Question about 7-08 on deer

Here’s a summer-lull question for those of you who hunt with the 7mm-08 round: How has this particular caliber performed for you when you’ve shot deer or hogs? Have you ever shot a deer behind the shoulder (sweet spot, boiler room, in-the-crease, etc.) and not recovered that deer? If so, did you have any reason to doubt the caliber, or maybe was it an inferior brand (American Whitetail comes to mind) of bullets you bought? Lastly, if you’ve ever shot a hog with a 7mm-08, how did that caliber perform on the hog? I’ll be hunting with my 7-08 quite a bit this coming season, and will be shooting 140 Remington Core-Lokt’s. I’ve killed two deer with his caliber, and both dropped in their tracks. Just curious to hear what results others have had. Thx.

I hunted with one for years. Never lost a deer. My son has hunted with one for 7 years and never lost a deer. I’ve killed several hogs with one. Never lost a hog. Shot one hog in the head right between the eyes. Recovered the bullet in the hip. Bullet traveled the entire length of a 140 pound hog. 140 grain noslar partition.

My go-to 7mm-08 round has always been 140gr Nosler Partition. I've never killed a large hog with one but several smaller pigs and many deer have been welcomed with open arms into the happy hunting ground. I definitely think you're on the right track with the 140's, I really like how the heavy for caliber bullets perform in 7-08.

Au7mm08 should have all ya answers

I used to hunt with 140gr fusions and never lost a deer. Never tried it on hogs.

I've laid the smack down on probably 35 plus deer and dozen or so hogs with mine. Oh and i shoot those Nosler Custom BTs

I’ve shot one for years. My go to round is a 140 Federal Fusion. Never lost a deer, never shot a hog with it. I’ve got a couple of pics I’ll post if I can find them.

I hope to shoot a couple with my 120 grain NBT and 140 grain Accubond loads. I've read/seen enough about elk kills with those loads that I'm not worried about them.

My son killed his first several deer with a Rem. youth model 700 7-08 before he out grew it. All either dropped in their tracks or died within sight of the stand.

Dr. B

I'm a fan of most anything in the 6-7MM range. I've been pleased with my Tikka in 7MM08.

I used a 7mm Rem. mag for years. I bought a 7mm-08 last year and loaded 120 gr. NBT for it. I doubt the 7 mag gets used very much anymore.

Mine has worked well

I’ve killed a bunch with a 7-08. I shoot the factory Winchester 140gr BT which is what my rifle likes. A lot of folks say they are too fragile but I shoot into the shoulders and can count on one hand how many bullets I’ve recovered. Only one I like better is the 140gr accubond but my rifle doesn’t like them. I’d be willing to bet a 120gr Barnes would be money too.

I believe a 7mm08 may be about perfect for whitetails. Short action, light recoil, good bullet selection, what's not to like? I own 3, all shoot better than I do. Nosler BT's get a bad rap but at 7'08 velocities, they are deadly on game. A couple years ago my son, who was 7 at the time, shot a big hog in the shoulder, it never took a step. That was with a reduced load using H4895 and a 120 gr BT traveling about 2500'/sec.

I'm a big fan of the 7mm_08

I shoot the 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, and it drops them quick

Killed several tons of deer with a 7-08, don't remember one running over about 50 yards. Like most "deer rifles" you hit them right , he's dead. Great deer round.

I have a youth model axis that my boys use. They shoot 140 Rem reduced recoil. They work great.

I “nearly” lost a doe with one, but that was with hornady American Whitetail ammo.

I've always been a fan of the 308.
That being said, the 7mm08 is probably the best deer caliber made.

If you haven't pulled the trigger yet consider 6.5Creedmoor if you shoot factory ammo. It is a lot times cheaper when comparing similars.
You can shoot identical weight bullets between the two calibers.

I know some here hate trendy new things but when I can walk into Walmart and get four varieties of 6.5Creed ammo vs one-two 7MM08 options.
Not saying Walmart is the end all be all ammo buying location but something to consider.

** Just read the initial post over again. You've got 7MM08 already. Disregard the above, but someone on the fence might find value in my post.

Deer, pigs and bears have fallen to our 708. Awesome round.

7mm 08 is about all I use anymore during deer season. I use either the Federal premium with barnes 140 TSX, or 140 fusions in mine. Always have pass thru's with the Barnes. In the GF's we use Barnes Vortrx 120 ttsx. They have worked just as well.

Hogs I learned my lesson on and always head shoot now so never lost one of them. Have not lost deer to a 7mm08.

Great input - I appreciate all the info y’all have shared. Below are a couple of pics of the two deer I’ve killed with the 7-08. That was one of my better days hunting!

