Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Factory ammo recommendation .7mm08

Been a handloader for decades. Recent reloaction and downsizing caused me to sell all my handloading equipment.
Now I realize how woefully ignorant I am about factory ammo.
Been using 139 gr Hornady SST bullets in my 7mm07 for decades. It worked well, and I see that it is available as factory ammo from Hornady.
However, since I'm no longer handloading, at least for a while, I'm asking for help.
I'd like to consider factory ammo for a 7mm08 (Rem 700) to kill whitetail, mule deer and other medium size game. Looking for excellent killing power since long trailing is difficult/impossible in my area. My shots are typically from 100 to 200 yards.
Suggestions for alternative factory ammo brands, bullets, weights, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Can't imagine a better load than Hornady's 139 gr American Whitetail Hunter load. About 20-22 a box. They shoot MOA in my ss XS-7 Marlin 7-08. MB

If it ain't broke. A Lee hand press and safety scale are pretty cheap. Since you already know your load, make a scoop. Done right, scooping is accurate.

Try the Federal Fusion 120 grain or Federal Premium 140 grain NBT.

Not a gunwriter, but: Nosler loaded with 120 gr Ballistic Tip.

Nosler factory stuff with the 140 Accubond closely replicates my handloads. They announce their presence with authority.

Hornady 150 eldx is another excellent choice.





P

Agree.

120 gr. NBT Nosler factory stuff is very good, shoots almost as good as my reloads. Kills stuff very dead.

DF

Mine loves the 140 ballistic tips. They work really well for deer at 7-08 speeds

140gr Federal Fusion &/or Barnes vor-tx 120gr TTSX, have kept us in whitetail & moose meat.

In my 7mm-08 I've used four factory loads.
140 grain Nosler Partitions. Result: two double lung deer ran 50-60 yards with minimal blood trails from too small an exit. Lots of internal damage.
139 grain Hornady Interlock. Result: neck shot and drt with a good size exit wound, but lead tip battering in the magazine during recoil.
140 grain Barnes TSX. Result: neck shot drt. double lung 100 yard run and minimal internal damage, high lung 5 drops of blood and my only ever lost deer.
139 grain older softer Hornady SST. Result: spine/liver from overhead drt without complete penetration.

I've used a 12 gauge slug, .308, .30-06, 7mm RM and a .300 WM on other deer using other bullets especially the Partitions with similar results. I'm still looking for the ultimate whitetail bullet from that 7mm-08. The TSX and NP isn't it.

Based on my results over the years, I would probably pick either 140-grain Ballistic Tips or 139 SST's. The latest SST's are much tougher, but still kill quickly. On a deer and pig hunt in Texas a couple years ago, several of us did not recover ANY 150-grain SST's from the .308's we were using with Fiocchi factory ammo, on a total of 30 animals, but they also didn't go far after the shot.

I’m probably the minority here but we’ve had great performance with the cheap 140g Core-Lokt. It shoots well and performance on whitetail and mule deer has been dead reliable out to 300yds. Even out of a short barreled youth model, it’s still shooting 2740fps. I know in the chase for perfection we often look first to exotic slippery bullets...it’s not always necessary. In this velocity range, I’d bet the Hornady 139s also would perform perfectly. Hornady spire points at standard velocities have never let us down.

My Mk V 7-08 really likes Barnes 120TTSX
the critters; not so much:

its very hard to go wrong with hornady interlock or nosler partition imho. accubond and ballistic tips are great too. but, if'n ya want no fail get it done err time make the simple choice and go interlock or partition.
Big Ed

I really liked the 140 gr Remington Core-Lokt and Federal Fusion in my 7mm/08. They shot roughly to the same point out to 200 yards and beyond. The Fusion had maybe and inch and a half less drop at 300 yards but that is splitting hairs for me. The Winchester 140 gr Power Point load shot well too but its impact was significantly lower than the other two at 100 yards.

I have a few boxes each of Federal Premium and Reming on Premier with the 140 gr Partition. I haven't shot them yet but suspect they will be satisfactory for any use I will have.

+1

My Savage LWH 7-08 shoots the Barnes VOR-TX in .75 MOA groups, luckily my hand-loads using RL-15 and 120 TTSX are just as accurate.

My Kimber Montana liked the 120 grain Barnes TTSX in their Vor-Tex factory ammo.

Norma 156 grain Oryx works well for me.

Not many loads I would not like, the plain jane Winchester 140s and Rem 140s come to mind....just not confident they are as consistently accurate.

Handloaded and hunted a good bit with that round. The 139 IL SP is a proven round as are most all 120-140s, would probably avoid Rem 120 HPs.

Now me, the 140 AB would typically be my fave go to like in the 6.5 in 130. BUT, your application makes me recall a deer I took on a lane bordering THICK thickets. I had to shoot left handed, my weak side on about a 115 yd shot, raking from rear to shoulder, I hit the back of the ribs, and believe it exited the front shoulder. Deer ran maybe 3 leaps at best into that thicket. SO thick you could barely get into it at all. That bullet was the 140 BT, so I echo what JB said, it PUTS them down fast, so although some may say, rightfully so it's not as TOUGH as say a AB or PT, etc, it WILL put deer down fast. I have had quick results as well with the original 139 SP, shoots Almost as accurate in my handloads, and many reports like above, the American WT ammo should do what you need, and w/o much money. I do like Winchester 140 Ballistic Silvertip line, they will come under top handloads in speeds, but at 2750-2800 or so, they will do all you need to 300-400 yds if you place your shot. That's just a coated BT from my understanding.

Good hunting and best wishes on your new venture.

Not a gun writer, either but I’ve shot a few deer and elk with the 7-08 using various Nosler and Barnes bullets and do have experience.

I’d say if you’ve been using the 139 SST, just buy some Hornady Superformance ammo and see if your rifle likes it. If so, stock up and go hunting. Great deer bullets that you already have confidence in.

The 140 NBT is also one to try. I liked the performance I received from this bullet and would recommend it without hesitation.

All this being said, the 120 NBT is my favorite whitetail bullet in the 7-08. Very high DRT percentage and just seemed to work the best of everything I ever used from 20 - 300 yards. I’d at least run a box of Nosler’s ammo loaded with it through your rifle to see how it shoots.

Lastly, you may want to pick up a box each of Winchester Deer Season XP 140gr and Browning BXR 144gr and try them. These are rapid-expanding bullets that provide extremely quick and spectacular kills with the 7-8 deer I’ve seen taken with them (all from the 6.5 Creedmoor loads).