What is the “best” factory load for a 7mm rem mag? (deer) TC encore

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What is the “best” factory load for a 7mm rem mag? (deer) TC encore

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“best” factory load i tryed the search , but did not get much. (there was one close , but was not for deer)
 
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Every rifle is different and will "like" some loads more so than others. The only way to discover which factory load is most accurate in your rifle is to purchase as wide a range of ammo as you can find in bullet styles and weights that are appropriate for the game you intend to hunt. i.e., purchase ammo intended for big game, not varmints, if you're going after deer, elk, moose hunting, etc...

Shoot 5 round groups from a steady rest, sandbag, etc...allowing sufficeint time between shots to allow the barrel to cool and prevent vertical stringing. Shoot all the ammo and make sure you carefully label each target with the type/bullet weight of ammo you used.

It might take you a couple of trips to the range to do this properly. Once you have all your targets in hand, break out the calipers and measure to see which ammo shot the smallest groups. If I have lots of ammo, I usually pick the top two or three and shoot several additional strings just to make sure the original results weren't the result of random chance or unknown variables. The most accurate group out of that, will yield the factory ammo your rifle shoots best....I'd then go lay in a good supply of this ammo, making sure that the factory lot numbers match. Kept in a cool, dry place, factory ammo can last for years with no degredation in performance.
 
Federal 160 Nosler Partions always seemed to work the best for me. I have taken whitetail, mule deer and speed goats (and the odd bear), and they do their job to perfection.
 
Shoot 5 round groups from a steady rest, sandbag, etc...allowing sufficeint time between shots to allow the barrel to cool and prevent vertical stringing.
This was a quote from X-man.
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So much simpler to have the rifle bedded and tuned, so it will not vertical string the bullets. Then, it won't have tensions, or twists in it, and will shoot everything fed into it virtually the same.
 
I took a look at the ballistics for those cartridges in your post and I can assure you that every one of those cartridges listed will kill deer stone dead with no problem at all. That being the case, I tend to go with the heavier grain bullets, so pick the 150 grain. The added advantage is that it goes a tad slower so the impact won't damage quite as much meat as the 140 grain. However in this case, the ballistics are so similar that it won't likely make a measurable difference unless your rifle 'likes' one over the other so far as accuracy is concerned. Personally, I like to use a much slower bullet and a bit heavier so I don't damage much meat. The 7 MM Rem Mag is overkill for deer, but if that's the only rifle you have, then go for it.
 
but if that's the only rifle you have
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remeber its a encore , i am looking at buying the 270 and 223 barrel for it also.

yes i know the 7mm is over kill but i love them , they have a cool name "7mm" when you tell other hunters your hunting with a 7mm most new hunters dont know what that is...

with the encore i got 2 deer this year with it , one in the neck/head other in the tip of the heart, the one i shot in the neck , well there was no meat left on the neck, the other one i got in the tip of the heart well we lost one leg/rib
 
Unless you're shooting a .30-30 or something of similar power, meat damage would have been identical with a .308, .30-06 or similar sized cartridge.

Are you shooting at extreme ranges? I don't see any need for any premium ammo on a deer. If plain old Winchester power points, Remington corelokts, or Federal classics shoot well in you rifle(and you can try and see which brand and weight does), that's really all you really need.

I'd go with heavier bullets too because I shoot in wooded areas and I favour a heavier slug in hopes it would deflect less on brush or twigs.
 
I'd start getting into handloading imo. Then you can tailor your loads....the choices are unlimited. And cheaper. A 140gr TSX or heavier will do justice, or even a Nosler Partition.
Unless of course you buy factory "Premium" bullets then give 'er. B4 I started to reload I found that the regular Win, Federal would blow apart, it'd kill the deer mind you but with total case separation. The Rem. Core Lokt was the better of the 3 imo.
I shoot the Encore as well and shoot only reloads with fantastic results off the bench and in the bush. My favourite though is my 209x50 bbl.
 
The question is, do you need the best for shooting deer? Any 7mm bullet intended for big game that hits the deer appropriately at 2000 fps will kill it. The 139's have worked in 7X57's for decades, so there is little doubt they will also work in a 7 mag. You don't even need to search for the most accurate load as 2 MOA is sufficiently accurate for big game hunting out to 300 yards. I would suggest a mono metal or bonded bullet if you intend to shoot game larger than deer, but the Interlocks will work fine for deer sized targets.
 
I own a Sako 7mm rem mag I use 140gr on whitetail, 150gr on muledeer they work just fine but I'd go with the remington shells you can try Winchester but use the premium ammo dont cheap out on bullets use the best you can buy or else bullet will come apart and johnny buck will disappear. Also shot placement is key shoot for the shoulder deer cant run away with no front legs and the 7mm with 140-150 gr bullets will pulverize the shoulders no problem you cant shoot behind the shoulder with a magnum rifle there's not enough bone and muscle to make you bullet expand properly and using cheap ammo is another common cause of bullets flying apart. Now on a running shot who cares as long as it goes down mission acomplished. And about destroying who cares as long as the BIG BUCK is dead there's no problem if you want a deer for sausage i suggest doe hunting and shoot it in the head if you dont want meat dammage because it dont matter what you shoot the deer with your going to screw up meat thats why we shoot them with big guns or at least thats why we use anything from ex:308 to 375 .
 
My 7mm Pro Hunter shoots 139 grain Hornaday Interbonds in Hornady factory ammo like a champ but that doesn't mean yours will. All barrels are unique.
 
sheephunter said:
My 7mm Pro Hunter shoots 139 grain Hornaday Interbonds in Hornady factory ammo like a champ but that doesn't mean yours will. All barrels are unique.
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have you tryed other ammo in the gun also?

also i will be useing this gun for "fun also" i know with the cheep ammo i am useing right now (Federal Power Shok Soft Point 150gr) it will still hit inside a 2-3" mark at 200-250 yards. and 1"-1.5 at 100 , but when i was looking at the good ammo , the wind driff on good ammo at 10mph was like 15-20 , and cheep stuff was 20-30" at 500yards

i think ill buy a box of the Hornaday Interbonds and see what i can do.
 
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