I'm needing a little help choosing a bullet for my 7mm-08 deer/antelope load.

Hornady and Nosler make the V-max and Ballistic tips in .224 and market them as varmint bullets with explosive expansion on impact. This makes me a little wary about using them on large game. The 7mm versions must be tougher, right?

Then the next step up in the 'toughness?'(what word am I looking for here?) scale would be Hornady's Interlocks and Interbonds or Nosler's Accubonds. Stop me if I'm wrong.

At the top would be Partitions and Swift A-frames? Where would Barnes rate?

I guess it all comes down to postive expansion and weight retention at a given velocity. The 'reloading guy' at my local shop told me he prefers BT's for long range shooting, 200 yds+, because they will expand better after shedding velocity. Conversely, he prefers partitions for closer ranges. Do any of you share this view, anything different? I'm looking for the magic bullet that will perform best in a large range of velocities without destroying meat at close range or penciling through at longer range.

Many thanks for your input.

Darius

Do bullet manufacturers publish min. or max. velocities for optimum performance? Where can I find this info?

You are correct in that the larger calibre ballistic tips are tougher, and in fact they are intended to be hunting bullets.
As for the next step up in bullet toughness, you would be looking at the partition and bonded bullets. Their design sets them apart from all of the cup&core bullet types you mentioned earlier.
Taking this logic one step further points us at the mono-metal bullets, like Barnes'.
As for your 7-08, I'd be looking at the 150 grain varieties and be happy. Tough enough for the animals you mention and then some, they possess enough weight to carry substantial power at distant ranges. I think you would be best sreved with either the 150 grain ballistic tip, or the 154 grain Hornady.

Dman--I run the Nosler 150 gr ballistic tips in my 7mm Rem Mag at 3000-3025 fps and use it on deer, coyotes, and feral hogs. Haven't had an animal walk away that I've hammered with it.

Dman,
I have been looking into the 7mm-08 for the next rifle and I have decided that the bullet going to be launched will be the 140grn Nosler Accubond.
The design of it was to get the weight retetion of the Partition and to get the expantion of the BallisticTip. And of what you would be asking of a bullet it should work great.
I have seen and heard that the Barnes Triple Shok would be a fantastic pill to push out the barrel.


Smedley

PS I do not think Nosler has a min/max velocity for thier bullets and I know that 7-08 can not push it too fast for construction. (7WHBY or STW maybe but...)

Hey Dman, What is the longest distance you have access to for practicing?
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quote:

Do bullet manufacturers publish min. or max. velocities for optimum performance? Where can I find this info?

Here is a link that will provide the information you are looking for. If you can get to a LARGE display with a High Speed line of some sort, it will help you get through all the info.

www.seahook.com/bestbullet.jpg

I have used a Rem Mtn rifle in 7mm08 for the past few years. I really like the 140gr ballistic tip.with great results.Some guys don't like it because of the damage it could cause. Just like with any other bullet out there, proper shot placement will keep the meat damage to a minimum.

I use 140 gr Ballistic Tips in my 7mm-08.

Super accurate bullet.

I've shot them at deer as close as 30 yards and had complete broadside pass throughs with no "blow up".

Hey, thanks for all the input guys. Looks like the Noslers are very popular. Hot Core, that is some poster you've got there. I'm going to study it this evening.

Hot Core, I currently practice on the local 100yd. range with infrequent trips to the national grasslands for longer ranges. However, I will be moving to Las Vegas this month for work and have heard of a 1000 yd. range in Boulder City. I do believe I will be there alot.

Gonna need a new rifle fer shootin that far. heh

You can do a search on the pros & cons of the NBT. If you keep impact vel. below 2700fps or so, they work well. I would go 140grNAB for an all round deer & antelope bullet. I like the idea the bullet won't come apart on a bone strike or bad angle shot. The 145gr Speer GS is a good bullet @ 7-08 speeds too.

quote:

Originally posted by Dman:
...I will be moving to Las Vegas this month for work and have heard of a 1000 yd. range in Boulder City. I do believe I will be there alot.

Gonna need a new rifle fer shootin that far. heh

Hey Dman, Good for you about moving to an area close to a Long Distance Range. There is only one way to get the proper ability and skill to take long shots and that is to practice a lot of long shots.

That Chart by Mr. Gary Sciuchetti is the best Bullet Test I've seen available to the civilian world. It was done before Accubonds. Interbonds and TSX bullets were available. But it can tell you a lot about bullet design and make the elimination of some bullets rather easy.
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Yes, for the long distance shooting, you would be better prepared with a bit more robust cartridge. I have a 7mm-08 also, and it is a fine cartridge, but there are better ones for reaching way out yonder.

Add a scope with plenty of power, special reticles, target turrets, Burris Signature Rings, trigger tuning, loads developed using Mr. Audette's Method, special Targets, special bullets, etc., and lots of Trigger Time.

The 139 Hornady SP is made for the 708 IMO. I have heard lots of good about the 120 Nosler BT in this cartridge too but haven`t tried it yet. The guys on 24hourcampfire.com claim it`s tougher then the 140s.

Dman
Part of the beauty of the 7-08/7x57 is that they aren't so fast that bullet performance with any conventional soft point is a problem. Practically any Hornady, Sierra etc will work for deer and antelope, elk sized game is another story. I've been using 140 Barnes TSX's and 160 Noslers in my 7x57's and could be happy with nothing but 160 NP's till I quit hunting with the 7x57.

I have had great success with the Barnes 140 TSX in my 7mm08 using Varget and getting 2830fps and very tight groups. 6 deer kills this past season.
Next year I will try the 120TSX.

I've shot a whole bunch of whitetails and mulies and quite a few antelope with a 7-08. Nothing I've found indicate any sort of premium or specialty bullet is needed. Starting with the 139gr Horn to the 140gr NP. They've all worked well for one shot kills over ranges to 284 long steps. I'd find whatever standard bullet @ 140gr shot best in my rifle and call it happy. Don't forget the old tried and true core lokt.

There is really no magic bullet. They all just do different things and it comes down to what characteristics you like best. I never lost a deer with the Sierra Gamekings that I used to use but I like the TSX better because it stays together and does less meat damage. What ever will pumch a hole throught the lungs will kill a deer pretty dead.

Thanks for the replys. I am going to experiment with the BT's, Partitions and Barnes. I'm impressed with the performance of the X bullets with uniform expansion and zero loss of mass between 1800fps to 2600fps. If any of you haven't had a chance to look at the link that Hot Core posted, take a look.
http://www.seahook.com/bestbullet.jpg
If a picture speaks a thousand words, that page just won't shut up.

DMAN give the 120 ballistic tip a try in your 7/08. I have been using them in my 280. I have them going 3178 fps. They have been awesome, they actually seem to be much tougher than the 150 BT that I used to use.

Bluedot, are you using them on game? What kind of exit wound are you getting? I've read of many who push the BT that fast and get no exit, even on smaller game.