What is the best weight bullet for the 7mm08 ?

[LukeMc]

I am interested in trying those hammer bullets but I don't know anywhere to purchase them here in Canada.

 

[257steiny]

Contact Steve at Hammer Bullets at (408)261-0010 he is a great help!!

 

[codyadams]

We all like the BCs of the bigger bullets, But the 7/08 has trouble pushing them fast enough to get good down range performance on game. The big bullets are very accurate but give up to much performance/velocity in the field In my opinion.

When I started shooting the 7/08 I wanted to use the 140s and 150s
for good all round performance. !he 150s worked well in the pistol out to 500+yards on deer. The 140 did well in the rifle but the impact velocity was still a little low for instant kills (DRT). in order to get the velocity above 3000 at the muzzle, I tried the 120s. End of story, Performance was what I was looking for. Down range velocity was great, trajectory was great, and bullet performance was the best I had seen in the 7/08 after many years of hunting with it.

I had some concerns about the 120s but they have all disappeared, and for many years, it is my go to rifle for deer. H 414 and Varget are the go to powders in both the 7/08 and the 7/08 AI. with these loads velocities are 3000 to 3150 ft/sec and accuracy is under 1/10th MOA
(.053 and .074 five shot groups).

The 120 is my recommendation for deer in a rifle and the 150 for a pistol.

Just My Recommendation

J E CUSTOM

I would not usually disagree with you, but as far as impact velocity, that is only true if you keep your shots inside 400 yards. Past that, both the 150 ELD-X and the Berger 168 VLD surpass the 120 and have more velocity. If 400 is your max, then I would go for the lighter bullet as well.

Here are some ballistic tables to study. To the O.P, as you can see, at my elevation (rather high, nearly 9,000 ft, at lower elevation your max would be shortened but the difference in bullets would be the same) the 168 at 2750 fps carries 1000 ft lbs and 1600 fps out to 1100 yards. The 120, frankly, is pathetic at that range with only mid 400 ft lbs and slow, slow slow. If you go by the 1000 ft lb and 1600 fps limit, the 120 is maxed at 600, and that is at my elevation. And then when you look at wind drift.....it is once again horribly lacking.

So it really depends on what you want. Are you shooting out to 300-400 yards? A lighter bullet would make more sense. Do you want to get the most long range performance possible? I would try your 168's you already have. They will do good.

 

[LukeMc]

Contact Steve at Hammer Bullets at (408)261-0010 he is a great help!!

Thanks.

 

[LukeMc]

I would not usually disagree with you, but as far as impact velocity, that is only true if you keep your shots inside 400 yards. Past that, both the 150 ELD-X and the Berger 168 VLD surpass the 120 and have more velocity. If 400 is your max, then I would go for the lighter bullet as well.

Here are some ballistic tables to study. To the O.P, as you can see, at my elevation (rather high, nearly 9,000 ft, at lower elevation your max would be shortened but the difference in bullets would be the same) the 168 at 2750 fps carries 1000 ft lbs and 1600 fps out to 1100 yards. The 120, frankly, is pathetic at that range with only mid 400 ft lbs and slow, slow slow. If you go by the 1000 ft lb and 1600 fps limit, the 120 is maxed at 600, and that is at my elevation. And then when you look at wind drift.....it is once again horribly lacking.

So it really depends on what you want. Are you shooting out to 300-400 yards? A lighter bullet would make more sense. Do you want to get the most long range performance possible? I would try your 168's you already have. They will do good.

Thanks for the input, I certainly plan to work with the 168s that I have, I live low down at 733 ft. and my range of hunting is usually maxed out around 600yds or so. In actual fact 90% of my deer have been killed under 100yds (for many yrs I hunted exclusively with a bow.) but I want the ability to shoot across my field to my bush line witch is a good 500yds. Thanks again all of you who are giving me all this useful information, not many guys around where I live to bounce Ideas off, and no one I know is shooting a 7mm/08.

 

[cape cove]

LukeMc;
Don't be afraid to give the 145 Speer SBT a try. I use then in my 7mm/08 and get 2900 ft/sec with max loads of H-414/WW760 from a 24" barrel. With your 28" barrel I believe you should be able to get close or slightly more than 3000 ft/sec. They are a less expensive bullet and are great on deer sized game and x- reload always has them in stock.

