7mm rem mag bullet options

[Full Curl]

I'm looking for a good all-around 7mm rem mag premium hunting bullet in the 150-175gr range for a factory Rem SPS SS 700 bolt action. I'm looking to shoot 500 to 600yds on game from antelope to elk. I would rather not spend a small fortune purchasing too many different options so was hoping to start out with maybe 2 tried and trusted ones and see how they shoot. Not to mention I'm sure finding some of these in stock right now will be very difficult at best. Thanks.

Consideration to this point are:

Berger Classic Hunting bullet 168gr
Berger VLD-Hunting bullet 168gr or 180gr
Berger Hybrid 180gr
Nosler AB 160gr
Nosler AB LR 150gr, 168gr, or 175gr
Nosler BallisticTip 150gr
Hornady InterBond 154gr
Hornady ELD-X 162gr
Hornady ELD-X 175gr
Hornady AMAX 162gr

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm looking for a good all-around 7mm rem mag premium hunting bullet in the 150-175gr range for a factory Rem SPS SS 700 bolt action. I'm looking to shoot 500 to 600yds on game from antelope to elk. I would rather not spend a small fortune purchasing too many different options so was hoping to start out with maybe 2 tried and trusted ones and see how they shoot. Not to mention I'm sure finding some of these in stock right now will be very difficult at best. Thanks.

Consideration to this point are:

Berger Classic Hunting bullet 168gr
Berger VLD-Hunting bullet 168gr or 180gr
Berger Hybrid 180gr
Nosler AB 160gr
Nosler AB LR 150gr, 168gr, or 175gr
Nosler BallisticTip 150gr
Hornady InterBond 154gr
Hornady ELD-X 162gr
Hornady ELD-X 175gr
Hornady AMAX 162gr

I've been hunting and shooting the 7mm RemMag for almost 15 years now. It is an exceptional cartridge. Over that time span I've used a lot of different bullets. 160 Accubonds work good, and Barnes 160 TSX XLC coated (blue color) hollow points worked good, too. But these days I only use Berger bullets. And for my 7mm RM, I use the 168 VLD's because my factory Remington 26" 9.25 twist sporter barrel didn't like the 180's. However, my Sendero SF 7mmSTW also has a 9.25 twist, but shoots the 180 Hybrids sub-1/2" @ 100. Maybe the extra velocity, or the fact that it's a heavy barrel helps? I'm not sure with this particular barrel why it does, but it shoots so I'm leaving it alone. But also keep in mind that some barrels just don't like certain bullets no matter what, and I think my sporter barrel just didn't like the 180's.

Also, I recommend Nosler brass, Fed 215M primers and either IMR 7828 SSC or 7977 powder.

Also, I seat the VLD's at 0.015" off the lands for most of my rifles with great results.

 

[Rifleman513]

I don't own a 7mm but my friend I elk hunt with uses the 168vld's in his 7rm and dropped a nice bull with one this year at 750yds. I'm slowly switching some of my guns to the vld's and have been pretty happy so far.

 

[FurTaker]

+1 for the 168gr Berger VLD

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I'm not sure what your elevation is, but if you are above 1000', our 155g Hammer Hunter is an exceptional bullet and will handle any big game animal on the North American continent. We ran this bullet in our 7 mag at 3450 fps from a 28" barrel last fall for elk and mule deer. You should be able to get about 3300 fps in your rifle. This would make your rifle an 800 yard contender for any big game you want to hunt.

Let me know if you have any questions or what we need to do to earn your business.

Steve

 

[Kevin87]

I'm using the Berger 168 Classic Hunters and really like them. Took a cow at 483 yards this past season and dropped it where it stood. I have never had another bullet do that. Very accurate and very forgiving on the distance to the lands.

 

[Lrt307]

180 Berger hunting bullet or Jlk 180. They have both done well for me. I am gonna try the new eld x 175 this weekend. Not a fan of nosler brass at all. Stick with Remington or Winchester brass and all will be good.

 

[Full Curl]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm currently using mostly Norma brass... win and rem have been so hard to find.

Kind of surprised nobody has mentioned the Nosler AB LR yet. Has a great BC. I've never shot Bergers, but it seems that I should give them a try.

RockyMtnMT - I'll check out your website to see what you offer.

Keep the responses coming, thanks!

 

[MudRunner2005]

180 Berger hunting bullet or Jlk 180. They have both done well for me. I am gonna try the new eld x 175 this weekend. Not a fan of nosler brass at all. Stick with Remington or Winchester brass and all will be good.

