Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 6.5mm and 7mm - Best bullet for deer and hog

I shoot a 6.5x55 and my son shoots a 7mm-08. I wanted to solicit your opinions on the best bullet to use for deer and hog. I've read some on the Hornady GMX but don't have any first hand experience with it. What do y'all like to use in 6.5mm or 7mm for deer and for hog?

120 TSX/TTSX

That, and partitions.

Happy hunting.

140 Nosler Ballistic Tips for the 7-08. 139 BTSP would be fine for me as well.

My first grab for a hunting bullet is always a Hornady Interlock Spire point.

Dale

Swede - 120 Barnes, 129 Hornday SP, 130 Accubond, 140 Partition, whatever GMX = believe 129.

In the 7mm - 120 Barnes, 139 Hornady SP/GMX, 140 Accubond or Partition.

I'd lean to Barnes or GMX on Hogs just b/c you might need some extra penetration depending on placement and angle. Yet, the Hornady IL SP's and Accubond are very capable, and a partition never got much backtalk by anything hit fairly....well, maybe a good cussing.

In the Swede I'd use anything that weighs 120+ grains and go forth and slay stuff. There's nothing in NA that cannot be effectively hammered with a 140 grain Hornady SP in the Swede..........

As much as I like the 140 and 160 partition, if the ranges are shorter, try a Hornady 154 RN in you son's 7mm-08, absolutely devasting on game

My absolute favorite load in a 7-08 was a 145 Speer Hot Cor w/W760. Super accurate and just hammered deer.

I might get hammered for this, but my thoughts on bullets have changed a little as of late. If I'm going to use a mono on deer sized game, I'm going to choose a light bullet and push it FAST. Preferably, I'd like to see a minimum of 3200FPS at the muzzle with these bullets. Not that they won't work at a slower speed, but the results aren't as dramatic at a lower velocity.

With the rounds you mentioned, I'd look to Hornady IL's, Nosler BT's, and possibly some the bonded bullets from Nosler or Speer. They're going to do what you want done and cost a little less---and probably kill game a little faster too.

I could be awfully happy with the 129 grain Spire Point Hornady in the 6.5 and the 139 grain Spire Point Hornady in the 7mm/08.

Neither deer nor hogs are hard to kill. At the velocities that one would get from the above mentioned cartridges, I do not see any need for a bullet other than a standard core and cup. I think Nosler ballistic tips , Hornady spire points and Speer BTSP's are best.

you live and hunt in south Texas right? I've seen the beautiful little deer of your area and left handed girl scouts throwing ping pong balls could kill those deer if they hit them good. As for the pigs, any Sierra/hornady/Rem/Winchester/federal will do just fine.

So could I.

I've found 120BTs, 130gr and 145gr Hotcors and 139grIL all to be very good on game out of my 7mm08.
The only reason I haven't tried 129 Interlocks out of my 6.5x57 is that it has a special relationship with the 140's.

I can concur. I've used the TTSX in both my 260 and 280. Simply works.....

Kaiser Norton

You mean I don't have to use a mono-metal ping pong ball??

I know, I know... the deer down here are a bit small compared to most other places. Your statement made me chuckle out loud when I read it. Thanks.

What he said x3 !

No need to look any further try 43 gr of Varget for the 7-08.

I ran Sierra's in my 6.8 and 7-08 forever but switched to Accubonds in 2008 and have no regrets

7mm 140gr Accubond and Partitions

120 Nosler BT in 284