7mm-08 favorites

Dougfirtree · Jul 19, 2017

I know there are a lot of people who love the 7mm-08 on here. If you're one of them and you reload, I'd love to hear what your favorite loads are; especially if you use it for larger critters like elk, moose, etc.
When I take mine elk hunting this Fall, I'll be loading 44 grains of IMR 4350 (Norma case, WLR, 2.8") and 160 gr Nosler Accubonds. I've not killed anything with this combo yet, but it shoots well under an inch in my rifle and ought to have enough juice at my kind of distances.

What's your favorite?

N2TRKYS · Jul 19, 2017

What rifle, barrel length, and velocity? Just curious. Unfortunately, I don't have a 7-08, yet. I do have a 7 SAUM that shoots 160 grain ABs, though. Lol

Dougfirtree · Jul 19, 2017

N2TRKYS said:
What rifle, barrel length, and velocity? Just curious. Unfortunately, I don't have a 7-08, yet. I do have a 7 SAUM that shoots 160 grain ABs, though. Lol

Mine has a 22" barrel. I don't own a chronograph, but Nosler's data would suggest a velocity of about 2580 at the muzzle.

Dougfirtree · Jul 19, 2017

Just realized I hadn't answered your questions. It's a Winchester M-70 featherweight.

mtmuley · Jul 19, 2017

A quick search will give you more 7-08 info than you can handle. mtmuley

N2TRKYS · Jul 19, 2017

Dougfirtree said:
Mine has a 22" barrel. I don't own a chronograph, but Nosler's data would suggest a velocity of about 2580 at the muzzle.

Nice. Good luck. I've read about a bunch of folks using 140 grain Partitions and Accubonds in the 7-08 for elk, too.

Don Fischer · Jul 20, 2017

I've never had a 7mm-08 but have had several 7x57's. It's not so much about the cartridge but rather the bullet. My old 7mm Ren Mag was awful with 140gr bullet's, looked like I'd used a hand grenade on animals. The 7x57 shot well with 140 and heavier bullet's without the mess but, back then Sierra bullet's just blew up badly even in it. My own favorite choice would be either 150gr bullet's or 160 gr. As I get older it is seeming to me that velocity is not really your friend and neither are light bullet's. Better mid range bullet's in a cartridge like a 7mm-08. I think you'll find that say the 140 and 160gr bullet difference will not so much be noticed when you shoot the animal but with the same shot be easily seen when the animal is opened up. For me and the 7x57 it was the 154gr Hornady RN. I got started using that bullet because I coulddn't get anything else to shoot well in my old Ruger M77, it was truly an eye opening experience! But if you want velocity, drop back to 139/140 gr bullet's just choose carefully. Premium bullet's sound like they work well, I wouldn't know. I've used cup and core all my lifa and as long as I used the proper bullet, I've never even one time had a problem with them. Only two cup and core bullet' that weight I'd suggest, 139gr Hornady and 140gr Speer Hot Core. I shot both of them into newspaper many years ago to see what would happen, the only premium bullet back then was the Nosler Partition. Both bullet's retained 85% of their weight. The Hrnady was loose in the jacket but did not seperate. The Speer Hot Core was tight in the jacket. if I was going to shoot a lighter bullet than that in a 7mm-08, I'd go down in caliber.

Dougfirtree · Jul 20, 2017

It's funny you mentioned the Speer Hot Cor. The other load I've come to like in this rifle is a 145 grain SpHC, .5 grains below the max with IMR 4350. I get .75" accuracy and it's a very affordable load, that should take care of any deer out there.

MTMuley, I know there's a lot of info online about reloading for the 7mm-08, I'm just curious about what this crowd actually uses, especially for larger critters.

std7mag · Jul 20, 2017

I'm blessed with a long magazine and long throat on my Stevens200, 7mm-08AI.
I'm loading 140gr Ballistic Tips out to almost 2.9". That over a load of RL17 gives me 2916fps over the chrono. Out of a 22" barrel.

Going to try the 140gr. Berger Hunting VLD this upcoming season.
Oh and i use Fed210M primers and PVRI Partisan cases(PPU).

Dougfirtree · Jul 21, 2017

std7mag said:
I'm blessed with a long magazine and long throat on my Stevens200, 7mm-08AI.
I'm loading 140gr Ballistic Tips out to almost 2.9". That over a load of RL17 gives me 2916fps over the chrono. Out of a 22" barrel.

Going to try the 140gr. Berger Hunting VLD this upcoming season.
Oh and i use Fed210M primers and PVRI Partisan cases(PPU).

Have you ever used that load for something bigger than a deer? I shot a buck with a 140 NBT a couple of years ago and was impressed with the performance.

HiMtnHntr · Jul 23, 2017

I found 41.5 gn of varget and 140 gn partitions loaded .020" off the lands to be a sweet combo in mine.

Gunner46 · Jul 23, 2017

140 Nosler AB, 42.5 gr of Varget. Good for anything short of Griz, but mainly I use a BT for 90% of my hunting.

std7mag · Jul 24, 2017

Thinking of doing some major barrel swapping.
The Stevens is going to get the 24" E.R. Shaw barrel, in 250 Savage.
Planning on getting a Savage Axis and putting heavy 24" barrel on it in 7mm-08AI as designated range gun.
Still waiting on E.R. Shaw to deliver my barrel for my Mauser build.
Started life as an Interarms Whitworth in 270 Win with fully adjustable trigger.
Build is 24" Shaw 1.5 contour barrel in 284 Win.
Bell&Carlson stock.
Egw 20 MOA picatinny base. Not sure on rings yet.
Vortex 4-12X40 Diamondback "tactical".

