7mm ABLR 168gr

[EOD Diver]

Guys,
Anyone test these out yet on game or paper? I checked in "bullet test"s and didn't see any information. I know JD and Doc worked out the 7mm 150s pretty good this year and there was some testing with the 7mm 175s, but I don't recall anyone filling a tag or reporting groups with the 168 variety. Doc, any luck yet burning a few through that 7RM? Scotty, did you ever get a chance with your 7WSM? Moving along at around 3K with an SD of almost .300 and BC of over .650, these guys seem like they'd be just the ticket for elk and mule deer (especially for the Winchester guys with the slower twist rate)!
Joe

 

[FOTIS]

168's out of a 24" savage

 

[JD338]

Joe,

I haven't tested the 7mm 168 gr ABLR yet but will this spring. I am expecting 2950ish from the 280 AI.
If they shoot well, I will give them a go for crop damage WT deer hunting this summer.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Joe, nothing in the jugs or deer yet, but I've had great results with my 7mm WSM. I'm just over 3100 now and still need to tweak for accuracy. They look pretty good though.

 

[JohnB]

EOD

i used the 168 ABLR on a small whitetail buck this season. The shot went just behind the shoulder and left a quarter sized exit hole at 190 - 200 yards. Deer was dead right there. Details on the load are in the picture below. Not sure about the velocity. had a dead battery in my chronograph.

JohnB

http://i1342.photobucket.com/albums/o776/JohnB685/Mobile%20Uploads/20131109_162811_zpsdf11zboi.jpg[/img]

 

[Firebird]

I've posted these before somewhere but here they are again. Holes on top are 168 ablr from my winchester model 70 7mm STW and 79.2 gr of retumbo. Holes on bottom are 150 gr scirocco, both obviously well under one inch groups at 100 yards. The antelope was my nephew Mitch's first big game animal which he shot at 350 yards, bullet spined the buck as it passed through so no recovered bullet to show, but of course the nice buck dropped in its tracks.
I have since then traded that rifle for a remington sps in the same caliber and have not actually shot the new rifle yet. I'll get it out next week and shoot it into some jugs for you-but I think someone already did.
I never got the chance to shoot beyond 400 yards so never truly gave the bullet a chance to show its quality-maybe this fall!

 

[SJB358]

Very nice! Way to go with the Antelope. I'll be working a little more with the 168 and 7mm WSM come Spring. Seems like a great combo.

 

[EOD Diver]

Wow, no joke guys! Looks like those 168s are really delivering the goods. Nice shooting all! JD, I remember that your rifle has a Tubb Lug and a Hart barrel and I know it shoots the lights out, but I can't recall its barrel length. I know the ABLRs are nice and slippery through a barrel, but do you think 2950 FPS is possible out of a 24" tube in 280AI? Man, if it is then I might be switching over from the 150 ABLR!
Joe

 

[nvbroncrider]

I think you could. With a 160 I'm pushing 3160 outta a 28" tube. If you take off 100 fps for the 4 inches of extra barrel I'm at 3060. And push 175 LRAB at 2860. I think a guy should be around 2920-2950. With the extra BC and weight I think it would be worth while. I think the 175's are a touch heavy for the 280AI not enough driving capacity. I personally think the 168 might be the perfect blend between speed weight and BC. I haven't looked hard enough to figure trajectories and such to give a full picture.

 

[EOD Diver]

So what do you guys think makes more sense in the 280AI as a multipurpose do it all round for antelope, deer and elk, the 150 ABLR (.611/.266) at 3100 FPS or the 168 (.652/.298) at 2950? From our bullet tests, weight retention on the ABLRs is usually around a little over 50%. Life was much more simple when we just had a 160 AB at 3K!
Joe

 

[DrMike]

Either will work well for you. I would review what I normally anticipate as the range I will be slinging the bullet, and let that make my final determination. Retained energy, if significantly different, would make the decision for me.

 

[FOTIS]

Wow, no joke guys! Looks like those 168s are really delivering the goods. Nice shooting all! JD, I remember that your rifle has a Tubb Lug and a Hart barrel and I know it shoots the lights out, but I can't recall its barrel length. I know the ABLRs are nice and slippery through a barrel, but do you think 2950 FPS is possible out of a 24" tube in 280AI? Man, if it is then I might be switching over from the 150 ABLR!
Joe

24" tube

 

[JD338]

Wow, no joke guys! Looks like those 168s are really delivering the goods. Nice shooting all! JD, I remember that your rifle has a Tubb Lug and a Hart barrel and I know it shoots the lights out, but I can't recall its barrel length. I know the ABLRs are nice and slippery through a barrel, but do you think 2950 FPS is possible out of a 24" tube in 280AI? Man, if it is then I might be switching over from the 150 ABLR!
Joe

24" tube

Joe,

My Hart barrel is 24" as Fotis mentioned.
I am getting 3100 fps with the 150 gr ABLR and 3000 fps with the 160 gr AB. I am guessing 2950 fps with the 168 gr ABLR. If I can get 2950ish with good accuracy, this just may be a game changer for me as well.
Testing will start in the spring.

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

I've just finished working up the 168 ABLR loads for my 7mm RUM. and I like what I see. Accuracy, after dealing with a mount problem, was equal to the 160 A/B at about 2.5" at 300 yds. I didn't retrieve the target (DEEP SNOW). I ended up with 91 gr of RL25 and 3355 fps with Fed 215 primers. I ran the ballistics and within 200 yds the 168 passed the 160 in velocity and never looked back. In fact after 300 yds it catches up and passes my ( used to own)300 RUM with 180 A/Bs with a 3333fps starting velocity in both velocity and energy. I believe these ABLR bullets may be my new favorites but I won't know until a few animals are down. I'm playing with the 150 ABLR bullets in my 270 Wsm.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I just tried these from my model 70 7 RM.

Velocity is running 2800fps from my rifle with the accurate loads with h1000 and retumbo.

havent got the load squared away yet but it looks promising with some more fine tuning should be well under 3/4 MOA consistently.

I shot them into jugs at 25 yards and it went into the 5th and weighed 87g. Pretty much identical to what the 160 AB and 162 SST did, as they were also found in 5th jug and weighed 89g and 88g.

The ABLR didnt seem to open up as much in diameter as the other two however.

 

[EOD Diver]

Go figure. About the time I get my 150 ABLR all sorted out, I feel the calling to try try out the 168 in my 280AI. Oh well, guess that's why we enjoy handloading so much. One just can't help but tinker and leave well enough alone!
Joe

 

[JD338]

Amen to that buddy.
FWIW, I still think the 150 gr ABLR is the perfect match for the 280AI.

JD338