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dk17hmr
09-02-2012, 11:29 AM
Antelope season is getting close and I still havent figured out which rifles/handguns I want to use to fill my 3 tags this year. I am leaning hard towards my 300wsm, my Springfield 1903 (as issued with cast bullets), and my 14" 7-30 Waters.

I had the little 7-30s out today at the range getting some target shooting in and I am more than impressed with that barrel. It conistantly puts 5 150gr pointed soft points into a 1" group at 75 yards and I was hammering a 8" plate at 200 yard plate with every shot no problem. This barrel shoots roughly the same with 140gr Noslers and the 150gr PSP, I havent chronoed either load but I am guessing around 2000 to 2100fps with the 150s and 2100 to 2200 with the 140's.

Everything I read about hunting with the 7-30's people are using 120's and there is not much on "heavy" bullets for hunting. Anyone know anything about hunting with a slow heavy 7mm bullet? Max range will be 200-225 yards and I will be hunting antelope.

Construction is my main concern. That is why I am asking about the 150's and 140's, they are going about the same speed as a 30-30 but different nose profiles. I am going to try and test them on some water jugs, hopefully Monday. I have some 120gr V-max bullets down in the reloading bunker but I dont know if I have time to work up a load.....I could probably just throw in some BL-C(2) and seat the bullet and it would be 1" groups like everything else this barrel has shot.

fatnhappy
09-02-2012, 12:11 PM
Funny you should ask since I began reinventing this wheel in earnest about 5 years ago. While I haven't used the 7-30 waters, I have some experience with reduced loads in the 7-08 (2200 fps) eventually intended for my 11 year old son.
my recommendation:
If those Noslers are ballistic tips use them. The 139 grain hornady interlock (#2820) still shows some expansion. The 140 ballistic tip expands uniformly but not greatly (compared to a 165 grain 06). Mind you I've only shot a few 120-140 lb does with this load.
I can tell you the same class load using a 120 sierra pro-hunter was very impressive on the 1 doe I killed. Nice expansion on a cross lung shot. IIRC it clipped a rib on the way in.

These days I'm a bit more focused on using a CB instead of jacketed in the same category of reduced loads. I'm getting great accuracy with the 7mm Hunter at about 2000 fps and intend to shoot a couple does this year.

All told I've killed 6 or 7 deer and a bunch of woodchucks with reduced 7-08 loads. All were much closer than 100 yards which is notably different than your practice ranges. BTW, they were very pleasant to shoot.

At the end of the day, I'm not certain it matters much which bullet you use. All 3 bullets I used expanded and every deer died.
IMHO, You've practiced extensively already. You may wish to reevaluate the worth of changing something this close to the season.
As always, YMMV.

OH, did you ask Dan Walker? I believe he's using a 7-30 waters or 7-08 for antelope too.

fryboy
09-02-2012, 12:46 PM
i prefer the lighter bullets , having stated that i've had excellent results with the heavier ones using close to max loads of h414 ( almost as nice with the 120 BT's ...almost ) while the ballistic tips seem soft by umm normal rifle velocities at contender velocities they dont seem to blow up as bad yet damage is devastating , bl-c2 and h355 are also excellent powders , if you go for the v-max's aim for a non edible spot lolz ( neck/head joint is good )

chickenstripe
09-02-2012, 02:41 PM
I loaded my wifes ruger compact in 7mm-08, with a 16.5" barrel at 2500fps with no problem, using H4895 and a 140gr barnes TSX. I tried H414, and Win760 with no change in velocity, and an increase in SD. The Barnes bullets also group well. The worst group I got was 1.5" at 100yds, they averaged at 1", but the load we settled on is 0.5".

Took this at 80yds, through-and-through, slightly raking shot totaling about 24" of critter.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_45615043a7c929c5e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6532)

This bullet penetrates like a 175gr softpoint, groups like a target bullet, and has the velocity of a 140grainer from a longer barrel. For the 140gr core-lokt, all else being equal, I get velocities about 100-150fps slower (this is her practice load).