Many years ago, Outdoor Life wrote and article calling the 7-08 the best deer caliber ever. Not that I follow that statement completely ( I believe there are several) but it is an amazing whitetail round. My oldest son got one for his 8th birthday and killed his first deer that year. We have always used 140 grain Hornady SST loads. Put that in a short action like a steyr or Ruger Hawkeye compact and you are golden.

The 7-08 is a fine cartridge for deer hunting in Alabama. Load a 140 grain Nosler partition or accubond and you will have no worries about bullet performance on any shot you may have.

I have never used a 7-08, but have used a 7x57 since the mid 80s, which is the ballistic twin of a 7-08. I've killed a few dozen deer with that gun, mostly with 139 gr Hornady and 140 gr partitions.

I also started with a 7x57 in a Model 70 Featherweight and shot that a couple years then, and I was still a young buck.... picked up a 7-08 only a few years after Remington introduced the Model 7 compact. It is still killing deer my wife hunts with it. Shoot 140's and you've got one of the best whitetail rounds ever cambered.

Great for deer. Accurate, low recoil, and wide variety of factory loads to choose from. Good all around hunting round.

Never shot a hog but every deer has dropped n there tracks and that’s with the cheap American whitetail rounds I bought when I first got it and the federal premium vital shock, zero complaints with it. Got the gun for something my wife or daughter could use and after trying it out I doubt I ever take my 300 win mag in the woods again.

With sub 3,000 fps rounds like the 708 the cheaper bullets like the Core Lok's , Fusion's. and the old Winchester Silvertip's do a number on deer.

The 7-308 does pretty good for a low recoil silhouette round. The 120 HP by remington is overlooked and should't be.

Nosler made the jacket on the 7mm 120 gr ballistic tip thicker for silhouette shooting. The side benefit is that it makes it a great deer bullet even when loaded to 3050 FPS in a 7-08. It doesn't come apart at high velocities like some of the it he ballistic tip bullets are prone to do.

I bought a compact 7mm08 for my young son for his first deer rifle. He has shot and recovered 3 deer with it so far.

The first deer was shot with a Hornady 120gr "reduced recoil round". He hit it in the crease and the deer fell straight down. I will say, I could never find an exit and only found the entrance after hauling the deer to the processor and seeing a tiny drop of blood where he hit it. Almost like there was barely any entrance wound either. When the deer was gutted at the processor the entire inside was liquid.

The last two he shot were with Federal Fusion 120gr. He hit one broadside in the crease and it ran 15 yards. Moderate blood after 5 yards but no spectacular exit for sure. The other deer he hit in the "right spot" in the crease but it was quartered away harder than he thought. Got a pretty decent exit in the gut, but the deer ran like 120 yards or so. After 5 yards got fair blood but we had to track very carefully as it petered out into small droplets after 40 yards or so.


So, all that being said, the 120gr seems to do the job and kills the deer relatively quickly if hit solidly but I don't count on great blood trails. I allow him to shoot it still because the recoil is DRASTICALLY lower than the 140gr rounds I've tried. That is the one thing that really stands out with the 120g/7mm08 combo to me. I have never noticed that drastic of a difference between bullet weights in other rounds. Using the 120 gr really makes this gun a pea shooter, even with a light compact stock. (of course it's just as loud … I make absolutely sure he has double hearing protection at the range, and in the field he wears electronic muffs). I feel his shot placement as a result of the light recoil outweighs the benefit of a 140gr round. At least for right now.

Barnes Vortx 120 TTSX and problem solved.

Yep; that's the ticket

I shot two bucks last season that weighed over 200lbs with the 140 grain fusions and they only took a few steps. Seems like I shot a hog or two with it but I can't remember.

I want to say I tried that bullet (120 ttsx) in his gun and it wouldn’t pattern well. But based on your recommendation I’ll try again. Did you find that bullet did sufficient damage to put the deer/pig down quickly or did it just give a reliable exit wound? (Or both)

Thanks for the input

First deer I ever lost was a good hit with the 7-08 and made me reevaluate the acclaimed SD and velocity, the bullet zipped through with little expansion. I personally feel the 120gr makes a better deer round.

7-08 is a good caliber but one should consider bullet choice.

I only use flat based fast expanding bullets these days, most of my shots are under 100 yards, very few at 200 plus.

Both. The only Barnes I have recovered was in a hog quartering too me. Shot in front shoulder and ended up in the off hip just under skin. I like good exits and blood trails is why I gave the Barnes a try.
Fusions on broad side shots have given exits on everything under 100 yards. Have not shot any over 100 yards with them.

