7mm-08: Personal Experience on Elk & Deer

[morgaj1]

My 12yo son has been shooting a 7mm HT in a Ruger American for 2 years now. He's killed 5 whitetail and countless hogs out to 220 yards. The biggest was a Russian boar the weighed 290lb with an Interbond handload. I have complete confidence in that gun's ability to put down whatever we decide to hunt. He and I will be doing a father/son ram hunt soon and I can't wait to watch him shoot one.

 

[std7mag]

Holy dead thread revived!!

I bought a used Stevens 200 in 7mm-08 about 8 years ago. About 5 years ago i Ackley Improved it.
Never felt undergunned with that gun/cartridge combo.
First deer i took with it was 413 yards (ranged) with a 140gr Berger VLD.
Took several more with 140gr Ballistic Tip at closer ranges until the barrel was shot out. 6,000 rounds.
I even shot my first 600 yard F-Open match with that gun using the 140gr VLD.
That rifle now wears an E.R. Shaw barrel in 250 Savage.

Going shopping today actually for another 7mm-08. Probably another Savage so i can AI it at home also.
Might see if i can pick up a used model 12 to build a match rifle using a 30" heavy barrel in 7mm-08AI. Plan is to use 160gr Sierra Tipped MatchKings around 2,800 fps.

 

[Tecumseh]

My 7mm-08 is great on deer & hogs with a 160 gr Accubond! It won’t shoot 140 & 120 gr bullets at all!

 

[MTGamecock]

I'm reluctant to proclaim any caliber as the "best" since I'll never be able to shoot them all in the variety of different conditions, but I don't think I could have chosen a better caliber for my son's first "all-around" western hunting rifle. With its mild recoil, he has enjoyed shooting it enough to develop confidence in the rifle. It's big enough for everything we will hunt in this area. His rifle shoots the 140 gr Nosler Partitions very well.

 

[phutch30]

My kids 08 running 140 gr accubond handloads has put down several elk (bulls and cows), a bunch of deer and an antelope. Its one of the youth models and I find myself reaching for it more than my manly rifles due to its light weight.

 

[std7mag]

My 7mm-08 is great on deer & hogs with a 160 gr Accubond! It won’t shoot 140 & 120 gr bullets at all!

Then your doing something wrong, or picking a bullet the barrel doesn't like.

 

[MNSportsman]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

 

[nrpate05]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

Try a monolithic bullet. Barnes Vor-tx, Federal Trophy Copper, Nosler E-Tip. My Tikka shoots well under sub MOA with Barnes factory ammo and know a couple others that do the same.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I haven't used my 7mm-08's on elk, but IMO it's the best deer caliber ever designed.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

Yea, all of them. My Tikka T3 7mm-08 was an absolute tack driver with whatever I fed it. I still have a target on my wall that I shot at 400 yards in Colorado. Three shot group measures under 2".

 

[std7mag]

All the more reason to take up handloading.

 

[Shorthair]

My experience is limited to the smaller bodied deer here in central CA, but I've found the Barnes factory ammo 120 grain TTSX in my 7-08 to perform wonderfully. They've been hell on pigs too.

 

[Jc2020]

My wife hunts with the 7mm-08 and loves it. I’d have no problem taking an elk with one

 

[Dougfirtree]

Quite the revival here. I've taken one elk with the 7mm-08. One shot and she went 40 yards. It wasn't even a particularly tough bullet. I've killed a bunch of deer and prongalope with it too. It kills everything and doesn't kick much. I'm a fan!

 

[Gunner46]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

Just what is "even close to good? IMHO you should really check your screws & torque on both the rifle and all the scope mounts & ring screws. Provided that checks out, try some some 120's or 150's. You'll get there with due diligence.

 

[Irrelevant]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

I struggled for year to get my Tikka to shoot well (it's not a 7-08), look closely at how the receiver and stock marry up. I found the steel recoil lug in the forearm wasn't properly seating into the groove it's supposed to so all the recoil energy was being transferred by the two pins. I upgraded to a B&C stock and it shoots lights out with Barnes

 

[MNSportsman]

Just what is "even close to good? IMHO you should really check your screws & torque on both the rifle and all the scope mounts & ring screws. Provided that checks out, try some some 120's or 150's. You'll get there with due diligence.

We checked all mounts and ring screws to make sure that wasn't the issue. Most groups have been 4" or more at 100 yards.

 

[Bannock-pt.]

Love it as a deer cartridge. It just flat out performs. Have never used it on anything else besides deer but I wouldnt hesitatate.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I struggled for year to get my Tikka to shoot well (it's not a 7-08), look closely at how the receiver and stock marry up. I found the steel recoil lug in the forearm wasn't properly seating into the groove it's supposed to so all the recoil energy was being transferred by the two pins. I upgraded to a B&C stock and it shoots lights out with Barnes

Putting your Tikka in a B&C with a bedding block is a great upgrade. Accuracy, recoil, feel all improve.

 

[blueridge]

My dad picked up a Tikka T3 7mm08 this summer. We have struggled getting anything to group even close to good. He has tried Federal Fusion in 140 Grain, Federal Power Shok, Federal Premium with Nosler Ballstic tip, Hornady American whitetail and Remington Core Lokt.

Has anybody had a factory round that has performed well in a Tikka 7mm08?

Thanks.

I have a Tikka T3 7-08 and had problems similar to yours. Tried 5-6 factory loads (SST, Etip, Corelokt, XP, etc) from 120-150 with groups ranging from 2-5”. Finally found one that shoots sub moa and that is 140gr Federal Premium w/ Barnes TSX. Ymmv.

When was the last time you cleaned the living .... out of it?