Best bullets for Whitetail, and mule. 7mm rem mag

[matt_3479]

I currently own a Remington 700 7mm rem mag and will be hunting whitetail and mule deer in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Montana. i need a bullet that will take down a deer at close but still knock one down at 500 yards. I think i have decided on the Nosler Accubonds, but i dont know if i should shoot 140 grains or 160 grains. The 160 seems a bit big from mule and whitetail. This rifle will only be used on whitetail and mule. Please help!

I will be reloading. So any loads will help too

 

[johnnyk]

With proper bullet placement I'm sure the 140's would kill either species however, I'd pick the 160's for Canadian deer. JohnnyK.

 

[Oliveralan]

I would take a look at the 168 berger VLD, if you can stabilize it. I love the berger VLDs and in my limited experience with them, they work really good. I'd say save the accubonds for elk/moose.

That's just my opinion, ive never hunted canadian deer.

 

[fisherman983]

ballistic tips/ accubonds, berger vld's, or the barns triple shock will do just fine with proper shot placement....all are great choices, it just depends on what your gun likes the best

 

[Fitch]

Not sure what's best but most big game bullets in the 150g/160g range should do a fine job on deer. I've some 150g Barnes TTSX I'm going to try next. My buddy has had really good luck with them on deer. My nephew has had good luck with 160g Hornady SP, I've had good luck with the Hronady 150g SP.

I recently tried some 150g SST's at the range and they shoot reasonably well. I'll give them another try - they look like they might be pretty good for Deer.

Fitch

 

[RockZ]

I'd use the 160's. Actually I do use the 160's and have had great results out of my 7wsm.
You can shoot them at 3000 fps and get great ballistics and terminal performance.
Plus the 160's buck the wind better which I find is very important on long shots. It is much easier to calculate drop than drift. And when the wind is gusting out on the plains it is nice to have the higher bc bullet.
JMHO

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I think you're on the right track with the Accubonds. Either weight will work fine and I'd opt for which ever bullet shot better at long range. Given similar size groups I'd go with the 160gr.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Out to 500 yards with a 7mm rem mag any of the ones listed will very effectively take out a deer. So I agree the most accurate one is the best. Here is one thought if your hunting is inside 500 yards. You can drive the 110/120 barnes ttsx at super velocities and super flat trajectory out to 500 yards. Virtually point blank range I bet and that bullet will drop any deer dead at that range. You can go lighter with the barnes bullets and still drive them through animals because they retain all their weight. We have not stopped a 100 grain tsx out of a 257 wby yet out to 500 yards up to caribou size critters. At 3780 fps it is basically point blank to 500 yards. Very little trajectory to deal with. I always set up my rifles and loads depending on the situations I anticipate. But when I go to light bullets as in this case always stick with the Barnes ttsx. With the heavier bullets all the ones mentioned should work well. About 25 years ago I shot some animals with the 7mm rem mag and the 139 Hornady btsp. Largest thing I shot with that load was a grizzly at about 450 yards and dropped him on the spot. That shot was with a 7mm wby which is about the same as what you have. Knocked over caribou and deer size stuff with the remington and that bullet. So they all work.

 

[roninflag]

shot all of my mule deer with the horn 139 and h-4831 69.5. i shot a bighorn with the berger 168. for what you are doing i would try the 140 partitions first though.

 

[Prieto9000]

I´d go with 150gr for the 7mm rem mag. They fly beautifully. They have flatter trajectories and more energy than both 140´s and 160´s on the 0-500 yd range(talking about boat tails). My first selection would be Swift Sirocco if not I would go to 154 Gr Hornady Interbond and last would be the Nosler BT.
I don´t really like the TSX, very Hard and doesn´t deliver very much energy on deer sized game. Barnes would be my choice for elk sized game. But always after Swift

 

[catch-34]

I really like the 168 bergers but like others have said use what shoots best out of your gun.

 

[docv_73]

I've been hunting deer with a 7mm Rem Mag for 5 years now, and killed just over 30 deer with it. I have kills from 60 yards to 424 yards lasered n deer. Most have been in the 300 yard range +/- 50.

I have used 3 brands of ballistic tips in weights up to 162gr, and I have used Remington CoreLoct PSP in 150gr. BY FAR the most consistent and deadly is the 150gr coreloct. I have never had an exit wound bigger than my thumb, no lost meat, and I NEVER had a deer take a step after being hit with them. The ballistic tips kill well, and fast, but I have NEVER had one drop in its tracks with them unless it was a spine hit.

The store bought Rem core loct psp 150 gr pattern 3/4 inch out of my stock Stevens 200, at 100 yards, and just over 1/2 inch out of a rebuilt savage 110 at 200 yards.

 

[docv_73]

To clarify, I handload to get REALLY little groups with the rebuilt savage. I also have just started experimenting with handloads in 160,162, 168, 174, and 180 gr. I am also waiting for a few boxes of 162 and 168 match grade from HSN that I want to try, just because they are "match grade" and I trust HSN ammo. All are boat tail and none are ballistic tipped. The 180s I haven't loaded yet, I just got the data from Berger (180gr bergers). As for everything else, the 150s are still the best killer and most consistent grouper.

 

[WYcoyote]

My go to bullet for deer in my 7mm RM is the 150gr Swift Scirocco.
However, I just bought a box of 140gr Accubonds to check them out, but not because I'm unhappy with the Sciroccos.