Xp100 7mm IHMSA - Range day for load workup

[Rogue Hunter]

I haven't gotten mine over the chrono yet either... but hoping to sometime this week or weekend. I did notice that at 33.6 gr of h4895 ... that it looked like my brass had some ejector sign on one piece. I'm still thinking about running it at 33.4 though because the primers... though a little flattened... didn't muffin out on me... and it was a pretty accurate load.

That would be sweet Ted if you get a deer. I'm confident that this gun will be more than up to the task and I hope I can get one in my sights within 250 yards. I'm gonna cap my limit there until I have more time to spend behind it.

Good luck... and please post your results if you bag one!!

Jboscobuys,
You should be good with the 7 ihmsa well past 250 once you get comfortable with it. The first XP-100 I ever shot belonged to a older gentleman that has since passed on. It was a bone stock 7 BR with a 2.5-8 leupold scope. All he ever did was hunt antelope with it in Wyoming every year. He had killed 28 of them all with 140 gr ballistic tips. Longest shot was almost 300 yards.
I too shoot silhouettes now with three different xp's at our monthly matches. We even occasionally shoot 500m silhouette matches with them. It's great practice, but nothing beats getting out in the field and shooting varmints with them. Rock chucks and ground squirrels are my favorite The antelope buck that I took with my xp at 402 yards felt like a chip shot after shooting rock chucks the spring before out to 600 + yards. I had killed a black bear with it at 277 yards just a couple of weeks before the antelope hunt. I was shooting off the ground with a bipod and a rear bag. -Rock solid...
Get some real velocities so you can run some accurate drops for your set-up, and
find what rest works well for you whether its a bipod, bog pod, or off a back pack, and practice, practice, practice....
The 7 ihmsa will work great with the proper shot placement. You should have a fun season ahead of you!

-Mike

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Hey Mike... Really enjoyed your last post. I do have a question to throw out to you in hopes that you might be able to provide me with some experience as it sounds like you've got a lot with this caliber.

I purchased Nosler BT 140s because I figured that I wouldn't be running them as fast as my 308... And was thinking that at slower velocities, they might be a better option than a partition or accubond which need to be running at least 1800 fps to work their magic. Since I haven't used it in the field yet... Do you think I should run the BTs or accubonds on mulies. I picked up a pack of the accubonds, but figured I get out and reconfirm my load, chrono, and get my range set for point blank out to 250, sometime this weekend.

Not a lot of time to get it sorted, as my hunt starts oct 5. If you think accubonds would be preferred... I'll works some up tomorrow night.

-James

 

[Rogue Hunter]

James,
The 140 BT will work excellent for your intended purpose. PM sent back your way.

-Mike

 

[Ernie]

Good for you!

Wow... I just got back from the range and everyone and their pet cow Bella is out to sight in their rifles for deer & elk season.

I worked up some loads for the 7mm IHMSA XP-100 I just got... All factory except the mount and scope. Used H4895 from 32.2gr to 33.6gr on 140gr Nosler BTs... Coal of 2.670 and base to ogive of 2.100.

33.4gr seemed to be the best for accuracy and does have some snap. I'm definitely no benchrest pistol shooter, but I'm confident that if this load holds over my next round of tests.... It'll make a splendid deer load, though I think I'll pickup some accubonds and verify with those.

I have to admit... I was stoked when I left the range!!!gun). The guys to my left and right all shooting rifles weren't getting groups even close to what this lil xp was doing. Everyone wanted to check it out. Not one of my other pistols or rifles ever got a crowd like that... Crazy. Most wanted to hold it and look down range which I obliged. Just wished I had made some extra rounds so that they could have fired one or two as well. Next time!
View attachment 38485

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

James,
The 140 BT will work excellent for your intended purpose. PM sent back your way.

-Mike

Got your pm Mike. Thanks a ton for it. Feeling more confident about this bullet for its intended task. The BT 140 sure seems to shoot well.... And was easy to tune.

Have a good weekend and thanks again!

-James

 

[RT2506]

Don't worry about the 140 BT if you put it where it is supposed to go it will get the job done. With your 33.4 grs H4895 you should be around 2100 fps.

