooting the light weight REM Mt rifle. Do not want her to become recoil sensitive. She shoots better than a lot of men now and I prefer it stays that way. I think I may have found a good 150 gr partition load at approximately 2750 fps. that will do the job at our max range per outfitter of 250 yds.

It'll do that much further than 250! That's a great load.

makes perfect sense. happy hunting!

I never hunted in the west so I know nothing about it except what I read. I read of all these fancy and expensive bullets. It makes me wonder, did the regular bullets start bouncing off? I mean, if you shoot him with something like a 7mm 154 grain Interlock does he flick it off like a fly?


Educate me.

It's my belief that the 140 BTs are made for the 708, for deer. It's also my understanding that the 150 BTs, are one of the 'Nosler' family members favorite for elk. I've also heard that they are made tougher. I haven't checked all the manufacturers, but I'm not sure that anyone loads a 140BT for the 7 mag. If so, it sounds to reason that they are tougher. I stand to be corrected. Captdavid

I can't speak to Interlocks, but at shootersproshop.com I can buy Nosler factory seconds for close to half off. They're all I shoot.




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140 Partitions out of the 7mm-08 are potent elk killers.




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When I first started reloading for my 7x57 I had 150, BTs & PTs. The PTs shot well the BTs didn't. I have used PTs exclusively since. I use this for 90% of my hunting. They are the perfect bullet for what I shoot whitetail, exotic deer, including red binds, and hogs, to over 200lbs. I'll definitely use it if I get to go elk cow hunting this year. Captdavid

I've killed several elk with the NBT 150's including an old 800lb monster on the run at 200 yards and used to laugh at the idea they would blow up on a shoulder or rib until it happened to me. I'd use them on deer or antelope but would never shoot one at an elk again. At 7x57 velocities it might be less likely to happen but I wouldn't trust one. Supposedly this was a problem with older lots but I'm not sure that isn't a manufacturing defect that gets through now and then.......just don't want to lose an elk that should be dead within a few yards because of a bullet failure.

Happened to me on a trophy Axis hunt. 300 Wby, 180 NBT blew up on the rib cage with no apparent penetration @ 200 yards.

In full confidence this has been addressed by Nosler, I plan to run the 150 NBT's in my 280's exclusively. If it happens again, never again.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the .284 150 BT's. Dober, and MD to and extent, talked me into trying them again after my complaints against the original model in which I hated.

I've taken a big mule deer buck and about 15 aoudad with the 150 and it is a killing machine.

I don't doubt the 7mm 150 NBT; in fact I killed a couple deer with it from a 7-08.

But for elk... why choose it over the 160 NAB?

Jeff my reasoning is in my one mashburn the 150 shot better than the 160 grain accubond and I had a ton of them. Made for cheap practice and Dober had me 100% confident in them

DLALLDER: Daniel I have killed several Elk with the wonderful Nosler 160 grain Partition bullets from my 7m/m Remington Magnum.
I suggest you expand YOUR choices to include this superb bullet.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmitguy, look back several posts and you will see why I limited it to the two. Btw we were in your neck of the woods last October/November elk hunting. Shot a small 8 pt at. We were near Plains.

Not a dissenting opinion, I have seen PT's do some funny things that you wouldn't have thunk they would. Still resulted in a dead animal.

I reckon many animals were taken before the BT or PT ever came along. Neither are the final say of hunting bullets. But, they do what they're supposed to do with reliable results.

I don't see how you could go wrong with either one.

I've got a Savage Mdl. 14 American Classic in 7mm-08 with a 22" barrel.

For my whitetail load I've been loading 42.5 grs. of Varget under a Sierra #1900 120 gr. Pro Hunter with a WLR primer and the load has proven to be both very accurate and deadly on deer.

I have several hundred 7mm 140 gr. Remington PSPCL bulk bullets that I've been planning on working up a load with to possibly use on elk.

Anyone have any experience, good or bad, with the 140 gr. PSPCL in 7mm-08 or even the 7 x 57 on game larger than deer ?

140 accubond or partition

The second-best 3-shot group I've ever fired was with a 7mm RM and 160g North Fork SS bullets. Group measured a max of .262" center-to-center, .022" smaller than the bullet diameter.

On-game performance (elk and mule deer) has been awesome. in my 7mm RM I use the standard 160g SS and the 140g HP variety (a test design Mike Brady of North Fork never put into production but was kind enough to send me a lot of). Also use the 165g on .30-06 and 180g in .300WM. Easily my favorite bullets, although I use a lot of TTSX and AccuBond as well.