share your favorite 7mm non premium bullet for deer and the occasional elk and which 7mm you have used it in please . am loading for a couple of 7mm magnums and also for a 7mm-08 that will be used for deer but will be elk camps backup rifle this year .am leaning towards 160 speer or sierra but not sure about performance at the lower velocities in the 7mm-08 ?

162 Hornady BTSP

If its too heavy for the 7-08 go to Hornady 154...

For the 7mm magnums, the speer 160 gr mag tip is tough to beat. Not the best BC, but they really hold together great. Nothing I ever shot with them ever walked away. I still think that the 160 gr sierra bt and hornady 162 gr bt are very good also. Just don't get fancy with them. They will kill elk just fine and they shoot very well out of my guns. For the 7mm-08, I like the 140 to 150 gr bullets. I think that the 160s are on the heavy side for cal., but they would stay together. Don' forget the old hornady 154 either for the 7mm-08 or the mags for that matter. It comes down to what bullets your rifle likes.

140 Sierra Pro-Hunter

Tackdriver out of my M70 Fwt 7-08 over Varget.

Forgot about that one...butttttt...its discontinued now....

I suspect the 160 Grand Slam would fill its gap....

This dude didnt like the mag-tip and is now glad its discontinued....

could you share load data and what kind of velocity you r getting with the 140 sierra ?

My favorite for overall performance and accuracy is the Speer 145 gr SPBT in my 280...No elk but lots of deer!!

DANG! Forgot about THAT one too...it is an excellent performer and seems to work well at both velocity levels...for the "one" boolit...I think this might be it!

Boolits is the cheapest part of any hunt...............

I agree with the 162 Hornady for Elk. For deer, the 140 Sierra or 139 Hornady.

154g Hornady Sp is a great elk and deer bullet when shot out of a 7 Mag at 3150 fps...it is also a very accurate bullet.

150gr Win Power Point

Hi,

Of various non-premium bullets I have used, extensively, in my 7x57s, the two best, by far, as hunting bullets have been the Speer Mag-Tip 160 grs and the Hornady Interlock 154 grains Spire Point Flat Base. Never a failure on big Red Deer and European Wild Boar around here. Specially the Speer Mag-Tip is great in these big annimals. Almost allways exited on bradside shoots even throught dense bones launched at around 2700 f/s from the 7x57. Great standard bullet!

PH

120NBT....haven't found one yet when launched at 3500fps, near or far.

154 grain Hornady.

Anything Hornady.

120 BT for deer and hogs,,,, never shot a elk

150 gr Speer SP. The shoot great out of my Blaser, They work well enough. Put one in an Elks heart or a Deer's for that matter and make sure your knife is sharp and you have meat bags handy.

My rifle likes the 160gr speer BT.
I've killed a bunch of deer and elk with that rifle/bullet combo.

150 NBT and the 160 Sierra HPBT, both rock big time on elk on down!

Dober

I like the 139 IL a lot in my -08 but would prefer something heavier in a Mag. It is hard to beat ILs in general for great hunting accuracy and good on-game performance when it comes to non-premos, but a few others may match them.

Dober have you ran either of those in a 7mm-08 ,if so mind sharing your loads ? can I get 2700 fps out of them ?

I've shot em both out of a 18" 788 and they both shot very well with R17. Don't have the load book in front of me but with a 22" barrel I'd think 2700 would be doable with both.

Dober

Shoot the 150NBT out of the 7mmRM. Seems to work so I don't mess with it.

Ive kilt a bunch of critters with the 154 Hornady and the 150 NBT in 7 RM, 7Wby, 280 AI, and 7-08. Both bullets shine in a wide velocity range.

Joseph

You say non premium 7mm, the 162 Hornady btsp comes to mind. I run it in an STW which also shoots the 160 gr Sierra very well. I would not be afraid to use either in a 7RM.

For the smaller capacity cartridge, I'd go with the 150 BT (Here is a great price on them... http://www.shootersproshop.com/Products/7mm-150gr-Ballistic-Tip-Spitzer-Factory-2nds__BT3325.aspx

my daughter has killed mule deer and elk using a 708 with 139 grain hornady sst and interbonds they really shoot close to each other get around 3000 fps

If you want to see a deer turn over, hit it with a 154gr Hornady Round Nosed bullet from a 7-08 or 7x57. I don't know how they work out of a 7mag as I use 160gr Nps or Grand Slams in it.

