Ammo Advice?

Blackbird

Blackbird

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Hi there,

I am new to this website and brand new to hunting for that matter (going on my first deer hunting trip in a couple of weeks!).

I purchased a Savage 111FC 7mm Magnum a few weeks ago and have taken it out to the range twice to test it out. I had trouble sighting it in the first trip (I was a little bit confused on the up/down - left/right adjustments on the windage and elevation dials). However, I went out yesterday and a fellow shooting beside gave me a hand and directed me to this website.

My question is directed at other owners of the Savage 111FC 7mm Magnum: What brand of ammo do you use?

I am using Federal Power-Shok 150 grain. I also picked up a box of Federal Vital-Shok 160 grain - but I think it was a mistake as it costs almost $60 a box vs. the $25 for the Power-Shok. I am not sure I am willing to sight in a rifle with $3 rounds unless someone tells me that it is the best ammo out there.

Yesterday, I was trying to zero in at 100 metres and my grouping was not very good (at best about 3"). However, I realize that I am brand new to the sport and will get better with time.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Cheers,
 
If you're only hunting deer with your 7mm Mag, almost any ammo of the appropriate bullet weight (140 gr. or up) will work just fine. Try a few different brands and determine if one make / bullet weight shoots better than others out of your rifle. Deer aren't hard to kill if you put your shot into the vitals. The $25 ammo you have should work just fine as long as it shoots accurately out of your rifle. The so called premium ammo may offer advantages on larger game though.
 
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What is accurate in one persons rifle, is not necessarily going to be accurate in yours... every rifle is different and you will have to see which ammo shoots accurately.

As for the premium ammo, I would only be using it for hunting and not for range practise. If thats the ammo you wish to use for hunting, sight it in and use the rest for hunting.

The cheaper ammo can be used to practice on the range, your trigger pull.
 
Ah, I see. I thought if I have the same rifle as someone else (Savage 111FC - 7mm Mag) and they are getting good results with a certain brand of ammo, that I too would be well suited to use the same brand of ammo. However, if it is the case that rifles, even if they are the same make and caliber, do not behave the same with the same brand of ammo then I guess I will just have to buy a few different brands of 7mm Mag and test them out.

Cheers,
BB
 
Yes - And given the recoil of said rifle, your groups may be limited by operator error (flinching)... If unsure, let someone else try the rifle - otherwise you may waste a lot of ammo.
 
Every brand-new firearm needs to go thru some rounds to smooth the barrel and barrel's crown.
They even sell special ammo (I haven't seen it in Canada) in USA to expedite the process.
In your case, I'd suggest to buy some cheaper ammo and shoot at least 40-60rds in two sessions with cleaning in between the sessions. You can shoot at 50m if you want to save legs work / time :D This practice will also allow you to learn your rifle and it's trigger better and such.

Then get rounds you most likely will end up using and re-adjust your scope at 100m.
 
Any time you are shooting more that 20 rounds while learning, especially with a 7mm RM are wasted.
You will be further ahead practising on "calling the shot". You can do this while dry firing. That rifle will not hurt you, the bullet is going out the muzzle, and that should dispell the thought of a flinch - it worked for me over 40 years ago.
Practise with a rifle with less kick will be less espensive. Those guys you meet at the range could become your best friends if they let you shoot their rifles (even if you offer to pay for the ammo).
As a beginner, 3 inches at 100 metres is still a minute of deer.
BC is a pretty big area, and since you were shooting at 100 metres, were you at Mission?

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advice,

I have now put 40 rounds through the barrel and I really found that my session yesterday was not the flinch inducing madness that was my first visit to the range. Honestly, I couldn't get over how loud it was (even with ear protection on)! I also thought the kick was pretty intense, but having fired the rifle again 20 times yesterday I found that the kick wasn't as bad as I remembered.

I also own a Mossberg 151K (.22) with a 24" barrel. It is a semi-auto and I found it great fun to shoot after bruising my shoulder trying to sight in the 7mm Mag. It is very accurate and I can get tight groupings out to 50m. At a 100m it sprays somewhat - but that is also likely operator error. I have put about 400 rounds through the barrel and I am getting better. I am a pretty good shot when sitting with a elbow on a knew - but I have a ways to go from a standing position.

