Have asked the same question in 'European' forum, but basicaly I am using 130 grain Speer spitzer in 7-08, and when chest shooting roe and fallow the meat damage can be a bit much, anybody give me first hand knowledge of what they are using please. BTW getting 3/4" groups with N150, love the calibre just want to reduce meat damage, shots upto 200 yards but mainly around the 100 yard mark. Thanks in anticipation!!

Use a heavier bullet. I would look to a 150 gr. at min. I like 150 gr Noslers in my 7x57, Hornady 154 gr, and Speer 160 gr are all good choices.

I don't care for 120-130 gr bullets in 7mm's of any flavor, most are too lightly constructed and are varmit bullets in my mind defeating the benefits of the 7mm bore.

When my oldest son was getting interested in hunting I loaded the 120gr Nosler BT fairly light and he took his first buck with little meat damaged. It didn't make it thru on a broadside shot though.

For my use I've always liked the Speer 160gr MagTip in my 7-08 and now in the 7x57. I usually get two holes and very little meat damaged, plus it's a very accurate bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Have asked the same question in 'European' forum, but basicaly I am using 130 grain Speer spitzer in 7-08, and when chest shooting roe and fallow the meat damage can be a bit much, anybody give me first hand knowledge of what they are using please. BTW getting 3/4" groups with N150, love the calibre just want to reduce meat damage, shots upto 200 yards but mainly around the 100 yard mark. Thanks in anticipation!!

I use 140 gr. FailSafes in mine. I get exceptional accuracy with RL19 and use them for everything. While used primarily for deer, my son got his elk last year with that setup.

I have seen excellent results on white tails with the 140gr NBT out of a 7mm-08 with minimal meat damage.

I like the 150NBT with 39.5grs. of Varget, very accurate and does a very good job on whitetail. No more meat damage than any other premium bullet. Jay

I once killed a small mule deer doe with a 162 grain Hornady BTSP at about 2600 fps and meat damage was not bad. I was using a 7x57 and she was facing me at an angle. The bullet entered her in front of the shoulder and exited near the hip on the opposite side.

quote:

Originally posted by schromf:
Use a heavier bullet. I would look to a 150 gr. at min. I like 150 gr Noslers in my 7x57, Hornady 154 gr, and Speer 160 gr are all good choices.

I don't care for 120-130 gr bullets in 7mm's of any flavor, most are too lightly constructed and are varmit bullets in my mind defeating the benefits of the 7mm bore.

I'd agree here....try using a heavier bullet....

Thanks everybody, I realised that I would be going heavier, but was just after some first hand experiences. Will probably go with the Nosler 150gr, though they come out at twice the price of other bullets in the UK (an issue but not if they turn in a good performance!).
Though I do go for neck shots when the situation arises, I am not a great fan of them, occasions of paralised animals but not killed instantly do occur and I think chest shooting offers that margin of era and a bigger target!
The 7-08 doesn't seem much used in UK, but I am growing to love mine!!
Thanks again for the info, keep it coming!

Where is your bullet going into the "chest"?

If a deer is hit behind the shoulder all there is in that region is skin, ribs, lungs and the heart. Now this applies to Northern USA deer. As to Roe deer they seem so small that I would have to study what's been used on them over the years.

I have used the 130 Speer, 140 Pro Hunter and 150 Corelokt out of a light loaded 7mm RM for a long time. I never saw much blood shot meat but maybe I am not so fussy. I like to hammer them. Most of the ones I shot were in the 150 to 200 lb range at woods distances.

Can you get the Remington 150 gr Corelokts there at a good price? That bullet has worked well on big bucks.

Try the 120 Barnes TSX. It acts like a heavyweight for killing--and it is fast out of a 7-08.

The 7mm-08 is my "go to" rifle here. I also used it in Namibia for medium plains game. I am a big fan of the Barnes TSX's. I would give the 140 grs. a try!!

Bob

Savage, agreed no problem on broadside shots, but for obique shots there has to be an entry or exit into shoulder meat unless its angled back into the liver/stomach - not going to do this. N0 damage at entry hole, but if bullet doesn't exit then hydrostatic damage is a problem!

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Have asked the same question in 'European' forum, but basicaly I am using 130 grain Speer spitzer in 7-08, and when chest shooting roe and fallow the meat damage can be a bit much, anybody give me first hand knowledge of what they are using please. BTW getting 3/4" groups with N150, love the calibre just want to reduce meat damage, shots upto 200 yards but mainly around the 100 yard mark. Thanks in anticipation!!

I agree with the "go to a heavier bullet" recommendations. Since you are already getting excellent groups with the Speer 130Grn SP, why not try the Speer 145Grn SP (Hot Cor)?

I use the 145Grn Speer SP's in my Rem 700 Mtn LSS 7mm-08 with a max charge of 48Grn of IMR4350. I'm getting a chronographed 2,830 FPS muzzle velocity and consistently getting 1/2"-3/4" groups at 100Yds.

I'm also getting 3/4" groups with the 140Grn Nosler Accubonds on top of 42.5Grn Varget for 2,798 FPS.

I think that either of these would result in less meat damage.


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Make your first shot count!

Nightwalker,

You don't need a heavier bullet, just a tougher one. Try the 120 or 140 grain Barnes TSX. As you go up in weight for each caliber the bullets do normally become a bit tougher, also you are sending them at lower velocity. With the Barnes bullets, you can keep the velocity and have a tougher bullet. You will not have an explosive outcome either and a lung shot deer will run 50 yards before dropping. Just the balancing act between bullet and game.

BigBullet

Firstly thanks everyone for the input, most interesting and good to hear first hand knowledge/experiences.
Well at the end of the day I will have to try 150gr Sierra Gameking, this was the only medium weights the shop had, they had 175 or 120 also!!
Haven't had anything to do with sierra so will keep you posted! Anybody used them out there?

