DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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RL22 was the ticket for me with the 160 grain FS. It was marvellously accurate in my Featherweight and the velocity was right at 3K fps.
7mm WSM and Fail Safe 160gr
- Thread starter Alaska
- Start date
It sounds like RL22 is the powder to start with and 2900 to 3000 is right in the neighborhood of where I like to be anyway. Big-7 velocities are part of the reason I have shot one for thirty-years.
One quick question . . . it seems to me the 7mm rem mag begins to really shine when using a 160 or 175 grain projectile. What's your thoughts?
Thank you gentleman for the advise and warm welcome!
One quick question . . . it seems to me the 7mm rem mag begins to really shine when using a 160 or 175 grain projectile. What's your thoughts?
Thank you gentleman for the advise and warm welcome!
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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Pecos,
I shoot 160 to 175 grain bullets in my 7mm RM. In the 160 weight class, I've shot FS & TSX for quite some time. In the 175 grain class, I shoot mostly TBBC (I still have a good supply I bought from Jack Carter many years ago), Nosler PT or Speer MT (which perform very well). I have tested 150 grain bullets, but see little reason to go lighter than 160 grain bullets. They seem to shine in the 7mm RM, just as they do in my 7mm WSM.
I shoot 160 to 175 grain bullets in my 7mm RM. In the 160 weight class, I've shot FS & TSX for quite some time. In the 175 grain class, I shoot mostly TBBC (I still have a good supply I bought from Jack Carter many years ago), Nosler PT or Speer MT (which perform very well). I have tested 150 grain bullets, but see little reason to go lighter than 160 grain bullets. They seem to shine in the 7mm RM, just as they do in my 7mm WSM.
You guys have me itching to break out the 160 fail Safes and see what I can down with them.
In the past, I read a few negative comments about the older ones, that I will refer to as "first generation," and understand Winchester went back to the drawing board.
Having also read good reviews from hunters who used the first generation Fail Safe, I am surmising they simply may need be loaded to highest velocities. It certainly looks like an excellent design.
Being in the middle of relocating to Billings, it looks like an elk hunt is out of the realm of possibilities this season. Perhaps I can try them out on Mr. Black next spring.
As for the 160 and 175 grain 7mm bullets in general, a couple of instances led me to start thinking that way long before the wealth of information found on the internet.
In my experiences, the 140 or 150 grain bullets such as CoreLokt and a couple others always killed white-tail deer admirably. Most of the time deer could not hit the ground fast enough. But I also noticed a few times, not always, a 140 or 150 grain bullet could change path inside a deer. Obviously, the mid-weight-for-caliber bullet at magnum velocity at relatively short range had everything to do with it.
On one occasion, I shot a white-tail that had walked directly under my tree stand. The 150 grain CoreLokt struck the top of a rib just behind the left shoulder, changed path and traveled about five-inches below the spine lengthwise and lodged high in the right rear quarter. Killed the deer for sure, but cause for concern.
In fact, many years ago after experiencing every hunters nightmare of loosing a deer, after making a solid frontal shot at about thirty-yards, I swore off non-premium 150 grain bullets for deer.
I now use 160 grain a lot of the time, however I have a good supply of Speer Grand Slam in 150 grain that give me total confidence. They are accurate, stay on course, drive deep and hold together tightly. No slam on CoreLokt, in fact I love their accuracy in my rifle.
Realizing the close quarter shot taken that day shooting straight down from my stand and the fact the area I hunt normally offers short range shots, I discovered non-premium 160 grain bullets tends to give better performance.
Can't wait to get the Fail Safes loaded and tested. If I get disappointing accuracy from my particular rifle, I'll be ready for next seasons elk with 160 grain Partitions.
In the past, I read a few negative comments about the older ones, that I will refer to as "first generation," and understand Winchester went back to the drawing board.
Having also read good reviews from hunters who used the first generation Fail Safe, I am surmising they simply may need be loaded to highest velocities. It certainly looks like an excellent design.
Being in the middle of relocating to Billings, it looks like an elk hunt is out of the realm of possibilities this season. Perhaps I can try them out on Mr. Black next spring.
As for the 160 and 175 grain 7mm bullets in general, a couple of instances led me to start thinking that way long before the wealth of information found on the internet.
In my experiences, the 140 or 150 grain bullets such as CoreLokt and a couple others always killed white-tail deer admirably. Most of the time deer could not hit the ground fast enough. But I also noticed a few times, not always, a 140 or 150 grain bullet could change path inside a deer. Obviously, the mid-weight-for-caliber bullet at magnum velocity at relatively short range had everything to do with it.
On one occasion, I shot a white-tail that had walked directly under my tree stand. The 150 grain CoreLokt struck the top of a rib just behind the left shoulder, changed path and traveled about five-inches below the spine lengthwise and lodged high in the right rear quarter. Killed the deer for sure, but cause for concern.
In fact, many years ago after experiencing every hunters nightmare of loosing a deer, after making a solid frontal shot at about thirty-yards, I swore off non-premium 150 grain bullets for deer.
I now use 160 grain a lot of the time, however I have a good supply of Speer Grand Slam in 150 grain that give me total confidence. They are accurate, stay on course, drive deep and hold together tightly. No slam on CoreLokt, in fact I love their accuracy in my rifle.