The next thing I need to do is go back to the range - make sure that it is pretty sighted in - and then try some standing shots. Once I have done that I will feel more comfortable about trying to take down a deer. The range where I am practicing at is Port Coquitlam & District Hunting & Fishing Club. I also own a KLR and have taken my .22 out up logging roads to practice.

I am off just north of Kamloops for the hunt and am told that the area we will be in is reasonably thick with bush. I am thinking that if I am lucky enough to come across a deer it will probably be less than 100m away. I am going to have to judge my accuracy limitations before taking a shot. But I am hopeful will be able to get a little better in that department before the hunt.

Cheers,
BB
 
personally i reload but having a lot of hunting buddies that don't and many of them went through a lot of brands before they found good shooting bullets.

most of them now hunt with Federal premiums of varying bullet (actual bullet) type on those federal's. but I've only met maybe a couple people that the federal premiums don't shoot well for.

I'm not saying they are def going to be awesome in your rifle but its a good place to start imho.

and seeing you have a box or 2 already lets look at other things that might cause you some problems.

what scope you using? now its not exactly common for a scope to be bouncing out this early if its even decent brand / quality. but on a magnum if you went light on the scope budget that can be a problem.

so lets say you have a Very good scope to go with your 7mm Mag with your federal bullets.

what i would do is this

35 Yards .. setup a target get a rest / sandbag. now make sure your gun is nicely wedged in the sand bag. (ear plugs also will help you with your flinch if you have one) .. Take a Shot dead center of target.. measure where you shot left right down up from center. adjust scope accordingly to 1" over bulls eye. shoot again rinse repeat.

if your bullets are landing where they should be at this 35yard target .. 1" over bulls eye.

head down to the 100 yard range a setup a target there.. same thing sand bag it ect to minimize flinches and movement i mean were range shooting / sighting a gun here no need to take chances of human error.

if your bullets are still patterning all over the place.. switch brands but at least you should some what be lined up now.

gl man sometimes guns can be a pain to find the right partner bullets for.

PS: also id like to add about the shoulder bruising magnums on a range bench have a tenancy to do that over a period of shots. but the kick will be much less when your not sitting in a bench leaning 50% of your body weight over a gun so keep that in mind the gun wont kick even half as much when standing /crouching ect. .
 
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two identical rifles that come off the assembly line back to back can and probably will like different ammo. There are a lot of variables that can occur in the process of rifling a barrel that can have it dislike certain ammo. There are also differences in the way a barrel is broken in that will cause it to like some ammo over others. The imperfections or lack of them are unique to each barrel, and the weights and shapes of bullets can be quite sensitive to the differences in different barrels. A small burr may affect a lighter bullet far more than a heavy bullet, and that burr may not be present in a different barrel.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice,

Leonard, I have a Simmonds 3-9X40 Bore sighted scope. As it came as part of the package and I am doubting that it is the top of a line scope. I have noticed that when I adjust the windage and elevation dials the results are not consistent. That is to say, sometimes when I drop a few click nothing seems to happen - but when I dial upwards it seems to move quite a bit. I had some advice from the fellow who helped me at the range to dial the scope in all directions just to get it settled out. That makes sense to me and I will have to see how it goes next time I am out.

Cheers,
BB
 
Blackbird said:
Thanks everyone for the advice,

Leonard, I have a Simmonds 3-9X40 Bore sighted scope. As it came as part of the package and I am doubting that it is the top of a line scope. I have noticed that when I adjust the windage and elevation dials the results are not consistent. That is to say, sometimes when I drop a few click nothing seems to happen - but when I dial upwards it seems to move quite a bit. I had some advice from the fellow who helped me at the range to dial the scope in all directions just to get it settled out. That makes sense to me and I will have to see how it goes next time I am out.

Cheers,
BB
Click to expand...

Sometimes it helps, when adjusting a scope, to end up turning the adjustment screw to the right. That is, suppose you want to adjust two marks to the left (turning the knob counter clockwise.) First turn it four marks to the left, then back two marks to the right. This is because you are pushing it one way (when turning clockwise) while the other way you are loosening it, while a spring pushes it.
Ending up with it turning clockwise, puching it with the screw, helps to secure small movements.
 
My very humble advice is to sell the 7mm RM and get one of the following:
.243 Win, 260 Rem or 25-06. The rifle will be fun to shoot, just like your .22, and you will shoot much better. You will have more confidence and you will be more likely to make a killing shot. This will enhance your first deer hunting experience.
 
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