A Baffling Buffet of Bullets

[30-GT]

Trying to pick a bullet for my 7mm08 has been a little bit crazy. I have read and watched videos and I seem to come away with more questions than answers. My goal is to be able to shoot out to 400 yrds for whitetails and mule deer in TX. I have read threads where someone says I shot a deer at 500yrds with my 7mm08 with x-bullet and x-gr. But the don't say what their barrel length was or the twist rate and the number of grooves. Or if it was a hand load or off the shelf. One or two key factors that contribute to bullet performance always seems to be left out. My hope is to find a bullet that works out of my specific rifle out to 400yrds. The scope is a VX 5HD 3-15x44 CDS ZL2.


My rifle
Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm08
22.4 " 9.5 twist 4 grooves

I will not be reloading. The bullets must be off the shelf. My preference is a monolithic copper. But I would also like recommendations for bonded and cup-n-core bullets. In the past I have used Hornady SST's and then switched to GMX bullets with great success. The new CX bullet is intriguing but I have not been able to determine at what yardage it falls below 2000fps. Let alone where it would hit that mark out of my rifle.

Please list your top 5 monolithic copper bullets that you believe could work out of my rifle at 400yards.

Please list your top 5 bonded/cup-n-core bullets.

If you shoot a rifle with the same barrel/length and twist/groove please share your hunting successes with your bullets. The farthest I have shot a deer was rt at 300yards with a 280. I don't remember what scope as it wasn't mine. That was ridiculously far to me. I gut shot her as I did not hold over enough. We tracked her down and got the meat in a cooler 3hrs later. I want to use the CDS system on my scope to help minimize situations like that.
TIA

 

[std7mag]

For monos i'd go with Hammers or Cutting Edge.
Lehigh is supposedly making a good mono bullet also.

For cup & core bullets in the 7mm-08 out to 400-500 yards i have 2 go to's.
1) 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
2) 140gr Berger VLD.

My rifle, Stevens 200 (Savage model 10) with factory 22" sporter barrel. 1:9.5 twist.
Furthest deer, 413 yards (ranged).
140gr Berger VLD handload.
2,832 fps.
Deer made it 20 yards.

 

[birddog 68]

No mono experience here. I agree with std7mag with the 140 ballistic tip and 140 Berger and will add Hornady SST to it. I have used the 140 BT exclusively in my 7-08 the last 5 years.
Browning Xbolt 22" bbl 1:9.5 twist
140 BT 2650 fps (IMR 4350) 325 yds
140BT 2800 fps (big game) 180 yds
140 Berger 2750 fps 150 yds
139 SST ??? fps 150 yds
All of these bullets will work well (+ many others) for the ranges you're looking at if you put the bullet where it's supposed to go. Bullets are important but practice at longer ranges is even more important.

 

[cape cove]

Best cup & core bullet I've used in my 7/08 is the 145 Speer SBT. Great bullet and accurate.
Best Mono is the 145 Barnes LRX. StaBal 6.5 will push both close to 3000 ft/sec from a 24" barrel.

Edit: Sorry I did not read you post good enough to see factory ammo only. The only factory ammo I ever shot in my rifle was the Hornady 139 gr GMX. It was great.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I have been killing deer with a 7-08 for 25 years now. I started with a Browning A-bolt II, 22" barrel, 1-9.5" twist and I honestly don't know how many grooves.
My current rifle is a custom Tikka chambered in 7-08AI with a Bartlein barrel, Rem Varmint contour, 20" long, 1-8.7 twist, 5R rifling.

The fact that you will not be reloading takes monometal bullets off the table, in my opinion, as the best ones (i.e. the ones that will expand reliably at slower speeds) are all "custom" and not found in loaded ammo. Those would be Hammers, Cutting Edge, or the like. Barnes loads their 120 grain TTSX and Hornady loads their 139 grain CX bullets in their ammo. I see that Midway carries Underwood ammo that is loaded with the 142 grain Controlled Chaos, lead-free. That may work.

I would go with anything in the 140-150 grain range in regards to cup and core bullets. The 150 grain ELD-X or 150 grain Nosler ABLR are both good bullets in the 7-08.

Honestly, though, I would just buy a box of a few different loads and let the rifle tell you what it likes, then buy a case of that. Factory loaded 7-08 ammo isn't going to become easier to find.

 

[adam32+P]

400yrds. Deer. 7/08.

Literally any hunting bullet will do the job, a deer won't know the difference.

Buy a few different boxes of whatever you can find in stock and see what shoots best in your rifle.

No need to overthink it.

