Thread: 7RM - Rookie needing advice to shoot straight

Hi Team, rookie looking for some wisdom regarding ammo for new setup.

(I had a look for previous threads on this but I'm a bit useless being able to find it, if there is one welcome to post it and I'll just go off that one, cheers)

I've recently acquired a Tikka T3X Wideland Veil 7mm Rem Mag (24.3 inch barrel 1:9" twist) and put a dpt suppressor on it (extends 3.7inch in front of the muzzle). I'm looking at getting it shooting well with factory ammo at the moment before moving into reloading at some point (money and time constraints).

I was previously shooting a 7mm08 and moved to the 7RM calibre to enable myself (with practice) to take ethical kill shots on deer out to 4-500 yards around the tops in the south island. I ideally wanted to flick the 7mm08 and have this 7RM rifle kind of do a one size fits all, taking deer at 100 yards (most of my game has been taken between 100-200 yards in the past) and 500.

What is a good bullet weight that can do what I require (knowing everything in life is a compromise), both getting good bullet expansion and tumble at closer ranges but good punch further out, taking into account the 1:9 twist.

I hear a fair bit of talk about the Hornady 162 grain ELD-X and interloks with these tikkas and I'm assuming something like that would work but with asking the wise ones...

Thanks in advance!

Don't over-analyse it. There are no guarantees with anything but the factory offerings I would try first in any 7mm Rem Mag (regardless of manufacturer, barrel length, suppressor or not) are:

Federal Premium Berger 168gr
Hornady 162gr ELD-X
Sako Gamehead Pro 165gr
Federal Fusion 150gr

Get your rifle, try a few different types. At least one will be up to the task. Stick it in the boiler room from 0-500m and the deer will die.

hornady sst

The 162 ELDx would be a good choice for longer ranges. Might be a bit frangible up close or sub 200. Try the Federal blue box 150gn HotCore. These usually shot very well out of all makes & brands of rifles. And they’ll perform very well from up real close out to 300 or 400 yds, despite suffering from a decidedly average BC.

And BTW your 708 is capable out to 500yd with the right projectiles, but that’s probably going to require hand loading. And there’s nothing wrong with owning 2 or more 7mms.

my remmy 700lr hates the 162 hornadys (and i like hornady ammo)
i dropped to 140gr slugs and its a bloody laser

Originally Posted by chainsaw

And BTW your 708 is capable out to 500yd with the right projectiles, but that’s probably going to require hand loading. And there’s nothing wrong with owning 2 or more 7mms.

What he said.... I got 3 , 7x57 cause it was my first, 708 cause its pretty and an 280 Ackley cause it's cool.

Consider a 139-140gr projectile.

Reason:-

Trajectory wise its flatter shooting out too the ranges you are intending to shoot. A clear winner at under 400, and still on top at 500. It will have less recoil as well.

Running 160 Norma Tipstrike in my Tikka Strata rem mag.
Good projectile to the ranges you're looking at.
Accurate. Norma ballistic apps worth checking out too.

Originally Posted by Curti

Hi Team, rookie looking for some wisdom regarding ammo for new setup.

(I had a look for previous threads on this but I'm a bit useless being able to find it, if there is one welcome to post it and I'll just go off that one, cheers)

I've recently acquired a Tikka T3X Wideland Veil 7mm Rem Mag (24.3 inch barrel 1:9" twist) and put a dpt suppressor on it (extends 3.7inch in front of the muzzle). I'm looking at getting it shooting well with factory ammo at the moment before moving into reloading at some point (money and time constraints).

I was previously shooting a 7mm08 and moved to the 7RM calibre to enable myself (with practice) to take ethical kill shots on deer out to 4-500 yards around the tops in the south island. I ideally wanted to flick the 7mm08 and have this 7RM rifle kind of do a one size fits all, taking deer at 100 yards (most of my game has been taken between 100-200 yards in the past) and 500.

What is a good bullet weight that can do what I require (knowing everything in life is a compromise), both getting good bullet expansion and tumble at closer ranges but good punch further out, taking into account the 1:9 twist.

I hear a fair bit of talk about the Hornady 162 grain ELD-X and interloks with these tikkas and I'm assuming something like that would work but with asking the wise ones...

Thanks in advance!

Hornady Precision Hunter, make sure you get at least 5 boxes of the same lot.

Shame Tikka have not bothered to offer the 7PRC yet, literally designed to fit the action but Beretta are slow, literally and figuratively.

I didn’t have a great experience with hornady ‘precision’ hunter before I started reloading my own stuff. Turns out it wasn’t very precise at all when I pulled a few projectiles and weighed the charges. Anyway give them a go but don’t buy five boxes for a start, get a box and see if your rifle likes them. There will be some factory ammo that works, just might take a bit to find. And expensive is no always better.

Hornady superformance shooting the 162 set shot at over 3100 fps in my 26" barreled rem mag. Great bullet, shot animals out to 500 with 162 sst and had them in a neat mushroom on the far shoulder minus the petals though, those were all through the vitals. The sst will explode at closer ranges though, but the animals almost always name flop. The sako factory ammo was accurate too, but very slow

I have a box and a bit of Winchester ballistic silver tips 150grn you could grab for cheap if you wanted to try that brand.they were the bullets my old 7mag used to like the best.

Originally Posted by chainsaw

The 162 ELDx would be a good choice for longer ranges. Might be a bit frangible up close or sub 200. Try the Federal blue box 150gn HotCore. These usually shot very well out of all makes & brands of rifles. And they’ll perform very well from up real close out to 300 or 400 yds, despite suffering from a decidedly average BC.

What chainsaw said, i used the Federal blue box for awhile and one hole groups at 100yds and good on deer as well in my Tikka t3 . And bit cheaper than 162g eldx

Cheers for the awesome feedback guys. Gives me a great starting point. I'll grab an assortment of the most popular rounds and report back on my progress in this thread when I get some results on paper. Cheers again team!