7mm-08 range?

[billy]

What is the range of 7mm-08 or deer size game with 140 grain bullets?The gun is a model 7 with a 20 inch barrel.

[Graybeard]

The question is NOT what is the range of the gun. It is what is YOUR effective kill range? How far can you place ALL OF YOUR SHOTS in the KILL ZONE? That's your maximum distance. I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts the rifle's range is further than yours.

[billy]

Your right ,i guess Graybeard ,with my .280 i limit myself to 250 yards and feel ok with a shot but no farther,thats my limit i put on myself .I have made a shot on a buck at 237 yards good clean kill. Was wondering if 7mm-08 was up to that range,i know you have used them and like them so i knew you would know about this.

[Graybeard]

Yes the cartridge is certainly up to it if the shooter is. My longest shot on deer with my old Rem. Model 7 with 18.5" barrel that now is my wife's primary rifle was about 200 yards on a large bodied nine point. The story is in my Campfire Tales under Tales of the Nine Pine.

The 7-08 is a perfectly fine 300 yard round IF but ONLY IF the shooter is competent and confident of his shooting. I've used it past that distance on paper and milk jugs at the range but where I hunt such a shot just isn't going to happen as you can't see that far. The 7-08 is my favorite caliber for a deer rifle.

That old Model 7 my wife now uses has been used for over 25 years first by me, then my oldest son and now my wife. We've hunted it in several states for a variety of game and it has never missed and never needed a second shot.

[John R.]

Graybeard is correct, the 7mm/08 will easily kill at 300 yds. if the shooter is up to it. The 7mm/08 will do anything the 280 will do with 140 gr. bullets. The 280 is better if using 160 and up bullet weights. I have hunted with the 7mm/08 since 1982, the longest kill was made last year at 275 yds. with my Rem. 700 mtn. rifle. With a 200 yd. zero a 140 gr. bullet will drop roughly 7.5 to 8" at 300 yds. If you do your part the 7mm/08 will do its part. :-)

[dbuck]

I agree with Graybeard about the rifle, the rest is up to the shooter, but two years ago I was in Wyoming hunting Whitetail with Table Mountain Outfitters and I was using a Remington 700 badly with my favorite 7-08 with a 24" barrel.

I took the deer at 413 yards and I was aiming at the left shoulder and it hit the shoulder and went through to the off side shoulder were she lodge.

My guide was using a range finder and told me the distance before I took the shot.  Now before everyone goes out and starts shooting 400 yard shots with any caliber or says I'm crazy for taking the shot, I have to say that I put about 1400-1800 rounds down range every year shooting at the 200, 300, 600 yard line using my M1A service in national match shooting.  I also shoot the 1000 yard line.  In the winter I practice my positioning and dry fire allot so when the time comes I don't pay allot of attention to a 400 yard shot since I've been during it since I was 18 in the Marine Corps and I'm now 61.  I was using a Nosler ballistic tip 140 grain spitzer and was coming out of the muzzle at 2,975 fps.  The deer ran 40 yards and drop.  I will also say that their are hundreds of guys who can take this shot that I shoot against every year, in fact they are better then I'am and two of them are my sons who where or was Army snipers, one is flying helicopters now.  Will I take another 400 yard shot, not if I can take the shot at a deer or elk at 75 yards.

I was using a Burris Fullfield II scope with a ballistic plex, so I just brought it up on the third dot which would be 400 yards and squeeze the trigger.

If you go the Table Mountain Outfitters web site and put your mouse on the whitetail deer area you will see me and the 9 point deer that I took.  It was getting dark when the picture was taken.  They also did a write up on that shot in their newsletter since two others witness the shot from another ridge, one being my nephew.  Now you know what a 7-08 is capable of but,  you have to have allot of faith in your rifle and know its capabilities and thats why they tell you spend allot of time shooting your hunting rifle and not just a few rounds a year getting it zero in.

dbuck

[HogFan]

dbuck,

  I don't put as many rounds down range as you seem to, but if one practices and feels confident with their said rifle go for it. I have a 7mm-08, and I would not hesitate on a shot like that here in MT. I do practice with all my guns at various ranges, until I am comfortable. I feel the most comfortable with my .280 and .30-06, because of more range time with them. I have a 270WSM I hope to feel confident out to 500 yards with real soon.

