Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm 08 pet load?

I've ran 120gr Sierra Spitzer in my boys TC Venture with good luck. 120gr Nosler BT in my nephews TC Compass with good luck also.

I'm waiting on my 7-08 to show up. Model 70 BACO, 20" bbl and 9 1/2 twist. Was thinking of staying in that 120 range of bullet.

What are your favorite 7-08 loads

Right out of the nosler book with the 120 grain BT. Varget or RL 15.

Sierra 140gr Gameking HPBT with RL19, one tough bullet

I liked a 139 gr GMX over RL15. Kills everything I've used it on (antelope through elk) with a bang flop.

My fav 7-08 bullets are the 120 NBT at 3K and this one. Actually the 140 SGK HPBT is a bit more accurate than the 120 NBT, both over Big Game powder, Fed 210 primers. They both can shoot one hole groups, the SGK just a tad smaller. While minute of a whitetail may be good enough, us Loony types do like our tight shooting rifles...

Rifle is a Bobby Hart built, blueprinted SA 700, 23" Hart barrel in a std. Remington sporter contour, 510 Timney in a Hunter's Edge stock.

Both bullets are deadly, both with good exits, lots of damage, quick kills. Either DRT or DROT (dead right over there)...

They don't go far.

DF

Running 120 TTSX with 50.5 grains of Big Game and fed primer. Im running the ttsx .005 off lands.

Varget and 120 NBT also shoot dang good!

Good combo.

Pharmseller has sold a lot of BG powder. And, he has the evidence. It's probably one of the best, if not the best choice for that round, IMO.

To me, it's as accurate as those often mentioned and a tad faster.

I'm sold.

DF

I've been loading for the 7mm08 since the 80's and found my best elk and mule deer load is the 140 gr Nosler partition with 47 gr of W760.

When the first Nosler 120gr ballistic tips came out I loaded them for a couple of seasons. Shot 2 mule deer both in the neighborhood of 150-200 yds and both bullets fragmented terribly and bloodshot one whole side of the deer rather than penetrate. Even though the deer were hit in the shoulder area the bullet fragmented into the guts and made a horrible mess. They were both dead n their tracks but I still went back to using my 140 gr partitions.

120 grn BT with 45 grns of Varget and 43 grns of R17 is deadly on every whitetail i ever shoot. I have 3 7mm-08 one in the 7mm-08 AI version. the AI i shoot 140 grn BT with 45 grns R17.

Still have a pile of 162 A-Max that I’m loading with 40.8g of Varget, Nosler brass, and CCI primers. Getting 2750 out of a 22” Proof barrel. I would take it Elk hunting, but everything under that I’m very pleased with the A-Max. Whitetail, mule deer, pigs, etc are all fair game for this load.

If I was chasing bigger game I would be looking at Nosler Partitions. When challenged that’s always my first answer, they will never be a target bullet, but they make things like my 257 Roberts penetrate like a 25-06 with a standard cup and core bullet.

I’m right around the Barnes book max with H4895. Bumping 3,000 fps in a 20” barrel. Also shot around 2-3gr less for a while, made a nice .257bob-level load at 2,800+ with less snort. CFE223 is a burner in another rifle, over 3100 from an 18” tube. Book load, but warm.

43.0 grains of WW-748 with a 139 grain Hornady bullet. That load has shot well in every 7mm-08 rifle I have owned.

120 BT with 44 RL15 is your friend. I got great accuracy with varget but RL15 gave great accuracy with wider range of charges from 40 up to 44. 40 grains being a youth load.

Thanks, It made my stubborn 7mm start to shoot!

Mine is a 24" Encore that likes heavier bullets in the 160 grain range, but it shoots well enough with A 120 gr. Barnes TTSX and 48.5 gr. of H414. Average velocity is 2989 fps.

140 AB or Partition (whichever your rifle prefers. My dad’s Tikka liked AB, mine Partitions.)
47.5 gr Big Game
Magnum primer, I use Winchester.
2.805” COAL
2890 fps with a 22 1/2” barrel.

Work up to it.

This load will kill anything you want it to kill, beyond the range of your ability to kill it.




P

51.5 grains Big Game gave me 3126 fps with 120 BT. Great accuracy. Work up, it’s stout.



P

Thanks for the input. 0 Big Game on hand and cannot locate it.

4350
4064
4895
4831

and a few others on hand but based on reviews would like to try the Big Game..I have Nosler PT and BT in 120 and 140, Sierra in 120 and 140.

Have taken everything from pigs to deer with my moderate go-to load of 44 gr Varget & Barnes 120TTSX. Very accurate & deadly.
Custom Ruger, shilen 1/11 twist 20” bbl.