Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7mm-08 on Whitetail

They say one door closes and another opens. . . otherwise turn on your flashlight or you'll be in the dark. Or something like that.

If you've been reading my threads lately, you'll know I had bad news about my Ruger Model 44.

Well, I happened to have landed (fingers crossed) a Thompson Center Compass in 7mm-08. I'd been kind of looking for one, and POOF! there it was.

I'm going to try and get it ready for the upcoming Rifle Season in KY, so I'm in a bit of a rush. What bullet recommendations can you make for a cheap, easy whitetail load?

My goal is to use it as a close-in treestand gun and limit my ranges this season to 100 yards or so-- use it to replace the Model 44 in the lineup. Next year, I'll try and stretch it out and see how well it does at longer distances. I'm thinking the 139 grain Hornady IL for starters.

120TSX, 42-44gn R-15. I've used that combo to 425 on whitetails and 700 on steel all via 6x42 Leupold.

Hornady 139 grain spire point and varget works for me.

BULLET WEIGHT 139 GR. HDY SP
Manufacturer Hodgdon
Powder Varget
Bullet Diameter0.284"

C.O.L. 2.800"

Starting Load
Grains 40.5

Velocity (ft/s)2,721
Pressure 44,700 CUP

Maximum Load
Grains
43.5

Velocity (ft/s)2,877
Pressure
50,000 CUP

I am in KY as well. I use Hornady 139 gr. GMX. They have worked well for my son and me.

120gr Nosler BTs. 139gr Hornady flat base both have worked for me. I load H4350.

Another question: I've got scads of 308 military brass that I'm not going to use otherwise. Is there any problem in resizing to 7mm?

Geez man, stole the words right outta my mouth.

Ken Waters load - 43 grains of WW-748 and that 139 Hornady. I have been using it for nearly 30 years.

I have necked down a couple Remington .308s to test that theory and may be shooting them today at some point. I will let you know how they work. No problems in function testing so far. As far as military brass is concerned I would follow the advice of not hot loading them because of heavier cases, less internal volume.

You can resize 308 brass, just watch for thick necks, you may have to turn them, I know I did.

I love the 140 Ballistic tip out of the 7mm-08

My wife has used the 140 BT out of her two 7mm08’s for the last 15 years with great results.

Have been working with a .308 Compass for a friend. Really nice rifle for the price. I’m impressed with the old style M-70 trigger set up and love the M-70 three position swing safety. Whoever designed this rifle had to be a M-70 fan. I watched a tutorial on trigger adjustment, some guy selling a $30 set of springs. All I did was work with the main spring to end up with a 3# trigger, didn’t need a spring kit.

And the barrel look great thru the Hawkeye borescope.

My 7-08 M-700/Shilen loves the 140 SGK, HPBT. Most accurate bullet in that gun (half inch) and does a great job on WT’s. Good exit with plenty of internal damage and lots of blood on the ground. Deer don’t go far when chest shot. I try keeping bullets out of the shoulders to save meat.

Latest project is a Mauser M-18 Creed. A bit more expensive than the Compass, great gun. That barrel also looks great thru the Hawkeye. Going to mount the scope next week and see how she shoots. This one also has a great trigger. Came 4#’s. With my metric Allen wrench it’s now 3#’s, clean and crisp. Less trouble to adjust than the Compass. Both about the same level of perfection.

DF

Sierra # 1900 120 gr. Pro Hunter......WLR primer.......little over mid charge of Varget.

Hodgdon site says; min 42.5 grs.......max 45.0 grs. under a 120 gr. bullet.

120’s at 3K fps are also good.

DF

FOLKS, I ran many 7/08s long ago......only had one primer blow.........and/or case neck - but I DO recall it was IMI 308 necked down, in a 700 OEM barrel - chamber.

SO if you are using Mil-spec 308 brass, you MIGHT wanna check your O.D. on your neck after loaded. You NEED sufficient clearance or it acts as a Crimped bullet that jacks up pressures. Avoid those spikes, and turn your necks if they are not within specs.

The 139 IL has been excellent on deer I have shot Varget...I ran 1-2 grains more than many in partial sized brass, but you don't need max velocity for short ranges. Run a modest load and you will be stacking your freezer.

JB and others might chime in, but I found the Nosler BT 140 to just nudge out the 139 in accuracy, but both shot about one hole 5 shots in a varmint 700. But, the 139 seemed tougher than the earlier 140 BT. Those BTs were deadly, but a bit more meat damage in my use. Newer BTs might be a bit tougher. I'd stick to 139s for woods where you want exit holes for blood trails should you need them. BTs will, but perhaps not on the worst of shot placements...like shoulder to shoulder or a shot end to end. 120 Barnes TTSX or 140 Partition if you want an almost guaranteed exit. If you use a mono like the TTSX, hitting shoulders enhances expansion, meat loss will not be bad, and you will get exits. Odds are a 139 will, but the 120 is like insurance I would say .....doubt a deer could hold one from any angle.

140 grain Nosler BT with 41.0 grains of Varget (Nolser manual shows 42.0 as maximum) as worked well from close in to 300 yards is what I have used most. The 140 g Barnes TTSX, as expected, also shines but I have shot more beasties with the BT.

Enjoy the 7-08 it's a sweet shooting cartridge.

I haven't tried the 120ttsx but I'm a 120bt convert. It took me awhile to give it a try but the 7-08/120bt combo almost seems designed to be used together

120 NBT's do exit and kill well. In my 7-08, the 140 SBK HPBT is the most accurate, kills as well and exits. It may be a bit more expansive than the 120 NBT. Hard to go wrong with either one. The 7-08 does will with a host of bullet and powder combos. Great round.

I have killed deer with the 120 NBT; they eat as well as those killed with other loads.

DF

Nothing wrong with working up a good handload with 139 gr Hornady SP's, if you can find the components you need right now. Big if too. Go buy 3 boxes of Amercan Whitetail Hunter loads featuring the 139 gr Horn interlocks 21 -22 dollars a box, they're as good as it gets for inexpensive factory ammo. You can remember my sterling advice as you are eating fresh venison. MB