Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 7mm-08, 139 LRX

Judging from 'Fire users of the 7mm-08 and powder/bullet company data, 2900 ft/sec is very doable at acceptable accuracy in 22-24" barrels. Is/has anyone chronoed the 139 LRX in their 7-08? Loads?

Assuming 2900 with the LRX is doable, there isn't a large difference between a 270 with a 129 and the 7-08/139. Plus you get a shorter, lighter rifle with less recoil.

Thanks.

I would think it is pretty doable with the good powders like SB6.5 and RL17 in the 7-08 BW. I haven't tried myself yet but it is on my to do list this winter. It was never any biggy to get 2850 from any 140, so I wouldn't be surprised to get 2900+ with the other powders out there available to us.

3140 from the 270. I am sure you could push it faster if hand loading.

The 129 LRX Calvin?

Yes. That’s Barnes factory ammo. I use it and verified it


I think the 139/7-08 would be pretty close to that 65CM and 127 lrx. LRX opens fast and straight up hurts stuff at close range, even on lung shots. Haven’t used it beyond 100yds yet.

It is tough to whoop the 270. That's a pretty strong combo.

Barnes shows 3200 with the 129 in a 270. I think thats a bit optimistic......... In previous 270s, 3050 with a 130 in a 22" barrel was about as good as I could get with good accuracy.

I use 47gns RL17 with 140gn Accubond in my Rem 700 7mm/08 23"bbl for an average of 2865fps. I doubt I could average more than 2900fps with that powder/bullet combo without running into pressure issues - an according to Quickload, R17 is the top choice with that weight bullet.

I use Big Game with 140 Partitions for 2880.

Different bullet and all, but I’ll bet you could get close enough that the difference in velocity would be meaningless.

I still like the 150 ELD-X at 2790.



P

You might be able to statistically measure a difference in "killing power" or "long range" results between the various LRXs mentioned so far after killing several hundred animals, but I doubt it....

I get 2882 with E-4451 and 139 Hornady IB in a 22" barrel. Big 6x6 elk fell to this just south of Y.N.P.

Love the 7mm-08. Love the 270. Have a bunch of the 139s but haven’t loaded them. I wish Barnes would make a .277 135 or 140 gr LRX. The 270 win and the other 270s have the coal to push it.

I built a 7-08 on a Rem mdl 7 action with a 24" krieger bbl. Chrono-graphed 140 gr nosler partitions at 2950. Thats better than I push 150gr in my 270 with a 22' bbl.

The gravel pit where I shoot is at over 8000' elevation so that helps a smidgen.

I agree! We have had great success with the 129gr. LRX, but I think a 135gr. LRX would be the ideal weight for any .277” cal. rifle. I get 3225fps with the 129gr. LRX out of our 24” 270 Wins. using 61gr. Of RL26 with less than 1” groups. I would love to see what a 135gr. LRX would do!

Elk Country

Years ago when my wife hunted with a 7mm-08 I loaded it with imr4350 but couldn't get anymore speed than 2850 with a 140NP and 24" barrel because of compressed load.
When hornandy came out with the light magnum stuff and claimed 3000fps with there 139 i bought a box and chronoed it because I thought B.S well it was 2999 so I pulled a round apart and they used ball powder so then I figured out how to get more in there.
Couldn't get quite to 3000 with NP140 and W760 but close.

I am getting essentially 2900 (2898) in my Tikka T3 (22.4") with 139 LRXs and 2000 MR with sub MOA 3 shot groups. Haven't shot anything with them yet. Loaded them up for a Red Stag and Tahr hunt in NZ in May of 2020. Covid blew up that trip.

Dunno about that bullet but a 140 grain Partition or AccuBond at that velocity will kill whatever you shoot, given proper placement.



P

I completely agree. I shoot 140 ABs with Big Game (largely as a result of your posts) at deer with great results in that gun, but I am getting around 2800. The 139 LRX did not do well with BG, so decided to try 2000MR. Was pleasantly surprised with the velocity and accuracy. Unfortunately 2000MR did not play well with the ABs. Decided to go with the LRXs for the extra velocity, energy, and flatter trajectory in case I draw a long shot.

I’ve been working on loads for a 7x57 and trying the 139 and 145 LRX mostly for supposedly better expansion at lower velocities. I’ll probably stick with 150 gr TTSX in the 7mm magnums.

A 140ish grain 7mm bullet around 2900fps is the magic number that kills most cartridge arguments.