What hunting bullet for a 7-08?

[XTR]

I'm thinking the 160SGK but I've not loaded for a 7-08 before. It looks like a good balance of bullet weight and BC for shots out to 500 or so.

Anyone have experiences with 7-08s and hunting loads?

 

[alf]

I've had good luck with a 120 Ballistic Tip in my 7-08.

They've got a great track record......

 

[2506]

Depends on what you will be hunting. For deer size game 120 Ballistic tip or 154 Hornady SP is hard to beat.

 

[kyreloader]

Another +1 for the 120g Ballistic Tip. I loaded some for a friend's Model 7 with IMR8208XBR for Kentucky whitetail hunting. He killed three deer this year all with 1 shot and three exit wounds. The eight point went straight down, the does made 2 big hops. Very good and proven bullet for whitail deer.

Your results may vary.

 

[newgun]

I relly like the sst. Good price too!

 

[archerross]

I just got a "new to me" 7-08. I'm looking at the 162 Amax for my "go to" bullet for deer+elk hunting and field match competitions. Fantastic ballistics!

 

[ChrisNZ]

Elk versus whitetail is a very different proposition.
I can easily believe the 120 Ballistic Tip would be ideal for whitetails. They'd be pretty hopeless for elk I'd guess.

I mainly shoot red deer (in between size) and have used the 139SSTs and the 140 Accubond. The SSTs are devastating - like tossing a hand grenade inside. Really levels them but you lose a fair bit of meat. The Accubonds still open up enough but penetrate more and you don't lose as much meat.

I've recently had the rifle suppressed and the barrel shortened to 16" so have changed to TTSXs with a faster powder. The two sika (whitetail size) I shot on the weekend went down big time with the 110TTSX @ 3050

Chris-NZ

 

[nv22br]

Another 1+ for the 120g NBT . It has been my experience a great bullet for deer and antelope.

 

[bozo699]

I just got a "new to me" 7-08. I'm looking at the 162 Amax for my "go to" bullet for deer+elk hunting and field match competitions. Fantastic ballistics!

The A-max bullets are for paper, they might work on deer but I sure wouldn't use them on Elk!
The 120 and 140 grain Ballistic tips work well on deer but again there to thin skinned to be reliable on Elk and that goes for that bullet in any weight and any caliber, so for a well rounded bullet I went with the 140 Nosler Accubond, accuracy of the BT and terminal performance needed for the heavier skinned and boned animals like Elk. I have three 7mm-08's and they all like the Bt's and the accubonds of the 120 -140 weight, there's just not enough boiler room for the real heavy bullets IMO
Wayne.

 

[archerross]

I'm a big fan of heavy for caliber bullets from a ballistics and penetration standpoint. The thing about the heavier bullets, particularly in this case, is that velocities are lower, reducing the likelihood of complete fragmentation upon impact. While Hornady does not "recommend" the A-max for hunting, the evidence to the contrary continues to mount. Not so long ago, Berger bullets were "for target use only" until the evidence supporting their use on game became too much to ignore and they are now accepted as some of the best long range hunting bullets. They now have both "Hunting" and "Target" bullets. The hunting bullets are the original design and the target bullets have thicker jackets "...in order to stand up to the punishment of competition shooters pushing the limits of the bullets", to quote Walt Berger.

I agree that the 7-08 does not have the horsepower for the real heavy bullets. IMHO I do not consider 160 gr class bullets as "real heavy". With an attainable velocity of 2750-2800 fps, the 162 Amax has over 200 ft-lbs more energy at 300 yds than the 140 Accubond with a muzzle velocity of 2900 fps. That gap grows larger with distance. A close friend and gunsmith has been shooting the 162 Amax for deer and elk for several years. He has killed critters at distances ranging from inside 100 to 800 yds plus change. His longest shot was on a cow elk. One shot thru the boiler room, bullet exited, cow stumbled about 50 yds before toppling over.

