Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 7mm heavy projectile recommendation for LR elk

gents,

I am building a 280AI for elk out to 500 yards. I'd like a recommendation on projectiles that perform well, have high BC/SD etc at that range.

please advise.

left to my own..... I'd use the Nosler ABLR in 175 gr, but I'm open to better recommendations from a more experienced crowd.

thank you,

180 scenar has been very effective launched at 2900 fps to 800 yards on elk, mule deer, and bears. I'd have no issues with 280ai at distance with it.

Kurt, what powder are you using to get 2,900? 24" bbl??

Phil, RL26 actually gets me a little higher but I throttled back a bit to 2900. 24" barrel.

A guy could get right there with H1000 but that was about max for it. It ran better at 2850 fps in my rifle with H1000.

I haven’t taken an elk with it yet but I’m using the 175 ABLR in my Mashburn. I don’t expect many issues.

The 180 Scenar is my back up. Kurt’s slayed enough beasts with it that I’d use it without a thought as well.

In the past I had and used 4 different 7MMs. A 7X57, a 280, a 7MM rem Mag and a 7Mm Weatherby mag. I killed game (including elk) with all 4. The bullets I had the best results with were the 160 and 175 grain Nosler Partitions. A flat base bullet is just fine for shots to 500. In fact, they are fine for farther then that.
For killing game from 15 yards to about 650, I doubt you could find any bullet that will truly beat the 2 Noslers I just mentioned. Place a lot more importance to the bullet's terminal performance then it's flight performance. 500 yards is not stretching either bullet from a 280.

As a side note, I killed my first elk in the mid 60s. 180 grain factory 300 Savage. I have killed elk most years since, and many years I killed several per season. In ALL the elk I have killed (I've lost count now) I have NEVER really needed to shoot one at 500 yards. Not even one.

So the truth is with a good 7MM like the 280 and a good bullet you are going to be well equipped. Trying to set yourself up for that one shot in 500 but ignoring the real world, (meaning the other 499 shots that are common) is not wise.

Any good bullet of 154 to 175 that holds together well and still expands is going to be fine for elk. When I was young, bonded bullets were super rare, but today they are pretty easy to get and so I'd say to look at any good bonded bullet of 150 gr or heavier weights, or the 2 Noslers I posted above, and you'll do just fine. "Elk bullets" are any bullet that expands well and doesn't break up badly. I have seen excellent results with bullets from round balls fired from flintlocks, to Keith and LBT cast handgun bullets and many good kills with full penetration from cartridges as small as a 243 and going up to a 460 G&A. As a hunter and guide I have seen good results many times with 6Mm and 25 cal bullets and I have seen poor results too, but I have seen poor results with the bigger calibers even more. That's simply because more people use them on elk then use 24s and 25s.

In my years guiding the 2 shells I have seen the most poor results from were the 7MM Rem Mag and the 300 Win mag. Why? #1 bad shooting and #2 poor choice of bullets.

In the last 50 years the 4 most common cartridges I have seen used by hunters in elk camps were the #1 the 30-06, #2, the 7MM mag, #3, the 270 and #4, the 300 Win Mag. Nearly all who use the 270 shoot 150 grain bullets. Nearly all who shoot the 30-06 shoot 180 and some 165s. Good kills with the 270s and the 30-06s are very common.

But far too many of the 7MM Mag and 300 Mag shooters used lighter bullets then they should, (lighter in weight and construction) Many were using bullets with jackets that were too thin, so break-ups were quite common. That is NOT a condemnation of either the 7mm Mags or any 300 mags for elk. Both are excellent cartridges to use for elk, but elk should be shot with bullets that will go clear through and go through in pretty straight lines.

So the reason I have seen more bad results with the 2 belted mags above are 2 fold;

#1. Numerically they are most common so both good and bad results are going to be seen more with them.

#2 Many hunters seem to fall for the lie that faster is always better, (It isn't always better!) so they drop weight and get higher velocities but often ended up with bullets that break up too much for good deep and straight penetration.

Used with correct bullets the 280 (A.I. or not) is all the elk gun you'll ever need if you know how to hunt at all. Use good tough bullets for elk and go forth with confidence.

Thanks. Now if I can just find some of those 180s.........

180 VLD or Scenar.

I have 175 ABLR'S and 168 ABLR's that I could let go. I think the 168's are more stream lined, they are longer at any rate. I have a fast twist 280AI and a couple 7mm RM's. They both shoot accurately in my stock 7mm RM Remington 700. I have not worked much with the other two.

Let me know what you need for the 175’s. Thank you!

BG,

I've got five boxes of 168gr LRX that I'll let go.

I use the 2855 Hornady 175 Grain RNSP but they are not making them anymore . I use them in 7x57 and 7-08 . If I didn't have a good supply of these I'd shoot the 139 or 150 GMX Hornady bullet .

For that type of shooting I’ve had best results with the 180 ELD, 162 AM, and 145 LRX. Haven’t played with the 180 Scenar yet.

I've killed a bunch of elk and mule deer with a 7mm RM with 168 Berger's going 2930 fps.

The only heavy bullet I have shot on game is the Sierra 175g btsp, penetration and expansion just works...I consider them partitions and 2900 does not suck hind tit.

I've done the same in my.280 Ackley at 2,820. Bedded a buck tnite and hope to let her get some in the AM with that load...

The 180 Berger hybrid is the best LR elk bullet out of a 7mm, IMHO. Heavier than I'd shoot in that size case though, you might be better served with the 168.

Billy Goat,

What twist rate are you putting in your new build? If you want to shoot the heavy low drag bullets you should go NO slower than 1 in 8.5" , 1 in 8" would be better.

I’d bet those would be shear terror in a big jugged 7mm!

Jordan, what are you using the 180 ELD with? Just wondering how they hold up on heavy game if you’ve used them. I remember reading 30338’s posts they were quite explosive.