Planning on mostly shooting 150gr. Nosler ABLR.
Have Norma brass.
Fed 210M primers.
Probably over a load of RL17.

nuevo_eph · Jul 25, 2017

Off the top of my head, 43.5g Varget and 120g TTSX give me decent groups and get the copper going around 2950+.

Dougfirtree · Jul 25, 2017

std7mag said:
Thinking of doing some major barrel swapping.
The Stevens is going to get the 24" E.R. Shaw barrel, in 250 Savage.
Planning on getting a Savage Axis and putting heavy 24" barrel on it in 7mm-08AI as designated range gun.
Still waiting on E.R. Shaw to deliver my barrel for my Mauser build.
Started life as an Interarms Whitworth in 270 Win with fully adjustable trigger.
Build is 24" Shaw 1.5 contour barrel in 284 Win.
Bell&Carlson stock.
Egw 20 MOA picatinny base. Not sure on rings yet.
Vortex 4-12X40 Diamondback "tactical".

Planning on mostly shooting 150gr. Nosler ABLR.
Have Norma brass.
Fed 210M primers.
Probably over a load of RL17.

I killed an elk with that bullet a couple of years ago, out of my 7mm-08. It did a nice job (65% weight retention and just under the skin on off side), on a 200 yard shot.

Don Fischer · Jul 27, 2017

I guess I should mention, I don't swap around bullet's in my rifles. I look for the best load I can find with a mid range or heavier bullet. One year in Montana I shot gophers with a 338 Win Mag and 225gr Hornady bullet's. I did it just to shoot at target's other than paper. I discovered with one deer shot in the shoulder with that bullet it probably wasn't the best. A SAC missile couldn't have done a lot more damage, I hit the back of the shoulder I think! I pick the bullet I want then use it within it's MPBR and call it good. I do not do long range hunting on game animals.

In the 7mm-08 I would think anything between 140gr and 160gr would work well. If I was hunting something that I felt I needed a heavier bullet in, I'd get a bigger cartridge.

std7mag · Aug 5, 2017

Upon further thinking about it, I didn't think things jived right with me.

Nosler posts 2650fps with the 7mm-08, shooting a 160gr. Accubond with 44.0gr. of IMR 4350.
However this is with a 26" barrel.
You can subtract about 160fps for your 22" barrel.

I personally would recommend a lighter bullet. 140-150gr.

And with those a different powder. Ramshot Big Game, or Alliant RL17 with the 140gr. bullet.
Ramshot Hunter, Alliant RL19 with 150gr. bullet.

Dougfirtree · Aug 6, 2017

std7mag said:
Upon further thinking about it, I didn't think things jived right with me.

Nosler posts 2650fps with the 7mm-08, shooting a 160gr. Accubond with 44.0gr. of IMR 4350.
However this is with a 26" barrel.
You can subtract about 160fps for your 22" barrel.

I personally would recommend a lighter bullet. 140-150gr.

And with those a different powder. Ramshot Big Game, or Alliant RL17 with the 140gr. bullet.
Ramshot Hunter, Alliant RL19 with 150gr. bullet.

I don't own a chronograph, but have seen many folks estimate about 20 fps per inch of barrel. Your calculation is based on 40. I'll let you know some time when I can test it. Or, maybe not, as I think there are probably better loads out there. This one is tried and true in the accuracy dept. and I have a bunch loaded up, so I'll use them this year; should be plenty good out past my 300 yard max. But, in the future, I'd like to play around with the 145 grain Barnes LRX and RL 17. Impressive numbers on paper... I'd also like to try the 140 Federal TBT now that it's available for handloading.

std7mag · Aug 7, 2017

Doug,

My mistake. You are correct in the 21fps per inch of barrel length. I was thinking of the 42fps i take off for my 22 inch barrel.

That being said i've done the 160gr Sierra HPBT Gameking. Wonderfully accurate. But i wouldn't use it to 300 yards. 200 sure. And i'm blessed with a long freebore and magazine. Even with the long freebore my bullets were seated deep into the cartridge.

I have since re-chambered mine to 7mm-08AI, and would still only load up to a 150gr bullet.
For my heavier bullets i use my Rem Mag.

Dougfirtree · Aug 11, 2017

std7mag said:
Doug,

My mistake. You are correct in the 21fps per inch of barrel length. I was thinking of the 42fps i take off for my 22 inch barrel.

That being said i've done the 160gr Sierra HPBT Gameking. Wonderfully accurate. But i wouldn't use it to 300 yards. 200 sure. And i'm blessed with a long freebore and magazine. Even with the long freebore my bullets were seated deep into the cartridge.

I have since re-chambered mine to 7mm-08AI, and would still only load up to a 150gr bullet.
For my heavier bullets i use my Rem Mag.

I more or less agree with you (at sea level). However, the hunt I'm taking them on is at 7-9000 feet. At 7000, the ballistic calculator shows almost 2200fps and about 1700 foot pounds of energy at 300 yards. That ought to do it.

How much velocity did you gain by going the AI route?

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