I'm looking for bullet suggestions for working up my first handloads for Whitetails in my Rem mod.7 (20" BBL.) in 7mm-08. I need a bullet that performs well with quick kills and good blood trails at very short ranges i.e. 10 - 50 yds., as these are the typical ranges at which shots present themselves in my hunting area.

I'm going to start working with Varget and was going to give the old hornady 139gr. interlock spire point a try (product # 2820). I've only used Win. 140gr. Super-X factory ammo to date, and while I have been fortunate to have had all quick kills with this round so far, I'm just not getting the blood trails that I would like to see. I hunt in the Blueridge Mtns. in VA. with lots of THICK mountain laurrel, and if you get a runner in that stuff w/out a good blood trail, you're in for a long tracking job, and lucky if you recover the animal at all.

Any comments on this or other bullets will be much appreciated.

Thanks Guy's,

Y.B.

140 nOSLER ACCUBONDS.

For whitetails at close range with the 7mm-08 all you really would need is the .284" 140 grain Remington CoreLokt. About 11 cents a piece.

My favorite are Norma oryx in 156 grain if you can get them, but A-frame works good to.

7/08 with a 20" barrel, coupled with moderate down range velocity, sounds like Nosler 140gr Ballistic Tips to me.

Since you are only talking 50yds max., I would go w/ the Hornady 154grRNSP. It's a thumper up close, you should get complete, straight line penetration, no NBT at 10yds.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=262540

How are those Ballistic tips on game ?

I have only used them on water cans for fun.

Don't they "explode" in game and cause a lot of damage?

kald, as long as you can keep impact vel. below 2600-2700fps, they work about like any other cup/core bullet. Go beyond that & they tend to come apart very quickly, often not exiting.

Thanks for the suggestions guy's.

I guess I should have added that I'll probably stay away from the ballistic tips, mainly from the many horror stories I've read about these bullets fragmenting on impact at closer ranges. With all the other bullet choices in 7mm I'm just not comfortable taking a chance w/ them. I'd like to stay in the 139 - 140 gr. range as well.

I might also add that although 95% of my shots will be at 50 yds. or less, I'd still like to find a load that has accuracy capabilities out to 275 yds. or so if at all possible. I know I'm trying to have my cake and eat it too, but I do get the rare opportunity for a long shot as well that I'd like to take advantage of ( 2 yrs. ago I spotted a large doe that stepped into a field I was still hunting by at 260 yds. right after a heavy thunder storm, and I was able to make meat using the above Win. factory load).

Thanks again for the suggestions, and I welcome any additional input you might have.

Y.B.

My custom model 7 in 7/08 shoots 140 grain accubonds exclusively. It shoots under two tenths of an inch groups @ 100 yards with this bullet and 41.0 grains of 4064. It drops the deer with authority too! Great round.

My 2 cents.

WOW.....sounds like you got a real shooter there Hank H . That's great, I'm sure you're very pleased with the gun.

Have any of you guy's using the Accubonds had an opportunity to take deer at distances less than 50 yds., and if so, would you mind sharing how the bullet performed, i.e. drop in their tracks, how far they ran, bloodtrails, etc..

Thanks,

Y.B.

I shoot a 20" heavy barrel and mine performs best with 140 gr and my favorite hunting bullet is the TSX. Last season I had 6 nice one shot kills. The lung shots always run a little and bleed heavy with a nice exit hole. A high shoulder shot is a drop dead shot by wiping out the nervous system. It is placement that makes drop now and not the bullet.
I like the TSX over the Sierras that I used before because the sierras separate real bad and you get a lot of bloodshot meat. The TSX makes cleaner kill by retaining most of its weight.
My load for the 7mm08 and 140TSX is 44.5 gr Varget and CCI BR2 primers. OAL is 2.770

Thanks for the info Dwight,

Sounds like you had pretty good luck with those TSX's last yr. What kind of distances were you taking your deer at?

I'm mostly a Heart / Lung shooter myself, that's why I'm looking for better bloodtrails. I don't like sacrificing my Chili / shoulder meat unless it's something big enough to put on the wall and I want it down right there, then I'll take a high shoulder shot as well.

Appreciate the load data you provided also.

Thanks,

Y.B.

quote:

Originally posted by Yankee-Bill:
I'm looking for bullet suggestions for working up my first handloads for Whitetails in my Rem mod.7 (20" BBL.) in 7mm-08. I need a bullet that performs well with quick kills and good blood trails at very short ranges i.e. 10 - 50 yds., as these are the typical ranges at which shots present themselves in my hunting area.

I'm going to start working with Varget and was going to give the old hornady 139gr. interlock spire point a try (product # 2820). I've only used Win. 140gr. Super-X factory ammo to date, and while I have been fortunate to have had all quick kills with this round so far, I'm just not getting the blood trails that I would like to see. I hunt in the Blueridge Mtns. in VA. with lots of THICK mountain laurrel, and if you get a runner in that stuff w/out a good blood trail, you're in for a long tracking job, and lucky if you recover the animal at all.

Any comments on this or other bullets will be much appreciated.

Thanks Guy's,

Y.B.

Bud you're starting with the bullet I'd be using.

The favorite of most all hunters that want a blood trail the 140 Partition or the Accubond for it great accuracy.

