best 7mm projectiles...bush to 600

Hi guys...I just acquired a Tikka 284 (off this site) just as I'm running out of the old 162 Amax...
This might end up running a varimax brake and I'm looking at a lightweight carry projectile with the brake closed (120 BT springs to mind) and something about 160 grain for longer stuff.
Absolute max would be 600 yards so getting along at about 2000fps (with the 162 eldm) according to the phone...

Really interested on what people who shoot a lot of animals are using...7mm eldx in particular seems to have mixed reviews at distance...
The 120 bt seems a no brainer because its going to be low recoil and people seem to reckon it poleaxes animals out to 400...

Chris

Barnes 145gr LRX

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Originally Posted by Fisherman

Hi guys...I just acquired a Tikka 284 (off this site) just as I'm running out of the old 162 Amax...
This might end up running a varimax brake and I'm looking at a lightweight carry projectile with the brake closed (120 BT springs to mind) and something about 160 grain for longer stuff.
Absolute max would be 600 yards so getting along at about 2000fps (with the 162 eldm) according to the phone...

Really interested on what people who shoot a lot of animals are using...7mm eldx in particular seems to have mixed reviews at distance...
The 120 bt seems a no brainer because its going to be low recoil and people seem to reckon it poleaxes animals out to 400...

Chris

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What speed do you hope to push the 120?
We use them in the 7mm08 at 3000 but maybe the 140 Btip might be a better choice or 150 for your close load. As I'm sure you will be pushing the 120 alot faster than 3000fps.


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ok, my opinion is purely on the 7mm RM.
140gr nosler partition.

I'm just using the rest of my 162amax in the 284, from 10meters out to 550meters on goats and fallow.

When supply runs out, itll either be the 160tmk or 162eld x

Again in the 7mm RM. The 150 Barnes TTSX was my go to for closer work - and 162 ELD-m for further out. played around to get a nice balance with close POI and accuracy for both. Got the ELD sorted first and was lucky enough to get the Barnes within a couple of mm POI.

I've just been playing with the 162 ELD-M in my 284. Shoots it pretty alright but going out to shoot some gongs this weekend.

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Originally Posted by 25 /08 IMP

What speed do you hope to push the 120?
We use them in the 7mm08 at 3000 but maybe the 140 Btip might be a better choice or 150 for your close load. As I'm sure you will be pushing the 120 alot faster than 3000fps.


Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

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As slowly as I can...I'm hopeless with recoil (blurry vision with my Rem Mag with a suppressor after a few 162grain shots)
ADI's data reckons I can get it down to nearly 3000fps with a minimum 2209 load...have you found 3000 effective at point blank range on decent sized animals?

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

ok, my opinion is purely on the 7mm RM.
140gr nosler partition.

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For the bush load? I reckon BC is the thing past 400 yards to help with wind but I do need to look at the numbers...

Nice if dual loads work out with reasonable POI change. 140s be better than 120s.
I used 160gr speer btsp in 284 and using the same in 7RM.
Also using the vari max..like it a lot

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Originally Posted by Fisherman

As slowly as I can...I'm hopeless with recoil (blurry vision with my Rem Mag with a suppressor after a few 162grain shots)
ADI's data reckons I can get it down to nearly 3000fps with a minimum 2209 load...have you found 3000 effective at point blank range on decent sized animals?

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My son uses the 120 and I load for a couple of others as well and that's all they use reds and fallow 10M to 400M they all drop dead.

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Originally Posted by stevodog

Nice if dual loads work out with reasonable POI change. 140s be better than 120s.
I used 160gr speer btsp in 284 and using the same in 7RM.
Also using the vari max..like it a lot

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I've got the Tresamax and like it...but I'm willing to give away some recoil reduction to not have to remove it for walking in and occasionally in the bush...

You should not need a brake on a 284, very mild recoil
In terms of pills run either 160 TMKs or the old 162 AMAX for everything

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Originally Posted by chainsaw

You should not need a brake on a 284, very mild recoil
In terms of pills run either 160 TMKs or the old 162 AMAX for everything

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I'm hoping you are right...and I will start of with a magnum Hardy can I own...but I am shocking with recoil (its like I get a mild concussion from head contact with the recoiling rifle)
The gun came with over 50 rounds loaded with TMK...I was a bit skeptical about them at 2000fps being reportedly harder than the Amax/Eldm

The magnum can should do the trick

Cams rifle likes the TMKs and they are good performers but I would highly recommend the sierra 150 spbt gamekings. I ran them in my old 284 from up close out to 460 and everything dropped. Only have a MV of 2770 but didn't matter, think it was good out to 600yds on a red and much further on fallow a s goats(regarding energy retained). If you dont want to go that way go with the 150NBT.

