Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 7mm-08 question

Do any of you using 7-08 load with 175 gr bullets? If so, what is the primary target and any insight on loads is appreciated

I loaded a few 7-08 rounds with the 175 grain Hornady spire points. A lot of bullet down in the case and accuracy was mediocre as was velocity. However the speed was about like the early 7x57 factory loads. I did use that bullet on a few deer pushed hard out of a 7x57, killed them dead but oddly I recovered 2 of them from the same deer.

If you're considering trying some, what is the twist of your barrel? Also, how deep would you have to seat them to fit your mag?

The twist rate is 1:9.5. And as yet I dont know how deep it will have to go, but for this discussion will assume factory lengths

You dont commonly find 175 gr weight in factory ammo......

Insight on loads: I'd trade them to a guy with a 7mm Mag (for which they are far better suited) and hope he's willing to exchange for 140-150gr Nosler BTs, ABs and/or Partitions (just my favorites - there are plenty of other good bullets for the 7mm-08 in the 120-150gr range).

What kind of 175's? I'd do like someone else suggested and use them for trading stock. I'd rather run 140's and 150's in my 7mm08, personally..

Maybe 7mm rem mag, but definitely not 7mm08..

agree. if they are ABLR's, I could make a trade offer.

FWIW, my Savage loves 150gr BT's or ELDX's.

Heaviest I ever ran out of a 7-08 was 160. I don’t think there is anything to gain going heavier than that.

I tried various 150’s in mine, and settled on the 140 AB for all-around use. If I needed more than that, I’d use one of my bigger rifles.

Agreed, in fact, I don't think there's much to be gained over the 140 AB as mentioned above. Bigger bullets than that find their way into my 7mag.

Ok thanks all. I have a supply of 175 hornadys so I was curious. I sold them off today. I want to use my 7-08 with 140's for antelope, so just have to find some.

Get 120 BTs.

Kent

I'll second the 120 BT suggestion. Lots of deer and antelope taken with that bullet from my 7-08. Never recovered a bullet and never had a wreck

I was thinking hard about which bullet I wanted to shoot in a 7-08 I'm putting together. I have several hundred 175 eldx's and considered them. Rifle will have a 3" mag box so I could probably work around length. Twist would need to be 8.5 at the slowest for the eldx. A lot of other 175's will work fine in a 1/9.

.....in the end I decided the 162 would be the heaviest I'd go with in the 7-08. The 175 eldx's will be a better fit for the 280AI all the way around for me.

Sounds like a great option. I'll definitely look into those. I'm not the OP, but appreciate the thread and the mighty 7mm08.. Last year before I took my bull, I had 100% confidence it was going to work well. After it hit the dirt after 1 shot, It just confirmed what I had already known. I guess the OP's 175's would have worked well in that situation as well. They would be damn slow movers though.. Probably a good thing he sold them. Someone with a 7mm rem mag is probably thankful to get them. If the OP decides to get some 120 Nosler ballistic tips, I'd like to hear how they work for him on his hunt.. I've always found the ballistic tips to shoot very accurately/precisely. Haven't tried any in my 7mm08 yet though.

A lot of stuff dies quickly each year to relatively blunt 150-165gr cup/cores launched at 2500-2600 fps from 16” AR10 rifles. Seems like a longer and sleeker 7mm offering would be at least a better version of the same. Something like a 160 Gameking or 162 SST should be deadly, even when launched at those same speeds.

Recent axis doe meat hunt. 7mm08, 120 BT, 3050 muzzle velocity, through vertebrae with this exit hole at 100 yds. Perfecto.

I load 120 TTSXs in my 7-08s and would hunt anything on the continent, except the big bears. My personal feeling is that 120-140 is the wheelhouse for the 7-08.

I like the 120 NBT for deer and hogs.

Slightly more accurate in my 7-08 700 with Hart barrel and also a good WT killer is the 140 gr. Sierra HPBT

DF

I loaded some 80s vintage 162 grain Hornadys for my camp mates Model 7. Last season he shoulder punched a big doe and it dropped her where she stood. Complete penetration, no signs of blow up.

Before that he was using some flat base 120 grain Sierras on top of a full snort charge of Varget. Several pigs and a doe fell to those without issue. There were vintage bullets from when Sierra was in Whittier, CA.

In my Remington Varmint Special, I really like 150gr Lapua Scenars. Very accurate. Have shot it out to 550 yards. In my son’s 7-08, he has killed a bunch of deer with the 120 BT. All with Varget

150 ELDX at 2790 fps does the job for us.

I never found anything in a 7x08 that beat a good 140 grain bullet .

Havent tried a 175 but I know the 154 SP will go sub moa in my M7 with several different powders. Not sure it wouldnt come close with dirt and that bullet.

I was you, until I tried the 150 ELDX.

Lot's of bullets work well in this cartridge, which is one of many reasons to like it. I'll take a 140 Accubond at 2800fps every time.

These 120 NBT, TTSX at 3000fps or 140 NBT, TTSX 2860fps and go hunt.

Big 10-4 on those 120's Deans.

I’ve posted this a ton, my dad with his last and best bull, 140 AB at 2850.




P

Nice bull. Great way to close out the hunt.

Pharm, I like that big smile on dad's face. Nice bull, congrats.

Agree.

I always enjoy seeing that picture.

DF

Great pic!

Totally agree. Occasionally there's a pic that needs more than one posting, and that's one of them!

I'm with those that see no benefit loading more than a 160. I've loaded a variety of 7-08's and prefer the 140-150 weight class bullets - these days there are just so many bullets with outstanding penetration in that weight class.

FWIW, I've found more than one 7-08 that didn't group 140's well, but did with 150's. My own hunting experience with the 7-08 isn't as extensive as someone like Pharmsmeller's or JGRaider's, but I did take a heavy old 6pt bull with a 150 Ballistic Tip. The bullet penetrated through 32" of angling elk and was under the hide offside.

Thanks for the comments, guys. One of my favorite pics. That’s my brother on the left, my bearded ass on the right. Elk hunting was a special event for the three of us. Sadly that was his last bull. Still, to be hunting with your boys at 77 years old, can’t complain. Killed his last buck two years later at 79. Parkinson’s is a bastard.

I still have the Oregon hat he was wearing in the pic. It lives on a hook by the door to the motorhome, right where you’d put it to dry after a hunt.

Outstanding........

I’m in full agreement here with one addition. I’d would put the 140 gr. Partition in the mix. I shoot a lot of 120 gr. Ballistic Tips and TTSX’s but if I want anything heavier, it’s the 140 gr. Nosler Partition. I will also add that the 7mm-08 is my favorite big game cartridge, and Big Game is my favorite powder for hand loading all the above mentioned bullets.

Agree with BG powder. Pharmseller got me started and he’s been proven right.

DF

I have not shot anything in my 7-08 other than TSX 140's for almost 20 years. I plan to try the Nosler 120 BT this coming year after loading some in the wife's 7x57 with outstanding results on WT's.

The 140 Sierra, being more expansive than the 120 NBT, would for my bullet selection process, be more suitable for chest shooting soft skin critters like our Louisiana WT’s. The 120 NBT, IME, would be my choice for a wider range of applications.

Bench accuracy shouldn’t be a major consideration choosing a good hunting bullet, considering the Sierra edged the Nosler by just fractions of an inch.

I like’em both.

DF

You’ll like the results you get with those 120 gr. Ballistic Tips.

Hafta try those Sierras someday.

You’ll like’em as long as you limit them to appropriate critters.

DF