I have used a 7mm-08 for many years and the lightest load that I would recommend for use on whitetails would be the 140 grain bullet! I reload and I use the Hornady 139 grain spire point!
I switched and used 120 grain Hornady spire points for a while, but that lasted only one season because I rarely got an exit wound and therefore, not much for a blood trail! The deer only went 40 yards or so, but sometimes when a deer runs 40 yards they could be lost in the brush or cross a property line and that landowner says "NO" you can't go after your deer!

For Factory loads try Federal Premium 140 grain Nosler Partitions. They shoot accurate in my Ti 7mm-08 although it does flatten the primer sometimes (right at a max load) and velosity is 2850 fps. Winchester Supreme 140 grain Ballistic Tips are very accurate but velosity is only 2725 in my gun but the deer don't seem to notice. I wish Hornady made a Custom Load for the 7mm08 but they only offer the Light Magnum load in the 139 grain SST. That is a very good bullet for Whitetails, you will have to see if you gun will group em, my gun will do no better than 1.75" at 100 yards at 2920 fps.

If you start handloading several powders work well but my best groups and highest velosity have come from H414. For some reason I can't get Varget to group worth a damn. H4895 is also very accurate but you will compromise some velosity. 47.7 grains of H414, 140 grain Barnes TSX with a OAL of 2.775 gives me .5" groups at 2889 fps. That should kill about anything you can shoot with that gun. Good Luck!

I hunted with a 7mm-08 in Connecticut for two seasons, when it first came out in 1980-81. I used the Remingtion 140 gr Loads. They were 139 gr Hornaday SP's, that Remington loaded till they could start making there own 140 gr Bullets. Worked pretty good on the four deer I shot with it. Any of the 140 gr loads should do well for you. I haven't shot that rifle since 1983, I still have it, I should hunt with that rifle more, I just don't. A 6.5 x 55 came my way in 1982 and been hunting with that just about ever since.

Thanks George. 6.5x55 is also a great load! I just couldn't find a stainless steel gun in the caliber.

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These are from a 700 mnt rifle laminated stainless with the trigger set to 4 pounds and everything else factory.

139 grain SST and 44 grains Varget, no pressure signs, have not measured speed.

the 100 grain speer HP varmit bullet groups as well but 3 inches to the side with 42 grains varget and the 139 grain interbond does not group well at all

will try the SST on eastern deer this fall

I get great loads with 44.5 grains of RL-15 with CCI 250 and 140 grain sierra B.T. at 2944 fps and less than 1 in. at 100 meters