7 BR- can modern loads extend its effective deer hunting point blank range?

[slipknot]

CAN the 7mm BR be loaded to higher velocity with the newest / more modern powders, to extend its point blank deer hunting range to 250+ yards, or to sone extended range with a +/- 5" trajectory.
As loaded when developed, it's barely useable beyond 150 yds. I'd like to use a very customized, 16" Whitchita SS, that retired from silhouettes long ago, to hunt with.
Any modern data, even with long range overweight heads would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[GLTaylor]

Man! Whitchita! There's a receiver I haven't heard of in a while
Had one in a 6PPC a long time ago!
Memory lane...

 

[Buttermilk]

I chose to load my 7BR with the Nosler 150 ABLR bullet pushed by a healthy charge of IMR8208XBR lit by a F205GMM primer in R-P brass.

In a 15" barreled XP-100, I was getting 2335 fps instrumental velocity at 18 ft. (MV would be close to 2345 fps or so). Accuracy was a consistent 0.600" at 100 meters.

This load stretched the range of the 7BR over a more traditional 120 gr load, or even a 140/150 gr bullet of slower BC.

A typical 120 Nosler BT would have a range of ~250 yds. The Nosler 150 ABLR load still has nearly 1100 ft/lbs energy at 400 yds.

This bullet is well above the threshold for expansion with ~1800 fps remaining velocity. Minimum velocity for expansion for this bullet is 1300 fps.

I only shot one deer with this load and it was at a whopping 41 yds. Worked great.

I've since turned that 7BR into a 30 Nosler.

 

[Dirtrax]

Man! Whitchita! There's a receiver I haven't heard of in a while
Had one in a 6PPC a long time ago!
Memory lane...

That caught my eye too!!

 

[Baker Alvin]

Tagging in

 

[QuietTexan]

Consider going to a smaller and lighter bullet to get more velocity from the limited case capacity:

.284 Cal-090gr Hammer Hunter™ - Hammer Bullets

Here is the 7mm pure copper Hammer Hunter™ speed demon. Just think about running this in your 7 mag at 3700 fps plus, or in your 7mm-08 at pushing close to 3500 fps. Laser comes to mind!

hammerbullets.com

90gn going a very obtainable 2500FPS has a MPBR of +/-5" to 307 yards. If you can push it up to 2800FPS that gets you 341 yards. Stuff a case full of Benchmark and let it fly.

This is my exact plan for my 7BR and 7mm-08 XP-100s for this year. 85gn works very well in 6.5mm caliber, I have no doubts that the 90gn in 7mm will work the exact same. Part of my logic is that my barrel twists in some of these factory/competition guns aren't where I want them to be for the real heavies, that pushed me towards the other extreme of super light.

I got 69gn Hammers going 3000 FPS from my 6BR XP-100 using Accurate 2460. I don't see 2800 in 7mm as unreasonable at all.

 

[Buttermilk]

In my 7mm BR, I could push the Nosler 120 BT at 2500 fps with IMR8208XBR.

 

[slipknot]

I chose to load my 7BR with the Nosler 150 ABLR bullet pushed by a healthy charge of IMR8208XBR lit by a F205GMM primer in R-P brass.

In a 15" barreled XP-100, I was getting 2335 fps instrumental velocity at 18 ft. (MV would be close to 2345 fps or so). Accuracy was a consistent 0.600" at 100 meters.

This load stretched the range of the 7BR over a more traditional 120 gr load, or even a 140/150 gr bullet of slower BC.

A typical 120 Nosler BT would have a range of ~250 yds. The Nosler 150 ABLR load still has nearly 1100 ft/lbs energy at 400 yds.

This bullet is well above the threshold for expansion with ~1800 fps remaining velocity. Minimum velocity for expansion for this bullet is 1300 fps.

I only shot one deer with this load and it was at a whopping 41 yds. Worked great.

I've since turned that 7BR into a 30 Nosler.

 

[slipknot]

The Wichita has a very custom variable, conical tapered bbl, that is fluted at the wider chamber end, that then continues as you see in the pix. The beautifully figured & finished thumb hole stock is a work of art in itself. The target trigger breaks when you think about touching it.
I'd hate to change the caliber, cause that would mean a new bbl contoured to "somewhat" fit the woodwork, but what caliber choices will the bolt face and action allow, that will shoot pencil flat? I'd hate to retire my contenders on 308 Bellm, 358 JDJ, 7-30 waters, but the 7Br is in the same traj ballpark as these! But …….300 nosier or 280… that sounds impressive. What vel, energy, nax range would these offer? Is it worth touching this beauty? Enjoy the pix! Does anyone recognize the smith who did the work? I never got this info when the stork delivered this ~ 20 + yrs ago. ( and yes, I have the original sights).
.

 

[Buttermilk]

Nothing wrong with keeping it a 7mm BR.

A re-chamber to certain cartridges would also give a boost in performance, and keep it 7mm.

Not sure what all is possible with the Wichita pistol.