Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Speer 130-grain 7mm

Folks:

For those who have used it, what is your experience of this bullet on game? I'm not wanting to turn my 7x57 into a 7RM; I'm just wondering how you've found this bullet to perform on game at standard C&C velocity.

Thanks

RM

I've wondered the same thing Mike. The price point is certainly attractive on the 130's, but I can't recall anyone posting about them . Although... in that weight range it's hard to beat the 120 bt, it just flat works.

Works great at typical 7x57 muzzle velocities, say 2900 fps.

Which one, boat tail or Hot Cor?

Sorry. Hot Cor

Thanks, John. Do you have a favorite powder?

The boat tail Speers are deliberately made softer.

Mike,

Any powder in the 4895 burn-rate class works well. As I recall, the last time I loaded that bullet was with IMR4064.

Thanks, John.

No personal exp. although I have a box on my bench that was bought on the recommendation of a few guys at work shooting 280, 7/08s etc.They like 'em.

I experimented with the bullet since I read a Outdoor Life Jack O'Connor article citing 50 grs IMR 4320 @3100 fps from a 22" bbl. He said the load was at 53,000 PSI He didn't blow up Eleanor's rifle so I thought it would be worth a try. Bob Hagel published 3115 fps with H414 in a 22" bbl. Ray Atkinson a former fire member said he received 3200 fps in his Brno 21 & 22 using the powder. I never got to 3100 fps but close with 50 grs of H414 in WW cases, 3060-3070 fps in a VZ 1924 Mauser with a 24" McGowen barrel and a Win M 70 with a 24" Buhmiller bbl. A Ruger 77 with a 22" bbl gets 3025- 35 fps.

As in the case with all three rifles it was impossible to seat the bullet anywhere near the lands, but I got respectable accuracy of 1.25" - 1.5" for 5 shot groups at 100 yards. This did not surprise me because I get good or better accuracy with 115 - 120 grain bullets. In fact,a Ruger 77 will print less than 1" 5 shot groups with a 115 grain Speer HP.

When I reduced the powder from 50 grs to 48.5 grs I got better accuracy MOA at about 2950 fps and that is what I hunted Mule deer with and killed 1/2 dozen bucks with a Ruger M77. Range variation was 200 to 275 yards. Couple here.

buck on right.




My Dad used the same load in his Ruger 77

Nice! Thanks.

I've used both the Hot Cor and the BTSP in a 7mm/08. Whitetail deer did not agree with either of them at all. I did recover one of the BTSP's from under the hide of an offside shoulder. It was fully expanded, but intact. The deer dropped where she was standing. One thing I noticed about both bullets was that accuracy was very nice out of my rifle. Would not hesitate to use that bullet again, out of the 7/08.

I used the flat base 130 in a model 88, 284win. On a couple of blacktail here in Oregon.
It worked just fine and should be a good choice

Rev, I killed a lot of whitetails with the 130 7mm's.. But I shot them out of a 7mmRM.. They did fine on those deer.. Shot some antelope also.. Nothing larger..

Like Alan, I've had good successful results with those Speers in both the 7/08 and the 7 x 57...

and YES, even with reduced velocity loads....

Thanks for all the responses. Two questions

Does anyone want to share a favorite powder (as well as cartridge it's used in)? MD recommends something in the 4895 range, like 4064, for my 7x57. What have y'all used?

Also, for anyone who has found one in game, do they seem to hold together well?

Thanks

I have not used the 130s but other Speer hot cores did well in different cartridges. The hot core I think is an underrated bullet. It was always designed as a hunting bullet and has a slightly thicker jacket than some other cup and core designs. The hot core process while it doesn't bond the core seems to get rid of air gaps and any lubricants that can cause the core to shed the jacket more easily.

One PH I hunted with swore by the 180 Hot Core in the 300 WM. They would buy 50 lbs of them whenever they came to the states and used them for back up and culling up to game the size of Eland.

The Speer reloading data shows ten different powders that achieve 2900+ fps with the 130 in the 7x57 making the old cartridge equal to some of the more anemic factory loads for the 270 Winchester. https://www.speer-ammo.com/reloading

Those loads from the new Speer manual aren't fooling around.

Thanks.

Well Mike you got lots of advice so here's some more. Quit jacking around with 130 Speers and go to the 139 gr flatbase Hornady SP, it flat works in the 7x57, 7-08, 280, and 7 Rem Mag. F... the rest shoot the best. MB