Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7mm08 factory load

I just Picked up a 7-08 encore barrel as backup deer rifle. It could possibly get pressed into service if a bear presents its self and outside chance of a cow elk hunt. I’m thinking federal fusion 120’s unless the elk hunt happens then stepping up to the 140’s. I’d appreciate any thoughts.

The Hornady Whitetail Hunters have worked better than they should for deer and elk for us. All pass-throughs on multiple animals.

Fusion or Corelokt would be my choices - generally, for factory ammo in any cartridge on whitetails.

I agree with the Fusions. I also really like the 140 Accubond for everything in the 7-08.

To get some brass I chronoed some Superformance Hornady 139 GMX factory at 2972fps. 22" barrel. The Barnes 140 factory ammo was 2888fps. 270 territory.

Federal or Nosler’s load with the 120 NBT, Nosler 140 AB, or Barnes Vor-tx 120 TTSX.

Actually saw a kid shoot a cow elk at about 175 yards broadside with Winchester 140gr powerpoints and got an exit. The elk piled up about 20 yards from where she was hit.

I’ve heard great things about the Fusions. 140 or 120, whichever your rifle likes.



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A few times, I've hunted rifles that I didn't have time to work loads for. Federal Fusion has always been accurate in the rifles that I've tried them in. In fact, my new Tikka T3x 243 win, puts the 95 grain Fusions into tiny little groups!

I don't know about performance on game yet, but the 140gr Accubond from Nosler is extremely accurate in several rifles. The Hornady American Whitetail has yielded great results in the field at moderate ranges

2nd the Win. PP being good on deer.....

I love me some Accubond but Nosler prices their factory stuff like gold, not lead.




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Nosler runs a sale on their website a couple times a year where everything on the site is 20% off and free shipping on orders $99 and up. When this happens I buy some of their AB's for 3 different rifles and a few boxes of brass.

i believe in the 7mm 120 ballistic tip for any game you have mentioned at any reasonable range. the 7mm 120 bt punches way above its weight class as the jacket is pretty thick enabling it to hold together and penetrate.
good luck,
Big Ed

This ^^^

My choice too, but I load my own.

I use Hornady Full Boar with 139 gr. GMX projectiles. Shoots well in my rifle and has shown good terminal performance.

The fusions shoot good for me but I load the 120 NBT over Varget. Great accuracy and velocity.

I bought some Norma factory ammunition loaded with their 156 grain bonded Oryx projectile and their newer 160 grain Tipstrike projectile, in addition to a smattering of 140 grain factory ammo. The 140 grain is PPU for standard cup & core, Federal Premium with Nosler Partition, Federal Premium with Trophy Bonded Tip, and Underwood with the 140 grain Accubond (this Underwood load has a published MV = 2950 fps). My rifle has a 22 inch barrel with 1:10 inches rifling twist rate, so the 160 grain Accubond and Tipstrike are the longest bullets I intend to try shooting, and my MV's will be somewhat lower than the factory ammo published MV's.

My plan is to see which loads work best in my rifle with orginazation thoughts to use the PPU cup & core, Partition, and Tipstrike for Axis & Whitetail deer and the Accubond, Trophy Bonded Tip, and Oryx for feral hogs. I've never been elk hunting but if I took my 7mm-08 elk hunting I'd probably try the 160 grain Nosler Accubond ammo from Reed's Ammunition and Research but it would be a backup rifle for my 7X64mm Brenneke rifle as that cartridge is better suited for the 160+ grain heavier for caliber 7mm projectiles IMO.