162 eldx

I have a T3 based .284 Win similar to yours.

I use 162 ELD-X and limit my shots to 400 yards (I’m an MOA bloke). The ELD-X has killed reds, tahr, chamois, pigs and goats no problem up to 350 yards without a single fail so far.

If you were using162 A-Max, the 162 ELD-M is the same projectile with the new Gucci tip. They aren’t great at close range, but are superb at longer range.

I’m a huge fan of Nosler Partitions up to 200 yards or so, with ELD-M beyond that. If you can’t be bothered with double loading and drop verification then ELD-X goes well.

Hope you enjoy your .284 - it’s a superb all-rounder for NZ game, and greatly under appreciated in my book.

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Originally Posted by superdiver

Cams rifle likes the TMKs and they are good performers but I would highly recommend the sierra 150 spbt gamekings. I ran them in my old 284 from up close out to 460 and everything dropped. Only have a MV of 2770 but didn't matter, think it was good out to 600yds on a red and much further on fallow a s goats(regarding energy retained). If you dont want to go that way go with the 150NBT.

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Cam gave me a heap of loaded TMKs and I cant wait to get out and try them when the gun comes back from being threaded.
I didn't think I would be able to shoot it well without a can or brake...Cam said it recoiled pretty hard being so light in a carbon stock with fluted barrel and bolt.
Really interested in the 150 gamekings and will do some reading.

G'day Fisherman mate I now use 154gr interlocks flat base sp I tried eld-m 162gr and they were unpredictable for me some blew up on impact some just penciled through then I tried 162gr eld-x couldn't get them to settle in my rifle so tried the Oryx 156gr it shot well good knock down power and accurate as the rest but expensive although I still sometimes use it on wild cattle then the ttsx 160gr Barnes also a good allrounder good weight retainment also expensive then the 154 gr interlock it is as good as any deadly accurate out to 600yds which is as far as I've shot it so far so the interlock had accuracy, hitting power, and price going for it so I stayed with it it does have a slight edge on the others as well when it comes down to it it will depend a lot on what your rifle likes and your capabilities with the rifle

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Originally Posted by Fisherman

Cam gave me a heap of loaded TMKs and I cant wait to get out and try them when the gun comes back from being threaded.
I didn't think I would be able to shoot it well without a can or brake...Cam said it recoiled pretty hard being so light in a carbon stock with fluted barrel and bolt.
Really interested in the 150 gamekings and will do some reading.

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The 150gr SGK's will work great mate, if a rifle won't shoot them well, it wont shoot anything! And their terminal performance is great too. I've used them as a mag fir load over the years in my 7mm Saum to good effect.

Some people may think that they couldn't possibly kill deer tho, as they dont have flash plastic tips or anything, but the animals dont seem to know ;-)

Yes GWH I think too much faith is put into these plastic tipped projectiles I don't shoot any now I've gone back to the older style they seem to do the job better than most of the rest at least they live up to their recommended use and consistency I find a lot of the newer projectiles especially the plastic tips are some what hit and miss at times although they tend to be accurate I also like the flat base ones in all my rifles they tend to be more forgiving when working up loads for individual rifles but each to their own

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Originally Posted by Fisherman

Cam gave me a heap of loaded TMKs and I cant wait to get out and try them when the gun comes back from being threaded.
I didn't think I would be able to shoot it well without a can or brake...Cam said it recoiled pretty hard being so light in a carbon stock with fluted barrel and bolt.
Really interested in the 150 gamekings and will do some reading.

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Yeah they are called gamekings for a reason

G'day Fisherman, you have opened up a can of worms here mate. Lots of opinions as per normal fron those who have had personal experience with particular bullets which is fine. The best load/rifle will be one that is accurate for starters ie, under 0.5 moa at 100 yards if you want to shoot to 600 yards. Secondly one that you use and practice with regularly. Only then will you get an understanding of what works for you.
First find an accurate load, then go test it on game and then make up your mind on what you like the best.
Enjoy!

Yup @Gkp is on the money, you'll have to work out what's best for your rifle @Fisherman, make you own mind up.

At distance, point of impact on the animal is everything and really the bullet isn't that important as long as it is relatively soft and opens up to at least 2x calibre easily. Lots of bullets will do that, A-Max, ELD-M, ELD-X, NBT, GameKing, Speer BTSP blah blah blah.

Your challenge isn't the distance part, its the close up stuff. Any of the aforementioned cup & core types will tend to be messy at close range due to high velocity fragmentation. Hit heavy bone and occasionally you might have a problem. Close range hunting needs a bonded bullet or monolithic, if you value carcass quality. At close range I get mixed results with ELD-X and Speer BTSP, the animals always die quickly enough (usually instantly) but sometimes the bullet exits, sometimes not, and usually its messy, hardly surprising considering what you're asking a non-locked bullet to do. But most of my hunting currently is in the 300-600m range, hence my choice of softer high BC bullets.

