Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Perfect Bullet for 7mm-08

I just got a new one, looking for the perfect bullet specifically for whitetail deer. don't need recommendations for elk or moose or elephant, just deer. thanks to all you users of 7-08, looking forward to working up the loads for it.

Welcome to the 7mm-08 brotherhood I absolutely LOVE this round. I shoot it more than all my other rifles combined.

139 grain Hornady flat base has been a winner for me for years. It is cheap, accurate and hammers deer. You sure don't need premium bullets, nor would I use them in the 7mm-08.

I have been killing deer and lots of pigs with the 120 grain Hornady hollow points as well, out to 550 yards. I haven't recovered a single bullet yet. I honestly have no idea how many critters I have killed with this bullet. All have dropped at the shot. Flinch

Shot many a flat base 139 myself, very accurate and solid reputation of clean kills, tad more accurate than the boatail in my experience and a few cents cheaper.

FWIW, it's what Rem loaded in their initial '140 corelokt' loads for years over a powder like W760/H414...48-49gr comes to mind, but check it. Me - I loved Varget and IMR4064.

I killed deer w/120s in SP and HP Hornady's via a 7mmBR rifle, at 2878mv, but prefer 140s typically.

any recommended loads with that bullet..sounds exactly what I am looking for. I have had great success with Hornady cup and core in 270.

139 Horn flat base and R17 is slamo dunk the way I'd go

Dober

The 139 would be a great choice, also might look into the 120gr. Nos. BT as well.

I've got everyone on ignore so,.........did anyone say 139 Hornady SP? Lots of powders will make it sing. Varget, 4064, 414/760, etc. I've probably burned more 414 than anything in the 08.

Remington 140 grain Core-Lokt can't be beat.

Oh ... but it can ...
My 7-08 prefer the 140 Fusions over the "Deadliest Mushroom in the Woods" ... By a long shot

I was gonna mention the NBT 120 too, of course that's not exactly original on my part. I found a good load with Varget, shoots accurate and at 3,000 fps. Lots of guys get more speed but I settled on the accuracy load.

I just got the rifle, so can't say how well it kills deer, but it shouldn't be an issue, and everything I've heard is positive.

Best part was, I got to stretch it out a little this past weekend. I have the 2.5 X 8 VX-3 with CDS turret on the rifle. I zeroed at 200 yds., but hitting a 12-inch target at 450 with the 120 NBTs was a slam dunk, and even at 820 was consistent as long as the wind stayed down.

That's more than I'd ask out of the rifle (a 6-lbder) on game, but it was just good to know that the little 120 worked at distance.

Lots of great bullets for the 7-08 out there. I like the 140grNBT especially for deer sized game.

MtnHtr

Out of the bullets mentioned, are any of them more "meat friendly" on deer than the others in a 7-08? That 139 Hornady flat base sounds interesting, but I've only used their spire points in 25-06 & 270 before.

120 NBT or 120 TSX (or tipped TSX).

Yep...

nosler 120 or 140 gr BT

Forgot:

162 'Max. Nothing trumps its inherently superior BC of .625...


Hint...

Someone has simultaneously been eating Mushrooms and posting if they think the corelockt is any great shakes. I believe the same individual claimed the 7mm-08 was not big enough for deer.

140 Partition or 139 Hornady Interlock.

ok, thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to try 139 gr hornady's and if, for some reason they don't shoot, I will move on from there. willing to spend the summer getting that ONE load that will work. I do have great confidence in Hornady for deer especially.

Add some RL-15 and you're there.