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

140gr accubond or BT will do the trick. I have tried alot of diffferent bullets and now shoot almost all Nosler,either BT or AB.

Chip M,
Hornady is dropping the 154 round nose. You can buy them directly from them at the moment

My 260 has a slow twist but still shoots 140 Sierra GK's very well. I get fast opening bullet and complete pass through even on hog shoulders. Very rapid kills. I have used the 120nbt on a classic double lung shot on a big buck. The buck dropped and was dead before it hit the ground- which was immediately and the bullet was lodged in the far side ribs.

Never had a 140 GK fail to exit so....

I like the 140 partitions in 7mm and 6.5

Or, if you want to make it simple and don't mind spending a tad more, buy 140 grain Partitions for both. Pork and Venison will fill your freezer with little muss or fuss.

I didn't see hanco's post when I typed my last one, but he is absolutely right.

I agree with this in theory, but my experience with 120 ttsx in 7mm08 at +/-3000 fps has been great. They kill with authority, both near and far. And the recoil is like a 243. I've used them from point blank to very near 400 yds and have zero complaints. Dropped a 230 lb buck on Wed. at 277 yds.

4 year old thread....

Shot a buck yesterday with the 7mm08 with a 140 grain accubond. It was a lung shot with complete pass through. I was concerned at first because of the small blood trail (about the first 50 yards), then it really opened up. I can't believe anything can run with that much blood loss. So I am wondering if something softer would have yield a better blood train initially, although dead is dead.

They have to fill up to the hole before they will leak; that takes a little time and as you know,they can cover some ground in a few seconds.

I want something that penetrates reliably while still expanding. I would not be in any hurry to ditch the 140 AB in a 7/08.

I've been shooting the 150gr ballistic tip in my 7mags.They seem to do better than the 140gr Accubond.I have also used the 160gr Accubond.I liked the 160gr Accubond over the 140gr.I've found the 150gr ballistic tip makes a good compromise between the two.

bald hunter what does the 150 BT and 160 AB do to the deer that the 140 does not? I am curious since I have used only one AB on an animal of any kind.

I use the Partitions and have no complaints to register

Winner, winner chicken dinner. Life is short, keep things simple, work up your load w/ the 129gr. 6.5 mm & 139gr. 7mm Hornady bullets and you and son go make meat. I have used these two bullets in these two cartridges for the same application for a very long time, they have always worked with a boring consistency (not a bad thing).

StarchedCover

Given the velocities for those 2 cartridges, I would agree on the Hornady Interlock as a first choice, Partition if you wanted to go with a "premium"

I've killed big mule deer and whitetails with every bullet you mentioned, and my answer would be "nothing". They are all solid performers.

The 150 and 160gr seemed to penetrate a little better with a little larger wound channel than what I got with 140gr AB.Maybe speed was a factor too.In my 7mag I run the 140's @ 3200fps,150's @ 3100fps and 160's @ 3000fps.Here is the only bullet of the three I was able to recover.It was recovered from a hog shot at 80yds.Recovered weight was 72.7grs.