7mm-08 400-700 yards

[liltank]

What do u do for shots under 300, dial down? If so u would have to count backwards on your dial. What if you have a NF with zero stop, now you don't have the option to dial down, only hold low, which in a quick situation I don't think is as accurate.

Just my $.02

-X3M

Hold dead on in the shoulder area from 100 to 300 yrds. Under 100yrds there is very little rise. It is only a 4.6" rise looking at his numbers. That would not be hard to compensate for a deer size game. If you have mil-dots, windage isn't much of a factor, so learn the mil-dots for hold under.

Tank

 

[X3MHunter]

Yeah, but he's hunting coyotes, 4.6" will put you over a coyote's back if you hold dead center. And about having mil-dots, I don't see the need to learn two systems just so you can sight in at 300. I would sight in at 200 and click up from there.

-X3M

 

[MudRunner2005]

What do u do for shots under 300, dial down? If so u would have to count backwards on your dial. What if you have a NF with zero stop, now you don't have the option to dial down, only hold low, which in a quick situation I don't think is as accurate.

Just my $.02

-X3M

Well, with a 300 yard zero none of my guns are more than 4.6" high before 300 yards....So, yes....I just aim a hair-bit lower than normal, and don't worry about backing my dial down.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Yeah, but he's hunting coyotes, 4.6" will put you over a coyote's back if you hold dead center. And about having mil-dots, I don't see the need to learn two systems just so you can sight in at 300. I would sight in at 200 and click up from there.

-X3M

Mil dots will help you at longer ranges too. All true sniper scopes are Mil-Dot reticles for a reason. They help you compensate for windage and elevations for quick shooting without having to move your turrets.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

With my 25-06 (26" barrel) I can push 110 AB's 3500 fps. With a 300 yd zero I'm 3.3" high at 175 yds, A dead on hold inside 300 yds would snuff a coyote and easy enough to hold just a little low to be more precise. This load puts the bullet out to 800 yds with over 1800 FPS of velocity.

For the OP, I would suggest a 25-06, 25-06 AI, 257 Wthby, or one of the more potent 6.5 cartridges.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[X3MHunter]

The main purpose for mil-dots is for range estimation. There is no way you can hold over to within 1/4 moa precision like you could if you dialed your scope. The reason snipers have to use mil dots for fine tuning is because sniper scopes like the Leupold M3 has 1 MOA clicks, not 1/4 MOA like a target scope.

Also, I don't worry about how flat a cartridge is, once you have to dial knobs it doesn't really matter if you are clicking 5 MOA or 5.5 MOA, just turn the knob a little more. And yes, the flatter the cartridge the farther you can point and shoot, but even a 308 with 175 gr. Bullets is easy to make a 300 yard shot with if you know your trajectory. After 300, reach for the knobs.

Anyways, I don't think he can go wrong with a 7mm-08, it's a very accurate round and very efficient, bellet choices are plentiful, and so is factory ammunition.

-X3M

 

[MontanaRifleman]

The 7-08 is a fine gun... aren't they all It will sure get the job done, but the more potent 25 and 6.5 cartridges are flatter and will be less afected by wind than the 7-08 and will have a farther effective range. And no, you dont need bullet expansion to kill a coyote but it will help to drop them right there.

The 6.5-06 AI can shoot a 140 bullet about 100-200 fps faster than a 7-08 can shoot a 140 gr bullet, and the 6.5 bullet will have a much better BC. Just no comparison. And a 25-06 can shoot an equal BC bullet about 300 fps faster. Mine will shoot one 500 fps faster with RL17, but then if youuse Rl17 with the 7-08, it would catch up a little.

He wont go wrong with the 7-08, but IMO, he can do better for yotes

 

[liltank]

The main purpose for mil-dots is for range estimation. There is no way you can hold over to within 1/4 moa precision like you could if you dialed your scope.
-X3M

Well you are correct in your comment of range estimation. I can also say with much certainty that snipers also use their mil-dots with deadly precision. If a shot requires some twiddling, they will utilize it. For shots from 0-600yrds. I can pretty much guarantee they use hold over for rapid fire exercise. That is why mil-dots are used in mils with MOA conversion. For the short distances, it they have time to twiddle for a very accurate shot, then they will dial it in. They use their dots for hold over, and windage.

Tank