Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 7mm08 bullet selection

So a 140ttsx at 2850 would be a good selection?

Yes, and the 120 TTSX at 3000+ may be even better.

That's an awesome pic.

Anything premium/bonded/mono from 120-150 gr that your gun shoots well. Standard cup and core will obviously kill an elk as well, but by going to a more engineered bullet I can go down a bit in weight and gain some velocity. From a 24" barrel you ought to be able to get around 3100 fps out of the 120 gr Barnes TTSX which I know first hand will kill an elk just right now. By contrast a 150 gr bullet would be going around 2800 fps.

What would be your bullet selection for elk for a 24 inch barrel 7mm08?

I recently picked up some 140 gr Federal Trophy Bonded Tipped bullets that look interesting. As soon as the holidays are over, I'm going to give them a try...on paper anyway. The old TBBC's had a pretty good following and the new tipped version is suppose to be similarly constructed.

Thanks man. He's a little older (15 now), and a little more seasoned. He hunted his tail off for that first cow though, and it was one of the greatest moments of my life to share the moment with him.

This one from last year didn't suck either, though I wish he would have smiled more instead of trying to look like a tough guy. The boy has endured some suffering to learn how to hunt the "right" way, but its also paid some dividends for him along the way for sure.



For the record, while the 120 TTSX didn't account for this bull, it turned out the lights on several other elk and deer along the way.

Dave

I recently picked up some 140 gr Federal Trophy Bonded Tipped bullets that look interesting. As soon as the holidays are over, I'm going to give them a try...on paper anyway. The old TBBC's had a pretty good following and the new tipped version is suppose to be similarly constructed.

A lot of guys are recommending bullets that they haven't killed elk with.

Where's the "like" button on this thing?

Oh boy! I load for 4 7mm-08s, all Tikkas, all stainless T3s. Two are Superlites. 22 1/2" barrels. Photobucket won't let me post pics and the Fire doesn't use Tapatalk so I can't include pics.

All loads safe in my rifles, not yours, start low and work up.

First, get some Big Game, and get more than you think you'll need. Get some Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers, too. All my recipes use them.

150 ELDX
46.2 gr Big Game
2.156" from the ogive, right about 2.821" overall
2790 fps and half minute or so. This load killed 3 of our 5 bucks this year, fork, 3x3, 4x3. Nothing needed a second shot and the farthest recovery was 30 yards. My nephew used this load on a 6x5 bull at 407 yards.

140 Accubond
47.5 gr Big Game
2.229" from the ogive, right at 2.806" overall
2850, again half minute or so. One of our bucks this year, neck shot, DRT. My dad also used this load two years ago on a big 5x5 bull, 225 yards, one shot above the heart, 30 yard recovery. I shot an antelope buck in 2014 with this load, 303 yards, DRT and exit. There have been others.

140 Partition
47.5 gr Big Game
2.262" from the ogive, right at 2.806" overall. This was my pet load until the ELDX shot so well in a different rifle I just had to try it.
2875, cloverleaf. Killed a 4x4 bull a few years ago, close shot so no test, DRT. Shot a spike bull a couple of years ago at 346 yards, DRT and exit. Killed a big bodied fork last year at 541 yards, DRT and exit. There have been others.

I tried the 120 Ballistic Tips and they shot very well at 3126 fps. 2.231" from the ogive, 2.803" overall, 51.5 gr Big Game. Used this bullet with a reduced recoil load for my boy, 2600 fps or so, mature blacktail buck, DRT and exit but a surprising amount of bloodshot. Keep us posted on your results.


I'll try these loads, I have two 7-08's that I load the 120 bt in but leave a lot of bloodshot.. going to try the 140 accubond




P

140 Partition for me in both my 7-08 & 7X57. My nephew used a 140 gr TSX with lots of success in African last year on lots of plains game.

I'm getting nice groups from a Winchester M70 FWT in 7x57 with the 150 gr. Nosler PT. Velocity is 2710 FPS average with 26 FPS ES. I've been thinking of using it for my elk hunt this year. Just a bit nervous as I've used a .35 Whelen for all but two elk. The concensus seems to be it'll work but I'm not all that sure. What say you?
Paul B.

I bought a box of those 150 Hornady ELDX's and will be testing those with IMR 4350 and Ramshot Big Game.

my recipe of 150 BT's and 4350 are already delivering really good groups, but I have time to fiddle with alternatives in the off season.... and so it is with Rifle Loony's.