Why is that? Winchester, I will agree with being decent, but Remington and Federal brass are junk. I have had way too many case/head seperations with Federal, and Remington components are just not good quality from my experiences.

I use Nosler brass almost exclusively in my magnum cartridges, and have many reloads on some of them...No issues here.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm currently using mostly Norma brass... win and rem have been so hard to find.

Kind of surprised nobody has mentioned the Nosler AB LR yet. Has a great BC. I've never shot Bergers, but it seems that I should give them a try.

RockyMtnMT - I'll check out your website to see what you offer.

Keep the responses coming, thanks!

Nosler inflated their BC's for advertising purposes. Bryan Litz has tested them and proven this to be true. That's why you won't hear a lot of mention of them on here.

 

[Lrt307]

Why is that? Winchester, I will agree with being decent, but Remington and Federal brass are junk. I have had way too many case/head seperations with Federal, and Remington components are just not good quality from my experiences.

I use Nosler brass almost exclusively in my magnum cartridges, and have many reloads on some of them...No issues here.

I have some really good loads near psi just below. These are in 270, 7mm, 7rum and 300 rum. I tried running my loads that shoot great and not hard on brass or primer pockets in Nosler brass and near blew up the guns. They are a tad tighter but I blew the primer pockets out on the 1st firing. I dont like the fact a guy has to load down to run them. After they are fire formed they will handle a little more but I chose to use what works. Rem and win brass will definetley handle loads that are just below psi better. This also translates into more speed and energy. I feel nosler brass is leaving quite a bit on the table in the performance department but also understand rem and win brass are getting hard to find.

 

[Rogmay]

I just got done loading up 75 bullets, 25 Berger 180vld's, 25 Berger 168vld's and 25 Nosler 175 LRAB's, I have a couple kegs of Retumbo which has always worked well for me so I've loaded 5 different powder weights in .5gr increments to see if any yield worthy groups to test further! I also have 200 of the Hornady 162 eld-x and 100 of the 175 eld-x on order to try when they come in. All will be shot out of my 7rm Cooper with a 1:9 twist, 26" tube. I currently shoot the Berger 168 vld out of my Tikka 7mm with a 1:9.5 twist and a 24" tube, they shoot close to .5 moa out to 700yrds!

 

[MudRunner2005]

I have some really good loads near psi just below. These are in 270, 7mm, 7rum and 300 rum. I tried running my loads that shoot great and not hard on brass or primer pockets in Nosler brass and near blew up the guns. They are a tad tighter but I blew the primer pockets out on the 1st firing. I dont like the fact a guy has to load down to run them. After they are fire formed they will handle a little more but I chose to use what works. Rem and win brass will definetley handle loads that are just below psi better. This also translates into more speed and energy. I feel nosler brass is leaving quite a bit on the table in the performance department but also understand rem and win brass are getting hard to find.

You do realize that every brand of brass has a different case capacity, which means it will reach pressures at different charge weights of powder, right? Loads are not simply interchangeable... Therefore I'd have to say the Nosler brass failure was on you.

You don't have to load-down to load Nosler brass, velocity is more relative to pressure, than to powder charge itself, so just because you use less powder to reach the same pressures, doens't mean it's necessarily going to be a slower load. Changing brass is just like changing powder, bullet weights, or primers, you have to work up a whole new load when you change any one of those things. If not, you're asking to potentially damage something, like you experienced.

 

[FEENIX]

I'm looking for a good all-around 7mm rem mag premium hunting bullet in the 150-175gr range for a factory Rem SPS SS 700 bolt action. I'm looking to shoot 500 to 600yds on game from antelope to elk.I would rather not spend a small fortune purchasing too many different options so was hoping to start out with maybe 2 tried and trusted ones and see how they shoot.Not to mention I'm sure finding some of these in stock right now will be very difficult at best. Thanks.

Consideration to this point are:

Berger Classic Hunting bullet 168gr
Berger VLD-Hunting bullet 168gr or 180gr
Berger Hybrid 180gr
Nosler AB 160gr
Nosler AB LR 150gr, 168gr, or 175gr
Nosler BallisticTip 150gr
Hornady InterBond 154gr
Hornady ELD-X 162gr
Hornady ELD-X 175gr
Hornady AMAX 162gr

Keep it simple and move on with Berger VLD-Hunting bullet 168gr or 180gr. Either one will serve you well, whichever shoots more accurately out off your rifle is what you want. My personal preference would be the 180, if it shoots better than the 168.

3 years ago, I loaded the 180 for a friend and he harvested a MT bull elk at just shy of 500 yards, DRT with one shot.