160 sierra boat tail for non premium is lights out on deer sized critters from a 7RM. Never tried them on anything else.

7-08 140 grn Sierra Game Kings, Nosler BT and Accubonds

154 gr Hornadys in my 280 is what I've used alot and they work great.Must confess to drinking the Kool-aid and running 140 TSX's lately.

I have had good results (accuracy and on game performance) with a standard Winchester 150 grain Power Point bullets out of my 7mm.

Hornady 154 sp...

7mm-08
149 grain Hornady inter lock
45.5 grains Ramshot Big game

Could this be a 139 grain instead? I am considering using Big Game with my 139's and was wondering if you had a typo?

154 Hornady if elk are on the ticket. 140 ballistic tip or 139 Hornady SP if only for deer. In a pinch, 139 Hornady for elk, but I would feel more confident with the 154 Hornady SP for elk.
Have fun!

I stocked up on 154gn Hornady's as they shoot well in my Rigby. The facts is though, the .140's are all you need in 7mm for the majority of game.

JW

140 grain 7mm Sierra ProHunter bullet with the flat base.

My Ruger #1 RSI in 7x57 likes the 140 grain Sierra ProHunter, flat-based bullets for deer.

However, if I were hunting elk and shooting a 7mm Magnum, I'd use a 160 grain Nosler Partition bullet which would insure deep penetration into the elk's vitals.

Yes, I "know"... that's a premium bullet... but it is also cheap "insurance" against one tough animal escaping wounded only to be "lost".


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

Thanks for the link!

160 gr. Sierra Game Kings.

I like the 139 Hornady zippin' along at 2830 fps out of my 7x57 Remington 700 Mountain Rifle.

150 gr. Power Point.Love that bullet.

150 gr. core lokt. Outshoots anything in my 7mm saum.

140 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunter #1910. Most accurate bullet I have used in my 280AI. Works great on whitetails but I have never used it on anything bigger.

139 grain hornady or 154 grain hornady. My cousins current 7mm won't shoot the 140s so he is stuck with the 154. That said they do seem to work with a charge of 66.5 grains of h4831. That said I haven't loaded those bullets in a long time so i'm not sure if thats the right charge.

Depending on the game I think the Hornady 139, 154 and 162 Gr Interloc's are very hard to beat and very accurate.

The now to be discontinued, Hornady 154 grain RN...
followed by the 175 grain RN Hornady

miss the 170 grain RN Sierra.

150 NBT or 162 HDY SPILBT in the 7rm. Push 'em with R22 lit by 215s.

I shot the 154 Hornady sp (the flat base spire point) out of a 7mm Rem Mag for years, killed many elk and deer with it. It will treat you well in the business of filling a freezer.

8mmwapiti

Speer 145/160

120 Nosler Ballistic Tip
160 Sierra

139gr Hornady
120gr Ballistic Tip
140gr Ballistic Tip

I have had real good luck with the Remington Core-Lokts!

I've used the 145 Speer in a Model 88 Win in .284 to kill many deer and antelope, several elk and a couple of moose. I tried 139 Hornadys, but due to the short .284 neck and model 88 clip the bullets had to be seated too deeply and they tumbled.
I use the 130 grain Speer in my wife's Model 7 Rem and my Tikka, both in 7mm-08, and they have taken a dozen antelope, a half dozen deer, six elk, and a moose, so far. All one shot.

88/284...neato rifle!

Dober

139 grain Hornady SST in my 280AI has been a great Whitetail bullet. Plus they are inexpensive.

Randy

162 Hornady BTSP

Old stock Nosler Solid Base 150 grain out of a 7mm-08
I tripped over 4 boxes of these bullets at the local swap meet for 15.00 per box (100 bullets per box) They're out of production now.
Shoots really well with IMR 4064 powder.

I gotta go with NBT 120's and Speer HotCor FB 130's in a 7-08! Don't own anything bigger, but these have shot very well as well as performed well on deer!!!

Sierra soft point 140gr for 7x57 class of cartridges, and 160gr for the magnum family.

BBerg

I used a Hornady 139 BTSP in my .280 Remington with IMR-4350 for success. Accuracy was consistent, and velocity was 2888 f.p.s. I am considering trying Ballistic Tips or Accubonds.

162g Hornady BTSP

My vote goes to the Nosler 140NAB. Cause to hear Little Larry and a few others tell it...if it aint a Barnes...it aint schitt.

154 Hornady.