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

You're done, go hunt. Accubombs will be fine. Just insist he go for a broadside or slightly quartering away shot, which he should anyway. Later, when you have more time, then work up the TTSX or partitions.

44.0 gr. of RL 15, Fed GM210M, Barnes 120 gr. TTSX. Low recoil and has shot well enough (around an inch or better) in every '08 I've tried it in. It will do the job.

My son used the 120 B-Tip on a 6 pt and a cow. Both were 1 shot and neither went 5 feet before dropping. Both shots were right at 325 yds.

They aren't armor played, you don't need premium bullets to kill elk. There were hundreds of thousands of them killed with conventional bullets in non-magnum calibers long before the current magnum, premium buleet craze. I've killed 47 of them with Speer Hot-Cors and Hornady Interlocks from 120 to 150 grains, in .25-06, 7mm-08, .284,, .308, and .30-06. They were shot in the head, in the neck, through the shoulders, and behind the shoulder, at ranges from 30 yards to 350, a couple straight on, and several from the behind at angles. All of them died within 40 yards. My wife and I have killed four elk and two moose with the 130 grain Speer Hot-Cor in 7mm-08, and I will be using the caliber again this fall. The 140 grain Accubond will work fine.

280shooter took my exact workds. I don't see anything wrong with the 120 B-Tip either. Most here find great accuracy from it.

These guys offer good advice the 140 Accubond works great at 7mm08 velocity, your ready for your hunt....a partition will offer nothing extra for your purpose!

I was kind of in the same boat you're in and I asked here.
http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=20644
I got some good answers to my questions as to which bullet to use in the 7-08. I think the 140 gr. Accubond will do just fine. I'm more inclined to go for a heavier bullet as you'll see from my post on that site but the majority spoke and I'll bow to their geeater mount of experience. Like you time is extremely short but at least I'm not the one taking the kid on the hunt, just working up the ammo.
Paul B.

For Elk: 120 gr.NBT = lay where they stood (one shot drop). Bullet held together perfect through both scapula, nice mushroom 230-240 yrd shot. Used the nosler load data for imr4895, didn't have to adjust the powder charge, 3" high at 100 yards, solid tight groupings. End result: Full freezer.

Well I did make it to the range for a quick test tonight. I started at 47 grains of Remshot Big Game and then tested 47.5 and 48. 47 showed signs of decentness, 47.5 opened up and 48 was horrible. I will try a hotter primer than the CCI200 that I had loaded up with.

Next I moved to my choices with RE15. I used 41, 41.5, 42, and 42.5 grains. 41.5 showed a lot of promise. 42 opened up a bit and then 42.5 was way open.

So...I have realized that I can either use a 140 partition with RE15 or move back to the Varget/Nosler Accubond that will shoot well when I do my part.

I will try one more time this weekend and then make the decisions.

My wife has killed two elk in the last five years with 140 grn accubonds in her 7-08 ai . One was a small bull at 485 yards and a cow at 180 yards . The accubonds worked perfect on bolth elk . She is also hell on deer she is using 140 grn accubonds ,h4350 and br2 primers works like a swiss watch .

My son took a big cow elk last year with his new 7-08 and the 140gr Accubond. I can assure you that is what he is carrying this year for our late season cow hunt!

Accubonds it is. Solid groups as usual and held trajectory as expected to about 340 yards today. Tried the same load with the 140 partitions and RE15 that "teased" me the other day. Much worse than expected. So...I will stick with the Accubonds/Varget combo and now we can go shoot more for fun and practice.

Someday, I will get the right combo of powder/primer etc. for the 140 partition combo. Til then, I will continue to enjoy tight groups with the Accubond and trust it to hold together well and penetrate satisfactorily.

I have a great load with Varget/154 Hornady too, but the recoil is pretty stout for my son. In another year or two, I will turn him loose with that combo. I always had that load as my "backup" to my 7mm Rem Mag if needed.

FH

Things that make you go "huh": I bought a .280AI, intending to shoot 160gr Accubonds out of it, but so far, the rifle hates them. But...it shoots 160gr partitions under an inch. You have the opposite problem--your rifle likes the Accubonds but not Partitions.

Good luck with the elk hunt!

Well, how much accuracy will your 13 year old need to hit a basket ball? That is what we are really talking about when you are talking about the heart lung area on an elk. I hunted with a 7mm-08 back when it was introduced and Remington loaded 139 gr Hornaday SP in them, no problem knocking over every thing I shot with it. I have more years and game under my belt with the 7 x 57 and my load of choice is 140 gr Nosler Partitions and 50 gr of IMR-4350. Been shooting that load for over 42 years now. It works, anything similar in a 7mm-08 is going to work the same. I think you should spend less time nit picking loads and just have your son get in some meaningful field shooting practice. Those individual watermelons make excellent targets. Just the right size too.

You are good to go. Since the AccuBond and Ballistic Tips shoot to the same POIm have your son practice with the Ballistic Tips and switch to the AccuBonds for verification just before the hunt.

The accuracy of the loads is WAY better than needed and if the AccuBonds don't do the job a different bullet isn't likely to help.

I doubt I will ever get to go Elk Hunting but if I ever did
I would use what I hunt with here in Alabama
My Ruger RSI 77 Stainless 7mm-08 likes plain old Remington factory ammo with the 140 gr.cor-lokts the best.
I would trust they would work for ELK too with proper placement.
AMRA

gmsemel,

I agree, but my job is to eliminate as many variables as possible so that he can have a positive experience. Last thing I need is a 13 year old son getting frustrated because his bullet isn't hitting where he is aiming. I merely wanted to maximize the tools I have available to my use and help him have a great experience.

He hunted last fall for deer, and did not have an opportunity to harvest an animal, but we hope that will change this year. His hunt begins in a couple of weeks and will run through the end of January.

By the way, he is a pretty dang good shot at targets and frankly has been known to kick my tail shooting clays. I love the idea of the watermelons. We have also used pumpkins in the past as a great option. We all love to see those things "react" to a positive shot.

Thank you for all your help!

FH

Barnes 140g.

The AB is designed to open fairly quickly and retain 65% of its weight. The Partition is designed to open quickly and retain 65% of its weight. Save your money and load up some BTs for practice. I think you're fine.

Fire Hawk, sounds like you're about ready, especially after the boy flings some lead at targets. I think it's a wonderful thing, you and your grandson, spending that kind of time together. I'm bettn' he'll never forget it. Good luck!