Highest velocity powder 7mm TCU

[Win1917]

I'm planning on hunting with a 10" 7 tcu with 120gr Ballistic Tips this year and I'm wondering what powder you've found to yield the highest velocity. AA2015 gave me 1950 fps with exceptional accuracy but I ran out and it's not available locally. I've been using H4198 since then and accuracy is almost as good and runs about 1925 fps. An older Speer manual that I have shows H-335 and H322 pretty much running neck and neck and faster than everything else so I've been leaning towards H-322 because it can be used for other stuff. Any other suggestions?

[gunguy]

I have chronographed my 10'tcu with 120 ssp's and imr 4198. I get right above 2000 fps with this. My realisitc adivice though is if you are trying to get 50/100 fps more it would not be worth it as the deer won't know the difference between being hit with a bullet at 1900 fps versus 2000fps as long as the bullet is designed to expand in that velocity range. Shot placement is the most critical thing here. I would use your h4198 as it sounds like you have a very accurate load!
I am going to use my t/c 44 mag (240 hornady xtp) for deer this year. If I get time next week, I am also going to sight in my 30 herret using hornady's 160 ftx bullet designed for 30-30 velocity's and if fortunate enogh, see how this works on deer.

[sgtrock965]

Don't have any rcommendation for the 120 gr bullets, but my copy of "Reloading Guide for Handgun Accuracy" does have the following for Sierra 140, Hornady 139, Speer 145:

H4895 24.6 1735fps
H4227 17.0 1697fps
H4198 19.5 1854fps

Trim lgth: 1.750
Case: Remington .223
Primer: Federal 205

THESE WERE USED TO SHOOT A PERFECT SCORE IN A 10" CONTENDER

[Win1917]

Looks like I haven't been into this particular forum in a while . Since then I picked up some H-322 and settled on it for a hunting load. In my notes I couldn't find the exact velocities but seem to recall it was somewhere in the 2250 fps ballpark. A fair bit faster than what I was getting with H4198. As it turned out though I ended up falling in love with a 10" 357 Herrett and hunted with that most of the season.

[gunguy]

So did you get one with your 357 herrett? I got a small buck with my t/c 44 mag (240 grain hornady xtp. What load/bullet did you use? I may decide to use my 7 tcu instead of the 30 herrett this year as I have not had time to load develop with the herrett.

[Win1917]

Yep, tagged this 10 point that was just shy of 200# with that 357 Herrett. The powder was a max charge of H4198 under a 180 gr XTP. Don't recall what that charge is off-hand but I think the velocity is in the 1850 fps ballpark. Granted that shot was only about 20 yrds, but after seeing what it did to that buck, that's my choice for public land hunting.

I still want to see what the 7 TCU can do though so I'll probably use it on a lease where I often get to hunt. The woods are a little more open and if a deer runs a little bit it's not an issue. Not saying that's going to happen with the tcu, just that I feel better experimenting with a new round there if it does happen. After I actually put a deer down with it I'm sure I'll have a lot more confidence in it.

[gunguy]

Nice deer!