7mm Mag Elk load?

The nice thing about the Nosler ABLR aside from their high BC is they are rated to expand at 1,300 fps, as opposed to industry standard of 1,800 fps.
Extends your range. If the shooter is up to it.

Personally the closer the better.

Interesting comments on the ELDx. I've been real happy with it's predecessor , the Interbond. It punches shoulders no problem and holds together.

I'll probably be packing a 7stw loaded with Retumbo and 175 ELDxs. They might just fall apart in flight.

I shot an elk last fall, quartering away at about 275 yards, with the 6.5mm 143-gr ELD-X. We found the bullet in the hide in front of the shoulder blade on the opposite side, still mostly intact. I can't say anything about the 7mm bullet, but the 6.5 seemed to perform fine, I can't imagine they would be much different.

ELDX report out of a 7mm Rem Mag--- JUNK!!!!! Partner shot a small rag horn at 45 yards. Hit the shoulder/scapula bone and did not even penetrate. Body splashed. Lucky we had snow, let him sit for a couple hours and took up the track and were able to find him hidden and get another shot in him at 15 yards. Bullet did not even pass thru. Speed on the hand load was 2820 feet/second. 162 grain bullet

Again.....160 Accubond with the powder that works for you. Deadly. mtmuley

I wish I could get those to shoot in my rifle. I keep trying different things and his gun and mine will not shoot good groups. However, I'm going to keep trying to find a load that will. FWIW I shoot a 150 Barnes TTSX in my 7 Remington Mag and killed a similar sized bull, worked perfectly.

140 gr TTSX or TSX....cauldron appropriate powder, primer, jump....think ripped, tee'd-off masculine 7-08

I found Federal 215M Primers and bought 1000 so I should be good. Probably didn't need that many but I've heard they are hard to find so loaded up. I'll probably start with 162 ELD X and also try the 160 Accubond as well. If the 162 ELD X shoot great in my rifle ill probably just start there. I sent in for my free 139g bullets from Hornady don it will give me something to play with.

Still excited to hear other experiences with 7 Mag and elk. Thanks for the replies.

std7mag said:

Make sure you check case length after every firing with the Rem Mag. Especially Federal casings. They like to stretch.

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Question, something that someone suggested was not to trim the brass after its been shot in the rifle I'm loading for, because it's fire formed to that rifle. It shouldn't stretch anymore and it should fit the rifle better and should be more accurate. I do realize federal brass is some of the softer brass but I should get 2-3 reloads out of them before they are no good. Do you trim every time? How come?

Hornady ELDX 162 grain is just TERRIBLE.
After getting my 7mm rem mag customized last year, the guys told me how accurate the ELDX is and said I should try them. I have to admit they are accurate. Almost a 3/8 inch group at 100 yards. That is crazy accurate.

So I drew a Montana Elk/Mule Deer tag and decided to try them. After driving to Montana in late October 2019, I started by looking for a mulie in eastern Montana. I hunted 5 days and one morning saw a nice 5x5 at 271 yards. Putting my bipod on the ground I shot the deer broadside standing still. I could tell I hit him but he acted unharmed and slowly walked along the ridge. After about 30 seconds he began to walk downhill and fell. Me and my friends were talking about it and then the deer tried to get up 3 minutes later, but died. After walking up to the deer to clean it, we found the bullet was a perfect behind the shoulder shot, but the bullet fragmented and did not even penetrate the opposite rib cage. IT TOTALLY CAME APART with nothing bigger than a pencil eraser. I was shocked because the year before shot a Remington 140 corelock at 500 yards to a mule deer and had a clean pass thu.


My rifle was sighted in so I did not want to change ammo for my elk. I thought maybe was a fluke. So I drove to western Montana and began hunting for a bull elk. One morning after 3 weeks of hunting and a beautiful -1 degree fresh snow morning. I heard running elk, I looked on the next hill and two rag horn bulls were running away from me. Laying in the snow I shot the elk the first time at 370 yards, I hit the elk in front shoulder. He kept walking away so I chambered and hit the elk a second time. I center punched him in the lungs. He kept walking away. The next shot I missed and reloaded. I shot again and hit him in the front shoulder. He kept walking. I shot again and hit. He kept walking and finally at 416 yards was walking straight away from me about to go over the hill. I aimed carefully and hit him in the back hip and he went down. It took 5 shots to knock him down. CRAZY

I called my friend in town and told him i had an elk down and then began walking up the mountain because I cannot see the elk anymore. I was thinking he was finished. But when I get close I see he is not dead but trying to get up. I have one cartridge left so I walk up and shot the elk behind the front shoulder at 3 yards. I backed away and waited. IT TOOK 5 MINUTES FOR THE ELK TO DIE.

I took the elk to a processor and he said this. He said maybe 70 fragments in front shoulder, the rib area and back hip. The 3 yard shot did not penetrate to the opposite rib cage. It also came apart upon impact.

In my opinion it is a terrible elk round and a marginal deer round. You will not get a pass thru therefore a very poor blood trail. I will express myself this way. GARBAGE, JUNK PATHETIC CARTRIDGE. I am ordering 160 nosler patitions for next year. Yes ELDX is accurate but is not a hunting round. Use it for target practice.
Thomas

RiverRatt said:

Question, something that someone suggested was not to trim the brass after its been shot in the rifle I'm loading for, because it's fire formed to that rifle. It shouldn't stretch anymore and it should fit the rifle better and should be more accurate. I do realize federal brass is some of the softer brass but I should get 2-3 reloads out of them before they are no good. Do you trim every time? How come?

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You'd be really surprised how much the brass actually does flow.
My Savage 111 usually ends up with the accuracy node towards max loads. At 3rd reload, can't chamber. The brass has gone forward enough that it's trying to squeeze between the bullet and the rifling.
But even with trimming every time, i still usually get about 6 reloads before the primer pocket starts working loose, and the end up in the recycling.

Back in the early 80's, I used a 7 Rem Mag for everything. At home, in E. TX and for Georgia deer ( got to go once!) I used the 150 NP. I never killed anything over 15-20 yards with that rifle, but man, I shot the devil out of it on my home made range! ha. I had a 160NP load made up "for elk one day", and loaned it to a friend for his elk hunt. It worked swell he said. 10 yrs later, in another state and another 7mm Mag I loaded the old Barnes 120X( w R22) laser! I gave it to my Pastor in Texas and he used it on deer and some exotics, including one 400yds Spanish/Ibex mix Billy. I went one to play with bigger/faster, 7mm STW and 7mm RUM and I liked the 140s in them, even though I never killed anything with them, go figure! A good tough 140 or 150 has a good rep here in Utah, but a lot of folks use 160gr. Good luck to you pard!