Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7mm-08 and 7x57 fans

We hear about the popularity of these rounds. Looking at this data, it's easy to see why they're so popular. They're very effective.

Found this on line. Check out the highlighted loads, how the 7mm-08 runs really close to the 130/140 .270's, even the .264WM. 7x57 is about a 7mm-08 clone, ballistically. It seems with the 7RM, to get a real K.E. advantage, you need to go to the 160's and heavier. Of course, the size of the critter has to be considered. WT's aren't that hard to kill if you hit'em right. Compare drop and K.E.

I've found myself reaching for my 6.5 CM or 7mm-08 more than my 6.5-284, 26 Nos, 7RM, 300WM, etc. If I'm shooting at extended range, I'll pick the more powerful rounds, for typical WT hunting locally, not so much. Most of that hunting is 200 yds. or less. Those more powerful rounds don't seem to kill WT's any deader, any quicker.

DF


Compare 7mm-08 to Factory Loads
Now you can see why the 7mm-08 is a giant killer! This comparison should end all campfire arguements!

Cartridge MV-FPS 300 YD(200 Zero) 400 YD(200 Zero) 400 YD Energy

7mm-08 Handload 120 GR BT 3100 -6.4 -18.8 1300
7mm-08 Handload 130 GR BT 3040 -6.7 -19.6 1350
7mm-08 Handload 140 GR BT 2950 -6.8 -19.8 1510
7mm-08 Handload 145 GR BT 2900 -7.1 -20.4 1540
7mm-08 Handload 160 GR BT 2700 -8.1 -23.2 1546
25-06Rem Rem PSPCL 120GR 2990 -7.5 -22 1100
264 MAG Rem PSPCL 140GR 3030 -7.2 -20.8 1389
270 WIN Rem BP 130 GR 3060 -7.1 -20.6 1285
270 WIN Rem BT 140 GR 2960 -7.2 -20.7 1465
270 WIN Rem SPCL 150 GR 2850 -9.7 -29.2 872
7mm MAG Rem PSPCL 150 GR 3110 -7.0 -20.5 1448
7mm MAG Rem BT 165 GR 2900 -7.5 -21.4 1689
30-06 SPR Rem BP 150 GR 2910 -8.0 -23.3 1298
30-06 SPR Rem BT 165 GR 2800 -8.2 -23.6 1500
300 MAG REM PSPCL 180G 2960 -7.3 -20.9 1859
338 MAG REM PSP 225G 2785 -9.1 -26.7 1633




OK! Stop screaming! Some of you long action and magnum lovers are saying your handloads will beat the 7mm-08 loads! Not by much! Even with magnum and long action hot loads, it is still difficult to beat the 7mm-08 by one inch at 300 yards!
For example; we are trying to show is that 7mm-08 handloads will match 7mm Remington mag factory loads. If the gun story writers say the 7mm rem mag will handle moose and bears with factory ammo, the 7mm-08 will do the same with handloads. Now for the real truth. Most factory loads don't measure up to the claimed FPS. Yes! An 7mm rem mag handloaded with data from 35 years ago will smoke about any hunting rifle cartridge.
I love the 7 mag, but the 7mm-08 made me a better shooter. I normally won't take a shot beyond 400 yards. I can shoot up 3 boxes at the range with no blue shoulder. At 100 yards I can shoot the teeth off a plastic fork one at a time. I can't do this with my 7 mag. I use the 7mm-08 year around shooting varmints, pronghorns, deer, elk, and anything in season. This has made me a better shooter and hunter.





7mm-08 Pet Handloads (Writer didn't mention Big Game, one of my favorite 7mm-08 powders. Varget is another of my favorites, evidently one of his, DF).

Rifle 1: Browning A-Bolt Composit Stalker 22" Barrel
Rifle 2: (loads in blue): Tikka T3 Lite 22.4" Barrel.
Scope used is Redfield 4x16.
Weather 60-80 degrees F, no wind. Private range in quiet Hollow.
Brass: Remington, Winchester & Hornady Primer: CCI200 (CCI 250 w /760 powder)
Best groups are 3 shot at 100 yards. Yes, some may be just luck.

