Building an Elk Load - 7mm08

[Wachsmann]

I been playing with the 168ABLR and I have them running 2680 with 6.5 staball powder. The BC on this gets me to about 700yrds. It should kill an elk as well. I also run the 162ELDX about the same speed. If I could of found the 150s then I would of went that direction. I think they would not be as fussy trying to get them to shoot.

 

[LVJ76]

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

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.

You'd be surprised what the 7mm-08 can do with a heavy bullet.

Load it with a 162gr Amax (or ELD-M or X) at 2,700 fps and you have a 500 to 600 yd elk rifle, and a 700 to 800 yd deer rifle depending elevation.

Not a slouch at all!

 

[jjmp]

Op,use your fastest powders,get some brass with volume w-w comes to mind a hotter non magnum primer Winchester or Federal 210's. Of your 3 bullets your 150 ttsx & 145 lrx should be fantastic,you know you barrels length is gonna give you a handicap,but all is not lost with some great reloading skills applied. The Great 708 earned its Reputation by out performing the Great 308 and toppling Rams at extended ranges on the silhouette courses,and the bullet weight was Sierra's 168 Match King HP 's. So don't disgard the 160's 162's or the 168 's their BC is higher and they Excell at extended ranges ,even when started slower. Can you tell I'm a fan ?, well yes thanks I sure am !!! I've posted about my own 708 easy peasy to find ,Cheers roc that 500 plus !!!.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I've been working with the 7-08 just a bit lately. I'm not too impressed with either rl16 or sta-ball so far. My accuracy load is I 4985 with a 154 hdy sp at 2400 fps from my Savage Striker pistol. It also seems to like the 139 grain Hornady Factory with a 139 at 2550 from the pistol.
It seems 20+ years ago when I had a m7 in 7-08 everyone was using rl15, Varget, etc. in their 308 and 7-08 rifles. Now everyone wants the little rifle to be a giant slayer. I've never really gotten accuracy with anything slower than h414 or 4350 with the little cartridge.

 

[LVJ76]

Op,use your fastest powders,get some brass with volume w-w comes to mind a hotter non magnum primer Winchester or Federal 210's. Of your 3 bullets your 150 ttsx & 145 lrx should be fantastic,you know you barrels length is gonna give you a handicap,but all is not lost with some great reloading skills applied. The Great 708 earned its Reputation by out performing the Great 308 and toppling Rams at extended ranges on the silhouette courses,and the bullet weight was Sierra's 168 Match King HP 's. So don't disgard the 160's 162's or the 168 's their BC is higher and they Excell at extended ranges ,even when started slower. Can you tell I'm a fan ?, well yes thanks I sure am !!! I've posted about my own 708 easy peasy to find ,Cheers roc that 500 plus !!!.

Nothing more frustrating than losing a match or a tie breaker to a ram that didn't go down.

In some ranges the rams were a bit heavier, especially in Mexico. The Sierra 150gr HPBT Matchking under 44.5gr of IMR-4350 out performed the 168gr, never had a problem after that. Now I use the 160gr TMK due to lack of availability of the 150gr HPBT version, and so far no issues.

 

[twister]

the 175 EOL should work very well for you. but it is on the slow and steady side but does all you want at sea level. 1800 fps to 650 yards.

 

[sndmn11]

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

7-08:
Staball at 50.3gr, CCI200, Rem/Barnes case at 2.025", 145gr LRX at 2.234BTO, 2900fps 20" Vanguard
This was a 12 shot string and a flat spot from 2890-2907 at 50.0 to 50.5gr.

 

[cabelasken]

I am intrigued by the 145gr LRX, I have 50 of them loaded over VV 550 powder in Lapua brass. I am looking forward to testing them out here in the near future.

I've taken two elk with the 145 LRX, one at 420 yds and another at 100 with my 280 AI. Velocity was 3000 FPS. Wound channels on high lung shots was identical in both animals and both dropped on the spot. Now with R-19, my velocity is over 3100. I would think this bullet would work well in the 7-08 and you could probably obtain 2800 to 2850 muzzle vel.

 

[dogz]

Yakcountry-lots of good options to turn a 7/-8 into a 500 yard elk round. Killing elk no matter how hard we try just isn't rocket science. Take out the lungs and they go down quickly...!

I'd use R17 with any of the following and you'll be golden:

120 TTSX
139 Horn SP
140 NBT
140 Accu
140 Part
150 NBT
154 Horn sp
150 Scenar
160 Sierra HPBT
160 Part

Good luck, get into shape and go have fun after elky's

 

[dogz]

Side note, it's very tough to find a bullet for the little 7 that won't work on elk...

 

[jjmp]

LVJ76,thank you Friend for setting me straight , never had the pleasure of playing in a real life match ,lots of great info as usual ,cheers and mr OP keep us in the loop.

 

[LVJ76]

LVJ76,thank you Friend for setting me straight , never had the pleasure of playing in a real life match ,lots of great info as usual ,cheers and mr OP keep us in the loop.

You were correct on your statement, the 168gr MK HPBT was the most used bullet in the 7mm-08, back then we called it the 7x308. it is still used by many, although many moved to 6.5 and 6mm cartridges.

Compared to the same 168gr in the 308, the 7mm bullet won every day.

Some rams would still not go down regardless, but far less likely than with the 308. If I remember correctly it was in a Arizona State Championship that we were told that the 150gr version worked better, and it did. But most kept using the 168gr bullet.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

A little Tip,..
StaBall 65 Powder, is slightly "Slower burning" than, any of the 4350's and my son and I have found that, it performs BEST at, or NEAR, Maximum Powder charges with, the Heavier Weight, Bullets in,.. the 6 XC ( 95 to 108 grains) 6.5 Creed ( 130-140+ grain's ) and 7 MM-08 ( 150, 162, 168 grains ).
Yes, we've tried ALL those, Bullet weight's and Cartridges and they, "shoot", Great when, "approaching",.. the Max. pressure.
I use, Hogdon's Data on, StaBall "Working up",. Carefully in, 2 or, 3 tenth's Increments, watching for, Brass "Swipe's" / Pressure on, primers !
Once "pressuring", IT ( pressure ) goes up, fast, so be careful,.. near the Top, charges !

 

[Sockeye66]

I've never been very good at leaving well enough alone, I have 2 7-08s and I've ran the gamut of bullet weights between 120gr and 162grs. My 22" barreled Sako shoots the 120gr NBT over Varget and the 25" barreled Bergara shoots the 140gr Accubond over Ramshot Big Game at 2925fps. I've played around extensively with the 150gr and the 162gr ELDXs with RL17 and Staball with decent results but not near the accuracy as Big Game or Varget.