Lets be honest, the perfect 0-600m bullet doesn't exist, never has.

So you have to compromise. And the compromise needs to be at short range, i.e. you must go for a softer bullet all round and accept the mess, because a harder bonded / locked bullet won't work well at longer ranges - especially on our game species - and isn't an appropriate choice.

The marketing spin says Accubond Long Range should be good but I've not seen any ballistic or terminal advantage over ELD-X on three red deer hunts with a mate using ABLR.

I use 160gr TMKs in my 284. Very consistent.

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Originally Posted by Gkp

G'day Fisherman, you have opened up a can of worms here mate. Lots of opinions as per normal fron those who have had personal experience with particular bullets which is fine. The best load/rifle will be one that is accurate for starters ie, under 0.5 moa at 100 yards if you want to shoot to 600 yards. Secondly one that you use and practice with regularly. Only then will you get an understanding of what works for you.
First find an accurate load, then go test it on game and then make up your mind on what you like the best.
Enjoy!

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608 yards is my standard practice distance and I try to do that a lot...and its probably about as far as I would shoot at an animal because I find it hard to shoot past what I know works... especially for the wind.
This 284 looks to be a laser and surprisingly gentle to shoot with the can considering is only down about 100fps on my rem mag load in a lighter rifle with the same class of projectile.
The value of ditching 20 grains of powder for very similar killing power I guess.
One of the best things is I finally have a rifle that shoots virtually the same impact point with the can off...I will definitely put together a 120 grain load for can off...
Couldn't be happier with my purchase...cheers for all the input...
Chris

@Fisherman

I'd take a long hard look at the Speer BTSP in 7mm. Three weights to choose from, 130gr, 145gr, 160gr. I've been using them in .30 cal for a while now and have been mightily impressed with their ballistics (high BC) and deadly killing power. Kills from ~20m to past 500m. I can vouch for the BC as I use the published BC and measured MV and am seeing great accuracy.

The thing that impressed me from a relatively soft cup and core bullet is that I am seeing good exits at close range, and have now recovered a bullet from a close range kill (125m). This one passed through a good red spiker (see "hilar" video in the Magazine section), taking out ribs on its way in and out, the vitals and thick-ish neck muscle. The deer died instantly. The recovered bullet weighs 123gr of the original 165gr, not bad at all for a cup and core that is designed primarily for longer range hunting.

Very close goats that I've taken with this bullet have been polexed like they've been hit with a Scud missile.

Another good point - they're cheap.

Attachment 125968

Hey flyblown, do you find the 308 165gr to run true to its .520bc? I'm using the 160gr in 7RM as well. Hoping to practice at longer ranges soon.
Another good thing about these pills is they ate most suitable if you're cramped for mag length

+1 for the Speer SPBT - I used the 160 gn in my 7mm RM when the old AMAXs got scarce. And run the 145s in my 284. Very reliable and decent BC

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Originally Posted by stevodog

Hey flyblown, do you find the 308 165gr to run true to its .520bc? I'm using the 160gr in 7RM as well. Hoping to practice at longer ranges soon.
Another good thing about these pills is they ate most suitable if you're cramped for mag length

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Yup. Been doing very well with the longer range stuff.

Cool, good to know. I had been using.477 but after updating to .520 makes it look pretty good down range.
Poor man's eld:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

@Fisherman

I'd take a long hard look at the Speer BTSP in 7mm. Three weights to choose from, 130gr, 145gr, 160gr. I've been using them in .30 cal for a while now and have been mightily impressed with their ballistics (high BC) and deadly killing power. Kills from ~20m to past 500m. I can vouch for the BC as I use the published BC and measured MV and am seeing great accuracy.

Another good point - they're cheap.

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+2. before I rechambered the 7mm-08 to 284 I used the 130gn Speer SPBT. They worked great and to date the biggest red stag I have shot was with one of these at about 470 yards and I recovered the projectile. I weighed it when I got home, it was a perfect mushroom and weighed 119gns from memoty..or something like that. So great weight retention.... Now i think of it i should try them in the .284..........

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Originally Posted by chainsaw

You should not need a brake on a 284, very mild recoil
In terms of pills run either 160 TMKs or the old 162 AMAX for everything

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I’ve shot a tonne of deer, pigs and goats with my .284 using 162 Amax, I got a life time supply! If I was you I’d stick with them. When they run out the ELDX or ELDM should do the trick.

Anyone found any round nosed options for close up work mostly on Boar?