Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 7mm-08 with 150 gr Nosler Partitions

You lost me at 700 Don.

Rhetorical

That's a dickhead comment

I'll add my "yes" to the pile. A few weeks ago a cow elk met a 139 gr GMX projectile going about 2900 fps out of my Remington 700 7-08 (stock other than a McM hunter stock). It wasn't the biggest elk around, but it was decent sized and it took about 1 step before going down.

I'm throwing in with those who say the 7mm08 with the 150gr NP will be fine. But I'll like to add something unrelated to bullet and cartridge headstamp. A good rifle for a horseback hunt has some special requirements. It should be on the short side and not overly heavy. And, if scoped, the scope should be small too. All this is important because the scoped rifle must fit under your leg in a scabbard. So, for me, the rifle itself is more important than the headstamp. But, maybe you already know this.

super T,

Excellent points.

Have actually seen the objective bells of longer scopes bent slightly, but noticeably, after riding around for a while....

Almost 20 years ago now, we started hunting elk with 300's and 338's just "because they were tough and the mountains were big".
Well, right now no one shoots a 300 of any kind. Its all 30-06's, .270 Win., and .308's. Go figure - what worked in the midwest on whitetail deer, worked on elk in WY. CO, and NM..

I betcha 10 dollars to a donut that those 150 gr Partitions from a 7 aught 8 won't bounce off any elk!!

I put 1000+ miles on a Browning A bolt SS stalker in 7 Mag with 26" barrel plus a brake, mules and horses, leupold 4x12 A.O.

First, I hate a rifle under my leg, I want to feel the animal and give him cues with the calf of my leg...he is used to this. So, I tied the Rifle scabbord to D rings on the right front side of the palma, rifle went down toward the stirrups, straight up and down. I had taps on my stirrups. Rifle was easy to get out of the scabbard while sitting in the saddle, while difficult/impossible pulling it out from the rear when the rifle is under your leg.

When hunting off a mule or horse, you get a lot closer to game if members in the group are not talking, and your tack does not "clank". During Summer months, we have rode right in the middle of elk herds and not disturb them.

The observations and experience of someone with a 1000+ miles on horseback hunts can't be ignored, but I must ask, were these hunts in North America? I ask because I have never hunted with a cowboy/guide/outfitter who would allow a paying hunter to pull a rifle as you described out of a scabbard while still mounted.

I'll second your bet. When I had a 7mm08 (just sold it on GB a couple weeks ago) I settled on the 150gr. partition as a "do all" bullet. I actually bought a few (maybe 5) bags of seconds from shooters pro shop and will likely sell those for a good deal to someone. I don't see how you could go wrong with that combo. I've been thinking about buying another 7mm08, but a Tikka superlite when I find a good deal on one. I may just hang on to my partitions until the right superlite comes along.....

I've always wanted a 7mm-08 but owning 280s, 280 AIs, 7mags of various flavors, it just didnt seem like enough gun for elk. I've been shooting a 308 for 4-5 years now and have come to the conclusion that a properly constructed and placed bullet kills everything I hunt, regardless of caliber or cartridge.

I've waxed and waned several times in recent years on the 7mm-08.

I think a SA Rem 700 Mtn Rifle, punched to 284 win with a Wyatts mag box shooting 150/160 Partitions or lighter TTSX would be a 1 rifle masterpiece. Likely also dropped into a McM Mtn Rifle Edge stock with a NF SHV 2-10 on top. Likely weigh right at or slightly under 7lbs. Hmmm.......

Or just leave it 7mm-08......

I don't understand the dilemma I guess. Yes, it is up to the task, but you have at least 1 equal choice (7x57) and 3 even better choices. I can understand if you only owned the 7mm-08 ... I'd say go for it. I can understand if you just really really really want to kill an elk with the 7mm-08. But lacking those two, which you seem to, it seems foolish not to reach for one of your even better options instead.

Tom

I’ve killed elk with the Mighty -08 and watched others do the same. Never felt under gunned. It’s about bullets and placement anyway.




P

You say you have a 300 win, that is accurate, and you like. Run a premium bullet out of it, the closer to 200 grains, the better.

Last year I also hunted a guided/wilderness elk hunt in Wyoming, as a retirement gift to myself. We hunted at timberline, and above. My bull died at 11,800 feet in elevation, the nearest tree was well below us. Possible shots could have covered the spectrum, in distance.

Big/mature bulls can take a beating. In my experience they are much tougher to kill quickly than raghorns and cows. The bull that I killed in Wyoming, took three 200 grain accubonds, out of a 300 win, into his shoulder at 435 yards, on the ridge top. He was a big bodied 7x7, that had a 50"+ outside spread.....his reaction to each shot was close to nothing. He just stood there, and took all three.....then turned around and went ass over end, down a granite chute, coming to rest about 200 yards below. He chocked up on a single basketball size rock on a small level spot. Otherwise, it was another 500 yards to the bottom.

His cape was ruined, his skull fractured in multiple places......several of his molars were broke in half, vertically. Luckily, the meat and horns were in good shape. If I had to do it over again, after the first 2 shots, I would of tried to break his neck, and anchor him up on top. The quartering of that bull had a pretty good risk factor......think bighorn sheep country.

My math for NOT using a lesser cartridge/bullet is:

mature/tough animals
wild and open country
expensive wilderness hunt
traveling from Pennsylvania
already owning a more capable rifle that is proven
hunting in grizzly country (that's another discussion, in itself)

No doubt which rifle to take.

FWIW, I usually use fixed powered scopes and etched reticles. But on this hunt, at the suggestion of the outfitter, I took a long range 300 win with a NXS nightforce on it. It's the only scope I 100% trust, when spinning turrets. The scabbard I took was the trail max by outfitter supply. After a 14 mile horseback ride in, the actual hunt, and 14 miles back out....the rifle remained sighted dead on.

The guide had my day pack and rifle on top of a pack mule, that he led, while we were hunting. After the bull was down, my pack and scabbard went on my horse, and the first load of meat went out on the mule. It worked really well, especially in grizzly country.....getting that first load of meat out.

Anyhow, that's what worked on this hunt. As they say, "your mileage may vary".

Andy3

Andy makes more sense than all I have read here..

Maybe because he’s BTDT.

Like they say in theological circles, revelation vs speculation.

DF

Maybe, but the 7mm-08 never seemed impressive.. I have used mine on coyotes pigs, whitetails and antelope.. Can't say I know anyone that has one in this country... I am sure there are but never see them or talk to 'em .. I have only found a very few pieces of brass at the local range..

As much as I like my 7-08, if I was going elk hunting, I’d probably take my 7RM, 160 gr NAB’s over 67.5 gr RL-26 at 3K fps. Not that the 7-08 wouldn’t do the job, maybe just as well, I have a lot of confidence in that 7RM load, know what it will do.

DF

I would agree with you completely!!