Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm 100,110,120 performance

anyone have a reco for a light 7mm hunting bullet, white tail.

I have a 7mm Benchrest that seems to group anything to MOA.
I've been shooting matchkings and hollowpoint so far.
100hp
130 bthp

I hear good things about the 120 Ballistic Tip.

+1 - Definitely a good hunting bullet. Good accuracy and great results on deer.

+1 - Definitely a good hunting bullet. Good accuracy and great results on deer.

Of those choices, I'd go with the 120 gr Ballistic Tip.

If I were in to 120 grain bullets for the 7mm calibers I'd run the Ballistic Tip.

I'd use the TTSX, because I know it would still have the penetration. I tried the 120's one year in the 280 AI. With the increased speed comes increased destruction. They penetrated fine, but on shoulder or frontal shots, they really tore stuff up. So, I prefer what I'm using, 145 LRX.

My daughter has used the 120NBT at 2,400 and the 120 TTSX at 2,550 (youth loads). Both work great on broadside deer.

thanks all

First try will be 120Sp Sierra's since I had them on hand.

I used a lot of 120 gr. and 140 gr BT's out of a 7br pistol . that kill deer very nicely! The 7br rifle I had, killed an antelope most dead at 300 yds with a 140 gr BT.
At 7 br speeds most any bullet except the few 100 gr. offerings will do a good job though.

I had poor bullet performance from the 120 BT in a 7-08 reduced load (~2200 fps). At 65 yards, hit a rib on the way in, turned 30* right and ended up in 3+ peices, none bigger than 50gr or penetrating more than 12".
Reduced velocity didin't help penetration but I don't expect that bullet to come apart like that.

Last year I went with 139gr Horn HPBT and had excellent performance at the same velocity, little further shot.

I'm probably in the minority but have never been a fan of the BT as a big game bullet and that incident cemented it for me. I'd rather have a good quality cup and core bullet or a Partition would end the discussion.
I shot a bunch of Horn 120 SP in my .280 and they were VERY accurate but the biggest animal taken was a rock chuck.

Sample size of 1. Large buck at 140 yards from a 7mm08, mv 2750. Lung shot, passed between ribs on entry, broke rib on exit. Lungs were destroyed. Deer ran about 40 yards. A little blood layered on the entry side between front leg and chest, but no lost meat. Performed just as well as my favorite, the Sierra 140 Pro Hunter. I would probably not shoot a shoulder with the 120 due to possible meat loss but I imagine it would work. Year before, I shot a large doe at almost the exact same spot with a Sierra 140 PH. That bullet broke ribs on entry and exit. Both deer crashed in almost the same spot after running about 40 yards.

A friend and I did a 500 deer cull in July; fallows and Red hinds. I used a .257 'bee and .300 Win, but my friend used a 7 WSM with 120 NBTs. He was entirely happy with the way things turned out, with shots out to 700. It would be worth looking into.

Well the Sierra 120 SP grouped well. I'm getting ~2400fps .

I used the 120 gr BT at 2380 fps out of an XP100 and it was good on deer. The 140 gr BT would do 2250 fps and was impressive for a little gun, plowing both shoulders on one buck and through one shoulder and out opposite flank on a nice big doe. Both made very short death runs and piled up. Damage was on par for what you would expect from a 7x57 or a 7-08.......