7mm-08 which bullet

[nofun1]

I just picked up a 7mm-08 Remington 700 Mt. rifle. and was wondering what bullets you guys might recomend. I want to use it for Mulee and White tail hunting. and for varmint, Coyote, crows etc. I oppurtunity varmint hunt so I seldom shoot more than one or two shots at a time. I want to try some 120 gr bullets but the 140s have pretty interesting specs. what are some real world expeiriences? If you have a good load for either, I love to hear it.

[kenscot]

I like the 140 gr. nosler accubonds backed by varget. a very accurate load that droped my deer in six paces

[Graybeard]

Personally I'd avoid the 120s, I like an exit hole for a blood trail. They don't always fall in sight. I use the Hornady Light Mags exclusively in my R700 LSS Mtn. Rifle.

[Slamfire]

I haven't tried all of them, but bullets in the 140 grain class have been the most popular since Rigby came out with their high veolcity version.

[nofun1]

Thanks Guys, Hey Greybeard whats a Hornady light mag? is that a preloaded cartridge?

[Graybeard]

You better betcha. It's factory loaded ammo but in the Hornady Light Mag category. The light mags add from 100 fps to almost 200 fps over standard factory ammo velocity to any given round.

In my R700 LSS it gives consistent less than MOA accuracy and adds another 150 fps over factory ammo velocity. Super performance. Every time the gun has fired it's been a one shot kill. This load is the ONLY load I've run across so far that gives MOA performance in my wife's old Rem 7 but no matter the load used that old rifle has given 100% one shot kills with no misses and no follow up shots needed with three of us using it for over 20 years on a wide variety of game in many states.

I do load for the round just for practice but I've never found a reload I consider equal to the Hornady Light Mag factory stuff so it's what's in the guns when they go hunting.

[Remfarmer]

Howdy,
  I am a BIG fam of the 7/08. I have loaded quite a lot for it and it is a joy on paper and in the field. My Model 7 loves the flat base 139/140gr. bullets. I have shot Sierra's 120gr intended for single shot pistols and dropped one deer in its tracks but left one in the woods with me shaking my head. I never will know what happened as an eye witness said I made a good hit. Idunno but went back to the heavier bullet. I tried Speer's 145 gr and it was accurate and dropped a big bodied deer at an extended range for that 18.5 barrel. I am thinking in your longer barreled rifle it might be mule deer medicine. Keep experimenting; that 7/08 is near perfect as I see it.
Doug

[SuperstitionCoues]

I just picked up a 7mm-08 Remington 700 Mt. rifle. and was wondering what bullets you guys might recomend. I want to use it for Mulee and White tail hunting. and for varmint, Coyote, crows etc. I oppurtunity varmint hunt so I seldom shoot more than one or two shots at a time. I want to try some 120 gr bullets but the 140s have pretty interesting specs. what are some real world expeiriences? If you have a good load for either, I love to hear it.

For what you are after, try a Sierra 140 gr BTSP or a Sierra 160 gr. BTSP.   If that won't get your heart started (or the deer's heart stopped!), try loading a Hornady 139 gr. BTSP ; you can easily keep the same powder and primer load and switch the bullet to a 139 gr. Hornady Interbond.  

For factory loads, check Federal's catalog.  They typically have the best selection, and you can often try something first without handloading it - then go back and duplicate the factory load in your handloading shop.

This will be a much more economical route than the Nosler Accubonds.

[longwinters]

I have had very good luck with the 140 Accubonds.  Excellent accuracy and the 2 deer I shot with them, this year, went down quick.  One straight down and the other ran about 40 yds.  But this is not uncommon with many bullets, just depends where you hit them.

I handload so cannot speak to factory, but in the past out of other rifles I have had excellent results with Winchester Supreme and Federal Premium.

Long

[Zachary]

My results with the Hornady light magnums is similar to that of GBs.  It seems that in all of my 7mm-08s (Sako, Tikka, and Remington), the Hornady LMs give me the best accuracy.  

I have used Federal Premium 140 Nosler Partitions because every once in a while a hog my cross my path, and the Partitions penetrate deeper than the Hornadys, but the Partitions are not generally as accurate in my 7mm-08s than the Hornady LMs.

