7mm-08 rem

[BRoth82]

Question for you guys that shoot a 7mm-08. I only hunt whitetails and am looking for suggestions between 2 different rounds. Both group great out of my gun and shots will be under 300 yards, what one would you shoot and why?
Federal fusion 140 grain or Barnes ttsx 120 grain.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Barnes without question. Take the lead out.

 

[TN2shot07]

I have 2 right now, one shoots the 120 ttsx better than I’m capable of and the other likes 140 accubonds. I have a couple boxes of the new Nosler solid bases but haven’t tried them yet.

I shoot barnes in several rifles and the 120’s in the 7-08 and 130’s in the 308 seem to have the most immediate impact on animals of any I’ve shot.

 

[mtmuley]

I have 2 right now, one shoots the 120 ttsx better than I’m capable of and the other likes 140 accubonds. I have a couple boxes of the new Nosler solid bases but haven’t tried them yet.

I shoot barnes in several rifles and the 120’s in the 7-08 and 130’s in the 308 seem to have the most immediate impact on animals of any I’ve shot.

Accubond is one Hell of a bullet. mtmuley

 

[TN2shot07]

Accubond is one Hell of a bullet. mtmuley

I hate paying for them but that’s one of the first bullets I try in a new rifle. In my experience, they just tend to work.

 

[VikingsGuy]

In my experience Barnes work in 90% of rifles. Hammers work with 98%. No use for lead hunting bullets anymore. I wish options in shot shells made the choice this simple there.

 

[Keep on]

I would think the 120's would bleed speed pretty quick, but if staying inside 300 yds should still have enough for expansion. I've pretty much gone lead free in hunting loads these days, so I'd give another vote for the TTSX's.

 

[Forkyfinder]

In my experience Barnes work in 90% of rifles. Hammers work with 98%. No use for lead hunting bullets anymore. I wish options in shot shells made the choice this simple there.

Lead free for conservation reasons?

 

[Bonasababy]

Barnes accuracy doesn't knock me out in my model7 with 20" barrel. The old federal premium with Nosler partitions did but they don't make them anymore. 3/4" groups with them. I want to try Hornady Cxs next.

 

[Elktrack]

In my experience Barnes work in 90% of rifles. Hammers work with 98%. No use for lead hunting bullets anymore. I wish options in shot shells made the choice this simple there.

Do Hammers require high velocity to function well?

 

[VikingsGuy]

Lead free for conservation reasons?

and food I feed my family, and it performs wonderfully - a win, win, win

 

[VikingsGuy]

Do Hammers require high velocity to function well?

Monos in general should strike the animal at 2000fps for standard monos and 1800 fps for some of the slightly softer longer range mono options to ensure expansion.

I would view that as true for hammers (but more about “shedding petals” than expansion in their case), but the real positive feature of hammer is you get significantly faster muzzle velocity so keeping the speed up is easier - especially for short action rounds.

 

[Forkyfinder]

and food I feed my family, and it performs wonderfully - a win, win, win

I like shooting the stuff I hunt with too much ,- copper bullets even as components are $$$ or i am poor.

Have you found a reasonably priced mono?

 

[mtmuley]

I like shooting the stuff I hunt with too much ,- copper bullets even as components are $$$ or i am poor.

Have you found a reasonably priced mono?

It's been said before. In the grand scheme, the price of the bullet is really not a consideration. mtmuley

 

[VikingsGuy]

I like shooting the stuff I hunt with too much ,- copper bullets even as components are $$$ or i am poor.

Have you found a reasonably priced mono?

I use TTSX unless it doesn’t shoot and then I go to Hammers as the back up. Not sure what “budget” means. We spend more on gas station snack food on the drive out than we do ammo big game hunting. Would practice with cup & core if practice volume needed.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I use TTSX unless it doesn’t shoot and then I go to Hammers as the back up. Not sure what “budget” means. We spend more on gas station snack food on the drive out than we do ammo big game hunting. Would practice with cup & core if practice volume needed.

I get what you mean. Just live very close (think 3 mins) to a long range. Getting confident nailing steel at 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 has made me better at reading wind and knowing how to hold for it - so the idea of having seperate practice/hunting ammo is just a bummer.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I get what you mean. Just live very close (think 3 mins) to a long range. Getting confident nailing steel at 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 has made me better at reading wind and knowing how to hold for it - so the idea of having seperate practice/hunting ammo is just a bummer.

Even so, when you add powder primer cases time barrel wear, etc there just not that big difference. But to each their own.

 

[BackofBeyond]

I get what you mean. Just live very close (think 3 mins) to a long range. Getting confident nailing steel at 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 has made me better at reading wind and knowing how to hold for it - so the idea of having seperate practice/hunting ammo is just a bummer.

Having two different loads really isn’t that big of a deal. I practice with Lapua Scenar and hunt with HHT.

Once you learn to make wind calls at full/half/quarter value it doesn’t take much to have two different loads plugged into your ballistics solver.

I have two drop charts, one for each load. I still practice with the HHT before hunting, but I can shoot 3:1 for cost between Scenars:Hammers.

 

[brownbear932008]

I've been shooting the Barnes 120s in my 7mm-08 and I've taken two antelope under 300 yards that didn't flinch at the shot. Excellent bullets

 

[twodogs]

I've used the 120 gr. TTSX in my 7-08 for a couple of decades, and have taken a bunch of elk and deer with the bullet. It was also quite easy to work up accurate loads. I'm a fan.