Haven't seen any forums for the 7mm-08...and there should be one! What are some good loads for whitetails...what does anyone think of the improved versions? Any one shoot varmints with this caliber?
7mm-08
- Thread starter PAshooter20BR
- Start date
I use the 7-08 for deer hunting here in Texas and it works great for me. I use Varget and 140 gr Accubonds. My rifle is A T/C Encore.
I haven't used it for varmint hunting, unless you count wild hogs as varmints. The Accubonds at a little under 2900 fps are devastating on everything i have shot so far.
I haven't used it for varmint hunting, unless you count wild hogs as varmints. The Accubonds at a little under 2900 fps are devastating on everything i have shot so far.
the 7-08 is a great round. had one in a rem. 700 the light varminter with ss fluted barrel. recoil was mild, accuracy exceptional in a factory gun. took it elk hunting last year and shot an elk cow with it. she was angled to me trying to figure out what i was, shot thru the shoulder and left a good size hole out opposite side. didn't have to track, watched her fall. it must take a lot to stop a 150 grain sierra! never had it long enough to varmint hunt with. mine didn't like light bullets anyway.
Up here in PA the 7mm-08 is hard to beat. I have shot many deer with it and they don't move! Love the caliber and would like to build a custom deer rifle chambered in the 08. Have seen the 7mm-08 AI's and Improved versions and am curious if anyone has any experience with them. I have heard the velocity gain isn't worth the trouble but I just love the caliber. Can't beat the short action, light recoil, and accuracy of the 7mm.
I am waiting for my 7mm-08 and reading this gets me pumped! Building it on a remington left hand action, macmillan sporter stock, 24" barrel and a leupold 2.5-8x36 will be the scope. Building it for whitetail hunting, hoping it likes the 140 grain accubond. I hunt whitetails in Alberta and Saskatchewan with lots of walking involved. should be a easy to carry, accurate all around great set up for what it is intended for.
I recently bought a 7-08AI. It likes 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips and 120gr. TSX's both with Varget. I took it on a hog hunt last weekend and put one of the TSX's through a 175lb. hog. I shot the hog just behind the shoulder from 150 yards and I saw all 4 feet fly into the air. It never took a step. Great bullet performance. I wanted to see if it would penetrate both shoulders, but there was brush in the way.
How does the 7mm-08AI feed. Do you have any feeding problems from the magazine? How much velocity increase can you get with the AI?
Sorry it took so long to get back to you.
It feeds okay, but not as smoothly as a regular 7-08. I don't know how much velocity gain, because I bought it already improved. I don't think it gains much because you don't gain much case capacity with the improved version of the 7-08. The main benefit is brass life.
I didn't even get a chance to chronograph the loads. I got the rifle, loaded a series to check pressure and shot some groups. 120gr. V-max's went about 1.25", Nosler 120BT's .75" and 120gr. TSX's went into 1.25"
I'll do more work with it this summer.
If I were building it from scratch, I'd go with the standard 7-08. AI's are neat, but nobody says they feed better than a standard version. I have a .223 AI that is temperamental about feeding. Accurate and lots of velocity, but won't feed a nosler 40gr.BT worth a darn. Frustrating because with a standard Rem factory barrel it will put them in .375" groups.
I bought a used .243AI as a coyote gun. The guy selling it swears it will feed with no problems. It's in the hands of UPS now, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's weird, I'm not a big AI fan due to feeding issues, but I've gotten a couple of good deals on the rifles.
Take care,
Richard
It feeds okay, but not as smoothly as a regular 7-08. I don't know how much velocity gain, because I bought it already improved. I don't think it gains much because you don't gain much case capacity with the improved version of the 7-08. The main benefit is brass life.
I didn't even get a chance to chronograph the loads. I got the rifle, loaded a series to check pressure and shot some groups. 120gr. V-max's went about 1.25", Nosler 120BT's .75" and 120gr. TSX's went into 1.25"
I'll do more work with it this summer.
If I were building it from scratch, I'd go with the standard 7-08. AI's are neat, but nobody says they feed better than a standard version. I have a .223 AI that is temperamental about feeding. Accurate and lots of velocity, but won't feed a nosler 40gr.BT worth a darn. Frustrating because with a standard Rem factory barrel it will put them in .375" groups.
I bought a used .243AI as a coyote gun. The guy selling it swears it will feed with no problems. It's in the hands of UPS now, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's weird, I'm not a big AI fan due to feeding issues, but I've gotten a couple of good deals on the rifles.
Take care,
Richard
Richard,
Thanks for the reply. Noticed you and some others are always posting about the 120 grain bullets for the 7mm-08. Up here in PA we are all shooting 140s. Any reason your shooting the 120's over the 140's. The 7mm-08s inherent accuracy has always seemed to be claimed with the 140s.
Thanks
Brandon
Thanks for the reply. Noticed you and some others are always posting about the 120 grain bullets for the 7mm-08. Up here in PA we are all shooting 140s. Any reason your shooting the 120's over the 140's. The 7mm-08s inherent accuracy has always seemed to be claimed with the 140s.
Thanks
Brandon
The main reason I tried the 120TSX is because some people were raving about them on another site. According to them they were fully penetrating bear, deer, and even moose. I also read reports saying that you should go with a lighter bullet using the TSX as compared to bullets using standard construction.
I don't have much experience big game hunting. I've always hunted coyotes, rabbits, etc. but only hunted larger game once.,Elk, one shot with a 180gr .30-06) I have a son who really wants to hunt, so that's what we'll be doing the next few years. Next up is turkey May 4, 5, & 6.
I'm trying to get a deer/hog hunt lined up this Fall. A friend is going to try and get us set up to cull some does, maybe a buck and all the hogs we can shoot in south Texas. This should give a better sample of what the TSX will do. Maybe I'll draw out on a hunt here in NM too.
I don't have much experience big game hunting. I've always hunted coyotes, rabbits, etc. but only hunted larger game once.,Elk, one shot with a 180gr .30-06) I have a son who really wants to hunt, so that's what we'll be doing the next few years. Next up is turkey May 4, 5, & 6.
I'm trying to get a deer/hog hunt lined up this Fall. A friend is going to try and get us set up to cull some does, maybe a buck and all the hogs we can shoot in south Texas. This should give a better sample of what the TSX will do. Maybe I'll draw out on a hunt here in NM too.
Layne Simpson developed the 7mm SGLC,Simpson's Good Little Cartridge), which was the .308 Winchester necked down to 7mm, and fireformed to have a 40 degree shoulder. It pre-dated the 7mm/08 by a number of years.
Click this link for more information:
http://www.galleryofguns.com/shootingtimes/Articles/DisplayArticles.asp?ID=32
Layne Simpson writes that he achieved 3000fps with a 140gr Partition, and used it to take a Shiras Moose back in 1976.
Hope this helps,
Michael.
Click this link for more information:
http://www.galleryofguns.com/shootingtimes/Articles/DisplayArticles.asp?ID=32
Layne Simpson writes that he achieved 3000fps with a 140gr Partition, and used it to take a Shiras Moose back in 1976.
Hope this helps,
Michael.
Update- I picked up my gun this spring and I have been to the range a couple times for load development. So far it likes the 140 TSX the best with 47 grains of H-414, 2930 fps. This gun eems to be a little finicky with Varget? So far I have tried the 140 Accubond and the 140 Sierra game king with the TSX coming out on top. I have read conflicting reports of the TSX and I am curious how they do on deer.
I had a 7mm08 AI built this year, and I love it. I necked down the lapua .308 brass, turned the necks lightly to clean up, the action is a Rem 700 the barrel is a Pac-Nor 5 groove 10 twist finished at 24". I shoot the 140 accu-bond noslers, velocity is at a steady 2980 and they are very accurate. I can not say enough on how happy I am putting this gun together and seeing it perform in the end. I use Fed 210 primers RE 15 powder and it loves it. Ron Tilley
I just got back from an elk hunt. I used a Kimber Montana in 7-08. I was shooting the Barnes 120gr. TSX. I spotted a bedded bull at 200 yards across a canyon. I shot, and his head came up, so I shot him again. 10 seconds later, his head dropped. He never got up. One shot went in behind his near shoulder and nicked the opposite shoulder blade on the way out. I dug it out of the dirt bank behind him. The other bullet went in behind the near shoulder and broke the big bone between his shoulder blade and elbow on the off side. I recovered it under the skin. I was pleased with the bullet performance.
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