What are your suggestions for a bullet & powder in this cartridge for deer hunting?
I may use it for either mule deer, western whitetail, and pronghorns if I'm lucky and some travel plans come together; still-hunting and tracking in eastern hardwoods if I'm less lucky but still lucky enough to hunt.
Specialized loads or "do it all" suggestions will both be considered!
John
Posts: 1246 | Location: Northern Virginia, USA | Registered: 02 June 2001
John;I'm using 45 gr. VARGET with the hornady 139 spbt.AS ALWAYS WORK YOUR LOAD UP. This load in two of my 7-08's are les than 1/2moa.Best five shot group was.312. L.C Brass rem 9 1/2 primers. Jim
I second Varget although I use the 139 hornady SP. The Nosler 140 BT is a bit more accurate in my rifles with the same load, but the range most of my shots come at here in Mi I prefer a stouter bullet. The Nosler may be a better choice for goats if you do get to hunt them.
Posts: 2535 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 20 January 2001
43.0gr. IMR 4064, 140gr Nozler Balistic Tip 2850 fps @ 22" barrel length in M700 Mountain Rifle. Work up to this as it is warm! Groups run 3/8"- 1/2" @ 100yds.
Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001
This year I tried the 139 grain Hornady sp in my 7x57. The first deer I shot dropped on the spot. The second deer I shot high on the shoulder and the bullet didn't penetrate to the vitals. The deer was 50 yards away at the shot in a small clearing. He ran 20 yards and almost dropped. He regained his feet and took off. The cover was too thick for me to get off another shot. Good blood trail for 1/4 mile then nothing. The blood showed it was from a muscle wound with occasional small pieces of flesh in the blood. I looked for almost 4 hours and never found the deer. I'm going back to using the 140 grain partitions I have always used with dependable results.
For the std 7mm08 44gr Varget with 140gr Noslers BT or Part. 2820fps For the Ackley version only: 50gr.H4350 under Hornady 139grBTSP 2950fps Fed 210 primers on both. Both loads max, reduce and work up as always. sure-shot
John - I've had success with the 145 Speer Grand Slam and 47.5 H4350 (all I can stuff in the case)/WLR primer/Fed. Gold Medal brass @ 2.790" in more than one 7-08. Velocities are in the 2800 - 2850 range with good accuracy. The Grand Slam should give complete penetration with good expansion on everything you are contemplating. Good luck, R-WEST
Posts: 1483 | Location: Windber, PA | Registered: 24 January 2001
quote:Originally posted by R-WEST: John - I've had success with the 145 Speer Grand Slam
[snip]
The Grand Slam should give complete penetration with good expansion on everything you are contemplating. Good luck, R-WEST
I saw a large (250+ lb. dressed) whitetail in Maine that had been shot with this bullet from a 7mm-08. The buck was shot at close range while jumping from his bed.
The wound was interesting. There was a slash-like opening low and just behind the right shoulder, and a small exit wound in the brisket just to the left of center. The exit was so small that the hunter hadn't noticed it himself.
My conjecture is that the bullet glanced off the ribs and tore the skin, then entered the shoulder joint which turned it inward to the chest cavity. Does that sound plausible?
If I'm right, it must have been a heck of a bullet to exit. I'll put it on the "short list."
John
Posts: 1246 | Location: Northern Virginia, USA | Registered: 02 June 2001
After trying various powders/bullet combinations in my 7mm-08 Rem. Mtn. Rifle, I have settled on a load of a 140 gr. Nosler ballistic tip over 44.0 grs. W748. Muzzle velocity is 2840 fps (chron.) out of its 22" barrel. Great accuracy and this load did an excellent job on the two whitetails I took with it this year.
41.5gr IMR4895 with 140gr Barnes XLC-XBT CCI 200 primer. 2800fps out of a Rem. M-7 w/18.5inch barrel. .5MOA groups or better for 3 shots. Will take just about anything you care to shoot.
H4895 with either 140partition or 145grand slam bullet. Whichever your rifle shoots best. With a 22" barrel you should be able to get 2800fps or better
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