Of my pics above; the top 175lb boar was a 75yd running shot and the pig rolled up in a pile. The second boar was behind a tree and stuck his head out, neck shot dropped him.
The buck came in behind my ladder stand grunting at a doe at about 80 yds, I decided to take the shot but as I began to squeeze it off; he dropped his head and wheeled away from me to follow the doe. Was afraid I had missed as he trotted away. If you look close at the pic you will see entry wound high behind last rib. It exited his neck. He stop after 40 yds and tipped over.
Also, shot my best buck with same gun. Buck trailing doe and vitals at 50 yds; ran 40yds like a quarterhorse, ran head on in to a pine tree, dropped and never twitched.
The 120TTSX patterns well in that rifle.

To follow up, I chose the 7-08 over the .243 based on many conversations and articles comparing the two. After my research I came to the conclusion that the 7-08 was a little more forgiving if the shot placement was not perfect. When considering a caliber for a new, young hunter, that was the information that tipped the scale in favor of the 7-08. I also bought a Browning 7-08 last year for Janet. Unfortunately, she didn't get to dent a primer on a deer with it but hopefully that will change this season.

Dr. B

Unless you are loading for a kid... why not just shoot a 140 and stop worrying about debating which bullet to shoot. You can just shoot a cheap Sierra. Works great. Then you can worry about something else like your scope, treestand or which color camo you want to wear.

Good point GK; so what color camo should you wear when shooting a 7-08 and is it important that it match your treestand for maximum concealment ?

This. I shoot 140's and have never had an issue. I've hunted on and off for 25 years with the 708. HSM ammo loads a 140 Sierra Game King and they are cheap ( I think 24 bucks a box ) , accurate, and deadly. The Game King is a sure enough deer killer.

The above statement reassures us that everything is subjective and relative.

$24 being cheap that is.

GK's are sure deer killers and can create a massive wound channel. Sometimes they don't exit which seems to bother some folks. Its never bothered me when a bullet doesn't exit because I've always found it in a stone dead deer. For some reason, the majority of bullets I've recovered have been 7mm 139 or 140 grain bullets, whether shot from a 7x57 or a 7mm rem mag.

A quarter per bullet is cheap.

I read where Paul Mauser created the 30 cal first and the first and still current modern cartridge design (44Russian) was a Forty-Four, this many years later they are still awesome.

I always tell folks to pick the caliber you want based on cheap federal blue box ammo.

I know for sure a man can assemble a hunting apparatus from Walmart sporting section and never have the frets and concerns us wildcatter gun nuts have.

I hate to dredge up an old and worn out topic, but regarding a 7mm bullet's effectiveness on deer, please take a minute and look at my small rifle caliber thread I posted back in deer season.

http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthre...ds=treemydog&Search=true#Post2354780

A properly placed 63 gr. lead tipped 22 cal bullet was the hammer of thor on my 85 pound doe. If I can do that with a 222 Rem then.............

The 7 by 57 is the original 708

When compared to other offerings they are a value. That better ?

I still feel the 270 Win or 7mm mag are royalty in that kingdom.

That blue box ammo in 140 is 20 - 23 bucks a box .

I have killed deer with both of em and they are good for sure. The 7 mag has a wallup , the 270 not so much. But I like the short action hunting rigs the 708 comes in. the older I get the more I like comfort.

I’ve done my time with these chiquito shells and calibers in these chiquito actions, I like a man sized round for cold wet days instead of fumbling with micro rounds. The low prices on ammo don’t hurt either.

The Blue box 30-06 is $17

I’m not knocking the 7-08, I’ve wrung it out. It just ain’t the end all. From all my testing, the results can vary too much depending on ammo selection.

If you're shooting anything short of a 338-378WBY Mag in a 5.4lbs mountain rifle you're flat out a girly man.
My petite girlfriend typically totes a 460WBY while hunting squirrel hunting and her concealed carry gun is a S&W500 Snubnose.

Don't use the cheap blue box ammo. Use partitions if you want consistent performance every time.

No it aint the be all end all. your right. But I haven't seen anyone here saying it is. It's just good. There are a lot of good ones. And this is the first time I've heard the 708 called a micro round.. lol

Plus the ammo selection for a 708 is basically just for deer. The 7 mag is not. No magnum really is. Just saying.

Like I said, the Older I get the more I like easy.

Yup. Quality bullets result in consistency. Putting cheap tires on an otherwise nice vehicle will quickly make you hate the vehicle due to either being cheap or mislead.
There's enough data to support that the 7MM08 will drop every game animal in North America with two or so exceptions, Moose and Grizzly Bear.

I strongly disagree the 7-08 rounds being just for deer. I think the average 140gr type is too hard and too penetrating for deer sized animals. I actually get better consistancy with a 30-30 on deer and hogs (at my short ranges). The 7-08 will likely drop anything on the planet without much of a problem.

The 7-08 ain’t no joke on paper and could be a heck of a one gun solution, I just think the 120’s make it more of a deer gun.

