Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7-08 range

I’m shooting a lightweight 700 7-08 to 300 yards pretty good. I plan on hunting with it in the plains next year and I’m a little concerned with shots over 300 yards presenting themselves (and getting closer isn’t an option). Sure, I’ll shoot further before I make my trip, but just need a little reassurance.

The rifle wears a 2.5-8 VX-3i and I’m shooting 120 gr NBT’s for pronghorn and MD/WT deer.

Should I be looking/planning on a longer range rifle for the future?

Sorry but for me 300 is a long way for a hunting rifle. Im sure alot will chime in with stories of much longer shots being common. That being said a different bullet might increase the 7 08s effective range

You should be fine for deer and antelope... I have shot a few deer at long range before I retired and time was short... Only a couple antelope at about 400.. Been shooting antelope every year since 72.. 300 yards is a long way even out here, unless you choose to make very long shots.. I do not at game.. Rocks, coyotes, plastic jugs yes, but game no..

only if ya wanna shoot longer in the future, than the further-est yer gonna shoot before the trip....

All 7mm-08 kills.



150 ELDX, 409 yards




140 Accubond, 311 yards




Buck on the right, 140 Partition, 541 yards. Buck on the left, 140 Accubond, 487 yards




140 Partition, 346 yards





You get the idea. Get the muzzle velocity of the BT close to 3100 and practice, a lot.





P

Mule deer buck, 310 yards



Cow elk, 370 yards



Both were with Nosler factory ammo with 140 grain E-tip at 2,780 fps muzzle velocity. I had some 140 Accubond handloads up to 2,900 with Big Game but stuck with the E-tip for this hunt.

I’d say select a good bullet and carry a sharp knife. Good luck!

Well that answered that!

Nice kills gentlemen!!!

Fusion 140 grain factory ammo, 346 yards when lazered but a bit further out when I shot, dropped in its tracks. Antelope don't always need to be shot at long range.

LOL! Yes, yes it did. Just hope my gun and scope are up for the job. I’m up for it.

Your range will run out prior to the cartridge...

Pretty open ended question, but I'm guessing the cartridge won't be the limiting factor. The trigger man is usually the limiting factor and then the rifle or glass next.

How'd you like those Etips?

Greg,
They worked well, left a nice wound channel on both animals. Factory ammo was very accurate in my Beanland. The buck was bedded broadside to me and you can see where the bullet hit. He rolled his head back and forth and up and down several times, and I thought he’d just roll over. But he didn’t, so I shot again but misjudged and hit right in front of him. He then got up and followed another buck down the ridge a bit. Hit him in the spine with my next shot. He expired shortly thereafter. When I looked up the ridge there was a huge chunk of blown out lung about 20 yards uphill. He was dead but reckon he didn’t know it.
The cow elk was another good double lung hit, she didn’t go more than 30 yards and then started rolling downhill.
I’ll keep using them, maybe try to get more velocity with some reloads.
I haven’t gotten the 6.5 120 E-tip to group worth a crap yet, however.

Accurate in a Beanland? You don't say...grin....

You’re getting a 150 ELD-X to 3,100 FPS in a 7-08?

I believe he is referring to the OP's 120 gr BT's...

Might just be me, but at longer distances the parallax with that scope gives me grief.

That's really, really fast.

My wife killed this pronghorn at 320 yards with her 7-08 and 140 grn Accubonds

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There are multiple powders that safely and sanely get the 120 BT to 3,100 to the upper accuracy node, which is why I got up there from the onset, in a 22" tube. I've done it now with maybe 4-5 7-08's....

Big Game and RL-17 to name at least two....