Bullets for Elk.

[williaada]

I have a 7mm-08 and am going to be using it for elk. I would like people’s thoughts on using the following:
Barnes 120gr. TTSX
Barnes 140gr. TTSX
Nosler AB 120gr.
Nosler partition 120gr.
Nosler AB 140gr.
Nosler partition 140gr.
Barnes or Nosler 150gr.
Thanks

 

[LightFoot]

Barnes 120gr. TTSX ---> YES, this would be my first choice if shots are limited to 400 or 500.
Barnes 140gr. TTSX ---> YES, second choice.
Nosler AB 120gr. ---> YES, I would trust this round but I don't think it is ideal. Ir is a little light for the bullet style.
Nosler partition 120gr. ---> YES, this would be fine, but I would not shoot it long range.
Nosler AB 140gr. ---> YES, great choice if shooting to 500-600.
Nosler partition 140gr. ---> YES, this is the bullet by which all others are measured. It has enough weight and weight retention.
Barnes or Nosler 150gr. ---> YES, TSX/TTSX is good, Partition or Accubond is good. (I wouldn't use the Ballistic Tip)

>>>----JAKE----->

 

[Forest]

Honestly all of your choices are good. Last few we have killed with the 7mm-08 were with 140gr accubonds. Grab a couple and see what shoots best and you're good to go. Accubond, partition, or barnes ttsx are all excellent elk medicine. Stay away from true ballistic tips

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Wolf76]

A 140 accubond would be my first pick. Never the wrong answer.
Also, if you run the numbers, the 7-08 falls below 1500 foot pounds of energy between 350-400 yards (140 @ 2850 fps).
Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[N2TRKYS]

Where are you finding 120 grain ABs and Partitions in a 7mm?

To answer your question, I'll be using 140 grain Partitions on my next trip.

 

[williaada]

A small local shop in MI.

 

[MuleyFever]

Put it through the vitals and they will all kill an elk just fine. I would probably lean to the heavier options though. I have killed elk with 139 and 140’s out of the 7mm-08 and they didn’t run anywhere.

 

[elkguide]

All very good bullets.

The factor would be which one shoots the best out of your rifle.
IF I were to be limited to just one of those..... I would go with the 140 grain Nosler Partition.

 

[Wapiti1]

My wife shoots the Nosler 150 gr Partitions exclusively in her 7X57. I load them to 2800 fps, and they have been money on elk, zebra, warthog and sable. Best shooting bullet/load in her rifle.

That would be equal to what you can get out of a 7mm-08, if not a little slower. The only one we have recovered entered her warthog inside of his left shoulder and we found it under the skin of the right hind quarter. It went end to end through an approx. 300lb warthog.

That said, none of the choices you have are bad. I prefer 140gr or bigger for elk.

Jeremy

 

[N2TRKYS]

A small local shop in MI.

Nosler doesn’t list those on their website.

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot 15 elk with the 7-08 and 140 AB's, they work well.

I load 120 grain nosler ballistic tips for my nephews rifle in 7-08 and he's killed 5 whitetails, 2 elk, and a mule deer buck with them...all one shot.

I've been impressed with the 120 nosler BT on elk...my nephew shot a cow this year at 237 yards. Cow went maybe 25 yards and it was all over.

Bullet was just under the hide on the off-side shoulder (that was busted)...perfect performance IMO.

This was also a 120 recovered from his first elk, another 120 BT that busted the on-side shoulder at 70 yards, bullet was again just under the hide behind the opposite shoulder:

 

[williaada]

N2TRKYS- thanks for checking I was wrong about the Nosler 120gr partition/accubond. The bullets are ballistic tip.

 

[BuzzH]

My wife shot his bull through the heart at 100 yards bedded, broke the near shoulder, just under the hide behind the opposite shoulder...7-08 and 140 accubond:

Recovered bullet:

My brother shot this bull at 487 yards with my 7-08 and a 140 AB...shot in the back 1/3rd of the rib cage bullet broke the off shoulder and was just under the hide:

Recovered bullet:

 

[williaada]

N2TRKYS- thanks for checking I was wrong about the Nosler 120gr partition/accubond. The bullets are ballistic tip.

 

[williaada]

What powder and how grains

My wife shot his bull through the heart at 100 yards bedded, broke the near shoulder, just under the hide behind the opposite shoulder...7-08 and 140 accubond:

Recovered bullet:

My brother shot this bull at 487 yards with my 7-08 and a 140 AB...shot in the back 1/3rd of the rib cage bullet broke the off shoulder and was just under the hide:

Recovered bullet:

what powder and how many grains per load?

 

[BuzzH]

If you stay off the shoulders, almost always pass throughs with the 140 AB:

Pretty typical performance, cow at 230 yards:

Entrance:

Exit:

Exit on a bull I shot at 378 yards with a 140 AB from my 7-08:

Don't know much about the other bullets you listed, but I've shot, and seen a lot of other elk shot with a 7-08 and 140 AB's to know they work very well. I've also shot a lot of elk with the 160 AB from a 7 RM...they work very well too.

 

[BuzzH]

What powder and how grains

Load particulars for my wife's rifle:

WW brass
cci250 mag primer
43.0 grains varget
140 grain accubond
23" pacnor
MV: 2930

Load particulars for my rifle:

WW Brass
CCI250 mag primer
43.0 grains varget
140 Accubond
24" pacnor
MV: 2850

 

[coues craze]

Load particulars for my wife's rifle:

WW brass
cci250 mag primer
43.0 grains varget
140 grain accubond
23" pacnor
MV: 2930

Load particulars for my rifle:

WW Brass
CCI250 mag primer
43.0 grains varget
140 Accubond
24" pacnor
MV: 2850

Are both rifles the same twist and groove configuration? Interesting that one is 80fps faster.

 

[BuzzH]

Are both rifles the same twist and groove configuration? Interesting that one is 80fps faster.

Yep, both 1-9 twist super match grade 3-groove #2 contour pacnor's...why the 23" barrel shoots faster than the 24" with the same exact load? One of life's mysteries...

 

[N2TRKYS]

N2TRKYS- thanks for checking I was wrong about the Nosler 120gr partition/accubond. The bullets are ballistic tip.

No problem. I didn’t want you to get something that you didn’t want. I got to try out the 120 grain NBTs last year on 3 bucks. I was very impressed with them.