7mm-08 users, what are your loads for elk?

[Newtosavage]

Last year was my first for rifle elk hunting and I took my stainless Tikka 7mm-08 hand loaded with 162 ELD-X @ 2650 - a very, very accurate load from my rifle. I'm not sure yet if I'll be rifle hunting or bow or muzzleloader this year, but since I didn't get the opportunity to shoot an elk last fall, I'm still wondering how that load would have performed. Any thoughts?

What 7mm-08 loads are people having luck with for elk, and at what distances?

Thanks.

 

[OXN939]

140 gr. Nosler E-Tips. Both myself and my hunting buddy used them on a Caribou hunt in Alaska last fall, and both ~450 pound animals we harvested dropped immediately.

 

[rileybassman]

Seen 4 or 5 die to 140 Accubonds in the mid 2600s. Great 300- 400 yard gun


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[wannakillabigbull]

Are you on hunttalk? There’s more 7mm-08 owners there per capita than any other forum on the web. They even call it a 7mm-hunttalk

 

[Newtosavage]

Seen 4 or 5 die to 140 Accubonds in the mid 2600s. Great 300- 400 yard gun


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Interesting. Not sure if you meant MV or impact velocity. Both my 7mm-08's will send a 140 Accubond over 2750 and one has a 20" barrel.

 

[Newtosavage]

Are you on hunttalk? There’s more 7mm-08 owners there per capita than any other forum on the web. They even call it a 7mm-hunttalk

No, I just like the caliber. I had a 7x57 before my 7mm-08's

I also have a very accurate 139-grain SST/Interbond load that runs at 2775 from both of my rifles. So part of my question is whether folks have had better luck going heavy or staying with the 140-class bullets.

 

[rileybassman]

Interesting. Not sure if you meant MV or impact velocity. Both my 7mm-08's will send a 140 Accubond over 2750 and one has a 20" barrel.

They weren't my loads... Cousin loads 2 grains under Max. Verified with a chrony... Muzzle... They were slower then I thought they would be. Yeah 27-2800 is doable with a 22" tube for sure.

They killed out to 300 no prob

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[NDGuy]

I am really interested in the caliber, but I have a 6.5 already so kind of a moot point.

 

[Newtosavage]

They weren't my loads... Cousin loads 2 grains under Max. Verified with a chrony... Muzzle... They were slower then I thought they would be. Yeah 27-2800 is doable with a 22" tube for sure.

They killed out to 300 no prob

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Interesting. Some starting loads aren't much more than 2 grains under max. Thanks for that feedback.

 

[Newtosavage]

I am really interested in the caliber, but I have a 6.5 already so kind of a moot point.

Are you shooting your 6.5 (I assume CM?) at elk?

 

[NDGuy]

Are you shooting your 6.5 (I assume CM?) at elk?

Nah I haven’t used it for anything yet. Bought it last year it was a good deal $400 for a left handed Ruger American Predator. Not a whole lot of options in 7-08 for us lefties.

 

[Newtosavage]

So another way to ask this question of course, is what distances are people shooting elk with 7mm Mag, and with what bullet.

 

[Jon Boy]

So another way to ask this question of course, is what distances are people shooting elk with 7mm Mag, and with what bullet.

I run a 162 eldm. It's worked good thus far on a limited sample variety. I run the same bullet in a 7 mag. The two rounds are only 250 fps different, or less than 10%. My 7 mag is for sale.

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[Newtosavage]

I run a 162 eldm. It's worked good thus far on a limited sample variety. I run the same bullet in a 7 mag. The two rounds are only 250 fps different, or less than 10%. My 7 mag is for sale.

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M and not the X? curious about the choice.

The reason I ask about the 7 Mag is of course obvious. That the 7mm-08 is simply a 7 mag minus 150 yards.

 

[Jon Boy]

M and not the X? curious about the choice.

The reason I ask about the 7 Mag is of course obvious. That the 7mm-08 is simply a 7 mag minus 150 yards.

A few different factors but higher bc and load data for the m already were at the top. For what ever reason the m likes to move 100-150 fps faster than the xs in the 6.5s and 7mms I've been around. And lastly (and a poor reason with such a small sample size) I've had one bad experience using the xs in a 7 mag on an elk at a moderate range. I wouldn't take that as the gospel as I know lots of people who love them.

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[juan trueno]

I’ve used 120 ballistic tips at 2860 mv on elk and deer and 140 partition at 2720 mv in elk moose and deer.both loads are Hodgdon book max for h4350 from 20” 5R barrel. Both loads are good to about 600meters with 1800 FPS impact velocity. Neither is terrible in the wind but they aren’t great either with BC .41 and .43. I shot a spike bull at 30 yard with the 120 ballistic tip load through the second rib and it didn’t pass through and I didn’t find it while quartering. But the Bull dropped instantly and was dead when I got too him.

 

[goodgrouper]

140 partitions have flattened everything my two sons ever pointed there 7mm08 at. I don't have the load info with me but I do remember being a little below max according to the Nosler book.

 

[TomAZ]

I would imagine a Barnes 140 grainer would do nicely


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[HiMtnHntr]

I run 140 grain partitions and varget powder in one 08...

 

[Newtosavage]

I’ve used 120 ballistic tips at 2860 mv on elk and deer and 140 partition at 2720 mv in elk moose and deer.both loads are Hodgdon book max for h4350 from 20” 5R barrel. Both loads are good to about 600meters with 1800 FPS impact velocity. Neither is terrible in the wind but they aren’t great either with BC .41 and .43. I shot a spike bull at 30 yard with the 120 ballistic tip load through the second rib and it didn’t pass through and I didn’t find it while quartering. But the Bull dropped instantly and was dead when I got too him.

So you're one of those 120 BT guys, eh? I keep reading about you all. The "old school" hunter in me really has trouble with the idea of shooting a 120-grain cup and core bullet at an elk. So even though some folks are reporting that it works great - and I'm not saying it doesn't - it's just not my style. I've always been a heavy-for-caliber guy when it comes to hunting. Must be all the years watching the 30-30 drop stuff where it stood.