Need Opinions on 7mm-08 for deer/elk
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creepingdeath
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120gr tsx
Here's a video of what the 120gr TSX dose outa the 7-08 on a big black bear in Alaska!!!
http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b104/ ... 9b6ef3.flv
http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b104/ ... 9b6ef3.flv
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creepingdeath
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- Location: kalama wa
NONYA,
Not here to cause problems. OK?
From my experience with .284's and .30 cals there isn't alot of difference in the kill it self.
the 140's will run a bit faster and flatter.
The 160's should penetrate more.
They are running 120 tsx's at 3100fps or so in the -08. Thats fast, flat and the TSX will penetrate deep and retain it's weight!
One heck of a good bullet. I might break down and have my kid shoot some 140 TSX's on elk and deer this year. But the old sayin "if it ain't broke don't fix it" keeps messing with me.. But it would be fun to give it a whirl!!!
What is your deal with the 100yd thing? Remember I'm not trying to stir the pot so please don't take offence.
Cd
Not here to cause problems. OK?
From my experience with .284's and .30 cals there isn't alot of difference in the kill it self.
the 140's will run a bit faster and flatter.
The 160's should penetrate more.
They are running 120 tsx's at 3100fps or so in the -08. Thats fast, flat and the TSX will penetrate deep and retain it's weight!
One heck of a good bullet. I might break down and have my kid shoot some 140 TSX's on elk and deer this year. But the old sayin "if it ain't broke don't fix it" keeps messing with me.. But it would be fun to give it a whirl!!!
What is your deal with the 100yd thing? Remember I'm not trying to stir the pot so please don't take offence.
Cd
You just said you havnt killed a single elk with the .284,what makes you the expert?I have shot about 16-18 elk with my 7mag,160grs and heavier.Once you start shooting 300+ yards the lighter bullet isnt going to penetrate like the heavier,we often take shots at this range and we prepare for it by loading the heavier bullets and using the Barnes triple shock where there is no chance of poor bullet performance due to the design.If i KNEW i wouldnt be shooting over 100 then I wouldnt have a problem with a 140-150gr bullet on elk,but that is rarley the case over here,that is why i said OVER 100 yards. 
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Don Fischer
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Let's clear something up here. Using the 162 gr Hornady as a control bullet and the max velocity both the 7mm Rem Mag and 7-08 can both drive it. There is nothing that a 7mm Rem Mag can do at 400yds that a 7-08 can't do at 300 yds. Same goes for 500/400 also. The 7mm Rem Mag give's you only about an extra 100 yds.
I have never fired a 7-08 but I have killed a lot of deer and elk with both the 7mm Rem Mag and the 7x57 (close balistic's to the 7-08). I have never had to take a shot and the longest I ever took was with neither the 7x57 or the 7mm Mag but rather with a 6.5x06 and a 140gr Hornady, one bullet, one elk at about 250yds.
All the origional poster wanted was to be re-assured that the 7-08 was a suitable choice to take an elk, sure is! Like Nonya, I'd opt for a 160gr bullet. If your not comfortable with a cup and core bullet, there are several great premium bullet's that would probably work very well. I say probably as I've never shot the first animal with a premium bullet. I've never lost an animal as I recall, with a good, well placed, cup and core bullet either. With the bullet's avaliable today if I were still shooting my old 7x57, I'd still shoot that 154 gr Hornady RN if still avaliable; yep it is, I just looked. Were I to try something else, it would be between 150gr and 160gr with the preference to the 160gr bullet's.
I don't like the trend of using light for cal bullet's simply because they are made so well, such as, 140 TSX's or below. Problem is you could also drive a knitting needle fast enough to deliver the trajectory you want and it will hold together and penetrate clear thru. What it won't do is to deliver much in the way of energy and I doubt that it would deliver much af a wound channel. Speaking of bullet's only, that might well be a non issue as all that's required is enought of a wound channel, I don't know how much that is! But I believe the 160 class will deliver more on an animal the size of an elk. Is that much more needed? Perhaps only in my mind!
I have never fired a 7-08 but I have killed a lot of deer and elk with both the 7mm Rem Mag and the 7x57 (close balistic's to the 7-08). I have never had to take a shot and the longest I ever took was with neither the 7x57 or the 7mm Mag but rather with a 6.5x06 and a 140gr Hornady, one bullet, one elk at about 250yds.
All the origional poster wanted was to be re-assured that the 7-08 was a suitable choice to take an elk, sure is! Like Nonya, I'd opt for a 160gr bullet. If your not comfortable with a cup and core bullet, there are several great premium bullet's that would probably work very well. I say probably as I've never shot the first animal with a premium bullet. I've never lost an animal as I recall, with a good, well placed, cup and core bullet either. With the bullet's avaliable today if I were still shooting my old 7x57, I'd still shoot that 154 gr Hornady RN if still avaliable; yep it is, I just looked. Were I to try something else, it would be between 150gr and 160gr with the preference to the 160gr bullet's.
I don't like the trend of using light for cal bullet's simply because they are made so well, such as, 140 TSX's or below. Problem is you could also drive a knitting needle fast enough to deliver the trajectory you want and it will hold together and penetrate clear thru. What it won't do is to deliver much in the way of energy and I doubt that it would deliver much af a wound channel. Speaking of bullet's only, that might well be a non issue as all that's required is enought of a wound channel, I don't know how much that is! But I believe the 160 class will deliver more on an animal the size of an elk. Is that much more needed? Perhaps only in my mind!