I did consider the 140 accubond. I still may try it to see how it shoots. If the 162 Amax shoots as accurate or better, I'll likely stick with the heavy.

 

[bozo699]

I'm a big fan of heavy for caliber bullets from a ballistics and penetration standpoint. The thing about the heavier bullets, particularly in this case, is that velocities are lower, reducing the likelihood of complete fragmentation upon impact. While Hornady does not "recommend" the A-max for hunting, the evidence to the contrary continues to mount. Not so long ago, Berger bullets were "for target use only" until the evidence supporting their use on game became too much to ignore and they are now accepted as some of the best long range hunting bullets. They now have both "Hunting" and "Target" bullets. The hunting bullets are the original design and the target bullets have thicker jackets "...in order to stand up to the punishment of competition shooters pushing the limits of the bullets", to quote Walt Berger.

I agree that the 7-08 does not have the horsepower for the real heavy bullets. IMHO I do not consider 160 gr class bullets as "real heavy". With an attainable velocity of 2750-2800 fps, the 162 Amax has over 200 ft-lbs more energy at 300 yds than the 140 Accubond with a muzzle velocity of 2900 fps. That gap grows larger with distance. A close friend and gunsmith has been shooting the 162 Amax for deer and elk for several years. He has killed critters at distances ranging from inside 100 to 800 yds plus change. His longest shot was on a cow elk. One shot thru the boiler room, bullet exited, cow stumbled about 50 yds before toppling over.

I did consider the 140 accubond. I still may try it to see how it shoots. If the 162 Amax shoots as accurate or better, I'll likely stick with the heavy.

archerross,
I disagree with you on the A-maxes but agree with you on heavy bullets, my 7mm-08's didn't show much promise with heavy bullets so I shoot what shoots well in it. I shoot 210 bergers in my .300wm I do respect your opinions though and if the A-maxes are working for you then that's all that really matters take care my friend.
Wayne.

 

[Longshooter70]

I've been loading the Hornady 139 GMX over 42.5gr Varget, Win brass, CCI 200 primers. Very accurate and an absolute hammer on deer. The BC is not bad and the solid construction penetrates and expands very well. Good luck...

John

 

[XTR]

For my hunting purposes I'm a big fan of "enough gun", but I also think that there is such a thing as "too much gun" .

I live in TN so this is for hunting white tail, possibly hogs, and the occasional 'yote when they are harassing a friends stable. If I went out west for Mulies I may use it, but I've got a 7RM in the safe (and a 45-70 that I'd love to use on elk).

This is currently a 308 that started as a VLS. I've hunted with it for a few years and I've decided that the 26" Rem Varmint barrel is too long, too heavy and too unbalanced for use in deer stands. I've got another 308 that I currently use for competition that will get a shorter barrel put on it when I finish my F-TR build on a Defiance action. In my mind I don't need three 308s.

Right now Rock Creek is running a group buy on button rifled barrels over on Snipers Hide and the price is too good to pass up, so I', going to put a 24" fluted #5 on what started as a VLS. If I do that and change scopes I figure I'll knock a couple of pounds off and make it more balanced.

I do like heavier bullets for penetration and BC, but if I can get it to shoot the 140s that might be a good balance. Lower recoil, good velocity, and flatter out to 300 to 400 which is as far as I'll likely ever shoot anything here.

(what occurred to me once I worked this one out in my head is that at the price for barrels, should I order two .284 barrels and re-barrel my stock 7mmRM, but if I do, should I keep it as a 7mmRM or go with something different?!?!?... AAAK! this is a disease isn't it?!)

 

[bozo699]

For my hunting purposes I'm a big fan of "enough gun", but I also think that there is such a thing as "too much gun" .

I live in TN so this is for hunting white tail, possibly hogs, and the occasional 'yote when they are harassing a friends stable. If I went out west for Mulies I may use it, but I've got a 7RM in the safe (and a 45-70 that I'd love to use on elk).