Construction is phenominal with this type of bullet. I've never been able to stop any of the 7mm variety, but I've stopped some in the 35cal variety and they were 99.95% weight retention (200gr vs, 199.9gr)

runfiverun
09-02-2012, 04:15 PM
Doug
i happen to have an older [black and red] 100 count box of nosler 120 gr flat nose boat tail noslers made for the 7-30 waters.
if you want them sent to you p.m. me your address and i'll get them out asap.
i also have some nosler reloading data if you need it.
using powders like 4895,3031,414.

35remington
09-02-2012, 04:33 PM
r5r, if Doug doesn't want them I'll take them and will offer a decent price. I have a 94 carbine in 7-30.

Doug, I did extensive expansion testing with a number of seemingly suitable 7mm bullets, and we were most impressed with Hornady's 120 SSP bullet. While that is no longer offered, we then went to the 120 VMax and found satisfaction with that. At your projected ranges I can find no characteristic of a heavier projectile that would make it more desirable for your plans than this bullet, and going heavier means there is a velocity penalty to pay with consequent poorer trajectory and reduced expansion.

24 to 2450 is doable with the 120, and that's what you want. Accuracy in my TC 14" braked barrel is excellent. 225 is also within the range of effective performance.

UBER7MM
09-02-2012, 05:50 PM
Doug aka Flash,

My question is "What is the twist of your 7mm barrel?"

I've experienced 1/10" 7mm barrels not stabilizing longer j"-word bullets (150 & 160 grains). Interestingly enough, 165 grain round nose Remington bullets that are shorter and with a lower Ballistic Coefficient did stabilize. 139-140 grainers would too. Not exactly what I wanted, but proving the length of projectile theory of the Greenhill formula. In contrast, I've pulled the triggers on 1/9.5" 7mm barreled rifles that shot the longer "j"-words well.

IMHO: Find a "j"-word your gun likes. Then, hunt the planet for cloven hoven herbivores!

I'm not trying to turn this thread into a twist rate discussion, I'm trying to save you some money, time and grief in load development.

I hope this helps,

dk17hmr
09-02-2012, 07:40 PM
No idea on the twist rate didnt bother checking it before I started playing with the barrel but loads are already developed and Im not looking for anymore of those. With 150gr PSP's, 140gr Nosler Ballistic tips, and now 120gr V-max.....1" at 75 yards is the norm for all bullets with BL-C(2) powder in 375 Winchester brass, and they all hit roughly the same point of impact 3/4" high at 75 yards. The 150gr actually shoot a little bit better than the other two at 75 yards.

I shot 6 water jugs today. One with each bullet at 75 yards and one with each bullet at 175 yards. All the water jugs blew up roughly the same at 175 yards, but at 75 yards the 120gr V-max was way more explosive, maybe to much.....still not sure which one to take but I am leaning towards the 150gr PSP and I think I might leave the 120gr V-max for jackrabbits and p-dogs.

runfiverun
09-02-2012, 08:22 PM
35 give doug a day or so to decide then shoot me a p.m. i'm sure we can do sumthin.
i was just gonna use them as a step up from cast for some mid-range deer hunting in the x57's
same as i do with remington 86 gr bullets in my 257 bob's.
Lamar.

dk17hmr
09-02-2012, 09:00 PM
I think I am good to go with what I have Lamar, thank you though.

If I had a lever gun in 7-30 waters it would be a different story though......hmmm 7-30 waters lever gun...no better no hard telling what the wife would do to....

UBER7MM
09-02-2012, 09:17 PM
Doug aka Flash,

If you're hitting 1" groups at 75yds with the loads you've cooked up, then it sounds like you don't have to worry about barrel twist. That's good to hear.

Good hunting,

41mag
09-05-2012, 07:24 AM
I picked up a 7x30 in the 14" TC quite a few years ago expressly for the purpose of a WI handgun only hunt I was invited on. Due to the reports of the deer in the area being in the 200+ pound range I went with the 140gr loads. The Nosler BT was my bullet of choice as I wanted to be sure I could get reliable at least double caliber expansion at my max PBR. After talking with the powder folks and Nosler I ended up going with RL-15 for my powder and haven't looked back. It far and above shot better groups and velocities than did anything else I tried.

