7mm08 what type of bullet

[winchester1886]

I am starting a new project.The rifle is a Browning A bolt in 7mm08. Bullet will be 140gr. I will be using it on Texas whitetail,Texas mule deer,and Pronghorn.I will also take it to Colorado to harvest Deer and Elk. Shot's will be from 100 to 300 yards. I know that is asking a lot of a bullet. At this time I'm leaning toward the AccuBond.What say you??

 

[redbullitt]

I have never gotten to hunt elk, but I shoot A LOT of targets and white tails. First thing I would try to do is find something that shoots well for you out to those distances. Grab a couple boxes of bullets and load some up.

FWIW I have had very good experience with hornady AMAX and the bergers.

Nosler Partitions have also worked very well and might be a little better suited to your needs.

 

[jmorris]

I use the nosler partition pushed by 748, IIRC it's a 139 but...

 

[oneounceload]

MY 7-08 likes Nosler 140's - in about any flavor, with Sierra a close second. Bullet placement for the elk will be key

 

[huntershooter]

I've found the Accubonds equally accurate as the Ballistic Tips in my .308 and 7mm WSM.
Great bullet for Elk and large deer.
My experience on Whitetail (in the .308) was at lower velocities the Accubonds did not expand as much as I'd care for. A bit of tracking was always involved.
Why not work up a load (bullets should be interchangeable) with both the Accubond (Elk, Mulies) and Ballistic Tip (Pronghorn, Whitetail)?
The 7/08 is a great cartridge by the way.

 

[magnatecman]

My 14 yr. old boy has a 7mm08 that likes the Hornady 139 gr. SST's. He has shot a nice muley and a spike bull elk with it and it does a number on them. Both animals we were able to recover the slug on the opposite side, just under the hide. The slugs probably retained around 60 or 70 percent of their weight. The buck was at 150 yards and the spike bull was at 30 yards. I hand load these at about 2925 fps fwiw.

 

[snuffy]

I have to mention the Hornady 139 interbond. At least for the deer. I would certainly consider a heavier bullet for elk, like the 154 interbond.

With the interbond, you'll get 85% weight retention and at LEAST double caliber expansion, along with penetration. Much more expansion that the accu-bond will give. AND more weight retention.

 

[winchester1886]

Update on 7mm08 Buellt

I decided to go with the Hornady 139gr Interbond.I started out with RP brass,Win.LR primers and H-4350 with a OAL of 2.80".After firing about 20 rds with no luck at 100 yards I decided to go back to the drawing board.The new load will be RP brass,CCI benchrest primers,IMR 4350 powder with a OAL of 2.75".

The rifle is a Browning A bolt and with this rifle the max length is 2.80" the clip magazine will not work with anything over 2.80". I will post results when available.

Yes I know Bullet is spelled BULLET

 

[interlock]

How long is the barrel of your rifle? I have a pretty short barrelled remmy model 7. i use federal premium nickel plated brass, federal primers, 42 grains of Viht N140. I use hornadies interlock 139gr. it is a real killer on deer small ones through to big red stags. I would suggest if you have a long barrel stick on the h4350... if sorter look towards re15, 4895 powders and viht N140/540. when i was using re 19 in my rifle it had a massive flash. i wonder how much of that was wasted?

2.8 inches is also the maximum my rifle will take... this is a shame becuase it is quite a bit off the rifling... still capable at 1 inch at 100 yards. as for stepping up in bullet weight to 154 gr. each to thier own. i use that 139 gr bullet on everything. our red stags are up to 30 stone. i have taken a number with this bullet. The 7mm08 is a very potent round. Put the shot in the vitals and it will be perfectly sufficient. you don't need to muck about changing your zero either.

steve

 

[Pacsd]

Win 1886, I'm not sure you are getting the your best peformance out of your 7-08by using 4350. You might want to consider moving up to a faster buring powder. I'm getting fantastic rsult with 3031 and 4064. Just thought I'd mention this.

 

[winchester1886]

Thanks pacsd I'm using data from Hornady load manual. If the 4350 doesn't work out I'll go to a faster powder.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I've gotten the best accuracy from my 7mm08 with IMR4350. At 46.0gr of IMR4350, you'll be somewhat compressed with the 139gr IB or the Nosler BallisticTips. Best accuracy has also been with the Sierra 140gr ProHunter (flat base bullet), but the boat-tail GameKing is close.

Velocity is nominal at about 2,800fps.

I've gotten higher velocities with H414, H4350, and RL17, but accuracy is mediocre (2-3moa).
I've got a really good load with BLC2/Win748 and a 139gr Interlok, but other 140's require a 2.0gr charge reduction to avoid pressure issues, but at 2,850fps @44.0gr, it a good one for deer. The regular BTSpt interlok may be a better choice for the 7mm08 for elk, anyhow.


fwiw: I had a bad experience with the box of Horndy 139gr SST's (unbonded version of the 139gr IB). They failed to expand at the 7mm08 velocities. Be sure to hit shoulder or spine with those bullets....

