Author Topic: 7mm-08; Is It Enough? (Read 4464 times)

Fred McIntire · « **on:** September 19, 2004, 04:27:47 PM »

I just purchased a 15 inch, 7mm-08 barrel for my T/C Encore. I plan on using it to hunt Whitetail deer.

The more I look at the cartridge, the more I ask myself "Is it enough to do the job at 100, 150, or 200 yards?". It looks awfully small to me. Can someone with experience using this cartridge give me some feedback on its performance in the field?

What is the largest game animal you would use this cartridge on?

Thanks,
Fred

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2004, 05:38:52 PM »

You dang well better betcha it's enough Fred.

Think of it is a shorter 7x57 Mauser. Ya know the one Karamojo Bell used in Africa to kill about several thousand elephants!

I've been using it as my primary deer cartridge for nearing 30 years now I guess. My wife's old Remington Model 7 with 18.5" barrel is but 3.5" longer than yours. It's been used first my me, then by my oldest son and now her. We've taken it into every state we've hunted and used it on all sorts of game and that one rifle has never missed and never needed a follow up shot from either of the three of us. Game has been white tail deer, hogs, and a variety of exotics.

I'd not hesitate to use mine on any deer that ever walked and really wouldn't back up from using it on elk or moose if it was all I had. Of course it isn't all I have but I do have that much confidence in it.

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #2 on:** September 19, 2004, 06:18:16 PM »

Thanks for the response GB! It sure makes me feel better about it. I'm really hoping to put the hurt on the Whitetails this season with it.

I'm going to be reloading my own cartridges for it. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Fred

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** September 19, 2004, 06:29:07 PM »

Yup. Don't. :-D

Honestly I've yet to find a load for the 7-08 I truly like or believe matches factory ammo. And I've been using it nearly 30 years. My best used W760 but it is temperature sensitive and those loads that worked so well in fall sure weren't so nice in summer.

We've mostly used Remington Factory 140s in the old Model 7 that is now my wife's. I use exclusively Hornady Light Magnum ammo and prefer the old original SP over the SST. My rifle shoots it just a tad more accurately altho both easily are sub MOA in mine and they are the most accurate load ever fired in that old Model 7 and the ONLY one ever to shoot under MOA in it.

Sorry I can't offer anymore help on reloads. I've just about given up on them in 7-08 after over 20 years of searching for the right one. I doubt I'll ever hunt with reloads in it again.

Raging480 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2004, 02:34:20 AM »

Plenty o' gun, brother. Another forum member and I were hunting together last year, and he shot a nice 7 point buck with his encore pistol in 7mm-08. The shot had to be about 130 yards or so, and it was slightly quartering away, but a through and through shot. The more I know about this cartridge, the more I like it.

44 Phanatic · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2004, 02:53:47 AM »

Don't doubt the 7mm-08. I hunted with this caliber for about 7 years. Always performed great. This caliber convinced me that the long action calibers are not necessary for whitetail.
My browning has 21 kills including 17 whitetails and 4 hogs.
Longest shot was 200 yards. Most others were less than 100.
Very accurate, low recoil, and more than enough for whitetails.

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2004, 08:28:25 AM »

Plenty for a deer. My brother used this cartridge to drop a nice 500+ lb moose with a single shot a few years ago.

Locosgrande · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2004, 01:05:55 PM »

I used a 15" barrel factory 7mm-08 on my Encore to take a cow elk a season or 2 ago. I used factory Remington 140gr core-loc bullets at a distance of ~ 80 yards.

The bullet entered behind the front shoulder, took out both lungs and the top of the heart, broke through the opposite side shoulder, and was recovered just under the skin. The cow covered a distance of ~ 10 yards before she piled up.The core-loc bullet expanded about 3 times it's diameter while retaining it's base.

I was teased all weekend about bringing only half a gun elk hunting when the others in the camp were using 30-378's and 300 mag rifles, but I was the one beaming an ear to ear smile when I brought my elk back first :grin:

jhalcott · « **Reply #8 on:** September 20, 2004, 04:55:32 PM »

Hey Fred,I have a 7 IHMSA 15" Wichita . That may be a step down from your 7-08 .It has been used to take white tail and black bear out to 200+ yards.I have also used a 18.5" 788 to take deer to 200 yards.Stuff that thing with 139 grain bullets and go hunting!Just find what ever ammo your gun likes and get the recipes ready.

