7mm mag for elk

[SEERAY2]

I have a Winchester M70 7mm mag and I am taking it to Wyoming for an Elk hunt. I am pushing Remington core-lokt 175 gr. Is this load acceptable for taking a bull at somewhere around the 200 yd range. Any input is welcomed.

[ghost stalker]

i'm not a big fan of the 7mm but it will surely do the trick.
and 175's are a good choice. push a big chunk of lead at em' they are tough.
best of luck and don't forget the pic's.

[petey]

I'd say it's probably one of the more used calibers for elk, from what I've seen in the past hunting many of the Western States.

A couple of the HC pro-Staff is heading to Montana this year and both are using 7's.

Not too sure of the bullets they are using, but I think they are in the range of the 160-175 grain category.

I shoot 160 gr Seirra's out of my 7 RUM. Took a nice bull last year using 168 gr A-maxs out of a 300 RUM.

You could definitly push that bullet farther than 200 on an elk if you do your part.

[bigbrother]

I read an article about 2yrs ago written by Jim Zumbo. At that point he had taken more elk with a 7 RemMag than any other caliber. If the feeble .270 will work why won't the big 7?

[SEERAY2]

Thanks to all for the replies. I am feeling better about my choice of caliber. I was considering selling the sweet 7 for a 300mag, but with the responses so far, I am glad that i have stayed with it. Thanks much...

[ghost stalker]

now now! 300mag you say! hmmmm! i shoot a 300win mag!
yeah yeah the 7 will do fine, but i am partial to my 300.

[Nulle]

I am a big fan of the 7mm and sometime check the reloading table on this shell and you got a big range of things to do with it.
Good luck and you will not be sorry.

[Evan03]

.280
.308

what elk is ever going to tell the difrence.????????

not a single one.

[M.T. Pockets]

If you've already got a 7 mag you don't need to go out and buy anything new. I would suggest trying out some of the premium bullets out there such as a Fail Safe, Swift A-Frame or good old Nosler Partition, heavier the better. It's the bullet that does the real work and I think bullet selection is more important than the case that sent it on it's way. I'm willing to sacrifice an inch or two of trajectory over 300 yards for the increased sectional density of the heavier bullets. Practice shooting to at least 300 yards and you're in great shape.

[Trapper7]

One of my hunting buddies shoots a 7MM for elk. He's killed one every year now using 150 grain Nosler Partitions.

We've also got another guy in our group that shoots a 270 using Federal Premiums with 150 grain Nosler Partitions. He's killed an elk every year.

I shoot a 30-06 with 150 grain Barnes-X bullets. I've killed six elk with these bullets; have never had a cripple or one that traveled more than 100 yards.

The most important factor is bullet placement and you need a bullet that penetrates the big-bodied elk well.

[fabsroman]

I was wondering when the Barnes X bullet was going to come. I haven't tried it on elk because I haven't gone elk hunting yet, but I would feel pretty confident using it.

I shoot a .300 Win Mag for most of my big game hunting and about 11 years ago I was whitetail with Remington Core Lokt bullets. I shot a scawny button buck from about 25 yards and the bullet completely disintegrated before it got to the other side (i.e., no exit wound) and I looked good and hard for that exit wound. However, it was cool seeing the blood gush out from the entrance wound several feet high, probably the result of all the pressure caused inside the body cavity from the full deposit of energy.

Anyway, point of my story is that I definitely wouldn't trust Core-Lokts on an elk hunt, especially if I had to pay a thousand or more dollars for the hunt. Granted, soon there will be a bunch of people on here telling me how great Core-Lokts are, but if that is the case why aren't they labeled as a premium bullet?

[M.T. Pockets]

I've seen Core Lokts blow up on deer too, I've seen them hit bone on elk and turn to schrapnel. I quit using them after seeing those results. I don't think it is a good choice for a .300 Mag. or any other Mag. Not tough enough to handle that kind of speed is my guess. I don't have any experience with the new "Improved" Core Lokt that came out recently.

I know they kill a lot of game, but for an extra $5 - $10 you can get a box of factory loads with a better bullet. You can spend a little more and get a really better bullet. To get the full advantage that a magnum case can offer I think using premium bullets, heavy for caliber, is a must.

[Nulle]

Last year I was talking with a fella that cuts up wild game and he stated the same thing with these = Over Kill

[M.T. Pockets]

I think most wasted meat is due to poor shooting, I always look over the bullet paths from the elk we quarter and I think premium bullets cause less damage, they're more likely to punch a hole clean through an animal rather than lead fragments in the meat.

["yote"]

7 Elk in 8 yrs.
75 yds to 400 yds.
All with a .308 and 165 NOS PAR's
Nuf Said.

[ALVINNEV]

You bet it is. I took an elk last November in North Western Colorado. My shot was an honest 300 yards. My load was a 160 gr Nosler partition, 63 gr of IMR4831. My rifle is a Ruger 77. Remember first shot is the most important and shot placement is critical.