7mm Rem. Mag 162 ELDM vs 168 ABLR vs 168 VLD

[Ben Keller]

So I'm building a new rifle, and yes I know each bullet shoots different in each barrel. However, Im trying to determine my starting point in load development without having to shoot 284747284 rounds to complete the load development.

Should I start with:
The Hornady 162 gr ELDM
The Nosler 168 Accubond LR
The Berger 168 VLD

All these bullets have a great BC. I plan on shooting 1000 yards but only hunting with it out to 700 yards. I have experience with all three but I'm trying to see who else out there has experience/kills with any of the above and how far the bullet liked being seated off the lands. Thanks in advance

 

[MudRunner2005]

Berger 168 VLD seated .015" off the lands. Now, that your seating depth is nailed down, do a load workup to find your best node. Simple as that.

If you have a 1:8 or 1:9 twist, I would look into the 180 Hybrids for 1,000 yard shooting, or the new 175 Elite Hunters. Same seating depth. Do a load workup. I would look int IMR 7977 powder, Nosler brass, and Federal 215M primers.

 

[Crunchy]

H-1000 is a very good powder you should consider. Im a Berger VLD fan myself. My 7mm Rem likes 67 grains and between .010 to .020 off the lands.

 

[Ben Keller]

I currently use H1000 and it's been temp stable and has been pretty accurate.

Any horror stories with the ELDM?

 

[Crunchy]

Sorry cant help you with the ELDMs. Once I got the Bergers dialed in, I couldn't see changing anything.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I run the 162 eld-m at 3125 with rl-26. Accuracy is good and I've shot that bullet at 1,000 with a stock browning hunting rifle. The BC held true which I believe is the highest af all 3 of those mentioned. I've killed a couple deer with that bullet. It's some bad deer medicine

 

[highdrum]

A 7mag with 180 Bergers is a proven killer to a long ways out. Throat the barrel accordingly, use H1000, Retumbo or RL26, will be close to 3k fps.

 

[BW64]

162 eld with 70.1 Retumbo @ .015 off running 3140 out of a 26" X Cal barrel. Well below max load. 10" at 1000. Start at 69 & work up.

BW

 

[gohring3006]

It's hard to beat the 162 eld m
It's high bc with a relatively light weight gives it great performance.
It's a great example of how velocity impacts performance as much as a high BC and with the 162 you have both.
Not sure how it would do close up on animals though. I'm coming at it with a ballistic evaluation.

 

[Ben Keller]

A 7mag with 180 Bergers is a proven killer to a long ways out. Throat the barrel accordingly, use H1000, Retumbo or RL26, will be close to 3k fps.

As good as Bergers shoot, I've heard more horror stories about them than any other bullet. You can loose an animal shooting any bullet if you don't hit it right, but I wish I didn't hear as many bad stories about the Berger's because they are a great shooting bullet. I've heard a lot of bad with the 180s.

 

[highdrum]

175 elite hunters then, I've heard bad stories about the 195s too especially with 28 nosler speed. I personally think that a lot of hunter use Berger bullets, so if one doesn't perform as advertised, you have a higher chance of hearing about it. I shoot the 180s in my 7lrm, will be shooting same bullet when it gets done with the new 7 blaser barrel. I've had good luck with them, elk & deer. Eldm doesn't have a ton of following or data on game yet, but I'm going to try them in the new barrel as well. Cannot disagree with their high BC, terminal performance is yet to be fully evaluated. Every bullet can fail to expand, or over expand in many situations. 90% of the time, I'd like to think they work as they should. I'd like better percentages than that, but honesty I think the biggest factor in any of this is the shooter putting X bullet where X bullet is designed to go for best results.

 

[Ben Keller]

I agree, I know the ELDM is newer so it may take a while for the reviews on terminal performance to filter in. I had a friend shoot a deer around 200, and the 162 ELDM did really well. That being said 200 is a lot different from 700.

I'm surprised nobody on here has shot or mentioned the 168 accubond LR. I've heard they don't shoot well in a lot of people's rifles, but if it does shoot well I know the bullet will do it's job. I shot the 150s before and it devastated deer. I guess time will tell. I appreciate the info from everyone

 

[Idaho Lefty]

While the ABLR is an accurate Bullet and great for 300- 400 + yard shots, I personally, would NOT want to use it at, "close range" (under, 200 yd's) as, Blood shot Meat, bone and Bullet fragments, could go, everywhere if, any bone, is hit ! There are many older accounts of this, in THIS Forum, to read. The ABLR is designed to expand at LOW Velocity, down to, 1,300 FPS ! The AccuBond, "regular" Bullet, is good, and "expands", at ranges, say out, to 700-800 yards or more, depending on Velocity started and Bullet chosen. Nosler says the .270 AB will still expand at, 1,800 FPS, not sure about the 7mm, tho. I shot my Bull at 70 yd's this year, with a 140 AB, in a .270 WSM, at 3,150 FPS and lost, very little Meat due to, fragments and Blood shot, meat ( less than, 2 Pounds of, meat, lost ) with, a behind the shoulder shot and "clipping" the Clavicle on the far side as my Elk was not, completely broadside.
My son used the 150 grain 7mm, ELD-X to kill his Bull,.. that Bullet, worked fine, too !

 

[TG-5150]

I love these target bullets for hunting threads, kinda like comic books.
I've seen huge messes with Berger's. Have never been around LRAB, just AB's.