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

No, just an overly hot load.

7-08 = the most hot-rodded round on the campfire.

Interesting thread. Lots of elk get killed by 7mm bullets put in the right place. I know a dedicated elk hunter very experienced long range shooter who killed one over 700 yards with his 7mmSTW in no wind conditions. That would be similar to the 7-08 at 500. Way out at the edge of effective range but the STW still had about 1500 ft lbs at 700.

In my opinion there are much better 500 yard elk guns than a 7-08 and you’d be better off using one of them if long range is your plan. Inside 300 with a decent bullet & shot selection no problem all day every day.

Here's just a few elk that were taken under the mythical measurement of 1500 ft lbs of energy. By my wife, with a 7-08. Definitely stunt shooting. I apologize.

Congratulations to your wife nice shooting & excellent table fare. Nothing magical or mythical about 1500 foot lbs. We could see thousands of photos taken with an arrow as the killer & plenty of elk killed by 30-30s were under 1500. Not sure of your load but most 7-08 loads carry 1500 out to just shy of 300 yards so your bride can certainly shoot.

Legal limits in Colorado are 1,000 ft lbs at 100 yards, I understand some desire to shoot big animal with a small gun but 7-08 is double the minimum 300 seems a reasonable limit with ideal conditions extending it a little. I have a new granddaughter & 7-08 is likely her first elk rife. The 3 grandsons will all start with downloaded 30-06’s.

Greg, were those with the 150 scenar?

150 eldx carries 1500 ft/lbs a bit past 400 yards.

Kilt this one fully dead at 409 yards.









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Don’t think so, Brad. Try it some time. Set up a chrono and do a runup with H4350. You might be surprised.

JeffO I thought you joined the army to fly over to the Ukraine to fight Putin? are you really a chicken schit coward?

inside of 2-300 yds I bet a 120gn nosler BT at 2950 fps snuck behind a rib wouldnt do an elk any favors.

Then again, maybe 900 yard shot wouldnt be recommended.

Anyone use a 120BT on elk?

Yes, and you can just shoot them in the. Shoulder.

Kent

I'm looking to build a sub 400 yd load for elk with sub 100 yds often encountered where i hunt. I've got a Howa Alpine 7mm08 20" bbl. Which would you guys go with?

150 or 162 eldx/m?
140 or 160 nab?
140 or 150 npt?
139 or 145 lrx?

I guess I'm worried about velocity from such a short barrel.

There isn’t a bullet you listed I’d worry too much about.

Me, if I had the time and bullets I’d try the 139 LRX and the 162. Develop your two best and work it out. Your speeds with the 162 shouldnt make it misbehave.

Jeff, I have - with 3 different 22" 7-08's going back over 23 years. H4350 has always been my first stop with any 7-08. No way with H4350 I could get 2,700 fps with a 160/62 safely, let alone "well over 2,700 fps." And you can't get there within SAAMI pressures either. Undoubtedly there is some wunderpowder that will do it, but H4350 absolutely won't do it safely in a 22" barrel.

But we all have our "vital lies"...

Highest I've been with 160's and H4350 is 2650fps from a 22" barrel.

Agreed, that’s my experience and I’d put that at the absolute upper end.

Not to discount what you’re saying but bearing surface of certain bullets does make a difference. Pretty decent difference from the 162 ELD than a 160 AB or Partition.

I do agree hot rodding is a thing but some bullets make less PSI than others.

140 TTSX would work well within those parameters too.

Thanks Beretzs, bsa

I agree and after seeing first hand how some eld-×'s worked at closer range, I'll never find out how they shoot.

Personally I've never used anything heavier than 140gr, that includes 7x57/7 mag/7 wby mag/708.

The closest bullet to your list my 708 has killed elk is a tsx 140gr, so I'd go with the lrx, next I'd try would be the 140 accubond.

I like 140s to run about 2800, h4350 will likely get you there, staball 6.5 will for sure.

Kent