Need Opinions on 7mm-08 for deer/elk
JLROOT
7/26/07 11:56am
I am considering buying a 7mm-08 for deer and elk.
The largest bullet that I can find off the rack is 150 gr.
I know it will work well for deer. I am concerned about elk though.
Just so you know I am not a long distance shooter. When I shoot I aim for the lungs. Thats the bow hunter in me.
Arrow/Bullet + Lungs = Dinner
Anyway. What are your oppinions on this size round.
Thanks
The largest bullet that I can find off the rack is 150 gr.
I know it will work well for deer. I am concerned about elk though.
Just so you know I am not a long distance shooter. When I shoot I aim for the lungs. Thats the bow hunter in me.
Arrow/Bullet + Lungs = Dinner
Anyway. What are your oppinions on this size round.
Thanks
17,830
Are you refering to the bullet weight or the overall cartrige
I've used a couple 7x57's which are not a lot unlike the 7-08 and I never shot a deer or elk that the bullet stayed inside of. My favorite load was a 154gr Hornady RN bullet.
If a 270 kills elk than a 7-08 will up it one! Yea that's right it has a larger bullet diameter!
My son and I have been killing deer for over 7 years with a 7-08 and 140 gr partitions. federal factory ammo.
It is overkill on deer! You don't need a bigger gun for deer unless you simply want to use a bigger gun.
The -08 with the 140 partition is a killing machine. I've seen alot of big deer shot with 270's, 7mm mags, 300wm's , 30-06's and the -08 is as good if not better than any on deer.
Longest shots to date include the biggest bodideed deer I've ever seen taken at 257 yds! And a big 4x4 blacktail taken at 319 yds between the eyes!!!
I have never seen a buck hit the ground so hard in my life as the big bodided buck did at 257yds. At first I thought that it had been smashed under Godzilla's foot!!!
Deer flat die with a quickness! Never even had to track one!
It will handle deer to 500 yds no problem. Can you??
I wouldn't even hesitate with it on elk out to 400.
Personally IMO all deer and elk rounds are equal out to 300yds. A 300 yd shot is an easy shot.
So go for it!!!! You'll love the recoil and I'd go with the 140 partitions! I hear good things about the 120 grain TSX but I've seen what the Partitions do.
Simply put. If your any deer or elk at 300 yds and I hit you with a 7-08 well, your really just a dead critter lying on the dirt at 304yds cuz the -08 just knocked you an yor ass.
I'm not sold on the magnum craze. Period. I feel any quality bullet outa just about any non belted cartridge scootin along at under 3000 fps is just as if not more reliable than any magnum. Just my 2 cents
JLROOT, you'll be fine for both deer and elk. I use a 140gr with my .270 and have taken elk out to 300 yards. The type of bullet design you use will play a role. Accubonds, partitions, failsafes. XTP's are all great bullets. A boattail design will help with the accuracy down range so you might want to look for that in the bullet you choose.
"overkill" definition
"much more of something than is necessisary or right"
"more effort than is needed to get something done"
I gotta ask? Do you have any experience killing with a 7-08? With a statement like "light on elk over a hundred yards" . I doubt you have ever killed with one. Cuz if you had you'd never said that.
My next venture is a .260 with 125gr partitions! I have a hankering for a .257 Rob. for deer!! But I'm gonna have to slowly work my way down to that point. I had used 30 calibers extensivly untill that 7-08 came along and now with total confidence with this cartridge I'm ready for the .260 and then the .257 Rob.
Light at 100 yds??? Are you kidding? Elk aren't armor plated.
So your saying that a .308 win is light at 100yds? Same case just a butt hair smaller bullet diameter.
If I was you I'd speak only what you know of through experience. The 7x57 mauser is a time tested cartridge. And has taken it's share of Elephant at 100 yds or more.
I watched my neighbor take a sitka blacktail at 507 yds with his 7-08. It (the shot) was also captured on video. The gun is a 700 Rem mtn rifle witha 3x9x40 leupold with turrets.
If all you have ever shot was at 100 yds than maybe you should stick to 100yds shots. Practice out to 500 and it's not that tough. My personal limit is 500yds and that 's with any caliber. Only 500yds. because that's what my shootin range is limited to.
Also I'm not rippin the 270. That is a great round! I'm not saying the 7-08 is best the best cartridge for elk. Everyone knows that's a .338 =D>
But the poster asked about an -08 on deer and elk and it is very able to handle both.
Ok, maybe it was just my fifty cents. grin
That "I'm with stupid" might be on the front of the shirt your wearing?
Go fourth and get a 7-08 kill with it for about 7 years then comment.
When I ask for help on a subject , the last thing I wanta hear is a so called educated guess on the subject.
Experience speaks volumes.
FYI the 7-08 is a cartridge.
The caliber is .284
A 7mm rem mag is also a .284 caliber member. Suppose it's only good to what maybe 125yds?
CD
I have several friends that use the -08 with 120 tsx in alaksa on caribou and black bear.
federal offers 140 grain partition, Accubond and TSX.
also as a hand loader you can get bullets up to 175 for the -08. Including one of the best elk killers of all time. A .284 caliber 160gr partition!!!
the sweedes have killed thousands of moose over the years with the 6.5x55 which is a smaller caliber.
I would not hessitate on elk with a -08 and I'd not cut the limit off at a whimpy litte 100yd chip shot.
Good luck with your choice!!
CD
I didn't mean to start a war here :)) =; .
Hmmmm? Wonder what the performance would be like if I hand loaded 160gr bullets.
I can not afford a full blown reloading setup. Is there such a thing as a reloader that won't cause any divorce issues dollar wise and is designed to do small numbers of reloads?
He'll be dead either way!
Good luck and let us know how your season goes!!
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
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'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 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
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.
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 damn buisness?
Tommorow
Thanks for the information. I checked cabelas and forund that reloader for under $40. The die will cost another $30.
I did some digging about brass, bullets, powder and primers. The only problem is that I can not find bulk brass for the 7-08 with a count of less then 100. I although I would like to shoot that much but it won't happen anytime in the near future.
How many times can you reload factory cartriges and still be within safety limits?
Go ahead and get the bulk pack of cases or better yet, go to the Wal-Mart and buy the cheapest factory ammo you can find, get a couple box's. Use them to sight in the rifle and then you'll not only have a couple box's of MTY's but also something to compare your reloads to.
I have bought bulk cases but generally I scrounge cases. Get a good book. I'll recommend the Hornady book but that's because I'm a Hornady fan. I also have Hodgdon, Nosler, Speer, Sierra, Lyman and Accurate. Oh, forgot, I also have the Lee book. Intresting book but I view it as a vanity publication and a bit hard to use. I think richard was more intrested in letting us know what he know's rather than teaching anyone anything!