Bullet Charge Grains MV-FPS Group Notes
110 GR Speer TNT 46 IMR 3031 3200 .210 Varmint
120 GR Nosler BT 46.2 Varget 3100 .450 Antelope
120 GR H V-MAX 44.8 H4895 3045 .650 Varmint
130 GR Speer BT 45.1 Varget 3040 .470 Whitetail
130 GR Speer BT 44.9 IMR 4064 3000 .870 Whitetail
130 GR Speer BT 43.1 IMR 4064 2920 1.00 Wifey Load
*140 GR Nosler BT 44.5 Varget 2950 .250 Mule deer
*140 GR Nosler Par 44.6 Varget 2950 .380 Elk
140 GR Sierra SBT 48.5 Win 760 2950 .810 Mule deer
140 GR Sierra SBT 44 IMR 4064 2935 .750 Mule deer
145 GR Speer BT 44 Varget 2900 .450 Mule deer
145 GR Speer BT 48 Win 760 2880 .650 Mule deer
150 GR Nosler PAR 43.8 Varget 2860 .500 Elk
160 GR Speer BT 41.5 Varget 2700 .630 Elk
160 GR Nosler PAR 41.5 Varget 2700 .380 Moose
160 GR Speer BT 44.5 Win 760 2670 .600 Elk



*Favorites: No guesswork. Use boattail for deer and partition for elk.
Caution: These loads are maximum and show no excessive pressure signs in my gun. WARNING! Pay attention to OAL, and make sure the bullet does not contact the rifleing when chambered! Reduce above loads by 5% and work up with caution! I accept no responsibility for use of this data!
Next powders for 7mm-08 load developement are Reloader 17 and 2000-MR. The RL-17 powder is now $2 cheaper per pound than other brands at my local dealer. I have never used Alliant powders in the past. I hear others are getting reliable 3000 to 3060 FPS with no pressure signs using 140 grain bullets and RL-17. This could be the magic powder! I want to try 2000-MR because people loading for the 308 Winchester are getting better than 30-06 factory ammo speeds. If it works for the 308 Winchester, it could do wonders for the 7mm-08. Prey I don't blow myself up!

Many of you have asked what is the best factory ammo? The Hornady 139gr SST Light Magnum (now called SuperPerformance). The factory claim is 3000 fps. My test showed 2923 - 2946 fps in a 22" barrel. This pretty much compares to the above handloads. 100yd groups in the .8 to 1" range in my rifle. Save your brass!

That is very interesting information DF. I enjoyed that. I do not have near the data that you put together, but I do have some real world experience. From 1971 to 2010, 95% of my hunting and killing was done with a 7Rmag with 160 partitions. A couple hundred medium size game animals succumbed to it. I bought my son a Tikka T3 in 7-08 around 2005, and was able to be part of him taking numerous whitetails, mule deer, antelope, a few aoudad culls, and too many hogs to count. For some odd reason he always loved the Winchester Supreme 140 gr failsafe factory ammo. Probably because it was wicked accurate and wicked performing. He became very deadly with it.

On the occasions he could not go out with me, post 2010, I started fiddling with loads for it and wound up loving the 140 partition load of 43g Varget at 2800'ish. The more I shot it, the more i liked it and it's performance on more deer, aoudad, and hogs. Moral to the story (for those remotely interested) is that nowadays I reach for my 7-08 first, every single time I go hunting. I've morphed into a huge 140 accubond fan, as I find them just as deadly (blasphemy) as the vaunted and well earned rescpect the partition gets.

I'm not near the rifleman as man here, but I'm going to say IMHO, the 7mm08 is the finest short action caliber made, as it's combination of accuracy, great bullet choices, and very moderate recoil make it a real winner.

I think the 7x57 and the 7-08 are practically magic. Deer seem to die on the spot without a step.

JG,

I've seen ample evidence of what you can do with a 7RM...

And, I've followed as you seem to be trending toward the 7mm-08. I don't think I'm that far behind you in that regard.

With reference to what I posted, before everyone starts harping about apples vs. apples, it was noted: 7mm-08 data are handloads, compared data are factory.

These 7mm-08 loads are probably at upper SAAMI limits, but not off the reservation.

Bottom line and the point being made, more moderate rounds can be about as effective as mega rounds, especially for typical WT type hunting.

Mega rounds do have their place, just not everywhere, not all the time.

DF

7mm08 is damn near perfect as a cartridge goes imho...does just about all that needs doing with very little recoil. Also incredibly easy to load for and accurate. Same could also be said for the 308 in most cases

Very much agree. I am amazed at what a 120BT can do to hogs, "only" driven at 3000fps. I've killed nearly 100 of them with that combo, and only had a couple of handfulls that didn't zip right through them, "TTSX like". Also, 41g of RL15 pushing a 140 partition to 2700fps is a pleasure to shoot all day long. Deer and hogs don't like that one much either.

Good stuff, and glad JoeBob agrees !

When I used to give a schit about such things, I had a spread sheet of about 100 different BG loads. They averaged out to a 146 gr bullet with a .479 BC going 2965.

Point being that there is no point and things are more similar than different.

Well....you 2 old Pharts just go ahead and wear 'panties'.

Why just Monday I BRUISED my right shoulder shooting my 8 mm REM MAG & 300 WIN MAG ! ! How's that for manly?

