I've got a Rem 700 Mtn LSS in 7mm-08. Over the summer I developed the loads listed below. All shoot MOA or better in my gun. I hunt the mountians of NW Arkansas primarilly for whitetails, although black bear and big hogs are a possibility. All shots would be under 300 Yds. (My personal limit)

Which of these loads would you recommend under the circumstances described? Please explain the resoning for your choice. Also, if you have any firsthand experience "on game" with any of these bullets, please share performance results.

---------------------------------
139 Grn Hdy SP
47.5 Grn H414
2,876 FPS
.793" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
140 Grn Sierra Game King
43.5 Grn Varget (Hot)
2,867 FPS
0.527" @ 100Yds
---------------------------------
140 Grn Accubond
42.5 Grn Varget (Hot)
2,798 FPS
0.764" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
145 Grn Speer SP (HotCor)
48.0 Grn IMR 4350
2,830 FPS
0.561" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
154 Grn Hdy Round Nose
47.5 Grm H414
2,736 FPS
0.586" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------

Thanks

firstshot
---------------------------------
Make your first shot count!

Question:
I've got a Rem 700 Mtn LSS in 7mm-08. Over the summer I developed the loads listed below. All shoot MOA or better in my gun. I hunt the mountians of NW Arkansas primarilly for whitetails, although black bear and big hogs are a possibility. All shots would be under 300 Yds. (My personal limit)

Which of these loads would you recommend under the circumstances described? Please explain the resoning for your choice. Also, if you have any firsthand experience "on game" with any of these bullets, please share performance results.

---------------------------------
139 Grn Hdy SP
47.5 Grn H414
2,876 FPS
.793" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
140 Grn Sierra Game King
43.5 Grn Varget (Hot)
2,867 FPS
0.527" @ 100Yds
---------------------------------
140 Grn Accubond
42.5 Grn Varget (Hot)
2,798 FPS
0.764" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
145 Grn Speer SP (HotCor)
48.0 Grn IMR 4350
2,830 FPS
0.561" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------
154 Grn Hdy Round Nose
47.5 Grm H414
2,736 FPS
0.586" @ 100 Yds
---------------------------------

Thanks

firstshot
---------------------------------
Make your first shot count!

Choices:
139 Grn Hdy SP
140 Grn Sierra Game King
140 Grn Accubond
145 Grn Speer SP (HotCor)
154 Grn Hdy Round Nose

 

I have used all of your bullets except the Accubond to successfully take whitetails. None of them would be a bad choice to my way of thinking.
I have used a 7-08 for hunting since back when they were still a wild cat and think it is one of the most nearly perfect deer rifles made.
Since moving to WV, I have given the 154 RN bullet a try. My maximum opportunity around here would be 250 yards or less. The RN bullet will flat take a deer off its feet. And I've gotten two holes in every deer I've shot with it. The wound channel is substantial without being grossly overdone like some you get with the hollow point bullets.
Another reason for my decision was you added bear and hogs to the mix. I have never hunted either but I would think the RN bullet would give them a little more initial thump.

I would either go for the accubond or the speer. The only one I would exclude is the RN, I try to keep them under 200 yards. The ones I chose would in my opinion hold up better on the hogs...tj3006

Coincidentally, I just try-sighted my 7/08 (Kimber Montana) yesterday and was again impressed with it's accuracy. My pet load is 140 gr Barnes TSX propelled with 42 grains of Varget. Accuracy with AWSOME terminal performance.

My pick was the 145gr Speer Hot-Cor simply because I have used a whole bunch of them with excellent performance in a 7mmRemMag. So, in the 7mm-08, I'd expect a lot of Exits on Deer. The Hogs too if Lung shots are taken.

Don't believe I've killed a Black Bear with one.

I'll go against Hotcore on this only in that I have tried them in my .280 @ 2950fps & find them a bit too soft for shots under 100yds. I like exit holes but geeze,2-3" on small deer makes me rethink anything bigger. They might be ok in the 7-08 w/ 100fps less vel. but my vote was 140grNAB.

The Game King load. For your intended target plenty of bullet and they tend to shoot extremely well for accuracy.

The 154 gr Hornady RN has preformed wonderfully on deer in 7x57. I am so satisfied with it I have tryed no others on game.

With the exception of the 140 HDY SP the votes are prety close. I was expecting to see a bigger difference with one or two greatly outpacing the others.

Of course 28 votes isn't a very big sample, so please keep them coming!

Thanks

firstshot
-----------------------------
Make your first shot count!

The best deer bullet I have ever used in a 7x57 and a 284 is the the 130 gr. Speer flat base or boattail...It really is a super deer bullet..I have shot a lot of deer and African plainsgame with that bullet...I also like the 145 gr. Speer but the 130 is just one of those made for the smaller 7s bullets...good big exit holes and still has a lot of penitration...I have even shot several elk with it with good results.

