Best 7mm cartridge for the hammers?

[Rosebud]

My primary target for my 7-08 is deer size. I'm running120 HH at 3170. I wouldn't consider shooting at an elk with it unless it's two hundred yards or closer. Now deer have been smacked down with it to just under six hundred. Took a shot at a buck on a power line cut at 802 and told my friend I was out of gas at that distance. His reply was it won't come over here and surrender.

 

[Rosebud]

Here's a generic comparison of 7mm-08, 7 SAUM, 280 AI, 7mm Rem Mag, and 28 Nosler that might help...

I pulled the velocity data from Nosler for a 140 grain bullet (adjusted for 24" barrel as necessary), and set that as the baseline muzzle energy for each cartridge, then adjusted the velocity to get that energy for each of the different bullet weights. B.C. values are pulled from Hammer's website, and in my experience are on the optimistic side.

This is standard pressure at 4000 feet above sea level, 50°, 50% humidity.

My personal "rules of thumb" for elk sized game are highlighted for velocity and energy. YMMV.

131 HH
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143 Hammer Hunter
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169 Hammer Hunter (Requires 1:8.5 twist)
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In my opinion, for elk at 600 yards...

1) The 7mm-08 is at best marginal, at worst considerably under powered.

2) The 28 Nosler is a bit overkill for me, as I limit "pie plate" to about 700 yards in good conditions, and the 28 Nosler is therefore "overkill" at the cost of barrel life, hard to find ammo/components, and a fairly oversized propellant bill...

3) Given the B.C. limits you get with Hammer bullets, you need to run a faster twist to use the 169 HH, which are pretty long. Because of the length, the data in the last two graphs may be optimistic, as the bullets will be taking up a lot of space in the case in a SAAMI chamber (particularly 7-08). That makes the 7 SAUM and 280 AI a little on the light side for comfort.

4) That leaves the 7 Rem Mag or 7 PRC as the ideal vehicles for 0.284 Hammer bullets on elk inside 600 yards...This is objective fact. Best calibers ever. Any other opinions are obviously silly...

Great graphics, you put some serious work into that.