 

[akmtnhnt]

My rifle
Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm08
22.4 " 9.5 twist 4 grooves

I will not be reloading. The bullets must be off the shelf. My preference is a monolithic copper. But I would also like recommendations for bonded and cup-n-core bullets. In the past I have used Hornady SST's and then switched to GMX bullets with great success. The new CX bullet is intriguing but I have not been able to determine at what yardage it falls below 2000fps. Let alone where it would hit that mark out of my rifle.

And you won't ever be able to figure out where it falls below 2000 if you don't shoot and chrono it. Shooting to 400 yards requires you to not just take box numbers and hope they're right.

That said, for planning purposes, Hornady claims 2910fps from a 24 in barrel for their 139gr CX in 7-08. That bullet has a .429 G1 BC. Knock 30fps per inch off and then another 50 or so since it's a tikka. So you're probably around 2800fps. Stick that in a ballistic calc and 2000fps is right at 400 yards. So now, it's worth buying a box and putting the chrono on it and seeing what it actually does. Then shooting it out further and truing the BC.

 

[David_h]

Once you settle on a good factory load go ahead and get the muzzle velocity. You won't need to buy a chrono if your local range has some friendly folks with chrono. Ask to get MV on three or more rounds. Send data in to Leupold for your CDS turret. You should try to validate the drop at various long ranges. On one of my CDS turrets the drop was spot on to 600 yards but under represented drop beyond that distance. Either way you should be good to 400 yard on deer size target assuming you have a steady rest.

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Have you looked at hammer bullets? That's what I'm loading in mine 118 grain hht. I use hammers in my 308s and 300 wm and 300 wsm and they are great on game and easy to load for

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Sorry I just went and re read your post. Since you're not reloading. I would go with Barnes ttsx. I also like nosler ammo as well. I've used federal premium with Barnes or nosler bullets and Winchester deer seasonxp with good results. In my 7mm-08 I first used 150 grain Norma American whitetail and it perform well also

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Barnes 120 grn TTSX for your caliber and intended purpose. Should shoot flat and hit like lightning within your range limits.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Trying to pick a bullet for my 7mm08 has been a little bit crazy. I have read and watched videos and I seem to come away with more questions than answers. My goal is to be able to shoot out to 400 yrds for whitetails and mule deer in TX. I have read threads where someone says I shot a deer at 500yrds with my 7mm08 with x-bullet and x-gr. But the don't say what their barrel length was or the twist rate and the number of grooves. Or if it was a hand load or off the shelf. One or two key factors that contribute to bullet performance always seems to be left out. My hope is to find a bullet that works out of my specific rifle out to 400yrds. The scope is a VX 5HD 3-15x44 CDS ZL2.


My rifle
Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm08
22.4 " 9.5 twist 4 grooves

I will not be reloading. The bullets must be off the shelf. My preference is a monolithic copper. But I would also like recommendations for bonded and cup-n-core bullets. In the past I have used Hornady SST's and then switched to GMX bullets with great success. The new CX bullet is intriguing but I have not been able to determine at what yardage it falls below 2000fps. Let alone where it would hit that mark out of my rifle.

Please list your top 5 monolithic copper bullets that you believe could work out of my rifle at 400yards.

Please list your top 5 bonded/cup-n-core bullets.

If you shoot a rifle with the same barrel/length and twist/groove please share your hunting successes with your bullets. The farthest I have shot a deer was rt at 300yards with a 280. I don't remember what scope as it wasn't mine. That was ridiculously far to me. I gut shot her as I did not hold over enough. We tracked her down and got the meat in a cooler 3hrs later. I want to use the CDS system on my scope to help minimize situations like that.
TIA

There are many options. Find what shoots the best in your rifle. https://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammo-sale/7mm-08-rem-ammo

 

[adk hunter]

I'll add buy one of the Lab Radar's guys are selling for 50% off. For the price of a few tanks of gas and a couple boxes of ammo, you will have a serious tool. Yes, there is a learning curve but nothing too difficult.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

This is just my personal spin on the subject. For competition and target shooting, I will try just about anything. I love the load development process, so its all fun and exciting to me. However, as it relates to HUNTING, I discovered a while back that my deer Rifle chambered in 270 Win ,the 130 Grn. Nosler Ballistic Tips , started at just above 3000 FPS.( 3017 fps to 3028 fps Lab Radar ) will kill deer incredibly well. Seated to a 3.340 COAL. feeds just fine . Blowing up Lungs and Heart, no exit hole. many one-shot kills. Almost never a need to track !! I know this is not a good attitude, but I am not messing, or experimenting, with this Deer Hunting Load. For me, at the range I shoot, this bullet is just about perfect on Whitetail.