I think it's interesting that although more folks are recommending the Accubonds, no one seems to have anything to say about them. Does that indicate a lack of actual experience on game with them?


firstshot
-----------------------------
Make your first shot count!

At the velocity your shooting the 139g Hornady SP PT should work great! I probably would have tried to work up a load using H-4350 with that bullet instead of H-414. Nothing wrong with any of these.

I personally would prefer any of the others over the GameKing if I thought I had a chance at bear or hog since there is a good chance you will have close range shots where you will hunt.

Since the Accubond is so new, I'm sure it has been tried the least.

I like the 139 Hornady, because I used an almost identical load (same speed, anyway) in a 7x57 and it worked as well as anyone could want. Bang/flop. Hard to argue with that. Shot very well, too.

I would go with the 139gr. HDY SP. My father in law killed a 10 point that weighed over 200 pounds after field dressing last year on a 300+ yard shot through a clear cut. One shot and the deer flopped! I killed 2 deer last year with it (139gr. HDY SP)and both were one shot kills. 1st at 220 yards and second at 175 yards(used my rangefinder) Neither deer ran at all but flopped and kicked!!! All kills were here in West Virginia. Now if I can just get my load right with them for my new rifle this year.

Since you tossed in the 300 yd thing, I had to pass on the 154 grain round nose.. other wise that would have been my choice...

the 139 grain Hornady also does well for on game performance... YOU can never go wrong with H 414 in a 308 style case....

I think Varget sucks as a powder.. I don't have the successes everyone else seems to get out of it...

My second choice would be the Speer 145 grain bullet... I picked the Hornady strictly because I have had experience with that one, and it works quite well... I have not used the Speer, but with the performance I have had from their 160 grain Mag Tip and 175 grain Mag Tip, and other Speer bullets, I'd never feel making a mistake taking a Speer bullet!

Good luck on the hunt...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
Since you tossed in the 300 yd thing, I had to pass on the 154 grain round nose.. other wise that would have been my choice...

seafire/B17G

Trajectory is not an issue. I use a Burris scope with Ballistic Plex reticle. I can and have caliberated it for each of the loads listed.

With the Hdy 154 RN I'm good to 300 YDs. Sighted in 0.75" high at 100 Yds, I'm dead on at 200 Yds using the 200 Yd aim point and -1.0" low at 300 Yds with the 300 Yd aim point.

I've heard the 7mm-08 154 Hdy RN is a real thumper! Why would it be your choice?

firstshot
----------------------------
Make your first shot count!

quote:

Originally posted by First Shot:

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
Since you tossed in the 300 yd thing, I had to pass on the 154 grain round nose.. other wise that would have been my choice...

seafire/B17G

Trajectory is not an issue. I use a Burris scope with Ballistic Plex reticle. I can and have caliberated it for each of the loads listed.

With the Hdy 154 RN I'm good to 300 YDs. Sighted in 0.75" high at 100 Yds, I'm dead on at 200 Yds using the 200 Yd aim point and -1.0" low at 300 Yds with the 300 Yd aim point.

I've heard the 7mm-08 154 Hdy RN is a real thumper! Why would it be your choice?

firstshot
----------------------------
Make your first shot count!

Simple answer: Round Noses work! Period!
Always did and always will.....

The 154 has good sectional density and penetrates quite well.. It has never let me down!

cheers
seafire

Thanks to all for your votes and replies!!

Although 35% of the votes were for the 140Grn Accubond, I don't think there were any comments related to the performance of this bullet, either on game or at the range. I suppose they are just too new to have that much "hands on" experience yet. I have read however that a bunch of folks are planning to use them this season. Hopefully we'll start seeing more "performance on game" reports as the season progresses. At any rate, I think I'll pass on them for this season.

I also found it interesting that 65% of the votes were for the "Non Premium" bullets with a lot of good things being said about the 139 Hdy, 145 Grn Speer and 154 Grn Hdy. With the chance of bear & hog, however slim a chance it may be, I think I will opt for one of the heavier weight bullets.

Even though I use a Burris w/ Ballistic Plex reticle which basically eliminates trajectory issues, I did a little research comparing the trajectories of the low BC (.279) 154 Grn Hdy RN to a high BC (.493) 150 Grn Nosler Ballistic Tip.

The results were very interesting and unexpected. The chart below shows lines for the trajectories of the two bullets and a third line which represents the differences in the trajectories at various ranges.

I was amazed to find that out to 190 Yds there in only a 1/2" max difference between the two and only 1 1/2" difference at 250 Yds!



Anyway, right now it's a toss up between the 145 Speer SP (HotCor) and the 154 Hdy RN.

firstshot
---------------------------
Make your first shot count!