Realizing the close quarter shot taken that day shooting straight down from my stand and the fact the area I hunt normally offers short range shots, I discovered non-premium 160 grain bullets tends to give better performance.
Can't wait to get the Fail Safes loaded and tested. If I get disappointing accuracy from my particular rifle, I'll be ready for next seasons elk with 160 grain Partitions.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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I have exhausted my supply of the first generation Fail Safes, but I used a number of the .308 180 grain and .284 160 grain in several rifles. They always worked well for me, and in the 7mm RM became the bullet of choice. When Combined Technology produced the bullets, I purchased some and used them with equal success. They required some minor tweaking, but still performed admirably. It is these Combined Technology bullets that I purchased and use until they are gone (what a sad day). You should find a good load that works well in your 7 WSM.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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Pecos,
I hunt with my 7mm WSM, shooting 160 grain ABs. It drops whitetails and mule deer with authority. I have not been carrying it when encountering moose and elk, yet. However, I have no doubt that it will work just fine for those critters as well.
I hunt with my 7mm WSM, shooting 160 grain ABs. It drops whitetails and mule deer with authority. I have not been carrying it when encountering moose and elk, yet. However, I have no doubt that it will work just fine for those critters as well.
Wow DrMike . . . Those are some great looking bucks! The whitetail buck is enormous and I was thinking it looks like a Canadian whitetail. Then I saw your location and it all made sense. You are very fortunate to live in such beautiful country that produces great bucks!
I couldn't help but noticed the Winchester Featherweight Stainless Classic. Fine rifle indeed. I have a Stainless Classic in 300 Win Mag but never used it to date. But after stocking up on 200 grain Grand Slam's I fully intend to use it on elk.
I'm curious, what load(s) were you using on both these forays?
I couldn't help but noticed the Winchester Featherweight Stainless Classic. Fine rifle indeed. I have a Stainless Classic in 300 Win Mag but never used it to date. But after stocking up on 200 grain Grand Slam's I fully intend to use it on elk.
I'm curious, what load(s) were you using on both these forays?
pecos":1o050t0j said:
Peco's, he doesn't have one yet. He is still plugging away with his 243. I figure I will get him a proper big game rifle for the rest of his life and I can't think of one much better than the 7RM or 7WSM. Both of those are pretty serious cartridges and would handle anything in North America, if he never got another rifle. Scotty
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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Pecos,
I'm shooting 160 grain AccuBonds over a charge of 70.0 grains of MagPro ignited by WLRM primers. Velocities are right at 3000 fps and accuracy is consistently about 0.25 inches. I have loaded, though I have never used them, Sierra 160 grain HPBT and 71.0 grains of MagPro and 160 grain Partitions over a charge of 65.5 grains of IMR 7828. Velocities are all in the vicinity of 3000 fps and accuracy is only slightly less than the grouping with the AccuBonds. This rifle has treated me well; I have no complaints. As I said, I would not be afraid to carry this rifle on any hunt here in BC. Consequently, my 7mm RM looks very much like this. I generally shoot either 160 grain FS or 175 grain PT in that rifle, and after almost 5000 rounds, it still delivers 0.5 to 0.75 inch groups with this loads. I try to take it to the range several times each year, though I don't use it on the hunt as much any more. So many rifles, so little time.
Scotty,
Didn't you start your hunting with a 7mm RM? It would only be appropriate for your son to have a 7mm in some form or another.
Believe it or not, both the muley buck and the whitetail buck pictured were the smaller bucks from the area I hunted either of those years (2007 and 2009). I reserved much larger bucks for a friend who was really focused on the bigger animals. I'm not a trophy hunter; I enjoy the hunt and truly enjoy the meat afterwards.
I'm shooting 160 grain AccuBonds over a charge of 70.0 grains of MagPro ignited by WLRM primers. Velocities are right at 3000 fps and accuracy is consistently about 0.25 inches. I have loaded, though I have never used them, Sierra 160 grain HPBT and 71.0 grains of MagPro and 160 grain Partitions over a charge of 65.5 grains of IMR 7828. Velocities are all in the vicinity of 3000 fps and accuracy is only slightly less than the grouping with the AccuBonds. This rifle has treated me well; I have no complaints. As I said, I would not be afraid to carry this rifle on any hunt here in BC. Consequently, my 7mm RM looks very much like this. I generally shoot either 160 grain FS or 175 grain PT in that rifle, and after almost 5000 rounds, it still delivers 0.5 to 0.75 inch groups with this loads. I try to take it to the range several times each year, though I don't use it on the hunt as much any more. So many rifles, so little time.
Scotty,
Didn't you start your hunting with a 7mm RM? It would only be appropriate for your son to have a 7mm in some form or another.
Believe it or not, both the muley buck and the whitetail buck pictured were the smaller bucks from the area I hunted either of those years (2007 and 2009). I reserved much larger bucks for a friend who was really focused on the bigger animals. I'm not a trophy hunter; I enjoy the hunt and truly enjoy the meat afterwards.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
Consequently, here is another picture of the whitetail.
This was a gag picture. A friend had a halter in his pickup. This was posted at the gun store. I took a lot of good natured ribbing over this. Can you believe that these meanies told innocent little children that Santa wasn't coming that year! :roll:
This was a gag picture. A friend had a halter in his pickup. This was posted at the gun store. I took a lot of good natured ribbing over this. Can you believe that these meanies told innocent little children that Santa wasn't coming that year! :roll:
