Antelope Load - 7mm-08

[ChocDog]

Hi all and happy 4th of July!
I am getting ready to start developing loads fora Wyoming antelope hunt with my daughter. My daughter and I are both shooting Tikka T3x's in 7mm-08. The bullets I currently have on hand are 139 grn Hornady SST's/Interlocks, 140 grn Nosler Accubond/Ballistic Tips/Partitions and Sierra Gamekings SBT in 140 and 150 grn. The powder I have are Varget, H4350, IMR 4350, H4895, RE15, Big Game and some others. We will be zeroed at 200 yards and would feel confident to 300+.
What bullet/powder combination would you recommend? What experiences have you had with your recommendations?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Myk Halibut]

I use the 160 with h4350, but varget would be great for the 140’s.

 

[kyreloader]

8208 with the 120g Nosler BT.

Good mojo.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Antelope are not tough to kill.. I'd probly go with the 140's ... Powder? Testing will tell you. 120 Nosler and IMR4350 looks good too.

 

[joshb]

Bump.

 

[ebb]

I know what you are saying they are not hard to kill. But they don't seem to die like hit by lightning, either. I saw one hit with a good vital shot from a 300 win mag and it took longer to die than I would have liked. I used a 25-06 with 115 Nos BT when I went, They always ran 75-100yds after a good hit.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Most of my kills were an instant drop. Usually using a 243 and a 95 Nosler Partition

 

[NortexDM]

120gr nosler are a real under appreciated bullet for hunting. They are crazy tough and can be ran plenty fast.

 

[centerlineseal]

120 gr NBT on top of H4350 and a CCi BR2

 

[wolfman]

rl15 works great for me with 120's

 

[7887mm08]

I currently own 3- 708's including A T-3 that I purchased when they first were offered.
I have been shooting the 708 since 1984. For the past 10 yrs or so I shoot the hornady 139 sp (interlock) and varget.
Completely satisfied and the same load works for all 3. I have no reason to try any other combo, hammers deer and bear.
I never worked up a bad load with any bullet, powder combo that I tried. Pick your bullet first and any powder you have on hand will work just fine.
Good luck

 

[Shaggy357]

Nosler 140s and Varget or H4350. I have excellent loads with these powders. One is the 140 BT, the other is the 120....I do not recall which powder is used with each bullet, but I do know the combinations work well for me in a Weatherby.

 

[stacy]

VARGET AND 120GR BARNES TTSX 210M PRIMERS WORKS WELL IN MY MODEL 7

 

[Murray Brook]

I've owned 3 different 7mm/08's over the years and still have 2. With 140 gr type bullets H-414/WW760 has always been great.

 

[sbhooper]

You don't need anything special for antelope. About any bullet kills them. Shoot the one that is most accurate in the rifles. You don't need anything heavier than 120, but the 139 stuff will hold the wind a bit better if you want to stretch your shot. Don't overthink this. Antelope are easy to kill and accuracy is most important. Find your load and make sure that they practice out to the farthest range that they are comfortable with.

 

[Rtheurer]

Antelope are not tough to kill.. I'd probly go with the 140's ... Powder? Testing will tell you. 120 Nosler and IMR4350 looks good too.

This is exactly correct. Of all the Biggame out there the Antelope is pretty thin skinned and not very big at all. A big heavy bonded bullet for Elk might not be best combination. Keep that in mind when selecting a bullet.
Some Thing light and Fast and most important.. Accurate!
Best of luck to you.

Great meat if you don't run them and get that Hide off right away and cooled off. Don't wait.

Russel

 

[Clancy]

I load 120 NBT with Varget, but for just one hunt I’d just buy each of you a box of Nosler Ballistic Tip Ammo loaded with the 120s. It shoots as well as my handloads.

 

[HandgunHTR]

My Browning A-Bolt in 7mm-08 loves the H4350 and Nosler 140 grain BT/AB combo. I am averaging 2725 fps with a SD of 15 for my load. My gun also likes the IMR-4320 and the Hornady 139 grain BTSP. I get consistent 3/4" 5-shot groups with that load.

 

[ChocDog]

Thank you all for the replies. All good information for sure. I'll workup some 120 NBT's and try HSST's.

 

[Homerange]

Thank you all for the replies. All good information for sure. I'll workup some 120 NBT's and try HSST's.

That's something I'm wanting to do too but for longer range with NBT's.
I found FB 120gr Hornady worked very well in big red deer hinds out to 250yds and they're cheap.
Using ADI 2208 (Varget).