Best All-Around Bullet for 7RM

[Big_Kumar]

I recently picked up a 24" Proof Sendero .284" Blank with 1:8" twist, with the intention of doing a barrel swap and chambering another 7 Rem Mag. I have to wait a little bit because we are in the middle of a move to NM where I will have the ability to chase a lot of game that I am unfamiliar with, ranging from pronghorn to elk. During the interim, I have been trying to read and learn what I can about suitable bullets. Now it seems like I have analysis paralysis, and I'm hoping that somebody here has looked for the same thing and found an answer.

While I am looking for a hunting bullet that can handle pronghorn to elk from 10 yds to 500 yds, I am also looking for something that I can practice 1000+ yds with. Ultimately, performance on game is the most important because I believe one of the most important things about hunting is a humane harvest. That being said, I don't need a bullet that will drive from tip to taint on a bull elk because I don't mind waiting for a decent shot to present itself.

So far I have been looking at (in no particular order):
-Nosler ABLR 175 gr. - Looks decent, but a lot of people say that it is too soft for closer shots (which makes sense if it expands all the way down to 1300 fps). I do like the idea of them being bonded though.
-Berger Hunting VLD 180 gr. - Looks like another decent option and a lot of people say they are killers, but I don't know how they hold together up close either.
-Sierra Gamechanger 165 gr. - I have always had good luck with Sierra before, both hunting and in matches, and I have no reason to think this one would be any different. While I haven't seen them in stock for at least a year, they were the least expensive option when they were available.
-Nosler Accubond 160 gr. - Probably my favorite hunting bullet so far, but I can't find them in stock and I don't know how they fly at distance. They are seem to be the most expensive that I have found, meaning less practice time at distance.

Any experience with these or anything else that I should be looking at would be appreciated. I know that everything is a compromise with bullet construction and performance, but there has to be something acceptable, right?

 

[Lightning8]

I am in GA but hunt in Wyoming and NM - mule deer and antelope - no elk yet. I hunt with a 280AI and use factory 162ELDX at 2850 fps. I have harvested from 194 yards to 350 yards with excellent terminal results. In my experience with multiple deer/antelope - the 162ELDX has fragmentation initially followed by deep penetration of the base. I have 162 ELDX projectiles to load for next season.

The attached picture is the 162 ELDX I used on an antelope this season in NM. 194 yards - antelope facing me. Fragmentation initially in chest region and the base ended up against skin near tail after breaking spine.

 

[Big_Kumar]

I completely forgot to mention the ELDX 175 gr and the Berger Elite Hunter 195 gr are other options that I need to look into.

Heavier bullets have always made sense to me personally for hunting for a couple of reasons. They tend to have lower MV than their lighter counterparts, meaning impact velocities should be lower at closer ranges hopefully preventing explosive failures on game. They also tend to have higher sectional densities, which should help with penetration even though there are plenty of other factors that determine depth as well. The higher BC that goes along with long heavy bullets also works well for my uses.

 

[rmfield]

Higher BC also carries more energy further out as well. For elk at 500+ you still want some poop in the bullet.

 

[XTREM HTR16]

They’re hard to find, but don’t sleep on the Berger 175 elite hunter or the 180 hybrid.

The 175 worked great for me out of my 7 SAUM last year.

 

[Big_Kumar]

They’re hard to find, but don’t sleep on the Berger 175 elite hunter or the 180 hybrid.

The 175 worked great for me out of my 7 SAUM last year.

I generally don’t load hot rounds which helps keep impact velocities a little more reasonable up close, especially when you are using heavier bullets with a lower MV as well.

A lot of people swear by Bergers at a couple of hundred yards or more, but how do they perform at closer ranges with relatively higher velocities?

The good news about Bergers is that I shouldn’t have to worry about accuracy at distance when I am practicing.

 

[XTREM HTR16]

Mine was 140 yard shot but muzzle velocity was around 2,800, so not burning it up. The bull went 5 yards and fell over.

 

[Dough300]

I would recommend the Barnes TSX 175 gr. It might not open super fast at a 500 yard hit but will hold together and make two holes and they shoot well out of my Winchester with either H4350 or H1000 pushing it.

 

[KYAggie]

I’ve shot my Ruger M77 thumb safely 7 Mag for the last 41 years. I wish I had your “problem” of access to game from pronghorn to elk!! I used to when I lived in Idaho, but I haven’t lived there since 2005.

Back to the topic…. It’s really difficult to get one bullet to perform well from muzzle to 500 yards on game with the size difference from pronghorn to elk. The 175 ABLR is probably your best bet although you might need to be picky regarding shot placement close up on a bull elk if they are too soft. At 7 mag speeds of less than 2900 fps at the muzzle, I would think they would be ok, especially since they are bonded, but I have no personal experience with them. If I was you, I would run the 168 ABLR for everything but elk and run a 175 Partition for elk. I know, the Partition is old and not sexy, but they just get the job done quietly. I use the 200 Partition in my 300 win and they shoot sub moa groups with R26. I have killed two cow elk with the 150 Barnes in my 7 mag and I don’t really like the absence of terminal damage they produced. Yes, I got my elk, and yes they penetrate like mad, but they just don’t tear up much inside. I certainly would not run the Barnes 175 unless I was pushing it fast in a ultra mag type case.

