Carman2012
Member
Hello, been reading this forum for quite awhile but except for a post in the intros this is my first post so hopefully its not to long. I have been reloading and hunting with the 7 mag for 25 yrs and my load that I used for most of those yrs was a 140 grain sierra gameking running at 3150. That load was deadly and accurate and killed a truckload of deer and hogs with it anywhere from 40 yards out to 300 yards. Most were DRT kills but the ones that were not would be found within 50 yards with good blood to follow. Fast forward to 4 yrs ago due to job changes I had to move and met a good friend that is into reloading and shooting and hunting and he has a range of steel targets all the way out to 700 yards on his farm. Let me say I grew up with the old set your scope 1 1/2" high at 100 theory and served me well for yrs but was very humbling once I got to shoot past 300 learned alot that 1st time there. Anyhow he also introduced me to berger bullets and I have been hooked on them because they are so accurate. I am only running them at 2700 and thought about stepping them up but as accurate as the load is shooting from 100 to 700 and since most of my shots at deer are within 150 yards I figured I would just save powder and leave them just like they are. Had pretty good results the first yr I used them on a couple of deer and pigs but last yr they really disappointed me with lack of blood to follow and pinhole exit wounds I said I would never hunt with a berger again gonna use them on steel only. After reading on here about how the tips are closed up sometimes and making sure they are open I think I may have found my problem. Checked the tips on a partial box i have left and a new box as well and found most need the tips cleaned out and opened up. Now that I know that i am going to try them again this season. But do you guys think I should ramp up the velocity some more? I keep thinking the reason the 140s I used to shoot might of killed them on the spot most of the time was because the velocity was higher and created more hydrostatic shock. I have racked my brain about this and really need some opinions. I dont mind if a animal runs a little bit but if he does I want it to leave something to follow because lots of clear cuts around where we hunt and you can lose one in there quick.My buddy shoots 185s in his 300 win mag and they leave exits you can put your fist in. I would just say forget it and go back to my sierras for hunting but we have a feeder set up at 650 yards at back of buddys pasture to shoot pigs under and I like the better ballistic coefficiency of the bergers. Sorry about the long post but yalls opinions will be appreciated. I am going to make sure all the tips are opened up on ones that I load to hunt with but should I leave the velocity alone are step it on up? Also if anyone has any good data for the 168 and IMR 4350 you would like to share that would be appreciated as well. I am using 57 grains to get the 2700 and even though its really mild it is really accurate.
