Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7-08 and 140 Game Kings

who is shooting this combo? Wondering about accuracy and what your load is. Seems like it should be a great for deer.

Thanks

Not shooting that combo but the only 2 powders that worked thus far in a finicky Cooper were H414 and IMR 4064. I'm running H414 and 140 Barnes TTSX. The other load is a 130 Speer with IMR 4064.

I shot this combo, shot a deer this year with the 140grg HPBT, that being said. I'm going back to my go to load with Nosler 120 Ballistic tips.

Spill it........... What happened?

shoulder shot, longest tracking I ever done. Shot a second large doe after the first one with a 120gr Nosler at the same place as the first, second deer out weighed the first one by 37 pounds, no tracking at all DRT. Load for the 140gr Sierra was 44.5gr of Varget for 2890fps and the Nosler 120gr was 48gr of varget for 3227fps

Nosler 120gr ballistic tips smoke deer

Just got a 7-08 in a Marlin XS-7 stainless. Bought Horn American Whitetail factory loads for the brass. If I can equal the accuracy of those 139 gr Horn SP's I'll be lucky. I picked up a half box of 140 gr Sierra Gamekings a couple of gunshows a go for $5 and am working them with WW760 at the OAL suggested by the Sierra Manual. They show promise accuracy wise. Most Sierra's are very accurate but for other than ribcage shots I'd pick something else. The 120 NBT is next or 139gr Hornady SP. Magnum Man

Can you tell us a little more about the bullet performance? Where on the shoulder? Penetration? Did it blow up and not reach the vitals? Large surface wound? Thanks.

Something sure went wrong on a shoulder shot whitetail hit with a 140 grain game bullet.

Note that Gemby58 didn't say how far the deer was tracked. Muddy

this

I ran a great load of Varget over a hornady 139btsp. Took a muley at 385 with it. I'd think that would be similar to the GK, although I do think the interlok ring helps.

Out of curiosity, anyone shoot a mule deer with the 120? I'm thinking of trying it with all the praise I hear.

I like the 139 Hornady a lot, but it also can get ugly if it hits shoulders.

Been doin that for a while and want to try something diff.

I ran to the loading room and looked. I have 9 different 284 bullets 139-145 including almost empty boxes of PHs and GKs. Time to shop

Well I just loaded up 30 of em in 3 different powders. I'll show ya.

Deer was shot at 217 yards and was tracked at least 500 yards if not more, she was not dead when got up to her, she couldn't get up and was not going anywhere, head shot took care of that, Bullet entered behind the shoulder shooting back to front and was found 2" deep on the side she was hit on in small pieces. Would have thought going at almost 2900fps it would have been a exit hole. Called Seirra and told of my experience and then tech said must of been a bad batch. Shot a bigger doe the next day just a little farther at about the same angle with a Nosler 120gr BT and she was plowing snow, it came out in front of the other shoulder.

yeah the bullet blew up, I love the 308 165gr HPBT Game King it always did the job for me. When they came out with the 7mm 104gr HPBT Game King I was looking high and low to get a box. The box I have shot really good but was disappointed on there killing.

I like the Nosler 120gr BT better than the Barnes 120gr TTSX

NTG,

The 139 Hornady Interlock is NOT similar to the 140 GameKing in performance on game. There are two major differences: The interlock ring reinforcing the rear of the bullet, and a harder core. My wife and I have used the 139 Hornady at 3100+ fps from the .280 Remington and 2800-2900 from the 7x57 on a number of big game animals, and have recovered on one, found under the hide on the far side of the chest on a big bull caribou. Have seen it break both shoulders of a mature mule deer buck and exit.

In my experience the 160 GameKing performs about right at 7x57 muzzle velocities of 2650-2700 fps.