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:

Well at the end of the day I will have to try 150gr Sierra Gameking........haven't had anything to do with sierra so will keep you posted! Anybody used them out there?

nightwalker uk

In general, I have found that Sierra bullets, and the Game King in particular, to be extremely accurate!

The 140 Sierra Game Kings and the 140 Nosler Accubonds are the most accurate bullets I've tried in my 7mm-08 Mtn LSS. Haven't tried the 150 GK's yet, but the 140 GK's on top of Varget shoot consistent 1/2" 100Yd Groups.

With the 145 Gnr Speer Hot-Cors' I discoverd that my gun really likes IMR4350, so I plan to go back and see how the 140 GK's do with that powder.



firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Have asked the same question in 'European' forum, but basicaly I am using 130 grain Speer spitzer in 7-08, and when chest shooting roe and fallow the meat damage can be a bit much, anybody give me first hand knowledge of what they are using please. BTW getting 3/4" groups with N150, love the calibre just want to reduce meat damage, shots upto 200 yards but mainly around the 100 yard mark. Thanks in anticipation!!

I have had exactly the same problem with whitetails and the 130 gr. Speer...it kills lightning quick, but lets a bloodshot mess. Since then I have moved up to the 154 gr. Hornady Interlock and H4350 (can't remember the exact charge weight and too lazy to walk downstairs to look). The accuracy is just as good as the 130 gr. and velocity is about 2650 fps from a 22 inch barrel. Sighted 2" high at 100 allows a dead on hold out to about 275 with no worries. Where I hunt I really don't need more range than that and meat damage is much less. Hope this helps.

nightwalker
The least meat and hide dammage bullet I have ever used is the 165 gr Trophy Bonded Bearclaw bullet.
Evemm bobcat at @ 25 and 65 yards did not have any hide damage, just a small exit hole. My wife has shot hogs as close as 30 yards. You could eat right up to the bullet hole, both of them "cause the TB went right through.

Let me shed a little light on the subject if I may. I have shot the 7-08 and its big brother the 280 both in AI form. Both with velocities exceeding 3100fps. The first thing I learned is..NBT makes one helluva paper punching bullet but leaves much to be desired if impact velocities are in excess of 2700 fps or so. The same holds true if heavy bone is hit. They just explode. The cure i found for my 7-08AI was in the form of the 140 XLC barnes. I chose that bullet because the TSX and the NAB hadnt been invented yet. I tried the NAB in my 280AI simply because i didnt have time to develop a barnes load last year before hunting season. The rifle came with a proven load for the NBT so I just swapped the bullets and wound up backing my powder charge off .2 grains. The NAB holds up just fine with heavy bone impacts at high velocities. In your case, id opt for the 120tsx. You'll get higher velocity due to the lighter bullet and it wont do much meat damage. You dont necessarily need a heavier bullet. Just a better made one.

Good luck with the 150 Sierra Gameking. I used the 160 Sierra Gameking HPBT for 20 yrs in my 7mm08 and never lost a deer but what you will find is that the Sierra Gameking will seperate in lots of pieces and do lots of damage. They are extremely accurate. The best I got was a .230 group using H4350 EXT.
This year I am switching to Barnes 140 TSX to try a bullet that stays together and I have them printed less than 1/2" using Varget powder.

Nothing wrong with Rem Core-Loct and they're cheap.

Thought it would be good to give a n update on bullet choices from my original question/topic starter.

The 150 grn Sierra GameKings did "splatter" the meat a bit and bruising was a little unacceptable.

Decided to try the 140 grn Accubonds with VV N150 powder. Best accuracy was a tad over 1" @ 100yds (not as good as the gamekings - I like to shot something a little more accurate), I think the reason for this was that the bullet had to be seated WAY off the lands to allow operation of the magazine.

In my quest I think I will try the Barnes 120 or 140 grn TSX and maybe buy some Varget.

Anybody got any thoughts/suggestions on this??

varget and 140 tsx kills anything hard. it is also very accurate in my 7-08.

quote:

Originally posted by gerryb:
varget and 140 tsx kills anything hard. it is also very accurate in my 7-08.

Amen, excellent choice.

You certainly don't need a boutique bullet for the 7-08. Get you a sack of Core Lokts in 140 or 150grs and your problem's solved.

I've had great luck with 140gr. Accubonds out of my 7-08.

What rifle is that you have there nightwalker?

Disregard if I missed it..

Since your rifle likes Speer bullets, try the 145gr Hot Core. I've used it for decades out of a 280 at about 2850 fps...great results!

120 or 140 grain Barnes TSX
120 grain Nosler BT
140 grain Nosler Partition
140 grain Remington Coreloc
139 grain Hornady SP(flat base)
150 grain Winchester power point
175 grain Speer Mag Tip

These have all been great performers for me in several 7mm-08's that I have owned.

I have used the 130 Speer for years in the 7x57 and .284 and had excellent luck...I might suggest that you try the 140 gr. Nosler partition, it does less bloodshot damage than about any bullet that I have use in the lighter weight bullets..

When I used ot shoot high power silhouettes I would load the 140 grain Sierra game king in the 7-08. That was a very accurate bullet and I just carried the load over for deer hunting with excellent results. Many 1 shot kills without much meat damage.

Just a thought but how about the 150 PPU Grom bullets, Henry krank sells them and they're "Cheap". They are constructed on the lines of the Bear Claw being a soft frontal round with a solid back half, pushed a bit slower they may not cause as much meat dammage.

I use 139 gr Hornady SSTs in my 7mm08 and have taken deer (and one antelope) from 40yds to 380yds.

Just slow the bullet down to 2400 fps should lesso meat damage.