My whole “blue box” analogy is I’ve seen more than one guy set parameters for his perceived or real scenerio and buy $40 per box ammo that doesn’t kill any better than say a bigger caliber (30-06 or 7mm mag for example) using cheap blue box. Of worst yet, try to develop a hand load that is still inferior to a larger caliber in blue box.

Hey, I’m guilty too.

It's absolutely a miracle that the western frontier was conquered by black powder 40 calibers.
I'm always amused by the guys who talk down the small calibers.
You can easily kill anything in north America with a 223.
Obviously the 30-30 or 223 wouldn't be my first choice for grizzly bear, but both can get the job done.

I'm a big fan of the quarter bores also, but the original question was about the 7mm_08

Mine has a Shilen barrel, and loves the 120 grain bullets. Kills quick.

I don't believe it's JUST for deer. But the bullet weights ,velocities, and rifle configurations are conducive to deer hunting as much as any other caliber.

I really only have one bone to pick concerning the 7-08 and its against the ammo manufacturers. The 7-08 is here to stay, a great caliber, but the ammo manufacturers charge too much money. I feel the same about 410 ammo.

It's a volume thing. In volume comes price.

That's why I mentioned 6.5Creedmoor. You can fire 120gr-140gr bullets just like 7MM08 but with more ammo options at usually a little bit cheaper price.
This is me guessing but I believe 6.5Creedmoor will if it hasn't already surpass 7MM08 ammo and rifle sales.
I bought some S&B 6.5Creedmoor 140gr FMJ online for like $12.75 shipped. Yes they're FMJs but for playing around at the range hard to beat that price.

The prices for 7-08 factory bullets are comparable with '06 , 270 , 308 and many other common rounds. I have no idea why anyone would think a 7 - 08 deer round is out of line expensive. I just don't see it. Especially comparing with 410's

I guess it could be a volume thing or a patent thing because I’ve seen a bunch of calibers relegated to obscurity because few companies picked up the ammo for it. Hornady seems to be the best company for supporting newer or oddball calibers.

After all these years there ain’t no reason for a 410 shell to cost so much. All of the componets are well established.

7-08 factory ammo ain’t comparable in price to a 30-06 or 30-30, probably Hornady whitetail is the lowest price.

I know price is subjective too dependent on income -vs- number of game killed per year.

On average probably a little higher, but hey, to each their own.

No problems here. Shooting a handliad Barnes TTSX. Both of these fwll right there
[img]https://imgur.com/a/9gHxJq4[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/a/4dTpvO0[/img]

Can someone tell me what im doing wrong with pics?

I agree with that. I catch them on sale at least once a year for $12-15 a box and sometimes lower. I picked up 1k rounds of Fed premium for $10 a box and free shipping.

Also, for hogs outside of deer season my 7-08 is loaded with PPU soft points that was picked up for about $8-9 ish a box. Have not tried it on deer but hasnt been a hog walk away from a shot from one yet.

I think you're drunk.

The recently highly touted Powermax .30-30 is about $22 per box

Most 7mm-8 ammo is from $22-40 per box

All your .30-06 ammo is $20-40 per box if you exlude the imported FMJ stuff.


That's per Midway.

I guess I could be drunk, but I got my first few hundred powermax 30-30’s for $16 a box at Academy and caught some deals at Buds and Gunbroker for the rest.

Anyway, 7-08 is a good caliber with no monetary love from ammunition manufactures except Hornady.

7mm-08 kills the piss out of em

I posted this earlier on another thread. Exit wound from a 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip from a 7mm-08 at 125 yards.

She staggered about 20 feet before she fell on her own head.

So, the 7-08 can kill deer?

I see you cropped my ugly mug out of that picture. Johnny your sense of reality is screwed up.

A caliber ain’t proven till you get to the Grizzly Bear debate.

Josh -

All faces deleted to protect reputations. Including mine!

Found this pic. Exit wound 7mm-08 Federal Fusion 140 grain. Range was about 90 yards.

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Yea. Looks familiar. Not sure what the fascination is with 120's. 140 Sierras maybe blow a bit smaller hole in a deer on average.. but still similar.

For me, the 120 grain NBT shoots a little flatter, and makes smaller groups than the 140 grain bullets. Kills them quick, so that's what I shoot.

I hunt with the load that offers best accuracy in a good bullet, regardless of the rifle.

My favorite caliber, Easy to shoot and deadly on whitetail and hogs!

Federal Fusions have performed outstanding and as expected with pass through every time !

The Hornady American Whitetail shot tighter groups .50” but I had 2-3 misfires out of my Savage LWH. Called Hornady and they tried to claim that the firing pin wasn’t striking the primer hard enough!

Fusions do that in nearly all calibers. Love that load.

I shot fusions in a 25-06 for a short time before I got my dies in. They were just plain nasty on deer and hogs.