Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting recommended projectile for 7mm-08 on elk???

Well not entirely, as long as people supply enough useful information like MV and Impact vel. for the type of bullet,
e.g.; someone takes their animal at 350yd with a 7mm mag, its very close to same impact velocity for 7mm/08 at 150yd.
so a person can sensibly reckon from there.

Sorry that I missed this.
7-08 49.5 grains H414 @3124
.280 61 grains H4831 @3198

[/quote]

Sorry that I missed this.
7-08 49.5 grains H414 @3124
.280 61 grains H4831 @3198[/quote]

This shows one of the things I love about the 7-08...it's efficiency.

Thanks for the data, 280

Whatever BuzzH and Brad shoot.

This shows one of the things I love about the 7-08...it's efficiency.

Thanks for the data, 280[/quote]

thats what I love about it too. all that extra powder, action length, gun weight, and recoil.... for ~70fps in this example?

for me, the 7-08 has just been a boringly accurate killer. mild recoil makes it easy to shoot, and it's a real tack driver for a hunting rifle.

and FWIW, as the Original Poster...... I plan to work on loads with 150gr Accubonds and Partitions. Failing that, I wont feel significantly hampered with the 150 GK's that shoot so well already.

THANKS ALL!

I'm looking for 150 ELD-X bullets. .574 BC is a huge improvement over .434.





P

My experience is, inside 600 yards, it really won't matter. More important than BC is a bullet that shoots well and hangs together.

I won't sacrifice accuracy for anything.

Implicit in my research is accuracy and performance.




P

I think that's everyone's objective.

Brad's advice is worth taking into consideration.

Reading BC numbers and shooting groups at distance is the easy stuff that anyone can do.

But learning bullet performance on live animals can be learned only one way....by shooting lots of animals under different conditions and at different distances.

Unfortunately neither BC numbers nor fancy groups tell you anything about how a given bullet will perform on BG animals.

I know the Partition kills mule deer right now at 541 + yards. I've done it twice. If I can get comparable accuracy with better downrange velocity, why not?




P

I use the Hornady 139gr Interbond on deer and elk. It works well and I've never lost one. I too don't believe you need a mono bullet for any animal with a 7mm08. I do like the little extra insurance of a bonded bullet though. I probably don't need it but it makes me feel better. I think the 154gr Interlock would be a good choice.

I will say, DO NOT use Hornady's SST. They are too [bleep] IME.

No elk, but I have killed a lot of hogs with the 140 gr Partition load from Federal out of the 7-08. Well north of a hundred. I can remember one in particular that was about a 150 pound pig running dead away from me at night. Someone held the spotlight on him and I plugged it straight up in the classic Texas heart shot. Did not exit, but that pig did not take another step. Was a 125 or so yard shot. I have always been satisfied with the penetration of the partition on hogs out of the 7-08.

About 22 years ago I had a 7X57 I made myself in Rigby style. I used the 160 gr Nosler Partitions. I never had any complaints at all. Everything I shot died with one shot, and nothing went any father than about 15 yards after it was shot.

The 7-08 is about the same speed as the 7X57 bullet for bullet, so I would recommend the 160 gr Nosler Partition without hesitation.

amax

I'm new to the 7MM-08; but I bought a Compact Ruger American for Elk this year -- used a 7MM Mag for several decades.

I was going to try the 140 grain Accu-Bond but it's considerably longer than the Partition and case space is limited. I'm using a max load of Big Game and it's quite compressed even with the Partition seated as far out as possible.

I had to have the Ruger re-barrelled right before Elk season and have only run 20 rounds of 140 Partitions thru the new barrel. Groups are good. Velocity with the 18 inch barrel is 2780 fps.

I've killed pretty much every big game animal that I've shot with a Partition including Elk, White Tail, Mule Deer, Antelope, Sheep and Caribou (most with a 6mm-06). I don't like mono bullets in slower calibers and don't see ultra high BC as an advantage with this cartridge.

What I use out of my 7-08 Mtn Rifle. No issues to date.

62 grain 22-250 is all you need if you put the bullet between the ribs! Lol

That will get you arrested in this state. The regulations require a minimum 6mm bullet diameter for elk, sheep, and goats. .22 CFs are ok for deer, bear, and cougar.

Back to the original question, my 7mm-08s have done pretty well with the 140 partition and a friend says the 140 accubond worked well on elk for his family. I would shoot elk with them but I'd prefer 150s or 160s if the gun is accurate with them.

Tom

I posted this elsewhere a while back. Don't overthink stuff. She will be bull hunting this year with same rifle and load. I'm not betting against her...

That’s good stuff right there Greg....

I killed a bull at 65 yards with a 7/08 and a 140 Federal Premium TTSX factory load. Like Greg’s better half (by a mile)... muzzle velocity was sub 2700. Broke both scapulas and exited.... bull went about 25-30 yards. Not much I wouldn’t shoot with that bullet.