IMO, the 7 mm R M is hard to beat for 'all around BIG GAME ! I now consider W T deer as 'medium' game. Occasionally I have pulled out my 7 to kill WT--just because I have it.

I've never owned a 7-08 but have friends with whom I shoot - hunt so I've been exposed to its merits. I DON'T, - not like it.

However
"7mm-08 Handload 140 GR BT 2950 -6.8 -19.8 1510" from DF's 7-08 chart above.

My 270s, 7 mags, or larger DO NOT drop 19.8" at 300 YDS.>>>more like 7"--9""
WHY? I use the 3" hi at 100 yd sight in.

Yeah, I stacked the deck. I know, I know, I cherry picked your post & my sight in. Seems to be a common thing on the 'fire'.


Now more to reality. DF also said, " Mega rounds have their place, just not everywhere all the time." I AGREE

Good Thread guys

Jerry

yup,

As proof, here is one of JG's cast-offs!




Nosler Model 48 Patriot, 7mm-08







shoots minute of hoglet with 140 gr. Accubonds!



I figure if JG owned it, I could not miss! LOL


ya!


GWB

Not manly at all, since it bruised you.

[quote=Seven0Eight]7mm08 is damn near perfect as a cartridge goes imho...does just about all that needs doing with very little recoil. Also incredibly easy to load for and accurate. Same could also be said for the 308 in most cases


No argument from me.

Yeah, a real manly man would never have admitted to being bruised.

Nice shootin' Geedub. Can't believe how you swindled me out of that Nosler........

I have the 7x57 in the safe and dig that cartridge.. Never owned a 7-08, but I do respect it. Not too much a good 130-140 can't do buzzing along at 2800-2900.. Todays bullets and powders make them all shine pretty brightly.

Here's my 7mm-08, a Bobby Hart built gun with 23" Rem sporter contour SS barrel, Timney 510, Hunter's Edge, pillared, glassed and free floated.

I traded for this gun with a Fire Contributor. It came with a McM Hunter stock. I sold that stock on the Classifieds, bought the Hunter's Edge thru Rick here on the Fire Store. I did the glass work, fitting ,etc. then sent it to McM for gray paint with black specks. It wears a Conquest 3-9x40 with turret in Talley LW rings. I plan to get ballistic tape for the most used load. Zeiss turrets turn the wrong way, but reportedly track well. I guess I can get used to that.

DF

Here's the McM Hunter stock. Nice, but I like the slimmer, lighter, more petite Hunter's Edge better. Sold this one on the Classifieds for just about what the Hunter's Edge cost thru Rick.

DF

Interesting,..your loads with the 120 and 139/140 gn bullets mirror what my 7x57 produced with the same bullet weight and powder, 760, and I also used H-414, this past week. Working up loads for deer in Montana this fall. Setteled on the 139 SST at 2960 with H414.
Good info, and may I say that these short non- mag 7`s are everything that darned 6.5 creed is...and with better bullet selection.

I just ducked my head!!

I think JG summarized the why-for of the 7-08 nicely.

On another thread someone asked about what we thought was a "perfect" cartridge... here's my response:



I posted this before, but this might be a good place to re-post it:

You think the Creed crowd may be drawing a bead on ya...??

I like the Creed, too.

My 6.5 CM, 700 ADL with 24" #2 Shilen in a modified factory ADL stock that I cut down to 26 oz, about the weight of the Hunter's Edge. I removed a bunch of wood, inclucing the cheek piece, hollowed out the butt, glassed, free floated, rattle can painted. Lot of stock for what it cost...

This gun is also a tack driver, loves 123 gr. Scenars over Varget, one hole sub half inch groups.

It now wears a Conquest, set up exactly like the 7mm-08, including turret. I really enjoy this pair of rifles.

DF

That's a good read Brad. Thanks for posting.

Once I had admitted to myself that I had fallen in love with this caliber, I figured I'd get a rifle I wouldn't get tired of having, and one that wasn't so nice as I'd be afraid to drag it around in the sandhills, hence a 24" barreled McWhorter built on a 700 action (according to my handloads a pretty tight chamber) made it's way to my house. Yes that's a VX3 CDS, but I had them put a B&C reticle in it, so now I have a scope that wears a belt and suspenders. It is a match made in heaven though actually. I have a supremely accurate load of 42.5g Varget and a 140 Accubond heading out of the muzzle at 2820fps, sight in dead on at a most unusual 215yds. Why 215? Using the B&C reticle, the first has is dead on at 300, next hash dead on at 400, next small has at 450, top of thick/thin vertical reticle dead on at 500. It has been verified many times as being dead nuts on at those ranges without having to touch a turret, and the hashes in the reticle are very easy to see. All this at max power, which it will obviously be on if I have to shoot 400-500 yds. So far the CDS is perfect as well but I don't dial much.