Zachary

[Lawdog]

My Granddaughter is using the 140 gr. Barnes TSX bullets in her 7mm-08.  Deadly on large Mule Deer and even tougher Wild Boar.  Everything she has shot the bullets have always passed through.  They would leave a excellent blood trail except the farthest any critter has gone was about 50 feet after being hit.  Lawdog
 

[muzzleblast525]

My Remington LV in 7-08 likes Hornady 139 Interlocks backed by 43.1 grains of Varget.  .25 MOA the other day with this load....

[TNrifleman]

The 7-08 is a great deer cartridge and there is plenty of good factory loads available, such as the one GB recommended. If you are going to handload, consider the Nosler 140 grain Partitions. I've had great success with them.

[RaySendero]

I just picked up a 7mm-08 Remington 700 Mt. rifle. and was wondering what bullets you guys might recomend. I want to use it for Mulee and White tail hunting. and for varmint, Coyote, crows etc. I oppurtunity varmint hunt so I seldom shoot more than one or two shots at a time. I want to try some 120 gr bullets but the 140s have pretty interesting specs. what are some real world expeiriences? If you have a good load for either, I love to hear it.

I like to have a hunting bullet for deer and a match bullet for yotes/targets that can possibly be interchanged in the same reload.

That said - You could start with one of these combinations:

1) SPEER BULLETS 7MM .284 DIA. 145GR GRAND SLAM SOFT POINT AND
SPEER BULLETS 7MM .284 DIA. 145GR MATCH HOLLOW POINT BOAT TAIL.

2)SIERRA 7MM .284 DIA 150GR SPITZER BOAT TAIL GAME-KING AND SIERRA 7MM .284 DIA 150GR HOLLOW POINT BOAT TAIL MATCH-KING

3)HORNADY 7MM .284 DIA. 139GR INTERBOND AND HORNADY 7MM .284 DIA. 139GR BOAT TAIL SPIRE POINT.

4)NOSLER 7MM .284 DIA 140GR SPITZER PARTITION AND NOSLER 7MM .284 DIA 120GR SPITZER BALLISTIC TIP.

I would probably start with the Sierra bullets as I like the longer for caliber bullets.

[trophytaker308]

My results with the Hornady light magnums is similar to that of GBs.  It seems that in all of my 7mm-08s (Sako, Tikka, and Remington), the Hornady LMs give me the best accuracy.  

I have used Federal Premium 140 Nosler Partitions because every once in a while a hog my cross my path, and the Partitions penetrate deeper than the Hornadys, but the Partitions are not generally as accurate in my 7mm-08s than the Hornady LMs.

Zachary

hey zack,
what kind of groups are you grtting with the hornady light mag,are you shooting it out of your tikka???cause i just put me one on layaway today..

[firstshot]

I've got a Rem 700 Mtn LSS in 7mm-08 that prety much likes all the handloads I've fed it so far.  Hornady 154 RN, Speer 145 SP (Hot Core), Nosler 140 Accubond, HOrnday 139 SP & Sierra 140 SBT all shoot sub MOA @ 100 Yds.  The Speer 145 SP & Sierra 140 SBT both shot sub MOA @ 200 Yds as well.  The Nosler 140 and 150 Ballistic Tips didn't shoot quite as well in my gun but still averaged about 1 1/4" @ 100Yds.  (Don't think I've found the right powder for the BT's yet)

With the Speer 145 SP HotCor's I use 48.0 Grn of IMR4350 for a chronographed muzzle velocity of 2,830 FPS.  I took a nice 8PT at about 75 Yds with the 145's this year.  Broadside shot at about 75 Yds.  Complete passthrough with about a quarter sized (maybe a little bit bigger) exit hole.  Deer went about 20 Yds & dropped.  I like the Speer HotCor's because I think they are a little bit tougher than the Sierra's & Hornady's.

Here is a couple of groups shot with the Speer 145 HotCor's @ 100 & 200 Yds.  Dark lines are 1/2", lighter lines are 1/4".


firstshot
----------------------------------
Make your first shot count!

[BuzzKill]

Those of you mentioning the Hornady Light Mag round, is this the 139 SST or standard SP?  I have steered away from BT type bullets at higher speeds, but if you all have good results, all the better.  Thanks

[deerman12]

That was next question also.  Which do you guys prefer for whitetails?  
The 139 SST or the 139 Soft point in the light magnum loads?
Thanks