 

[gte901m]

Love the 7mm08; my primary rifle.

-Nothing wrong with 120s, but not my cup of tea.
-130 speer reach 3,000fps with imr4064 and shoot tiny groups
-140 Sierra pro hunters (flat based and no plastic tip) give you plenty of case capacity. I shoot these at 2,910fps from a 22" tube; 1/4" groups. Terminal performance is great. Shot another whitetail last week at 95 yards - 3" exit wound - deer didn't take another step. Good out to ~400 yards with 10mph wind. $35 for a box of 100. My primary bullet for deer.
-150 Hornady ELDX shoot 1/2" groups at 2,770fps from a 22" (not max); haven't used them on game; carries 1,000 ft-lbs to ~700yards or so - if you want to shoot bambi that far. I use them to punch paper at 300-500 yards. BC is an impressive 0.555. Maybe a good option for your needs. Price is affordable.
-150 nosler partitions can be pushed over 2,800fps from a 22" if you want to shoot an elk or black bear.
-For target practice; 120 sierra pro hunters and a reduced load of H4895 at 2,700fps shoots 3/4" groups; can double as a youth load
-nothing wrong with 168 pills if you can seat the bullet longer than saami spec to get extra case capacity

hope that helps

 

[mark scott]

I just got into the 7mm-08 a short time back and have really enjoyed the accuracy and reliability. Having rode the "Magnum Wave" for so many years, it is welcome relief from the muzzle blast, recoil, and component cost. I have not tried the 150 or 160 grain bullets, thus, I cannot speak for their dependability. The 140 AccuBond worked for me, so I stopped searching for a better load. Following the Nosler Reloading Guide #8, I worked up to 45 grains of IMR 4350 with Nosler brass and CCI primers. As you know. start your load low and work up. You will find where you need to be to achieve safety, accuracy and acceptable velocity. I received excellent results (accuracy) with a Remington 700 and a Montana Rifle Company X2. The rifle and ammunition does their part, if I do mine. I only hunt Whitetail deer with the rifles and have never shot over 300yds. The terrain in Eastern Tennessee offers few shots beyond 300 yards, but offers many deer. Good luck, you have purchased an outstanding deer round.

 

[J E Custom]

I would not usually disagree with you, but as far as impact velocity, that is only true if you keep your shots inside 400 yards. Past that, both the 150 ELD-X and the Berger 168 VLD surpass the 120 and have more velocity. If 400 is your max, then I would go for the lighter bullet as well.

Here are some ballistic tables to study. To the O.P, as you can see, at my elevation (rather high, nearly 9,000 ft, at lower elevation your max would be shortened but the difference in bullets would be the same) the 168 at 2750 fps carries 1000 ft lbs and 1600 fps out to 1100 yards. The 120, frankly, is pathetic at that range with only mid 400 ft lbs and slow, slow slow. If you go by the 1000 ft lb and 1600 fps limit, the 120 is maxed at 600, and that is at my elevation. And then when you look at wind drift.....it is once again horribly lacking.

So it really depends on what you want. Are you shooting out to 300-400 yards? A lighter bullet would make more sense. Do you want to get the most long range performance possible? I would try your 168's you already have. They will do good.

You are absolutely correct in the numbers. But most people that shoot a 7/08 don't/wont be shooting 600 yards at deer using the 120, including my self. when I make reference to the 120 grain BT it is at its best at 0 to 400 yards and again most people that have shone interest in the 7/08 plain to hunt deer at 0 to maybe 300 yards.

I prefer the 150s beyond 400 or 500 yards and for targets out to 1000 yards I like the 168 SMK . Although i am very fond of the 7/08 and have a 100% kill rate with it I never ask it to do something It was not intended for, and reach for something much larger if I am going to hunt for game with a 7 mm over 600 yards.I prefer the 280 AI and the STW with 160 to 180 grain bullets and the 7 mm RUM for the biggest 7 mm bullets.

I must have miss stated my use of the 7/08 and 120s but as far as I know, I have never recommended the 120s for hunting over 600 yards. so sorry about the mix-up and that's what i like about this site,
We all agree to disagree.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[LukeMc]

LukeMc;
Don't be afraid to give the 145 Speer SBT a try. I use then in my 7mm/08 and get 2900 ft/sec with max loads of H-414/WW760 from a 24" barrel. With your 28" barrel I believe you should be able to get close or slightly more than 3000 ft/sec. They are a less expensive bullet and are great on deer sized game and x- reload always has them in stock.

