A friend and his wife want to do a moose hunt together. The wife has a 7mm-08 that she has successfully hunted with several times (pronghorn, mulldeer, blackbear). She’d like to stick with this rifle and they don’t reload. Does anyone have a factory load you’d recommend?

Any of these:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...ed-spitzer-boat-tail-lead-free-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-grain-gmx-boat-tail-lead-free-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...per-tipped-boat-tail-lead-free-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...gton-140-grain-e-tip-lead-free-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...08-remington-160-grain-a-frame-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...8-remington-140-grain-accubond-box-of-20

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/3...ton-140-grain-nosler-partition-box-of-20

From what I've read and in talking with my buddies who have killed moose, they say that for an animal that size that a moose is not that hard to kill. They just shot them through the lungs and gave the moose time to lie down. Those bones are big, even the rib bones so I think that you would be best served with a heavy for caliber 140-160 premium bonded bullet like the Partition or A-Frame mentioned above. I've used a lot of 140 grain Partitions from my 7mm-08 and 160 grain Partitions from my 7mm RM on deer and elk and never lost an animal, but don't expect a big blood trail from just that back half going out the far side.

Nosler Trophy Grade 140 Accubond. This load closely replicates one of my handloads. My dad used it to kill a big bull elk a couple of years ago, one shot through both lungs.





P

What is she currently shooting? Moose aren't especially hard to kill. I'd bet whatever she's using now will work just fine.

The federal 140 trophy bonded tip would work nicely. Mine are coming out at 2825fps and I wouldn't hesitate shooting a moose with them.

Thanks, I’ll forward the info

Federal Premium with 140 gr. TSX.

Moose are not difficult to kill, but they can challenge the best bullets and more ideal cartridges if you don't get an ideal shot presentation or placement. (A 223 with 55 FMJ works fine when conditions are ideal....obviously.) I would start with any of the 139-140 monos, or 150-160 lead/copper premium types and be adequately armed in a 7mm-08 however.

Yup, my wife just uses her "deer rifle & loads" - Barnes Vortx 120gr TTSX.

Light for caliber (controlled expansion) Mono, driven @ 3000fps.

As it's worked twice, I won't tell her to change.

I know some people, who are very fond of the 120 grain bullets in their 7-08 rifles. I know they have taken deer and elk. If they were to go moose hunting, I think they would grab their guns and wouldn't think twice about shooing those 120 grain bullets.

They like Nosler B/T
Barnes T-tsx

They have faith in their equipment. If you hangout with them in hunting season, be ready to help pack some critters out of the woods.

Take care

As long as the shot is reasonable a 150 or 160 gr Partition will get the job done...The pic is a 150 gr 284 cal Partition out of a 280 Rem. All blood trails are commensurate with the height of entry and exit wounds.. Make no mistake, that "back half" of a Partition will put blood on the ground...

Hornady Superformance 139 GMX bullet. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-grain-gmx-boat-tail-lead-free-box-of-20

Just a little perspective when contemplating light-for-caliber projectiles. (The animal these came out of stopped both 300 Partitions from my H&H.....< 50 yards, BTW, and they only plowed through the muscles surrounding these bones.)

The old 140 grain CoreLokt factory load will work just fine. I watched my daughter kill a nice Canadian Moose in BC with her 260 Rem with 140 grain CoreLokt factory loads and it worked perfectly. She did need one follow up shot up close to finish him. She has also used this load on bull elk here in Colorado. Just sayin'.

I've got confidence in the 140 NAB. Haven't taken a moose with one, but from what I have seen on deer, elk and Blackies, I think it would work just fine.

A bullet like the Barnes X or one of the half dozen or so "modified copies" by other companies in 120 to 140 grain weight should work fine. As would the Nosler Partition or some of the bonded bullets in the 140 to 150 grain weight. A good lung shot with that combo will kill moose all day and every day, but I would get as close as possible as the 7-08 is a good round, but it ain't starting out at high speed like some other 7mm rounds.

If I hunted some place besides Alaska and it was in pursuit of large deer and elk and I did not use my 30-06 I would look long and hard at the 7-08. It is gaining in popularity in Alaska.

I have watched many moose die and for the most part they don't fall over from a broad side lung shot, which is a good place to shoot them as it is a big target. Late at night, close to water or in the thick stuff is where I also like to shoot for some "structure" with parts of the 'boiler room" included if possible. Moose usually sort of hump up and run a short distance on a good lung shot, they are dying, but it some times takes them a few minutes to fall over. I also believe two lung shots kills them faster, as does a bigger hole and an exit hole, simple math for me.

Good luck on the moose hunt.

I have taken 7 moose with my 7mm08 using 140gr partitions and the 140gr barnes ttsx. Any well constucted bullet will work fine.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...ed-spitzer-boat-tail-lead-free-box-of-20

That’s the one.

Contrary to what some might say, the 120 TTSX is NOT a light-for-caliber bullet. The TTSX is likely to retain 100% of its weight, which means it’ll weigh more than a 160 grain Nosler Partition after they both come to rest. It’ll run circles around lead bullets out of the 7-08.

Comparing 1940s bullet technology to today’s monometals is exactly the same as comparing 1940s auto technology to that of today. You might prefer a carbureted V8and leaf springs because that is what you grew up with and is all you know. But I guarantee you there are many, many fuel injected V6s out there with modern suspensions that will take those old cars and blow their doors off.

What's your Partition recipe?




P

41.5gr Varget
Remington Brass
Winchester LRP

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, of course, and anecdotal experiences can inform them.

I shot the 140 XFB for a number of years in a 7mm-08 and ran them through many caribou (and even a moose) without catching any of them. The first time I loaded the 120 TSX and TTSX and used them on a caribou hunt, a single 'bou stopped a TSX without breaking any of the big bones. (I didn't catch other TSXs or TTSXs on that hunt.)



It's not that a light for caliber projectile can't do it since 55 FMJs and the 223 have proven that...as have even various rimfires.

But "can" does not make a thing "ideal" and the 7mm-08, though capable under good conditions, can be improved upon for less than ideal circumstances. There are no downsides to more mass, and only benefits if you happen to smack one of those big bones which can stop even 200+ grains of copper launched by the likes of the 340 Weatherby or similar.

There is no shame, or shouldn't be, in being better prepared.

Sometimes people forget what happens to all of the lead that a typical cup & core bullet (or even a Partition) sheds as it works it's way through an animal. Those shreds of metal do their damage, too, and often contribute to quicker kills than just one piece of copper punching a single hole. It's not a simple choice between cup & core, premium bonded and monometal bullets.

Yep, good times.