Keeping up w/ @nydan; also loving the 7mmWSM...

[TNBillyEarl]

Like Dan, I acquired a 7mmWSM this year. I haven't dialed it in, but 160g AB were going over 3100 and functionally accurate. The accuracy was adequate, but the terminal performance was amazing. Great morning in the woods...

-B

 

[DrMike]

I love the Winchester Featherweight, and chambered in 7 WSM, the competent hunter is well equipped for almost any game in NA. Fine photo of a lovely animal.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Nice buck and rifle. Glad it's working for you. Dan.

 

[RL338]

Congrats on bagging that nice buck

 

[Blkram]

The .284 160gr AB at 2800-3250 fps works very well on a wide variety of game!
I have yet to witness any game animal hit with this combination in the vitals not be immediately impressed by it!

 

[JD338]

Nice buck, congratulations.
The M70 Featherweight 7 WSM is a sharp looking rifle and it's shooting well for you.

JD338

 

[Yoteklr]

Like Dan, I acquired a 7mmWSM this year. I haven't dialed it in, but 160g AB were going over 3100 and functionally accurate. The accuracy was adequate, but the terminal performance was amazing. Great morning in the woods...

-B


View attachment 21669

Congratulations! Don't know where you hunt in SE TN but I got this buck in Hardin county last night.

Thread '165gr Ballistic tips!!' https://forum.nosler.com/threads/165gr-ballistic-tips.46519/

 

[NYDAN]

Like Dan, I acquired a 7mmWSM this year. I haven't dialed it in, but 160g AB were going over 3100 and functionally accurate. The accuracy was adequate, but the terminal performance was amazing. Great morning in the woods...

-B


View attachment 21669

Congratulations on blooding your 7mm WSM. You took a nice buck with it. Yes, the terminal performance of the 7mm WSM is impressive.

Keep us posted on your future load development. Inquiring minds are interested.

Dan

 

[TNBillyEarl]

More context: I took the red pad off and ground down a Pachmayr 215. I put in a new trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith. I reloaded 10 rounds with 66g of RL-23 w/ 160g Accubonds. I figured this would be a generic, published, easy load that might work well. I can't remember if I used magnum primers or not. Not only breaking in a new rifle this morning, today was my first deer taken w/ an AccuBond. I suspect this might become my go-to bullet; especially with it shooting this well. The gun has not been free-floated or bedded, and I'm not sure if I am going to do so or not. Here is both my first and last and only group before rifle season opened in November.



What a great day. Again, many thanks to all of you for direction the past few years. Merry Christmas.

Bill

 

[gerry]

More context: I took the red pad off and ground down a Pachmayr 215. I put in a new trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith. I reloaded 10 rounds with 66g of RL-23 w/ 160g Accubonds. I figured this would be a generic, published, easy load that might work well. I can't remember if I used magnum primers or not. Not only breaking in a new rifle this morning, today was my first deer taken w/ an AccuBond. I suspect this might become my go-to bullet; especially with it shooting this well. The gun has not been free-floated or bedded, and I'm not sure if I am going to do so or not. Here is both my first and last and only group before rifle season opened in November.

View attachment 21671

What a great day. Again, many thanks to all of you for direction the past few years. Merry Christmas.

Bill

That's quite good for a quickly put together load and you could just stop there if you like. Great speed and nicely accurate. Since you're a member here you'll probably try a bunch more combinations like the rest of us!

 

[xphunter]

More context: I took the red pad off and ground down a Pachmayr 215. I put in a new trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith. I reloaded 10 rounds with 66g of RL-23 w/ 160g Accubonds. I figured this would be a generic, published, easy load that might work well. I can't remember if I used magnum primers or not. Not only breaking in a new rifle this morning, today was my first deer taken w/ an AccuBond. I suspect this might become my go-to bullet; especially with it shooting this well. The gun has not been free-floated or bedded, and I'm not sure if I am going to do so or not. Here is both my first and last and only group before rifle season opened in November.

View attachment 21671

What a great day. Again, many thanks to all of you for direction the past few years. Merry Christmas.

