Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 7mm-08 for elk

I’ve heard this too but if Tikkas are slow, they’re not that slow. I figure 25, maybe 30 fps per inch.






51.5 gr Big Game with 120 BT got me 3126. Kinda snappy but not over pressure.




P

22.5” barrel.
47.5 grains Big Game
R-P brass
Fed GM210M
140 Accubond

2,890 fps.

I might have to give this a try…

No experience, but I would bet that would work just fine at moderate range.

My money is on Pharmeller!

A lot of good info here but you need to look past it - The cartridge of a given calibre does not really matter. You need to look at the bullet performance at given ranges to determine if that particular scenario will work. Then apply it to what your desired cartridge can do with that info. Just my .02.

Darrel

Lots of elk killed with -08 G2G

I have a good friend who grew up elk hunting here in MT. He started with the 7-08. In the hands of himself, his sister and a couple cousins, the 7-08 accounted for nearly 20 elk. I asked him what he currently is using - answer, "300 ultra Mag." Next I asked him if he or any of his family ever had any problem with the 7-08 on elk - answer, "no."

I looked over at his jacked-up monster truck and absorbed this reality...

You can kill an elk with a .222 also.

I think this partially fits me. I have alot of rifles and take them all elk hunting cause I want to, not because I think most any of them will sweep elk off their feet. I like rifles and cartridges and trying different things. I have ran a 270 up to a 375 Improved. I know there hasn't been an elk I have personally killed or been in on the hunting of the 270 Winchester wouldn't have worked fine, with all of the other disclaimers about using a decent bullet and knowing the trajectory, etc. I will say in my jaded way that I like how well the 338 Win with 210 Swifts and the 7 Mashburn with 175 Bitterroots has worked on a handful of elk a piece. They didn't do backflips or nothing like that but they also didn't wander anywhere except for one I shot on the move with the Mashburn. I think his momentum carried him the 30 yards or so it took to nosedive.

So yeah, I might just have to load up my little 7-08 with the 132/140 Bitterroots I have and see if I can find a mangy old elk with it

Beretzs, I've done the exact same thing as I enjoy rifles (or did). When I moved here to Montana I had read enough to know elk were armor-plated, so I started with a 22" bbl'd 338 WM loaded w/210 Partitions. It worked admirably on several bulls, but I noticed my friends who grew up here typically used something like a 270 or 30-06. I started going backwards in cartridges, using the 30-06, and when it appeared in the early 2000's, the 300 WSM. No surprise, they killed elk just fine. Then I went in reverse even more to the 270, and my favorite, the 308 Win. I also used the 7-08 on one bull. Of course, what I "discovered" was the right bullet in the right place does the job, and as I got older (now 60) I found I enjoyed less recoil. Or maybe I never liked recoil all that much and just finally admitted it to myself. Probably a mixture of both

If anyone asks me what the "best" elk rifle is, I tell them a 22" bbl'd 338 WM loaded with 210 Partitions. Problem is I don't want to carry or shoot the "best" elk rifle, so I'm entirely happy with a lightweight 308 Win (or 270, 7-08, 6.5 CM, etc.).

For sure, my long time partner is 75 this year. I think he carried an old PF M70 300 Win from just after he returned home from Vietnam. It's a heavy package all set up but he's carried it miles and miles in elk country. One year while hunting in AZ when we were tracking elk I thought to myself, what a good gift for the old man would be a light gun. His wife and I conspired and got him a Kimber 280 Ackley. In the past few years he has accounted for a decent number of elk. He loves the weight and says the 280 with the 160 AB doesn't induce the reaction his 300 did but all of his elk have been easily recovered. So I think that is a good example of what you're gradually going towards and myself down the line as well.

I had a similar experience. I have a P64 Featherweight 30-06 I put in an Hunters EDGE. I brought it along two years ago when we were headed to pack my brothers elk since I still had a tag. Well, low and behold I loved the package which weighed around 8lbs or a shade under. I ended up taking a small bull that same evening. Ended up costing me money since then I thought my Mashburn was too heavy and had it rebuilt to match that 06....

I can make alot of stuff make sense in my head

"I can make alot of stuff make sense in my head "

That's what it's all about!

Just messing with you. That load, 225 yards.





One shot. 90 foot recovery. Yeah, it works.





P

You guys always make sense for the most part. My "elk" rifle is my 338wm, but we all know just about any damn rifle/cartridge will work if you use the right bullet and put it in the right spot. I still kind of shake my head at guys when they say they need a 300 RUM to cleanly take and elk. In the real world, it doesn't take that to kill an elk. I used a 7mm08 a few months ago on a bull and it handled the situation very well. Partnered with a 140gr TTSX and everything went as planned. Hell, I could have killed that bull with a 22-250 loaded with the right bullet..

And on and on we go…

😁 hellsbells I got the load from you! 😉

I believe they would with one caveat. First you have to find out if you rifle will shoot them well regarding accuracy.
Not the 7-08 but I load three 7x57s using 7-08 data. Rifles have modern action; a Winchester M70 Featherweight that has been dead nuts accurate with almost everything I've run through it, a Ruger #1A and a custom built on a commercial FN Mauser action.FEWIW, the FN was original barreled to the .270 Win. None of these rifles have given decent accuracy with the 150 gr. ABLR. I've also tried it in a custom .280 Remington with the same dismal results.
The M70 and Ruger give excellent accuracy and velocity around 2850 FPS average with the 150 gr. Nosler Partition so I have that load to fall back on. I haven't given up on the ABLR yet but about all I have left to try is use the most accurate load and play with the seating depth.
Not too sure on how the ABLR will work on elk based in the comments of several guides I've hunted elk with. Seem to be a common opinion that out to about 150-200 yards they are a bit fragile. They're probably thinking someone shooting a magnum of some kind but it might be something to consider. I'll probably do a test on a bundles of wet and dry magazines, one dry and one as waterlogged as I cam make it. Might even do the same with some ABs if I can ever find some.
Paul B.

I got 3175 avg in my 700 ss sps with the 120 gr BT. Accuracy was under an inch. Backed it off to 49gr and accuracy was outstanding. Just under 3k fps.

If I was to take it elk hunting 150gr partitions shoot really well in that gun at a little over 2800 fps.

120 BTs kill elk no problem, vitals or shoulders. Mine run 3080.

Kent

I get 3400 with 168s in my 7-08 with 19" barrel