 

[Ernie]

Steve Hugel and I killed a lot of game with both the 120 NBT and the 140 NBT out of a 14" 7-08.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Don't worry about the 140 BT if you put it where it is supposed to go it will get the job done. With your 33.4 grs H4895 you should be around 2100 fps.

I think she's gonna be a fine shooter. I actually got out to the range today to verify load, zero, and chrono. Getting 2237 fps out of her though I only used 5 rounds to chrono with the magneto speed... I got 3 out of those 5 that were within 3 fps of each other... The other 2 not so great... 40 fps difference. However, I only shot 3 bullets to confirm zero and this is what she did. Just a little under an inch at 100... But it should be perfect for my needs. I'm not match champion that's for sure! gun)

Steve Hugel and I killed a lot of game with both the 120 NBT and the 140 NBT out of a 14" 7-08.

The reason for the pistol is that my little brother has stage 5 renal failure and has a shunt going through the right side of his chest into his heart, so he's unable to shoot a rifle. He gets dialysis 3 times a week and he said that if the tubes there get bumped at all... It's like someone kicked him in the family jewels. This is the first time either of us drew for deer...(group draw), so I wanted to find a way for him to go. This is going to be a lot of fun. I will be honest and tell you all that I'm taking my 308 which is dialed out to 600 yards just incase we see that dream buck and we can't get in range with the pistol, but it's a last resort and only if it's a monster.

Thanks for all the support guys. I'm chomping at the bit to go... So is my brother. He's thanked me a few times for thinking of a way that he could go on this hunt and not just be a spotter. 2 weeks and counting!

 

[RT2506]

Sending prayers and good wishes your way. Hope you have a blast.

 

[Rogue Hunter]

James,
Wish you and your brother the best hunt ever. I'll be pulling for you on this end too
BTW, good shooting! -Looks like you are dialed ingun)


-Mike

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Thanks... And best wishes on your hunts as well. Hope you all have a fun, fruitful, safe, and memorable hunt!!

-James

 

[Ted1000]

Did your season begin yet? Bought a Wichita mk 40 in 7mm ihmsa and have followed this thread. Would love to know how your hunt went.
I found some speer sfp's (made for 7-30 waters) and loaded these with 34.6 grains h322. I have a chrony but felt there was no need to chrony as load is plenty for deer.
I took a junior hunting and he did all the shooting Saturday. I told him I was going to take the first shot sunday morning at whatever walked out first. Well,, an 8 pointer walked out. Wasn't hug but decent and he was broadside about 60 yards away. BAM! Buck went down but got up and I could tell was hit good. While we waited 15 minutes and stared looking. Found blood trail immediately and there he was about 60 yards from where I shoot him! The junior ended up getting 2 does and a 6 pointer. A great weekend!

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Heya... Congrats Ted. My brother wasn't so lucky. He actually had an opportunity on a nice 2 point within 20 minutes of start on opening day, but he didn't see it. When I very quietly said, buck and I indicated its direction, he blighted out in full voice, "Where?!"

Busted. Deer didn't waste a heartbeat getting to the thick trees and bramble off to its east side... About 20 yards away. No way to give chase in that. Afterwards, we didn't see anything inside of 200 which was where he set his limit as that's all he'd practiced out to prior to our hunt. The sad thing is that he ended up in the hospital right after our outing and wasn't back in hunting condition until last weekend, so our draw was over. He got a staff infection so they took out the shunt on his right side and moved it to his left... Which means he can now shoot light recoiling rifles.

I did take him out with an AR15 last Sunday and helped get him his first coyote. I told him it was to make up for the lack of his being able to get a deer. He was very jazzed... And I got thank yous for a couple of days after, so I know he really enjoyed it as he's not very demonstrative.

Going to take him out again next weekend as he enjoyed it so much, it's all he can talk about. He even came over today to help me whip up some loads for coyote hunting.

Appreciate your touching base... And I have to admit... I love the 7mm IHMSA. great caliber!

 

[Ted1000]

Sorry to hear about his deer but glad he got a coyote! I went today (deer season ends next weekend) and didn't see a single one. Please keep me informed!