I have taken a few hogs and a couple of deer with it my longest shot on deer being 283 lasered yards. At the shot the big doe jumped straight up about 4" and then crumbled when she hit the ground. The bullet impacted about 2" back of the onside shoulder and exited with a 2"ish diameter hole. The internal damage was as would be expected with the BT in that everything was simply jello.

Now one big hog I did have an issue with, but due to his size, and the fact that he also soaked up a 115gr Partition from my 25-06 at about 6" from the muzzle, and still wanted to fight, I couldn't really fault the Waters or the BT.

When you get a chance give some RL-15 a try and see if that won't improve your groups and velocity just a tad. From a solid rest mine will easily keep them under 2" at 200yds and at 100, they are simply boring to shoot. For now however it sounds like you have a great load, go have fun with it.

ShooterAZ
09-05-2012, 03:23 PM
I use the 120 and 140 grain Nosler Bullistic Tip bullets exclusively for hunting in my 14" Contender. While the 150 and even 160 and even heavier will often give superb accuracy, dependable expansion can be a problem especially at longer ranges. 120 grains is perfect for antelope.

jhalcott
09-05-2012, 08:15 PM
When I hunted deer in Maine with my 14" 7-30 the heavier slugs did not expand as much as the 120's. I still killed the deer, but they ran a lot farther than the ones hit with the 120's. 139's were about the best compromise of energy and accuracy. MY hand loads have never given the groups I get with factory. I can get one inch groups with many loads, but factory ammo goes just under an inch, or less ALWAYS!!!

marshall623
09-06-2012, 08:37 PM
My question is "What is the twist of your 7mm barrel?"

T/C 7mm barrels are 1:9 , my 7-30 shoots 120 seirra's , 130 seirra SSP's not made anymore very good it also loves cast boolits 130 lee & 160 lymans

Blammer
09-07-2012, 10:49 PM
dk17hmr to answer your original question, I think EITHER of the projectiles you are currently shooting will work great! I would pick the one you are most confident in as I believe that neither will be the wrong choice.

NOW, on to other topics on this caliber :)

I personally do not like to shoot heavier than 130 in Jwords in my TC 7-30 because it just hurts my hand.

I really like the 100 and 120gr ones. For cast I love the 7mm hunter, even though it wts about 150 it's shot a bit slower and the recoil is managable by me.

NVScouter
09-10-2012, 10:30 AM
My TC 14" Hunter barrels shoots 100-175's just fine. above 150 recoil gets sharp though. I shot 139g Hornady for deer/pigs/coytoes. They shot the best but I only got to shoot 2 coyotes with them and they were opening up.

On antelope though lighter construction the better. I shot my last one twice at 390y with 165 NBTs through a 30-06 and they barely expanded. Those little goats are light bodied even if they look like deer.

ammohead
09-10-2012, 10:24 PM
Not a 14" contender but my 94 loves the old hornady 139 gr flat point currently out of print. Don't know why a spitzer wouldn't do as good.

Irascible
09-12-2012, 07:39 PM
I've shot 4 Antelope with the 7-30 in a 14" Contender. Two with the excellant 130 Sierra SSP up to 220 yds and two with the Nosler 120 BT, one at 345 range finder yards. If you can find some Sierra SSP bullets they are Premium. They did stop making them, but look around, you might find some. If not, the Noslers work just fine on Antelope, but cause a little more meat damage than the Sierras.

Loudenboomer
09-24-2012, 09:15 PM
About 5 years ago I shot 2 Minnesota white tail bucks with the 120 Nos. BT also 14" Contender. That is a good deer bullet at 7-30 waters speeds but on the fragile side. The smallest buck was shot @ 25 yds. bullet disentegrated but a DRT kill. Perfect expansion on the larger buck @200 yds. Lung shot with exit. 12 step tip over. The little gun kills better than it should.

Lloyd Smale
09-25-2012, 07:24 AM
I had a contender hunter in 730. It was my first hunting handgun. I killed a bunch of deer with that gun and everyone with the 120 nos bt. IT gave stellar performance on deer in that gun. I dont remember but a couple that even took a step after being shot.