Bill

160 AB's have a great record, and your rifle is shooting good for typical hunting distances.
Congrats!

 

[Blkram]

More context: I took the red pad off and ground down a Pachmayr 215. I put in a new trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith. I reloaded 10 rounds with 66g of RL-23 w/ 160g Accubonds. I figured this would be a generic, published, easy load that might work well. I can't remember if I used magnum primers or not. Not only breaking in a new rifle this morning, today was my first deer taken w/ an AccuBond. I suspect this might become my go-to bullet; especially with it shooting this well. The gun has not been free-floated or bedded, and I'm not sure if I am going to do so or not. Here is both my first and last and only group before rifle season opened in November.

View attachment 21671

What a great day. Again, many thanks to all of you for direction the past few years. Merry Christmas.

Bill

I know that the AccuBond is my favourite hunting bullet!
It doesn't seem to matter the cartridge or caliber, the AccuBond is generally very easy to find good loads with, and is a proven on-game performer. I do not believe that I have not been able to achieve less than MOA accuracy with any caliber and bullet weight in any cartridge I have handloaded and shot this bullet in to date.

I have also shot factory ammo loaded with AccuBonds, and in all but one case have found the ammo to be very accurate (MOA or better), with the lone exception being the 180 gr AB ammo for the 338 Federal. This doesn't concern me too much as I am wanting to develop a load with the 200 gr AB for this cartridge, and the rifle is showing a preference for 200 gr bullets anyways.
While many report 70+% weight retention on recovered bullets (from game and/or water jug testing) I have found that most of the ones I have recovered from game have retained 90-95% weight retention with a minimum expansion of twice the original diameter of the bullet.

To date I have collected game spanning from antelope to bison with AccuBonds, in calibers ranging from .264 to .375. (Still need to finish load development with the .257 cal 110 gr AB in my 250AI.)
Since this bullet's introduction, I have taken more game with the 160 gr AB factory loaded for the 7MM STW (Federal Premium) than any other version of this bullet. 30 big game animals, taken from antelope to elk, from 30 yards to 475 yards over the years. And this rifle (custom LH Sako AV with 24" stainless, fluted MacLennan barrel in a Fajen laminated stock, scoped with a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40 w/ B&C reticle) is extremely accurate, producing 1/2" groups at 100 yards and 1" groups at 300 yards at 3222 fps. I will admit that I really haven't tried to handload for this cartridge much, as the Federal factory loads (160 gr SGK and 160 gr AB) have both proven so accurate and reliable, and I have a good supply of both yet, that I haven't felt the need to try to find a better load for this rifle as yet. (In comparison, the 160 gr SGK ammo will produce 3/4" groups at 100 yards and 3" groups at 400 yards, at 3090 fps.)

I have also taken game with the .264" 140 AB (6.5x55), .277" 140 gr AB (270 Win and WSM), .284" 140 gr AB (280 Rem), .308" 180 gr AB (300 WSM), .366" 250 gr AB (9.3x62) and .375" 260 gr AB (376 Steyr).
As already mentioned, I am still working on load development for the .257" 100 gr AB (250AI), and need to work on .264" 130 gr AB (6.5CM), .284" 140 gr AB (7mm-08) and 150 gr AB (280 Rem), .338" 200 gr AB (338 Federal), and the .358" 225 gr AB (358 Win). Now to make time to get my press set up and get back to it!

 

[JD338]

More context: I took the red pad off and ground down a Pachmayr 215. I put in a new trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith. I reloaded 10 rounds with 66g of RL-23 w/ 160g Accubonds. I figured this would be a generic, published, easy load that might work well. I can't remember if I used magnum primers or not. Not only breaking in a new rifle this morning, today was my first deer taken w/ an AccuBond. I suspect this might become my go-to bullet; especially with it shooting this well. The gun has not been free-floated or bedded, and I'm not sure if I am going to do so or not. Here is both my first and last and only group before rifle season opened in November.

View attachment 21671

What a great day. Again, many thanks to all of you for direction the past few years. Merry Christmas.

Bill

Just think of the potential with some load development! She's a shooter for sure.

JD338

 

[wvbuckbuster]

That's good for just throwing together so to speak. I'm sure it will get better if you want it to. Dan.

 

[Charlie-NY]

The 7WSM was one of my all-time favorite cartridges and it has taken more than its fair share of game. After I burned out the second match barrel, I finally abandoned the cartridge in-lieu-of a 7PRC. The ONLY reason that I made the switch was because high quality brass never became available for the 7WSM. Peterson brass was available for the 7PRC even before my rifle was rebuilt.

 

[SJB358]

Congrats on the buck and that is a dandy rifle!