Always gotta fiddle with it....

I have witnessed two cow elk shot with 7-08's.
Friends daughter with 140gr NP @ 2750fps=dead elk Weatherby youth rifle with 20" barrel.
Another friends wife with 154gr Hornady @ 2600 fps= dead elk Winchester classic compact with 20' barrel.

It's the where, more than the with what.





P

I'm getting nice groups from a Winchester M70 FWT in 7x57 with the 150 gr. Nosler PT. Velocity is 2710 FPS average with 26 FPS ES. I've been thinking of using it for my elk hunt this year. Just a bit nervous as I've used a .35 Whelen for all but two elk. The concensus seems to be it'll work but I'm not all that sure. What say you?
Paul B.

I don’t think it will. The bullet may penetrate the hide, but just barely.

Read my earlier post for load data with 150 ELDX and Big Game. I was very impressed with the performance on three bucks and one bull this year.





P

It's the where, more than the with what.





P

I’m getting nice groups from a Winchester M70 FWT in 7x57 with the 150 gr. Nosler PT. Velocity is 2710 FPS average with 26 FPS ES. I've been thinking of using it for my elk hunt this year. Just a bit nervous as I've used a .35 Whelen for all but two elk. The concensus seems to be it'll work but I'm not all that sure. What say you?
Paul B.

I bought a box of those 150 Hornady ELDX's and will be testing those with IMR 4350 and Ramshot Big Game.

my recipe of 150 BT's and 4350 are already delivering really good groups, but I have time to fiddle with alternatives in the off season.... and so it is with Rifle Loony's.

Always gotta fiddle with it....

Based on the elk I've seen Brad kill, I'd stick with the 150 BT's.

140 Partition and forget about it.

The 120 gr ttsx really works well for elk at 3000fps. I never recovered a single bullet after multiple dead elk and they did die quickly. I am going to try the 120's in my 6.5 creedmoor.

Including me.

It's no stretch to recommend a 150 Partition or 140 Accubond if a 150 Ballistic Tip has worked well for you from a 7-08.

Ditto extrapolating from experiences with the same bullet make but from other cartridges.

Hit correctly, elk aren't especially hard to kill IME.

Based on my single data point, the 140 AB is one of many that has and will work.

So if finding a good load with the 140 Trophy bonded tipped going 2,850 out of a 7mm08, I’m pretty good out to 400 yards. That seem about right for a velocity and energy level adequate for elk?

are you guys trying to tell me that I'm over gunned with my 7mm mashburn and 150s at 3180? Would I honestly be doing better with a lighter rifle?

are you guys trying to tell me that I'm over gunned with my 7mm mashburn and 150s at 3180? Would I honestly be doing better with a lighter rifle?

I wouldn't care for a mono bullet in a 7MM-08. Still feel they are more for the RUMs of the gun world than the slower calibers.

That's an awesome pic.

I've read this entire thread twice now and it looks like basically any bullet that you can stuff in a 7mm-08 hull will work, if you can point it in the right direction.
I'm currently working up loads for 3 bullets and trying to decide for a cow elk / antelope hunt this fall.

Option 1 is a 120 TTSX that I'm loading with Big Game to 3150 fps. It shoots right at 1" and I've used it for several seasons on whitetails. I have no hesitation with this bullet, except that it kinda runs out of gas at about 400 yds and I'm confident shooting it to 500.

Option 2 is a 140 Accubond. I have not yet found a load that suits me accuracy wise and I'm pretty frustrated, but I'm going to keep trying cause I have a bunch of the bullets.

Option 3 is a 150 ELDX. I have shot some promising groups, but am not happy yet due to inconsistencies. Really just started load development, so I think it will get there with some work. Even if I never hunt with this one, I want to work up the load for long range plinking.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Recommendations?

What Jordan said.

I watched my 12 yo son dump the biggest cow you've ever seen in your life with a 120 TTSX at 3000 out of a little Model 7.

Dave

I think that most people that use the scirroco think that the bullet was designed for magnum calibers. It always seemed to me to be a super tough bullet was more than was necessary for a non magnum gun. Having said that I’m sure that it would still work fine out of a 7mm-08. They are extremely accurate out of my 7mm magnum.