7mm Rem Mag Ammo for Elk??

I hunted for years with 7mm Mag and 160gr Nosler Partition handloads. I then migrated to 175 Gr Partitions and ABLRs. Both worked very well. Believe Nosler provides a factory 175 Gr ABLR load.
 
For a LEAD CORE bullet, I think you want to be at least at 150 grain or heavier for elk, even if it is a 'Bonded' or 'Partition'-type bullet. For the all copper (mono-metal) bullets, such as Hornady GMX or Barnes TSX / LRX / TTSX- type bullets, you can 'safely' go down to 140 grains and still get full penetration but with more velocity as they retain nearly 100% of their weight.

Looking at Midway's selection, here are some choices that would work on elk, using your friend's 7mm Rem Mag. I put them in order of price. If they are sold out at Midway, I'm sure a google search will find it somewhere else:
  1. Remington HTP Copper Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 140 Grain Barnes TSX Hollow Point Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($30 @ Midway)
  2. Federal Fusion Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 175 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20 ($30 @ Midway)
  3. Federal Fusion Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20 ($30 at Midway)
  4. Hornady Custom Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 162 Grain InterLock Spire Point Boat Tail Box of 20 ($35 @ Midway)
  5. Remington Premier Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Swift Scirocco (Bonded) Box of 20 ($38 @ Midway)
  6. Barnes VOR-TX Long Range Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 139 Grain LRX Polymer Tipped Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($41 @ Midway)
  7. Federal Premium Edge TLR Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 155 Grain Polymer Tipped Bonded Boat Tail ($43 @ Midway)
  8. Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 175 Grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw Box of 20 ($44 at Midway)
  9. Hornady Outfitter Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain GMX Lead-Free Box of 20 ($45 @ Midway)
  10. HSM Trophy Gold Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 168 Grain Berger Hunting VLD Hollow Point Boat Tail Box of 20 ($49 @ Midway)
  11. Barnes VOR-TX Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain TTSX Polymer Tipped Spitzer Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($50 at Midway)
  12. Barnes VOR-TX Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 160 Grain TSX Hollow Point Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($50 @ Midway)
  13. Nosler Trophy Grade Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 168 Grain AccuBond Long Range Box of 20 ($62 @ Midway)
  14. Nosler Custom Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Partition Spitzer Box of 20 ($72 @ Midway)
 
Myself and 2 other guys are going to Idaho in 4 months for an elk hunt. We were talking ammo selection the other day and my buddy needs to find a good factory round for the 7mm Rem Mag he just inherited. So what brand and grain weight would you guys recommend? He will not be reloading for this rifle. He's a pretty avid shooter, but not necessarily long range. Keep in mind this is a brand new rifle for him so I'm thinking realistically shots out to 400-500 yards will be his max.
My first and second choice for factory loaded ammo would be something loaded with a 160 gr Nosler Partition or a 160 gr Swift A-Frame.
 
For a LEAD CORE bullet, I think you want to be at least at 150 grain or heavier for elk, even if it is a 'Bonded' or 'Partition'-type bullet. For the all copper (mono-metal) bullets, such as Hornady GMX or Barnes TSX / LRX / TTSX- type bullets, you can 'safely' go down to 140 grains and still get full penetration but with more velocity as they retain nearly 100% of their weight.

Looking at Midway's selection, here are some choices that would work on elk, using your friend's 7mm Rem Mag. I put them in order of price. If they are sold out at Midway, I'm sure a google search will find it somewhere else:
  1. Remington HTP Copper Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 140 Grain Barnes TSX Hollow Point Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($30 @ Midway)
  2. Federal Fusion Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 175 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20 ($30 @ Midway)
  3. Federal Fusion Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20 ($30 at Midway)
  4. Hornady Custom Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 162 Grain InterLock Spire Point Boat Tail Box of 20 ($35 @ Midway)
  5. Remington Premier Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Swift Scirocco (Bonded) Box of 20 ($38 @ Midway)
  6. Barnes VOR-TX Long Range Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 139 Grain LRX Polymer Tipped Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($41 @ Midway)
  7. Federal Premium Edge TLR Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 155 Grain Polymer Tipped Bonded Boat Tail ($43 @ Midway)
  8. Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 175 Grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw Box of 20 ($44 at Midway)
  9. Hornady Outfitter Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain GMX Lead-Free Box of 20 ($45 @ Midway)
  10. HSM Trophy Gold Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 168 Grain Berger Hunting VLD Hollow Point Boat Tail Box of 20 ($49 @ Midway)
  11. Barnes VOR-TX Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain TTSX Polymer Tipped Spitzer Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($50 at Midway)
  12. Barnes VOR-TX Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 160 Grain TSX Hollow Point Boat Tail Lead-Free Box of 20 ($50 @ Midway)
  13. Nosler Trophy Grade Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 168 Grain AccuBond Long Range Box of 20 ($62 @ Midway)
  14. Nosler Custom Ammunition 7mm Remington Magnum 150 Grain Partition Spitzer Box of 20 ($72 @ Midway)

Frog4aday you prwtty much covered them all.

Shamu take your pick.
 
They stopped making this about 20 years ago, but if you can find some, it would be a good option...

IMG_3134.jpeg
 
Try loads with the Barnes TSX, the Hornady ELD-X or GMX, or the Berger. 150-180 grain and pick the one that shoots best from his rifle. Any one of them will anchor an elk at the distances you mentioned. I like these over other bullets because they will break through a tough shoulder and stay together vs others that may separate.
 
Myself and 2 other guys are going to Idaho in 4 months for an elk hunt. We were talking ammo selection the other day and my buddy needs to find a good factory round for the 7mm Rem Mag he just inherited. So what brand and grain weight would you guys recommend? He will not be reloading for this rifle. He's a pretty avid shooter, but not necessarily long range. Keep in mind this is a brand new rifle for him so I'm thinking realistically shots out to 400-500 yards will be his max.
Hornady Precision Hunter with a 160gr-175gr bullet would probably be where I'd start.

Federal Premium, Nosler Trophy Grade, and Winchester Supreme would follow.

It will all depend on what will shoot well in his rifle. If it's a factory rifle, especially an older factory rifle there's little to no chance it will shoot any of the heavier offerings or VLD's well at all.
 
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