I've killed 20+ deer with my 7mm08 and a friend took an 6x6 bull elk in '05 with it. I provided him with the 46.0gr of IMR4350 and 140gr Nosler Partitions. They did the job, though I'm reluctant to use the Partitons again as the only 7mm bullet I've ever recovered from a deer was the partition from a 90lb doe. Admittedly it was a raking shot at ~100yds. The bullet didn't hit any really significant bones (ribs) and was lodged under the hide next to the pelvis (deer was facing me). Penetration was a little bit underwhelming. I've seen better performace from the 140gr Remington CorLokts..... at 1/3 the price, too.

 

[oneounceload]

Besides 3031 ans 4064, WIN760 gave me the best groups out of my little Model 7 - and it meters easily

 

[Gonzofam]

I was working this caliber and bullets this weekend. The 150's are a bit much as far as weight for this rifle round IMO. I do not have a way to measure velocity as of yet, but 1moa with this sierra MK. Hornady and Nosler 139,140 were great and have worked well on large deer. For me the 120 Nosler BTbt are the best in my Rem700 XHR. With IMR4350 I got .71 moa . I use a comparator for measuring OGIVE so COAL doesnt matter as long as you are under and I feel I get much better consistancy with each round. My loads are just under Max COAL. The only problem I would say with the 120gr velocity and explosiveness is to have good bullet placement. They will cause some meat damage if you try to go through the shoulder or a not so good shot. I tried and it actually took 90% of the front left arm off a doe. Accubond and the Gmx will be better through the shoulder if that is the shot you like. A chest shot with Nosler 120gr BTbt will leave you speachless. Did me....

 

[Paladin38-40]

Load results

Browning X-Bolt 7mm/08 20" bbl

139 gr. Hornady PSP
OAL 2.80"
Remington brass
CCI #200 primer
45.0 gr. IMR 4350
V= 2502 fps
100 yd. groups 3/4" to 15/16"

130 gr. Speer BT
OAL 2.720"
Remington brass
CCI #200 primer
43.0 gr. IMR 4064
V= 2820 fps
100 yd. groups 13/16" to 1 1/4"

My wife took a mule deer with the Speer load last winter. He was quartering toward her at 110 yards. She was in a shooting house up hill from the deer.The bullet broke the front shoulder, split the heart open, and exited low behind the off side shoulder making a large hole. The lungs looked like they had went through a blender.

If only I could shoot that well!

 

[Pacsd]

Paladin, hope this isn't a doubole post. Anyway, I read your recipe for the Speer 130. I'm shooting a 20 ballered Wx Vanguard carbine, Timney trigger with Nikon glass. Thought I'd share my results.

Rem Brass
CCI 200 primers
41 grains IMR 4064
Speer 130 BTs
2796 FPS w/ 7 shoot average
.538 pattern
2 inches high @ 100

Man, I love this gun......2 shots, two dead deer, 187 & 235.
I don't know if my old ADL .270 or Smith & Wesson will leave the rack again. I'm sure Win 1886 will be extremely pleased as well.

 

[interlock]

to all,
I think barrel length is really important in 7mm08 bullet and powder selection. the round can produce some phenominal performance. 130 gr bullets with slow powder from a 24 inch barrel is superb. with a shorter barrel (18.5 on my mod 7) i got some higher velocities with 120 gr sierra bullets (prohunters) and faster powder although the accuracy was not what i wanted and the carcass damage was quite dramatic. I have settled on the load i gave above. 42 gr of N140 hornadies interlock soft point. I don't know the velocity, but i guess it is sub 2800. I know it kills like gods own medicine. I find it dificult to reach past the model 7 when it's time to stalk. I have shot lots and lots of deer with it. It has paid for itself several times over!
I have killed deer using sierra 120 gr prohunter, speers 130gr hot cor and 145 gr hot cor. I have been pleased with all of them, although the 120's have been as discussed above.

case: fed premium 308 necked down / remmy
primer: fed 210
powder: 42gr viht N140.
Bullet: hornady 139 gr interlock flat base.
COL 2.8 inches.
full length resized each time.
this shoots cloverleafs.

 

[gamestalker]

I've been loading with Speer bullets for all of the game you mentioned, including bear. If you use one their new addtions to their bonded bullet line, you won't have any problems with efficiently dropping elk. I like flat shooting velocities, so I've been using 130 gr. Speer Hot Core's for ever. They aren't really classified as a bonded bullet, but they don't separate and produce full penetration on elk and even bear. The Grand Slam is always a reliable choice too.

 

[Epoxyoyo]

Savage Model 11 with AccuTrigger
130 grain Speer BTSP seated .020 off the lands
47.0 grains of H-4350
from bench at 100 yards I can cover 3 holes with a dime

 

[winchester1886]

Update on the Browning A Bolt 7mm08: The Hornady 139gr Interbond didn't work out finally went with H-4350 and Barnes TSX CCI primers and Winchester Brass.Turned out to be a good load.

 

[quartermaster]

Lot's of good info here. I'm subscribing to keep track of it