This is currently a 308 that started as a VLS. I've hunted with it for a few years and I've decided that the 26" Rem Varmint barrel is too long, too heavy and too unbalanced for use in deer stands. I've got another 308 that I currently use for competition that will get a shorter barrel put on it when I finish my F-TR build on a Defiance action. In my mind I don't need three 308s.

Right now Rock Creek is running a group buy on button rifled barrels over on Snipers Hide and the price is too good to pass up, so I', going to put a 24" fluted #5 on what started as a VLS. If I do that and change scopes I figure I'll knock a couple of pounds off and make it more balanced.

I do like heavier bullets for penetration and BC, but if I can get it to shoot the 140s that might be a good balance. Lower recoil, good velocity, and flatter out to 300 to 400 which is as far as I'll likely ever shoot anything here.

(what occurred to me once I worked this one out in my head is that at the price for barrels, should I order two .284 barrels and re-barrel my stock 7mmRM, but if I do, should I keep it as a 7mmRM or go with something different?!?!?... AAAK! this is a disease isn't it?!)

Absolutely 100% positively,...............YES
Wayne.

 

[deadlyswift]

The 160gr Accubond is a great bullet for deer. It's a little too much at 100 200yd. It really shines at 500yd as for Knock down power on whitetails. The 168gr Berger Hunting vld really out shoots the Accubond, but haven't tried any on game yet. The 130gr Berger Hunting vld out of my 270wsm really does a number on whitetials. So I assume the 168gr in my 7-08 will probably do well also.

 

[wapiti25]

I have killed about 8 wild hogs out to 500 yds with my 7-08 using the 139 hornady flate base, my rifle does not like boatails. I also have used on deer and sheep the 150 Nosler BT in the 7 mag with good one shot kill's. The 7-08 on a short action has the 2.800" mag to deal with so the heavy bullets have to be deep seated and use up the powder space. The 140-150 bullets are the balance of velocity and mass.

 

[bozo699]

I have killed about 8 wild hogs out to 500 yds with my 7-08 using the 139 hornady flate base, my rifle does not like boatails. I also have used on deer and sheep the 150 Nosler BT in the 7 mag with good one shot kill's. The 7-08 on a short action has the 2.800" mag to deal with so the heavy bullets have to be deep seated and use up the powder space. The 140-150 bullets are the balance of velocity and mass.

Spot on!!

 

[smokinfeathers]

i have had good luck with 139 hornady on deer and 139 gmx on elk, broke both shoulders on a 6x6 with the bullet exiting at 200yds. the 140 sierra gk also shoot good in mine and work well on deer and hogs

 

[XTR]

The 160gr Accubond is a great bullet for deer. It's a little too much at 100 200yd. It really shines at 500yd as for Knock down power on whitetails. The 168gr Berger Hunting vld really out shoots the Accubond, but haven't tried any on game yet. The 130gr Berger Hunting vld out of my 270wsm really does a number on whitetials. So I assume the 168gr in my 7-08 will probably do well also.

As noted above the 7-08 doesn't have the oomph of a WSM or a 284Win. You've got the same volume to work with that you have in a 308 with a smaller bore. For the heavies the velocities will be similar to 308 velocities, maybe a little lower (longer bullet, more drag in the tube, less area for the pressure to act) At longer ranges the BC on the heavies would start to pay dividends, but to 400 yards I think maybe the 140 class bullets will be the answer for me. Lots of things written above to think about though.

 

[deadlyswift]

XTR I'm getting 2800fps out of a 26" barrel with the 160 accubonds. At 500yd I'm hitting with 1500ft lbs of energy. So 500yd is the max I'm going to attempt. With this I have got complete pass throughs with the accubond.

With the 168 Bergers I'm getting 2720fps. I agree if you could seat them out futher it would help, and mag length is the killer. The 140gr pills shouldn't have any problem at 400yds. I like my 7-08 over my 270wsm for the lack of recoil. Plus the 7-08 has given me zero feeding problems. Even tho I have not needed a follow up shot yet! It's nice to know it's going to feed when and if it's needed.