140 partition...it's cheap for a premium bullet. And despite some popular belief, it is really an easy bullet to load and it is accurate. One bullet, one gun. You'll never have to look for anything else.
But, and this is just FYI, I've seen a 275lb Missouri buck fall to a sierra match grade bullet at 210 yards with a 243. So just about any bullet in 7mm designed for medium game will do what you want.
Quote: I'm getting a 7mm-08 ready for deer season. What is the consensus on the best whitetail bullet? I'm thinking Speers 130 or 140 grain flat base Hot Core.
Hey Bobby, It really depends on the particular shots you consider OK to take.
If you believe "Gut Shooting"(raking shots) or shots at the "Wrong End"(rear end) are OK, then you will be better served with one of the Premium Bullets; BarnesX, TSX, Partition, North Fork, etc.
If on the other hand you do not take the above shots, then just about any bullet made between 120gr and 150gr will give you excellent performance in your 7mm-08.
No argument with any of the Standard Grade bullets the other folks mentioned at all. As for me, the 130gr Speer Hot-Cor is The Bullet and I've shot a bunch of others with excellent results as well.
The only thing that concerns some folks is the amount of Bullet gripped by the Caseneck. The "grip length" can be a bit short depending on how long it is to the Lands in your rifle. Never had a Bullet "Fall Out" though.
By the way, H414 is The Powder in my 7mm-08 as well.
Posts: 9920 | Location: Carolinas, USA | Registered: 22 April 2001
I'm getting a 7mm-08 ready for deer season. What is the consensus on the best whitetail bullet? I'm thinking Speers 130 or 140 grain flat base Hot Core.
I find the Speers pretty soft if impact vel. is high. If you are shooting close, I'll 2nd on the 140grNP or 140grNAB. If you are well beyond 100yds the 145gr Speer is accurate & will expand well. If you wan tcheap, Rem. 140gr CL is a decent bullet as well.
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001
The interbonds will not group for me at all but the SST's are doing great,,,
I only take "easy" shots,,,,no "gotta go through half the deer from the rear" to reach a vital zone so I think the SST will be a good bullet for deer up to 225 pounds or so and pigs a little bigger.
Posts: 376 | Location: Western, NC, USA | Registered: 29 April 2004
If you stay between 130 and 150grs, any hunting bullet is gonna work well in your 7-08. So its kinda a choice of which one is the most accurate. While hunting mulies in WY, over the years, I have used both 140gr NP and 145gr Grand Slams with equal success. Since moving to WV, I have killed several deer using a 154gr Horn round nosed bullet. It will really hammer a white tail down.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
Hard to beat the 139 Hornady or 145 Speer for whitetails in the 7-08 and its ballistic twin, the 7x57. Those bullets have killed a couple train-loads of whitetails over the years, I'd imagine.
Posts: 1483 | Location: Windber, PA | Registered: 24 January 2001
Thanks for all the good information. Although I've been leaning toward Speer's 130/140 grainers, I have also been working up a load with Hornady 120 grain HPs. I've heard they are pretty devestating on deer, and they sure do shoot good. BUT, I've always been a big fan of the Nosler Ballistic Tip, having used it extensively in the .270 with great results. Which has also got me thinking along the same lines as the 120 Ballistic Tip in 7mm too. So I'll probably work up some Speer and NBT loads and try them both, and see how it goes. Again thanks, this is THE place for good information about starting points and I really appreciate it.
Bobby, just about any good bullet on the market will kill a white tail. NO HOLLY POINTS. I have loaded the 7-08 for about 9 years. just about all lung,heart shots will exit anyway. I always use 140gr. sierra B.t. with 44.5 grains of RL-15 at 2944 fps.shoots less than 1 in at 100 meters and have killed deer at 50 to 300 yards. The ones that don't exit through the shoulder at long rang leaves a pretty mushroom.
Posts: 1137 | Location: SouthCarolina | Registered: 07 July 2004
Bobby, I have used a 7mm about the same size as the 7mm-08 since 1972 and I have tried and used a variety of bullets over the years...I have been very fortunate to have hunted from Old Mexico to Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Kansas etc... I started with the 130 gr. Speer Hot core and it performs very well and takes Deer with authority. The 140 gr. Sierra Pro hunter is good, and accurate but will come apart on Deer that are close and when the velocity is fairly high, say around 2900fps at point of impact. The Hornady SST Is a great bullet but again, up close, you may not get complete penetration. My "Hands Down" favorite bullet today is one I never thought I would be using but after talking with the engineers at Nosler I understand why its so good...The 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip...Yes, that s right....The engineers tell me that they cut off part of the 140 gr. jacket to make the 120 gr. jacket and so the forward part of the jacket is much thicker than normal. I know this will sound contrary to some of you out there but to date, I have taken 23 Bucks with this bullet, many over 200 lbs., and I have had complete penetration with every single shot....Last year in Kansas, I shot a buck slightly quartering away from me and his head was turned away also. The 120 gr. entered in the right shoulder, and came out on the other side of his neck about 6" behind his head. The Buck weighed 238 lbs... I also have friends using this bullet in their .280 Remingtons, and its is very accurate..... Its a great bullet for the 7mm-08. George
Posts: 142 | Location: Jaccksonville, N. C. | Registered: 10 February 2004
