Building an Elk Load - 7mm08

[ultimag43]

Just trying to solicit some opinions on an elk load for my 7mm08 with stuff I've got on hand. I'd love to be able to shoot out to 500 with this gun, but understand that is pushing it with an 08.

Gun:
Tikka T3x Compact. 1:9.5 twist, 20" barrel

Powder's I Own:

Hodgdon	Superformance
Hodgdon	H4350
IMR	4350
RamShot	Big Game
RamShot	Hunter
RamShot	Magnum
Winchester	StaBall 6.5

Bullet's I Own:

Bullet Make	Bullet Model	Grain	BC
Barnes	TTSX-BT	150	0.408
Barnes	LRX	145	0.486
Hornady	CX	150	0.455

The o8 is capable for elk out past 500 one of the guys I hunt with usees one and he has killed bulls at 625 yrds with it of those bullets listed I'd try the lrx with either super performance or staball if your gun likes them another option is nosler e tips

 

[Idaho Lefty]

@ birddog,..
My son has "played with" his 7-08,.. til' the Cows came Home,.. LOL !
He killed a nice Bull with, the 150 ELD-X @ 2,800 FPS and it performed "well" but, the Younger generation, keep's on striving for,. MORE. LOL !
StaBall, work's Miracles, in SOME Cartridge's and THIS IS,.. one of them !
I shoot it, in my New 6.5 Creed with, 130's and 143's and, LOVE, the Smooth, Metering !

 

[ultimag43]

I'd like to see if anyone has loaded a 175-180 gr something or other in a 26" barrel. See it it compares with the 7SAW.

175-180 is way way to heavy for the 7/08
No reason to go that heavy 150's kill elk just as dead just as fast as a 175-180
Anything above 162 in the 08 you might as well
Step up to the 7 mag or 280ai loaded hot

 

[ultimag43]

@ birddog,..
My son has "played with" his 7-08 til' the Cows came Home,.. LOL !
He killed a nice Bull with, the 150 ELD-X @ 2,800 FPS and it performed "well" but, the Younger generation, keep's on striving for,. MORE. LOL !
StaBall, work's Miracles, in SOME Cartridge's and THIS IS,.. one of them !
I shoot it, in my New 6.5 Creed with, 130's and 143's

I shoot super performance with 143 eld x in my creed it kills elk very very dead out to 600 yrds
Wouldn't try it beyond. That
that's my maxx range on game no matter what caliber I'm carrying

 

[xsn10s]

175-180 is way way to heavy for the 7/08
No reason to go that heavy 150's kill elk just as dead just as fast as a 175-180
Anything above 162 in the 08 you might as well
Step up to the 7 mag or 280ai loaded hot

7SAW shoots a 180 2750 fps so ya I'll go with that lol. Can't fit a 280 anything in a short action. And the 308 win and I believe some 7-08 have SRP brass so that's added flexibility in this component crunch.

 

[birddog 68]

@ birddog,..
My son has "played with" his 7-08 til' the Cows came Home,.. LOL !
He killed a nice Bull with, the 150 ELD-X @ 2,800 FPS and it performed "well" but, the Younger generation, keep's on striving for,. MORE. LOL !
StaBall, work's Miracles, in SOME Cartridge's and THIS IS,.. one of them !
I shoot it, in my New 6.5 Creed with, 130's and 143's and, LOVE, the Smooth, Metering !

Yea I just looked at the numbers and staball looks to best my trusted IMR 4350 by close to 100 fps with 140 grain bullets

 

[azshooter270]

Just trying to solicit some opinions on an elk load for my 7mm08 with stuff I've got on hand. I'd love to be able to shoot out to 500 with this gun, but understand that is pushing it with an 08.

Gun:
Tikka T3x Compact. 1:9.5 twist, 20" barrel

Powder's I Own:

Hodgdon	Superformance
Hodgdon	H4350
IMR	4350
RamShot	Big Game
RamShot	Hunter
RamShot	Magnum
Winchester	StaBall 6.5

Bullet's I Own:

Bullet Make	Bullet Model	Grain	BC
Barnes	TTSX-BT	150	0.408
Barnes	LRX	145	0.486
Hornady	CX	150	0.455

I've been loading for my wife's 708. It has a 20" tube. I lose 200fps against published vels for factory ammo (which of course are based on 24" tubes) and, inexplicably, are much closer to reloading books (also 24" data) with my handloads. Nevertheless, 500yds sounds like an awful long poke with that 08. I've been using R17, 4064, H4895 and Sierra 140's. All because that's what I had. I've found lite loads it liked but when I crank em up groups open up a bunch. I'm still looking... Going to switch to TTSX's next, because I have em and see.

 

[Battering Ram]

Reloaded 17 and the Barnes 145 LRX with CCI 200. 2900 FPS from a 22 inch barrel. It's worked on every elk shot with it.

 

[Battering Ram]

Barnes 145 LRX with RL-17 and CCI 200's got me 2900 fps (average) from a 22 inch barrel. It's worked great on elk so far.

 

[ultimag43]

7SAW shoots a 180 2750 fps so ya I'll go with that lol. Can't fit a 280 anything in a short action. And the 308 win and I believe some 7-08 have SRP brass so that's added flexibility in this component crunch.

The7/08; uses a large rifle primer and the 7. Saum is a 280 ai in a, SHORT ACTION so yes you can get a280 in a,short action
Never heard of a7 saw don't need one the 280ai & the creed get the job done just fine
Small primers in a hunting rifle are a bad idea
They are known for misfires more then large primers and that can be verified with a simple Google search

 

[ultimag43]

I've been loading for my wife's 708. It has a 20" tube. I lose 200fps against published vels for factory ammo (which of course are based on 24" tubes) and, inexplicably, are much closer to reloading books (also 24" data) with my handloads. Nevertheless, 500yds sounds like an awful long poke with that 08. I've been using R17, 4064, H4895 and Sierra 140's. All because that's what I had. I've found lite loads it liked but when I crank em up groups open up a bunch. I'm still looking... Going to switch to TTSX's next, because I have em and see.

500:for the 08 is nothing
if your looseing 200 fps you need to check things further you normally lose/gain 25-30 fps for every inch of barrel length

 

[xsn10s]

The7/08; uses a large rifle primer and the 7. Saum is a 280 ai in a, SHORT ACTION so yes you can get a280 in a,short action
Never heard of a7 saw don't need one the 280ai & the creed get the job done just fine
Small primers in a hunting rifle are a bad idea
They are known for misfires more then large primers and that can be verified with a simple Google search

You can size 308 win SRP to 7-08 thus using a small rifle primer. 7 SAUM can be used in a SA. But it works better in a LA if 180's are on the menu. Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it isn't valid choice. Much like I wouldn't go hunting elk with a creedmoor. If you want to that's fine.

 

[birddog 68]

xsn10s is correct that brass is available for the 7-08 with SRP. I don't think it's widely used. It may be starline

 

[ultimag43]

Yea I just looked at the numbers and staball looks to best my trusted IMR 4350 by close to 100 fps with 140 grain bullets

Imr is a bit faster then h4350? But not as temp stable