7mm-08 “Heavies”

[Edog537]

I see a lot of online chatter about loading 150gr and up 7mm-08 for long range. I am by no means a “long range” shooter but I have settled on 7o8 as my big gun due to my CNS condition. I was looking at 154gr Interlock and was wondering if anyone has any practical experience that applies to hunting in Georgia woods? Past the fun and why not factor would it “pole axe” them any better than the boring old 120, 139, and 140 grain boolits? I used to enjoy crumpling deer with 220gr Aught 6. They were numb immediately. Could I get close to this performance with a “heavy” load?

****Any experience with Black Bears and Pigs would be appreciated

 

[Ballvina]

I wish I had the time to try reloading for this very reason. I rotate between federal blue box 150, hornady precision 150 and barnes vortx 120, all depending on the hunt terrain and which rifle. good luck with this venture and I will be following this!

 

[charlie hotel lima]

I hunted with an Encore in 7-08 for years. Always used the Core-Lokt 140's, never a problem. Big or small, the deer went down. Reloading will make you want to experiment, good. You never know what you'll find.

 

[Raccoon357]

I loaded some North Fork 175 Gr Semi Spitzers for our Safari. We didn’t shoot anything but targets with em. I normally load 140 Gr TTSX for our 7-08
I don’t set why a lead core 150 gr wouldn’t work great.

Note the 175 gr load was very compressed.

 

[jeshoffstall]

I am by no means an expert, but google bullet stability. You rifle's twist rate might not be ideal for bullets heavier than 140 grains - I think Berger has a good calculator on their site. Also, as you go up in weight, you go up in recoil.

 

[Edog537]

I am by no means an expert, but google bullet stability. You rifle's twist rate might not be ideal for bullets heavier than 140 grains - I think Berger has a good calculator on their site. Also, as you go up in weight, you go up in recoil.

Yeah some of the longer bullets may not stabilize. I was looking at the 154gr interlock bullet and StaBall 6.5 as a starting point. Maybe some 160gr Hot Cors.

 

[Edog537]

I wish I had the time to try reloading for this very reason. I rotate between federal blue box 150, hornady precision 150 and barnes vortx 120, all depending on the hunt terrain and which rifle. good luck with this venture and I will be following this!

Don’t overlook the Norma 150gr load. I used it in 2021 because I couldn’t find anything else. I acquired a rifle about a week before deer season and it gagged on the loads I had on hand. Hits Hard!

 

[Edog537]

I loaded some North Fork 175 Gr Semi Spitzers for our Safari. We didn’t shoot anything but targets with em. I normally load 140 Gr TTSX for our 7-08
I don’t set why a lead core 150 gr wouldn’t work great.

Note the 175 gr load was very compressed.

I used a .35 Whelen with 225 grain Fusions for a couple of seasons. It just enjoy mashing them with heavy artillery, but I can’t handle that beating anymore.