Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 7mm-08 bullet of choice

I shot the 139 Hornaday Interlock this year. Killed 3 whitetail deer with them, one was about 180 lbs. They all fell within sight but the bullet fragmented in all directions into many tiny pieces that I dug out of the meat.

Next year I'm going to try the 120 TTSX, 140 Accubond and 150 BT. Whichever I get to shoot best first.

These days, its 140 gr. Accubonds in all my 7-08's.



JAPPF,


GWB

Been doing some reading, and it seems the Hornady IB/SST combo could be a good mix. Have any of you messed with those? Seems like the SST would be good for deer and hogs with cheap practice. Then, I could swap out SST for an IB if he draws an elk tag. Should be pretty much interchangeable since they shoot to same POI.

Assuming that really works in practice, would you all recommend the 139 or 154 offering?

Gotcha. I'm looking to try the 140 BT on elk one of these days, based on what I've read they should work fine. Always interested in different opinions though.

My experience with SSTs and IB's is, the SSTs were fairly easy to get to shoot well, the IBs not so much.

If I was looking to use two different 140s for deer/elk, for my money the Noslers are easier to get to shoot, FWIW.

Nice thing about rounds like a 7mm-08 is that a lot of bullets seem to work fine at those velocities. Son killed his first elk with a 7mm Rem Mag youth load and a 120 Sierra of some type. Wonder what speed a 168 Berger Hybrid would do from a 7mm-08? Would have to try that one or a 162 amax.

I've shot a lot of 139 SST's out of my 7's, the only one I ever recovered was from a WT shot from end to end and that deer fell where he stood. Good bullet as far as I'm concerned.

FWIW...the 162 Amax out of my 7-08 works well on game too.

The 130gn Speer BT soft point and W760 worked a treat in my Rem 700 7mm/08

150 Ballistic Tip

I'm no SST fan

Amen brother!!!

Go the 120 gr TTSX or 140 gr Accubond or Partition route and you have solved all your problems regardless if the target is deer or elk. No reason to over complicate things.

That's where I'm going to end up. Possibly a 145 LRX, but it's SUPER long. Just trying to do my research up front on this.

I'm putting this project together for my brother in law (including setting him up with the gun), so I'm trying to get my ducks in a line so I don't waste any of the tight budget. Either way, I think I'll be money ahead just working up a premium load one time. 140 AB keeps tugging at me.

120g nosler HuntingBT for antelope/deer is all it takes to 500 yards w/ease.
Elk, 140g partition or barnes.

Where I live, running deer after the shot often means lost deer. So, the 130g Speer BT with a load of 42g of IMR 4895 with a Rem 9 1/2 puts them on the ground real fast. Lots of converts on this load around here.

My little 13 yr old nephew was in the box stand with me, and with his Rem 700 that I fixed up for him, two does walked out at 300 and 325. He shot the 300 yd one first, then the 325, one dropped on the spot, the other ran 20 feed!!! The boy can shoot!

140 AB's or partitions.

Ditto.

120 Ballistic works on big Alberta whitetails, Montana mules & speed goats, mooses and elk ... what's not to like????

Blessings,

Steve

Bingo!

Thanks for all the input. Going to try 140 PT/AB and 120 BT. I'll let accuracy be my guide.

Chris

Nothing Steve....but...I already HAVE a bunch of AB's and Partitions.

I'm not hard to please,as long as it works.

Geez, the ONE NBT I used, ONCE, on an average coastal BT buck, years ago, blew up, killed but too much mess for me.

No offence, Steve and Bob, but, I would not shoot an Elk or Moose with one, given the availability of NPts-140-`160.

Bob, got your PM, yes, it's me, Dewey, will respond later as hands are sore from arthritis.