Hudge

[7magWoodsman]

I can kill tree rats at 50 yards with a .22lr all day long, and have hunted with people that can't do it at 25...the same people say "I am going to get a .22mag so I can kill squirrels at 50 yards" if they can't do it with a .22lr  at 25 yards what makes them think they can do it at 50 yards with a .22mag?
I am not directing that statement at you but I am just saying "Learn your weapon, it will come through for you."

What is the range of 7mm-08 or deer size game with 140 grain bullets?The gun is a model 7 with a 20 inch barrel.

I hate to recommend to anyone the long range capability of a certain cartridge or firearm...It is truly up to the shooter.....
I am quick to say 300 yards, but I know an 11 year old boy that killed a nice buck at almost 300 yards using a Savage .243win. with a 20" barrel.

A max-loaded 7mm-08 might as well be a factory loaded 7mm Rem Mag as far as range and power go. I know the 7mag will take Whitetail in excess of 500 yards using factory ammunition, so......

MANY long range shooters hail the .308 as one of the best 1000 yard cartridges available, the 7mm-08Rem. is faster and flatter flying than the .308Win., so......

Just practice and learn your own personal maximum shooting distance and that will be the maximum distance the 7mm08 will cleanly take deer sized critters for you.

Good Luck. Stay Safe. Happy Hunting/Shooting.  

[grizzy57]

7  Mag
 I was wondering all those long shots on various game where do
  the misses go??
                              Grizzy57

[7magWoodsman]

Grizzy57,
What misses are you talking about??? What various animals??? I only mentioned tree rats at 50 yards and mentioned that I have killed deer a little past 500 yards.

Please don't make the assumption that I can not shoot. More so please do not think I will take a shot that will not cause a quick and merciful death.

Also keep in mind that I don't make a habit of shooting animals at long range but have made a lot of shots you would call "long range".

I have spent most of my life somewhat depending on my shooting ability and I don't take shots that I can not make.

I practice year round mostly at ranges from 40-400 yards but do shoot off and on from 500-1000 but not as often as I used to due to living in a different location...
I don't practice from a bench either, at least not while shooting at the ranges I will typically encounter while in the field hunting(25-500 yards)

The "Southern Long Range Rifle Hunter" calls 400 yards "right over there" otherwise known as "Go ahead and get ready but lets wait and see what he does." while 1000 yards is called "over yonder" otherwise known as "If we can make it right over there."
Don't confuse the two.

7mag

[dbuck]

I agree with 7MagWoodsman, I guess us southern boys are different, but no kidding you do have to practice allot for long range shooting and I mean different positions and not off the bench.  I don't take any shot that I don't very capable of or my rifle is capable of making, that would be inhumane to the game that I'm hunting.

By the way 7MagWoodsman, like allot of boys I started hunting tree rats with a 22 when I was little and thats where I started learning to shoot and make everyshot count.

dbuck

[Zachary]

I own a few 7mm-08s and believe that it is the ultimate whitetail cartridge up to about 300 yards.  Can it take deer down at longer ranges?  Well, I personally haven't shot at a deer above 200 yards, but I know of some that have with no problems, BUT that was because they were very good shots which, after all, is the most important consideration.

In addition, although shot placement is very important, from a purely numbers perspective, consider the following:

Bullet design can increase your downrange velocity, energy, and trajectory.  For example, if you use a 140 grain blunt-nose, flat based bullet from a .280 Remington, and use a 140 grain sharply-pointed plastic tip boat-tail bullet from a 7mm-08, then I'll bet you that, assuming powder charge is the same, the 7mm-08 will equal, if not beat, the .280 past 200 yards or so.

Of course if the same bullet weight and style is used, then the cartridge with more powder will push it flatter, faster, and harder, but you can take advantage of new bullet designs to get that extra "performance."  Again, shot placement is the most important, but from a pure numbers perspective, you can essentially "up your gun" by using these new more aerodynamic bullets at longer ranges.

Keep in mind that most people shoot at ranges of an average of 100 yards or so, at least out east.  Perhaps in the west it can average in the 200 yard range I  guess, but still, few people take these 400 yard shots.

Zachary