Desert Fox
Handloader
- Aug 14, 2006
- 1,965
- 3
As some of you may remember, I'd posted my 7MM Practical Longrange Hunter build in here a couple months ago. The build was delayed due to the problem I've encountered with the rifle. After ironing some issues I've had with the TL action, I finally able to developed the load for the rifle, consist of 70 grains of Retumbo, Federal Gold Medal Match Brass, Federal 215 Match Primer to propel the 195 grain Berger EOL at around 2900 fps. Anxious to see how the rifle and load combo perform in the field, I took it hunting last October and took this small forky on the opening day. It was no longrange by any means... just 245 yards. The weather condition was terrible. We got rained out the night before with wind and fog rolling in which makes glassing almost impossible. The fog finally lifted briefly and I spotted this little forky in company of 2 other deer 250 yards from where I was glassing. All three were about the same size but I can’t discern any antler on the first two so I decided to take the 3rd one after I'm fully sure that it was a legal buck.
I was perched on a rocky ledge opposite the canyon where I spotted the deer. Shooting prone was out of the question due to a very steep angle. Luckily I brought my Harris H25 C with me. This bipod has telescopic leg that extend 27” and I needed every inch of it. My rifle was zeroed at 100 meters. Thats the farthest distance I’ve shot the 7MM Practical. I figured I probably needed no more than 1 MOA for a 245 yard shot. Just to make sure, I checked my ballistic program on my I-Phone and sure enough I only needed 3/4MOA. I guided the 1MOA stadia of my Leupold VX6 3/4 down the deer chest, just slightly behind the shoulder, grabbed the forearm and slowly applied a steady pressure on the 1.5 lb. trigger. The deafening noise echoed the surrounding hills as the sounds bounced around canyon walls. My ear was ringing like an alarm clock. I never saw the deer dropped due to recoil. I did hear the slapping sound of the bullet hitting a large mass. All 3 deer had disappeared from view. I glassed the surrounding area where I last saw the deer and see nothing. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I gathered all my gear and started trekking towards the area where I last saw the deer. As I got close, I saw the buck laying on it's side 180 degrees opposite to where it was facing when I took the shot. The deer must have spun around when the 195 Berger made contact about 2 inches behind the armpit and exited towards the top right shoulder. Gutting the deer, I found little pieces of jackets around the chest cavity but none of the lead core. The wound channel is very narrow and not much meat damaged. The bullet did its job as it should but then again this is a small deer. I don't know how this bullet will perform on large game.
I was perched on a rocky ledge opposite the canyon where I spotted the deer. Shooting prone was out of the question due to a very steep angle. Luckily I brought my Harris H25 C with me. This bipod has telescopic leg that extend 27” and I needed every inch of it. My rifle was zeroed at 100 meters. Thats the farthest distance I’ve shot the 7MM Practical. I figured I probably needed no more than 1 MOA for a 245 yard shot. Just to make sure, I checked my ballistic program on my I-Phone and sure enough I only needed 3/4MOA. I guided the 1MOA stadia of my Leupold VX6 3/4 down the deer chest, just slightly behind the shoulder, grabbed the forearm and slowly applied a steady pressure on the 1.5 lb. trigger. The deafening noise echoed the surrounding hills as the sounds bounced around canyon walls. My ear was ringing like an alarm clock. I never saw the deer dropped due to recoil. I did hear the slapping sound of the bullet hitting a large mass. All 3 deer had disappeared from view. I glassed the surrounding area where I last saw the deer and see nothing. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I gathered all my gear and started trekking towards the area where I last saw the deer. As I got close, I saw the buck laying on it's side 180 degrees opposite to where it was facing when I took the shot. The deer must have spun around when the 195 Berger made contact about 2 inches behind the armpit and exited towards the top right shoulder. Gutting the deer, I found little pieces of jackets around the chest cavity but none of the lead core. The wound channel is very narrow and not much meat damaged. The bullet did its job as it should but then again this is a small deer. I don't know how this bullet will perform on large game.
