Effective Range 7mm-08 & 6.5 CM

[bigngreen]

I like your thoughts!!! FWIW my experience says look into the 7Short Sherman if you want to run 180s or greater in a SA.

Ya, I've built a lot of 7 SS and 2 of the 7 MAX but that's a different power class than the OP is talking here!

 

[jjmp]

Very nice video showing the power of that Sierra 160 Tipped match king , my 708 dotted on that bullet pushing it 2780ish ,3 shots at 300 equaled 3/8 moa at 625 less then 1moa , all target shooting thks! Cheers 2 all !!!

 

[Todd Gansel]

Just basing the answer on factory ammo, 600 to 800 yards is very feasible and still have at least 1000ft lbs of energy left. The biggest issue is can you hit reliably at that distance?

 

[greenejc]

I think that's the first time I've read of a minie ball round being used on this forum.

Probably is. But they were used in the Civil War to make some incredible shots in Sharps rifles, while the Whitworth rifles used specialty bullets. Billy Dixon actually held the record for the longest sniper shot until Carlos Hathcock used a 50BMG to shoot 2500 yards in Vietnam. Dixon shot one of Quana Parker's medicine Chiefs at Adobe Walls, Texas using a .50-90 Sharps at 1,538 yards as measured by the Army Corps of Engineers. He borrowed the sharps from the Trading post for the shot. The battle occurred from 27 to 30 June, 1874. 28 buffalo hunters and the trading post owner and his wife against between 700 and 1200 Commanche Indians. Also, keep in mind that the first Creedmoor matches were shot with rolling block Remingtons and Sharps. Targets were at 800, 900 and 1000 yards. Again, the match was held in 1874.

 

[skipglo]

I'm not sure I follow your 2000 1500 fps statement. Shouldn't it be 2000 fps minimum for elk and 1500 fps for thin skinned, deer and such?

His comment was 2000 FPS and 1500 FOOT POUNDS ENERGY

 

[coyotezapper]

His comment was 2000 FPS and 1500 FOOT POUNDS ENERGY

AHHH, I did not catch the fpe. I missed that big time.

 

[coyotezapper]

I'm confident I'll be on the opposite side of most responses to the OP's question.

For example I'm at 9,000 ft and run a 7mm 08 with a 162 ELDM at 2700+ fps out of a 26" braked bartlien barrel. It has and will crush elk out to 900 yards. (ok crush is a bit strong lol) Not because it's a beast of a cartridge but because the 7mm ELDM bullet will perform down to around 1800fps even a bit slower. In the same breath I'd be cautious to run a traditional 140 gr anything past 350ish yards in a 7mm 08 just my opinion.

My first take away to the OP is... match the "bullet" with the velocity it needs to be moving to perform at the distance(s) you are considering. Manufacturers' list the min velocity necessary for their particular bullet to perform so you can match your shooting distances to the cartridge size needed and MV necessary to reach that result in a given bullet size. Funny thing is that does not always equate to a beast of a magnum even at 1K.

For example, most will agree Hornady says the 162 ELDM needs a min of 1800 FPS at impact to perform as designed. I reach that threshold, at or just under, one thousand yards. Where as say a faster 7mm - a 28 Nosler will hit the 1800fps threshold a few hundred yards further say 1200 yards or so - don't quote me but confirm. However, to do that you have more recoil with higher MV, throat wear, cost per shot, etc with the same bullet. If you change bullets then all is lost and we have to start over lol.

An interesting side note: I've had lots of shooters (experienced and not) that run the fast 30's, 7mm, 33's etc get behind that 7mm08 and can't believe they are able to get first round hits out at 1270 1400, 1760, 2260. Every time - I see a light bulb go off in their head and a grin on their face. Hell I run that rig in PRS comps too. For some reason even experienced shooters associate distance with bigger calibers and more recoil.

Another take away if anyone is still reading lol. Since 900 yards is good shot for anyone on game regardless of a given MV. I'd personally rather do it with less recoil. That is not to say I don't like running my 338 Edge because I still do.

Another source to help the OP decide on a caliber to drive 7mm or 6.5 bullets is to look up Nate Foster in New Zealand. He has done and continues to do extensive research dissecting animals killed in the field and clearly demonstrates the results that a given bullet and cartridge case size produce at given ranges. Super insightful and based on facts not theory or opinion.

**let us all know what case you decide on ... to drive your 7mm or 6.5 bullets!

One thing to keep in mind when you are looking at bullet performance and or calibers in Nathans book is he notes what game weight each is best for. A red stag is not equal to a RM Elk IMO. Nathan likes quick expanding / fragmenting bullets for thin skinned game animals which I also do but for Elk I prefer a better penetrating bullet like a bonded, solid or interlock type - like the eld-x.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Most of us up here in the North run with the ft-lbs thing since we're old school. Ha

1700 ft-lbs seems to be good for the thick skins Moose,,, Elk,,, Black Bears...

1000 or 1200 ft-lbs is a safe bet on Deer size game,,, at least the big bucks that are in rutt and on the move,,, thats not saying that 1000 ft-lbs and down haven't successfuly harvested mid-size critters over the years...

There's no reason that either cartridges won't work with in the 3 to 400 yards or beyond that """if""" a quality bullet is put into the mix...

Cheers from the North

 

[LVJ76]

One thing to keep in mind when you are looking at bullet performance and or calibers in Nathans book is he notes what game weight each is best for. A red stag is not equal to a RM Elk IMO. Nathan likes quick expanding / fragmenting bullets for thin skinned game animals which I also do but for Elk I prefer a better penetrating bullet like a bonded, solid or interlock type - like the eld-x.

His studies and recommendations are based of providing the animal a fast and humane death, not so much on saving meat. It's hard to have both all the time

 

[skipglo]

AHHH, I did not catch the fpe. I missed that big time.

That's okay....it was in small print...lol

 

[MAD10]

One thing to keep in mind when you are looking at bullet performance and or calibers in Nathans book is he notes what game weight each is best for. A red stag is not equal to a RM Elk IMO. Nathan likes quick expanding / fragmenting bullets for thin skinned game animals which I also do but for Elk I prefer a better penetrating bullet like a bonded, solid or interlock type - like the eld-x.

yep I agree with you and Nate just Nate more lol > I like grenades lol

 

[Stgraves260]

I killed Elk & what-not with 7mm-08 & 6.5CM. Never a problem, but all were within 200 yards.

What is the effective longest range you would hunt with a 7mm-08 & 6.5 CM ?

I'm looking for 400 yards, maybe 500 yards, what do you think ?

With 140 grain Berger With a 7-08 I would say 1000 yards 1400 FPS still and 600 lbs of energy. My 260 Rem is still good for 1250 yards still carries 1400 FPS and 600 lbs of energy.

 

[manitou]

I have killed quite a few whitetails and an antelope past 500 yds with 120 NBT bullet at 3100 fps out of my 7mm08. Have not shot an elk with it, but I would with 140 gr accubonds, out to about 450 yds.