Any suggestions on bullets and powders for 7mm-08 for deer shooting (muntjac upto red deer - all UK deer species, range upto 250 yards).

To date I have tried speer
130 gr spitzer, 44.5 gr N150, 2807fps (very accurate but too much meat damage)
150 gr speer gameking, 41.5 gr N150, 2547fps (accurate, but low velocity?) should I try to get a faster powder, anyone use IMR 4064?

All bullets have been moly coated.

Suggestions please, fired out of a rem 700 bdl.

i have used a 708 on deer for nearly 15 years now and have got a deadly load for it,
but if you arn't into to meat damage then it wont be much use to you

i am a firm beleaver in a good exit hole so in the case where an animal may run it is easy to track

We can't get IMR powders here so i have never used them.

I load for mates 7mm08 and ADI AR2209 with a 139 hornady interlock doing 2860fps it does the job on Reds,fallow and pigs.

AR2208 powder
I am still experimenting with projectiles but the 140 ballistic tip works okay, am in process of loading up 140gr accubonds.
120 ballistic tips go like rockets and are great on smaller animals (according to a mate- havent tried them myself)

If you can get Hogdon Varget(I believe that it is made in Australia), it works very well. I would advise 140 or 150 Nosler Partitions. The PT is desigened to open fast, yet penetrate. I use the 150 in my 7x57. It's the best compromise on small and large game. They are a little pricey. I practice with other bullets and have found a load with 140gns that will come close to the same POI. capt david

Here's my 10 cents worth.
I'm no guru but do get to see how different bullets perform on a daily basis. I use a 7mm-08 myself, and am impressed with the Barnes TSX and Nosler partitions in 140, load them up so they'll do around 2,800-3,000 FPS.
They both hold together very well.
As for Ballistic tips, no thank you, seen to many animals walk away from them.

Another vote for the 140 gn TSX´s and Partitions. Military powders used for the 7.62 NATO work great and are easily available and inexpensive most places. I load to low 2700´s.

If you are shooting for meat then the barnes tsx is a good idea as there is no risk of lead contamination.

I have owned 3 7mm-08's and the 2 best performing powders are AR2208(Hogdon Varget)it has a simular burning rate to IMR4065, I use it in bullets up to 140 grains.

On bullets heavier than 140 grains, I use AR 2209, which has a simular burning rate to IMR4350 and reloader 19.

W760 also works well with heavier bullets.

I think N160 would be a better choice than N150 for the 150 grainers although those 150 grain game kings should work well at 2547fps, that should be fine for red deer out to 250 yards or so.

I use 140 balistic tips, 150 game kings, 154 hornady SST's and 162 SST's, I like the the sst's best, particularly the 162 grainers as they shoot very well indeed, and nothing hit with them goes far.

Thanks for all the replies, led to believe that 7mm-08 is a popular choice in your neck of the woods for hunting.

Tumbo, in the past I have always used N160 and N150.
Looking at Quick load N160 would have to be a compressed load to get any sort of velocity, or this is the effect that using moly coating has on my muzzle velocity and pressure (ie reducing them).

I was considering going for the N140 (similar to Varget?), maybe I should just increase my N150 weught some more.42.5 gr N150 gave 2605fps but group opened up to .75" @ 100yds.

Madness, I too have some "meat" damage pictures, some I would consider exceptable others unexceptable, deffinately wouldn't want to eat that shoulder in your picture!!

Thanks again for the posts.

quote:

was considering going for the N140 (similar to Varget?), maybe I should just increase my N150 weught some more.42.5 gr N150 gave 2605fps but group opened up to .75" @ 100yds.

Yes I think going to N140 is probably a good idea for lighter bullets.

According to my load data 48 grains of N160 will give 2790 fps with 150 grain bullets, that shouldn't be to compressed, I regularly use 49 grains of 2209 behind the 150 grainers without compressing it.

Here is a link to ADI's powder equivelent page, just for your info.

http://www.adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

I get very good results with the 140 gr. AccuBond over 40 gr. of Varget