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creepingdeath
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NONYA
I'm thinkin you should definately not shoot at elk over a 100yds with anything less than your 7 mag and 160's.
I feel that confidence is 90% of killin. And you should stick with what you know.
I've got 14yrs combined with my son and 7-08 kills . been around and in on alot of elk killin. Don't take a Brain Surgeon to figure out how to cleanly kill elk.
If someone slipped a 140 TSX in your 7 mag and handed it to ya and said look over there! there's an elk! 300yds! If you do your job thats a dead bull and you'd never know it was a 140 grainer and either would the elk.
Just noticed John Barness AKA" Mule deer" an outdoor writer recently knows a couple montana brother's that have killed 30 elk in the last 17 yrs with a 7-08 out to 400yds! Doubt he'd lay his reputation on the line with a bull shitt story about the little olde 7-08 if it wasn't true.
I'm thinkin you should definately not shoot at elk over a 100yds with anything less than your 7 mag and 160's.
I feel that confidence is 90% of killin. And you should stick with what you know.
I've got 14yrs combined with my son and 7-08 kills . been around and in on alot of elk killin. Don't take a Brain Surgeon to figure out how to cleanly kill elk.
If someone slipped a 140 TSX in your 7 mag and handed it to ya and said look over there! there's an elk! 300yds! If you do your job thats a dead bull and you'd never know it was a 140 grainer and either would the elk.
Just noticed John Barness AKA" Mule deer" an outdoor writer recently knows a couple montana brother's that have killed 30 elk in the last 17 yrs with a 7-08 out to 400yds! Doubt he'd lay his reputation on the line with a bull shitt story about the little olde 7-08 if it wasn't true.
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creepingdeath
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Don,
I almost bought a 7x57 in a Ruger #1. Still wish I woulda. Got the next best thing in the 7-08. It took me years of slingin 180 gr bullets outa several different 30 cals to grab my balls and step down to a 7-08 and 14 gr pills. Funny thing is now after several years I actually feel like I've taken a step UP with the -08!!! I just love it.. Someday I'll own a 7x57!! I swear to it!!
Cd
I almost bought a 7x57 in a Ruger #1. Still wish I woulda. Got the next best thing in the 7-08. It took me years of slingin 180 gr bullets outa several different 30 cals to grab my balls and step down to a 7-08 and 14 gr pills. Funny thing is now after several years I actually feel like I've taken a step UP with the -08!!! I just love it.. Someday I'll own a 7x57!! I swear to it!!
Cd
Well creep thats not how I hunt,i wanna be able to bust that bull square in the front shoulders at 450 yards and KNOW hes goin down,Im not going to worry about making a lung shot and hope I get the penetration i need,im going to break BOTH front shoulders and drop him.I have enough experience to know what has worked for ME many times in the past,EXCUSE me for sharing it,didnt mean to impend upon your infinite wisdom,ill keep my EXPERIENCE and OPNIONS private from now on so not to irritate you.
These two bulls were taken at about 520 yards,both with 7mags loaded with 160 gr. barnes triple shocks,both took a single front shoulder shot and neither went further than 20 yards from their beds.When hunting elk on the open prarie it will always be an advantage to have a rifle ready to shoot at these extended ranges and get the job done,I have had several shots across canyons in the mountians just as far as this one.
These two bulls were taken at about 520 yards,both with 7mags loaded with 160 gr. barnes triple shocks,both took a single front shoulder shot and neither went further than 20 yards from their beds.When hunting elk on the open prarie it will always be an advantage to have a rifle ready to shoot at these extended ranges and get the job done,I have had several shots across canyons in the mountians just as far as this one.
Last edited by NONYA on Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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creepingdeath
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Sweet pics!! I'm convinced the 7mag with 160 partitions is every bit of a .30 cal witha 180 no doubt!!
Not irritated in the least! Glad to have met ya. I've had a good time! I got some more info for ya to ponder tommorow!! Who knows maybe you'll learn a thing or to.
And remember I never said 140's were a better elk getter . Just don't think a dead critter will ever know the diff between the two!
Thats like sayin the 168 tsx won't work well on elk past a 100yds but a 180 gr. will? Yea right.
Hope your dreams are filled with 7-08's bustin monster bull all night!!
You outa try getting closer and hitting them critters in a different spot! Nothing like wasting some of the best meat that the Good lord gave us!!
NONYA , is that like None ya dang buisness?
Tommorow
Not irritated in the least! Glad to have met ya. I've had a good time! I got some more info for ya to ponder tommorow!! Who knows maybe you'll learn a thing or to.
And remember I never said 140's were a better elk getter . Just don't think a dead critter will ever know the diff between the two!
Thats like sayin the 168 tsx won't work well on elk past a 100yds but a 180 gr. will? Yea right.
Hope your dreams are filled with 7-08's bustin monster bull all night!!
You outa try getting closer and hitting them critters in a different spot! Nothing like wasting some of the best meat that the Good lord gave us!!
NONYA , is that like None ya dang buisness?
Tommorow