I thank-you for all the info.

 

[LukeMc]

I just got into the 7mm-08 a short time back and have really enjoyed the accuracy and reliability. Having rode the "Magnum Wave" for so many years, it is welcome relief from the muzzle blast, recoil, and component cost. I have not tried the 150 or 160 grain bullets, thus, I cannot speak for their dependability. The 140 AccuBond worked for me, so I stopped searching for a better load. Following the Nosler Reloading Guide #8, I worked up to 45 grains of IMR 4350 with Nosler brass and CCI primers. As you know. start your load low and work up. You will find where you need to be to achieve safety, accuracy and acceptable velocity. I received excellent results (accuracy) with a Remington 700 and a Montana Rifle Company X2. The rifle and ammunition does their part, if I do mine. I only hunt Whitetail deer with the rifles and have never shot over 300yds. The terrain in Eastern Tennessee offers few shots beyond 300 yards, but offers many deer. Good luck, you have purchased an outstanding deer round.

I am amazed every time I go down to the states you guys are blessed with so many deer. I live bordered up to a national park that hasn't allowed hunting since the 80s.Yet I will be lucky to see one or two deer all season.

 

[manitou]

The 120 gr NBT bullets out of my 7mm-08 rifles have been pure death on deer and antelope approaching 600 yds. I have killed about half a dozen animals in the mid 500 yard range and none went more than a step.

 

[codyadams]

You are absolutely correct in the numbers. But most people that shoot a 7/08 don't/wont be shooting 600 yards at deer using the 120, including my self. when I make reference to the 120 grain BT it is at its best at 0 to 400 yards and again most people that have shone interest in the 7/08 plain to hunt deer at 0 to maybe 300 yards.

I prefer the 150s beyond 400 or 500 yards and for targets out to 1000 yards I like the 168 SMK . Although i am very fond of the 7/08 and have a 100% kill rate with it I never ask it to do something It was not intended for, and reach for something much larger if I am going to hunt for game with a 7 mm over 600 yards.I prefer the 280 AI and the STW with 160 to 180 grain bullets and the 7 mm RUM for the biggest 7 mm bullets.

I must have miss stated my use of the 7/08 and 120s but as far as I know, I have never recommended the 120s for hunting over 600 yards. so sorry about the mix-up and that's what i like about this site,
We all agree to disagree.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

Not really agreeing to disagree in this case, I completely agree with you! Like I said, out to 300-400 yards the light ones work fantastic. My sister has a Remington youth model 7 in 7mm-08 with an 18" barrel and it shot 129's for a long time, and I actually just switched her over to the 120 nosler bt's, but she doesn't use that rifle for anything over 300 yards or so. With the short barrel it just won't get the velocity necessary to shoot the heavier bullets, so it just simply doesn't get used for long range, and also that little thing is so handy it makes great brush gun. It has accounted for over 20 pronghorn, around 10 deer, and also one cow moose, and the only one that took more than one solid hit was the moose, and that is just because my sister can run her bolt faster than most people I know, she had 3 rounds through the cows lungs in about 5 seconds, and it only made it about 20 yards before it dropped. she was about 50 yards from it.

Point being, I completely agree with you. A rifle must be used within it's limits. In my case, a short barreled 7mm-08 is not really an appropriate "long range" rig, but a fantastic 0-400 rig, so the 120 class bullets are a perfect match. In the case of the O.P., who has a 28" tube, he is very likely to get enough velocity to make good use of the 150-168 class high bc hunting bullets, and while the term "best" is very subjective, in the aspect of best long range performance (out to 1000 yds, or more on steel) and a 28" barrel, the heavier bullets have the advantage. If one sets a limit on deer of 1000 ft.lbs of energy, and Berger's recommendation of 1600 fps minimum velocity, the 168 VLD will reach out to 900-1100 yards in his 7mm-08 with that retained energy/velocity depending on elevation. Pretty fantastic for the little cartridge!!

 

[TG-5150]

Contact Steve at Hammer Bullets at (408)261-0010 he is a great help!!

The area code is 406.