7mm-08 for elk

[NorCalRiceGuy]

Yes they should and also hit like a hammer too

FYI - Just finished shooting my ladders in my Savage AXIS II .280AI. Hit pressure at 55.0 gr of W760. Only fired 5 rounds starting at 53.0gr in 0.5 increments. All five could be covered with a quarter. Going to load a batch at 54.0gr. Gun will be my mountain rifle for deer and elk. 6.5# without scope, so right at or just over 8#s total.

 

[COBrad]

For my daughter's 7-08 I load 150 grain accubonds and partitions. I prefer accubonds for deep penetration and less explosive nose. I hate to ruin meat. Never used Barnes in her rifle but they were very effective in other calibers. With 7-08 velocity's I want the deep penetration of heavier bullets rather high impact speeds of light bullets. My grandson has used 168 grain bullets in this rifle on elk. Very effective.

 

[SheepSeeker]

Eleanor O'Connor killed most everything with her 7x57 with inferior bullets to what we now have.

Just sayin'

 

[LVJ76]

FYI - Just finished shooting my ladders in my Savage AXIS II .280AI. Hit pressure at 55.0 gr of W760. Only fired 5 rounds starting at 53.0gr in 0.5 increments. All five could be covered with a quarter. Going to load a batch at 54.0gr. Gun will be my mountain rifle for deer and elk. 6.5# without scope, so right at or just over 8#s total.

Nice group, now you just need to find a nice live target for them

My 7mm Rem Mag is begging me to get them and try them out with some RL23

Stay safe

 

[MAD10]

It's his niece...be realistic. 1% of hunters would be able to make a kill on 840 yards. So your comment is completely irrelevant.

Warbird2006...."please read what I stated" I was clear if the ELDM is moving at moderate velocities 2600-2700+ fps it is capable of point blank range kills and out to distances most can't fathom. Please don't be the guy who says hey you didn't listen to the OP - I most certainly did. btw my 17 yr old daughter would take offense to your prima donna statement of .... "its his niece your comment is irrelevant" since she and her girlfriends are totally capable of baking a cake or crushing a bull from 300 or 1200 yards at will. In closing the ELDM is capable of killing up to Elk size game from point blank 100 yards out to 1100 AS LONG AS it is not moving too fast out of the Muzzle. example 2600- 2700 fps is all that bullet needs even for "NIECES" < my daughter wanted me to add that part lol

 

[NorCalRiceGuy]

Nice group, now you just need to find a nice live target for them

My 7mm Rem Mag is begging me to get them and try them out with some RL23

Stay safe

Exactly! Headed to Montana in November for elk and deer.

You stay safe and well, too.

 

[Randel]

I took an elk with my 7-08 loaded with the 131gr Hammer Hunter over Varget. At 340 yards the shot was a little forward. It broke the near femur, through the chest, broke the far femur, and exited. Plenty of power for elk.

Good job, but some of these folks really don't understand weapons and 1100 yards is way too far for 7mm08 even the big magnums that's to far been watching to much TV.

 

[Bravo 4]

Good job, but some of these folks really don't understand weapons and 1100 yards is way too far for 7mm08 even the big magnums that's to far been watching to much TV.

Hey, you leave my big magnums out of this!When I read comments like this I get the impression the poster doesn't understand weapons, at least not how to properly utilize them. Perhaps someone doesn't spend enough time behind one?
Swap that 7mm-08 for my .375 Snipetac and I would smash that elk at 1100 yards, even under less than ideal conditions.

 

[Coldfinger]

My neice has her first Bull ELK tag in Nevada and shoots a 7mm-08. The only factory ammo they could find was the Hornady 150 ELD-X I offered to reload for them and would like feedback from shooters who have used the 7mm-08 for Elk. What Bullet and Powder............ Ive used the 708 in the past but used the 120 X

I used a Hornady 139 grain interlock with great results on a large cow at a tad bit over 400 yards. Practice, shot placement and limiting shots to her effective range will get the job done with most any bullet. I used H-380 and IMR 4350 out of a short barreled model 7. Never crono'd it but took it out to 500 yards on paper. Good luck!!

 

[CHRIS MCBRIDE]

Since building a 7mm-08 I read most any article or thread on caliber. While I think it is very good caliber ,if nor would not have spent extra just to have that caliber. I do not see it as a round that should be used past 500 yrds and that is pushing it IMO. All the comments about ranges way past that has me wondering WHY? I know lots of you hunt areas where terrain requires long shots. Just seems that closing that distance down instead of taking a shot that requires a almost perfect hit and perfect bullet performance is just asking for bad out come. Nothing sexist about this comment. You are also expecting a younger hunter who is going to be trying to control excitement. To make a shot that requires good amount of skills and focus. Again just my opinion on the long range shots some are posting about.
There are lots of loads mentioned in thread. If I was op I would load premium bullets over a mix that is same as or very close to factory performance. Since user does not have custom loads to work with the gun and shooter would be closer to what they have used in past just better bullet. Personally 4064 with 150 nosler in varying mixes has proven very consistent groups on my AR10 in 7mm-08. From what I have read bullet any heavier are seated to deep in case and seeing as how the max load will not fit in case I can see that being issue.

 

[okie man]

nobody gave a powder charge or anything

You can get up in the 2800 FPS range with stabal and 160 grain bullets which is elk capable to 4-500 yards

 

[wkdwdg66]

Eleanor O'Connor killed most everything with her 7x57 with inferior bullets to what we now have.

Just sayin'

I have an old chilean 95 in 7x57AI. It kills them ded

 

[LVJ76]

Since building a 7mm-08 I read most any article or thread on caliber. While I think it is very good caliber ,if nor would not have spent extra just to have that caliber. I do not see it as a round that should be used past 500 yrds and that is pushing it IMO. All the comments about ranges way past that has me wondering WHY? I know lots of you hunt areas where terrain requires long shots. Just seems that closing that distance down instead of taking a shot that requires a almost perfect hit and perfect bullet performance is just asking for bad out come. Nothing sexist about this comment. You are also expecting a younger hunter who is going to be trying to control excitement. To make a shot that requires good amount of skills and focus. Again just my opinion on the long range shots some are posting about.
There are lots of loads mentioned in thread. If I was op I would load premium bullets over a mix that is same as or very close to factory performance. Since user does not have custom loads to work with the gun and shooter would be closer to what they have used in past just better bullet. Personally 4064 with 150 nosler in varying mixes has proven very consistent groups on my AR10 in 7mm-08. From what I have read bullet any heavier are seated to deep in case and seeing as how the max load will not fit in case I can see that being issue.

With a stiff load of H4350, RL16 or RL17 you can push a 160gr bullet at or past 2,700 fps. This will make a bullet Elk capable with 1,500 ft/lbs of energy out to 500 yds and for deer out to 750yds. Now this is on a 24" barrel and on custom built you can throw a 28" so provably even further.

I think most of us just try to give advice based on our experience with this cartridge.

And yes, skill and good judgement is needed to take a long range shot and that will be out to the OP and his niece.

Stay safe

 

[dfrahm]

I took an elk with my 7-08 loaded with the 131gr Hammer Hunter over Varget. At 340 yards the shot was a little forward. It broke the near femur, through the chest, broke the far femur, and exited. Plenty of power for elk.

I don't understand how a bullet could break a bone in the back leg, go through the chest and exit thru the opposite back leg?