I know you guys think I'm crazy, but I am going to suggest the hornady 120 gr hollow point. I have used this bullet with much success in the 7mm remington magnum loaded to 3400 fps. I know it seems like this bullet would blow all to hell at this velocity, but I've found they offer plenty of penetration for the deer that I hunt in Tennessee. By no means would I recommend this bullet for hunting large northern deer. I shot a deer a few years ago at 50 yards with this bullet out of the 7mm mag. It turned around 360 degrees then fell in its tracks. I am a firm believer in using lower weight, high velocity bullets as I believe the shock they generate translates into quick kills. I should also note this bullet leaves an impressive blood trail should you have to trail a deer. I would also not hesitate to use the 120 or 140 gr. ballistic tip, as I have also used these with great success.

For the game you are talking about and the modest cartridge volume, the Sierra 120gr. or 130 gr. pro hunters should do just fine. The Speer bullets in 130gr. should do just as good. If you are set on a premium bullet the lightest Nosler partition is the answer. That cartrige was not really designed to handle long bullets. roger

I've got a Rem 700 Mtn LSS in 7mm-08 and my gun really likes the 145Grn Speer SP (HotCor). I load them up with a max load (48Grns) of IMR4350, to get a chronographed avg of 2,800 FPS muzzle velocity. They are very accurate and will definitely pass through on a broadside shot, leaving about a quarter sized exit hole.

Here are a couple of 100 Yd & 200 Yd targets. Dark lines are 1/2", light lines are 1/4".


Good luck! Working up loads is half the fun!!!

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

The closer my shots are going to be the more I like abit more bullet weight. The 154 grain Hornady flat base in eith round nos or Spitzer, the 160 grain Sierra Gameking and the 175 grain Hornady Spire point have all worked fine for me. I know the 7-08 can push thes bullets to very usable velocities, long or not.

I`ve had good results with the Hornady 139 gr SP at the same ranges you are describing here in Michigan cedar swamps. (15-80 yds)
I`ve also heard good things about the 120 Nosler BT in this cartridge at more "normal" ranges. The talk I`ve heard claims they are toughter built then the 140 gr BT. I don`t have any experiance with them though to say for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by Yankee-Bill:
Thanks for the info Dwight,

Sounds like you had pretty good luck with those TSX's last yr. What kind of distances were you taking your deer at?

I'm mostly a Heart / Lung shooter myself, that's why I'm looking for better bloodtrails. I don't like sacrificing my Chili / shoulder meat unless it's something big enough to put on the wall and I want it down right there, then I'll take a high shoulder shot as well.

Appreciate the load data you provided also.

Thanks,

Y.B.

I was shooting inside a 100 in south GA. On the lung shots you get a good 1 inch blood pumping hole. They can't go far without blood and oxygen. I was most impressed with the bullet staying together and not bloodying up the shoulders. The sierras kill good but there is just too much meat damage.

I have had great success with the Hornady 139 in my Browning A bolt 7mm-08. It likes 40.0g of IMR 3031 & the Hornady 139g. It has acounted for a good mumber of deer at <100yds back here in the north east and one 200# Texas Hog at 75 yds. In all cases I couldn't have asked for any more.

Scout Master 54

Your talking some very close range and just maybe, even at 7mm-08 velocities, the bullets are comming apart to much for a good blood trail. Years ago I used a couple of 7x57's and used 154gr Hornady RN bullets in them. I'm not sure what kind of blood trail you'd get, the deer I shot from about 40yds to about 200yds, just fell down dead!

YB
Since you stated very close ranges I assume yiou might be having to make some raking shots in the thick. If that is the case I would recommend a fairly heavy deep penetrating bullte that also opens up quick to cause max damage, but still give complete penetration.
I would recommed a Nosler Partition or a Trophy Bonded Bearclaw. Both of those have givem my wife and I quick kills in our short bbled 308's.We have never recovered either one from a deer or even big pigs for that matter.

WOW, what a wealth of information you guy's have to share for the 7/08.

Well, after much debate, I believe the most logical thing for me to do would be to start working up loads for the traditional distances at which the 7/08 was designed to shine using some of the great input y'all have provided, and use this gun for that application.

I've got another recently aquired toy which is more suitable for my short/mid range woods work that I need to do some load development for, my Marlin .375 Win. Which, IMHO, is about as fine a brush gun as there ever was. And I know that once I find out what flavors she likes I should be able to get an honest 250 yds. out of it if need be.

Thanks a bunch for ALL the great info fella's, it's much appreciated and I'll put it to good use when working up my loads.


Y.B.

Oh yeah,

Not to change the subject, but I was wondering what some of you guy's are paying for a lb. of Varget at your local dealers. I picked up a a jug today at the only place I could find locally and it was 24.99 OTD. Was just wondering if that is about average.

This guy is always a couple of bucks higher on all his stuff, but does carry a larger selection of things than most other locals do. Just curious.

Thanks,

Y.B.

In my 7mm/08 the Speer 145gr BT with a max load of Win 760 is a very good load. Max in my rifle is 49grs and velocity is 2895 ft/sec ( 24" tube ). I find the 7mm/08 to be the equal of the 270 Win, which is very good and tested round in itself.

quote:

I'm going to start working with Varget and was going to give the old hornady 139gr. interlock spire point a try (product # 2820).

This is what I've loaded for more than one guy, 40.5grs. Varget or 40grs. H4895 and the 139 Hornady SP. It's all you need. Jay

Done alot of shooting with 139SST's as my silhouette (out to 385m) and deer/antelope bullet. I think you are wise to steer clear of the platic tips at close range and go with the lead tipped 139 like you thought since it won't expand as fast, but certainly enough. I have developed the 139's with Varget, but get best velocity out my 22" Rem700 with H414 and RL15 (2902 and 2900 fps mv). My favorite was IMR4064 with a mv of 2856fps (most accurate and only 50fps slower than the fastest).

Deke.