If you must have just one bullet, I would probably stick to the 175 ABLR, 160 AB, or 160 Partition, in that order.

Best of luck!!

 

[Big_Kumar]

I’ve shot my Ruger M77 thumb safely 7 Mag for the last 41 years. I wish I had your “problem” of access to game from pronghorn to elk!! I used to when I lived in Idaho, but I haven’t lived there since 2005.

Back to the topic…. It’s really difficult to get one bullet to perform well from muzzle to 500 yards on game with the size difference from pronghorn to elk. The 175 ABLR is probably your best bet although you might need to be picky regarding shot placement close up on a bull elk if they are too soft. At 7 mag speeds of less than 2900 fps at the muzzle, I would think they would be ok, especially since they are bonded, but I have no personal experience with them. If I was you, I would run the 168 ABLR for everything but elk and run a 175 Partition for elk. I know, the Partition is old and not sexy, but they just get the job done quietly. I use the 200 Partition in my 300 win and they shoot sub moa groups with R26. I have killed two cow elk with the 150 Barnes in my 7 mag and I don’t really like the absence of terminal damage they produced. Yes, I got my elk, and yes they penetrate like mad, but they just don’t tear up much inside. I certainly would not run the Barnes 175 unless I was pushing it fast in a ultra mag type case.

If you must have just one bullet, I would probably stick to the 175 ABLR, 160 AB, or 160 Partition, in that order.

Best of luck!!

It is definitely a nice problem to have, even though it is completely different than what I have ever really known. I grew up hunting private land in TX and then bounced around when I was active duty, but spent the last couple of years hunting in west TN.

The thought of 2 separate loads that are purpose built has obvious appeal, but adds complexity that I would prefer to not deal with if possible. I remember guys getting dope mixed up when I was shooting service rifle matches, and I’m not smart enough to not screw it up eventually. The other driving factor for me is maximizing my practice and range time to build a level of proficiency with the load. It reminds me of Bruce Lee saying “I fear not the man that has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Right now none of this matters because most of them are impossible to find in stock, but think I am leaning towards the ABLR. I like that it is bonded even if it is softer, and I don’t have any plans to load it super hot so the impact velocities should be lower from the start. Bergers would probably win inabsolute accuracy, but the ABLR should be able to get me what I need.

 

[nightman89]

175g ABLR

Currently in stock at the shooters pro shop

 

[Big_Kumar]

I appreciate everybody looking out for me and letting me know SPS had the 175 back in stock. I ordered a few boxes of the ABLR to see how they work, along with a few other things for different calibers.

 

[LBEdgin]

I recently picked up a 24" Proof Sendero .284" Blank with 1:8" twist, with the intention of doing a barrel swap and chambering another 7 Rem Mag. I have to wait a little bit because we are in the middle of a move to NM where I will have the ability to chase a lot of game that I am unfamiliar with, ranging from pronghorn to elk. During the interim, I have been trying to read and learn what I can about suitable bullets. Now it seems like I have analysis paralysis, and I'm hoping that somebody here has looked for the same thing and found an answer.

While I am looking for a hunting bullet that can handle pronghorn to elk from 10 yds to 500 yds, I am also looking for something that I can practice 1000+ yds with. Ultimately, performance on game is the most important because I believe one of the most important things about hunting is a humane harvest. That being said, I don't need a bullet that will drive from tip to taint on a bull elk because I don't mind waiting for a decent shot to present itself.

So far I have been looking at (in no particular order):
-Nosler ABLR 175 gr. - Looks decent, but a lot of people say that it is too soft for closer shots (which makes sense if it expands all the way down to 1300 fps). I do like the idea of them being bonded though.
-Berger Hunting VLD 180 gr. - Looks like another decent option and a lot of people say they are killers, but I don't know how they hold together up close either.
-Sierra Gamechanger 165 gr. - I have always had good luck with Sierra before, both hunting and in matches, and I have no reason to think this one would be any different. While I haven't seen them in stock for at least a year, they were the least expensive option when they were available.
-Nosler Accubond 160 gr. - Probably my favorite hunting bullet so far, but I can't find them in stock and I don't know how they fly at distance. They are seem to be the most expensive that I have found, meaning less practice time at distance.

Any experience with these or anything else that I should be looking at would be appreciated. I know that everything is a compromise with bullet construction and performance, but there has to be something acceptable, right?

I use 160gr with great results. Have loads worked up for Barnes TSX which shoots great, also Nolser Accubond which also shoots great. In my Model 70 the TSX groups just a little bit, very little better.