Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Deer hunting bullet in 7-08

What is the preferred bullet in 7-08 for deer hunting? I am thinking of Model 7 with 20 inch barrel for light weight walking deer hunting rifle.

I am considering 120g NBT, 140g Berger VLDs, 156g Norma Oryx, 139/154g Hornady, etc.

Your opinions are appreciated.

For me,it'd be the 120 BT.

It'd be a 120gr TSX for me. That bullet is wicked out of the 7mm-08...it penetrates like there's no tomorrow and gives great velocity and accuracy in most rifles.

A buddy of mine uses it on a ton of hogs and deer every year, and his results are extremely impressive.

I hunt and live in the Adirondacks. I have a Tikka T3 in 7-08 and a Ruger Compact in 7-08. I used the 140BT for 3 yrs then last summer (2010) I started loading IMR 4895 with 140 Rem CL. I like the Core-Lokts the best. I had the Tikka cut to 18" and I use the same load for the Tikka and Ruger.
The BT's are great but lots of damage, but less with the Remmys.
Just by .02 worth.

140-grain Accubonds have worked extremely well out of my Kimber for whitetails and aoudad.

In fact, results have been so good with this bullet I use nothing else in this caliber.

I'm running them about 2,750 and cannot remember having to use a follow-up shot.

I will cast another vote for the 140 grain accubond. I've killed several dozen deer with it out of my 7-08 and have had nothing but good experiences. I killed an oryx on white sands with it as well. I did shoot the oryx twice, but the first shot was operator error. Both bullets passed through the oryx.

120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip is the kiss of death!

I've killed deer with the 7mm-08 and the following bullets:

120 Nosler BT
140 Nosler Partition
140 Nosler Accubond
139 Hornady SST
139 Hornady GMX
140 Sierra PH SP
140 Sierra Gameking BTSP
150 Sierra Gameking BTSP
160 Sierra Gameking BTHP
150 Swift Sc II
120 Barnes TTSX
140 Barnes TTSX

All but the 139 SST gave excellent results. Currently, I plan on using the 139 GMX for the 2011 hunting season.

For deer and pronghorns, the 120 BT is all we use in four different 7mm-08s.

In the 7mm-08 i have always used the Nosler 140 gr BT. Works everytime

I don't shoot the 7mm-08, but my wife does and I do all the handloading. For her I chose the Hornady 140 grain spire point. Not a premium bullet, but not one deer has walked away from it. Her longest shot to date is a measured 265 yards. She has killed them at 30 yards as well. To my way of thinking, there's no REAL need to spend a ton of money on a premium bullet, 'cept for REAL distance shooting.

Use 140 Partitions with excellent results (Hogs & Deer)

My son killed an Elk with 140 grn TSX using his 7mm-08. Was a complete pass through @ about 120 yards striking one shoulder and exiting behind the other shoulder leaving a hole about the size of a golf ball. The elk fell in place. I stopped using Corelokts after a disintegration on the shoulder of a deer @ 20 yards from my 300 savage. Now I use Accubonds and TTSXs in all my rifles. If they shoot accurate in your rifle there's no need to keep shopping.

140grn hornady spire point is great for deer and bear.

Moi aussi.........

The last I knew, Hornady doesn't make a 140gr bullet, it's a 139gr.

In my short barreled 284 winchester, I use the 154 Hornady RN. Longest kill so far with that load was pushing 250yds. I have no doubt the 139 Hornady SP or the 154 Hornady in either the SP or RN would serve you well.

What kind of ranges are you talking about?

Thx
Dober

I ran 140 grn Sierra GK for almost 10 years but last year switched to 140 grn Accubonds. With less off shoulder meat damage I like them better.

i've used 120NBT's/TSX's on game out of two 7-08's. They kill stuff just fine. Ended up scoring 500 120X's that i'm going to run for a while....

I really like the 120gr TTSX, but the 140gr Sierra GK's and ProHunters have never failed me. All shoot great in my 7-08.