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2004, 05:35:36 PM »

Wow! This cartridge is killing deer, elk, moose, and black bears? I guess I under estimated it's potential.

I'll work up some handloads and see what I come up with. I was thinking of going with a 139 grain Hornady BTSP bullet for Whitetails, using 39.4 grains of IMR 4064; or 44.8 grains of IMR 4350. Either one should give me 2700 fps.

I could use 48.1 grains of H 414. That would push me to 2800 fps. According to the book, that would give me in excess of 2000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards!

I was also thinking of doing some Coyote loads with either a 100 grain HP bullet or a 120 grain HP bullet.

This could be a great year!

Thanks for the input.

Fred

GBO MGMT · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2004, 02:04:14 AM »

Ya ain't gonna get no 2800 fps from a 15" barrel a 15" barrel and I'd say 2700 fps at safe pressures is unlikely. I sure never reached it with any book max load in mine.

John R. · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2004, 03:13:40 AM »

You don't have to worry about the 7mm/08's effectiveness on deer. I use Varget with a 140 gr. bullet. It will run 2900 fps out of my 22" mtn. rifle. You won't get that out of a 15" bbl however. :grin:

Duffy · « **Reply #12 on:** September 22, 2004, 02:53:29 AM »

Around 2600 is gonna be max for a 140g bullet but that's still plenty. The Hornady light Mags are around 2500+ out of mine and shoot great. If you load your own, Varget and IMR4064 are a couple of good powders. Varget will get you the vel and the accuracy is pretty good too. I've tried some of the ball powders but they seem to give more blast than the others, at least in my bbl. Have tried some IMR 4350 and R19 but found them to be a bit slow in the short bbl. Think others have mentioned H4895 also.

Good luck this season!

The Pistoleer · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2004, 05:12:56 PM »

I have used a compressed load of RL19 with great success but like Graybeard said it's pretty hard to beat the factory loads for this caliber.

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #14 on:** September 25, 2004, 06:01:42 PM »

Thanks again for the input guys.

I agree that it is probably hard to beat factory performance; however, I can hand load my own for about $6.00 per box of 20 rounds as opposed to paying $18 to $20 per box in this area.

Besides, it gives me a reason to buy more "toys".

IKE · « **Reply #15 on:** September 25, 2004, 11:49:33 PM »

Fred,

If pinned down to just one I'd have to say that the 7mm08 is probably my all time favorite round for a handgun. I've had or do have a Striker, XP's and a few Encore barrels of different mfgs. and lengths chambered in 7-08.

All of the different 7-08 handguns / barrels had a preference for somwhere between 40.0grs and 41.5grs of Varget under a Sierra 130gr SSP with CCI BR-2 primers.......100yd groups under 1" are boringly common.

Another good bullet to consider would be the Hornady 139gr SST #28202.

Ike

Lone Star · « **Reply #16 on:** September 26, 2004, 04:37:58 AM »

Quote

I could use 48.1 grains of H 414. That would push me to 2800 fps. According to the book, that would give me in excess of 2000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards!

Fred, you're looking at the Hornady rifle data developed in a 24" barrel. According to Hornady's own data, expect to loose 300 fps going from their 24" rifle barrel to the 15" Encore barrel. I can't find any current loading data giving more than 2600 fps to 139/140-grain bullets with the 7-08 in 14-15" barrels. But don't dispair, I know from experience that a 140/150-grain bullet exiting at 2400 fps is plenty for any deer out to at least 250 yards. This cartridge is ample for the task.

BTW, 250 yards is a long way when shooting in the field with a handgun, and because it can be very tough to estimate ranges, many of the "250-yard" shots reported are actually closer to 150. Unless the hunter uses a laser or can pace out his distance on flat ground, hold many of those long shot stories with a grain of salt.....

Tom W. · « **Reply #17 on:** September 26, 2004, 10:29:34 AM »

Fred, I can't comment on how a certain load will work in your firearm, but my son shoots a Browning A-bolt and loads 42 grains of Varget with a 140 gr. Gameking, and gets cloverleafs at 100 yards. He hasn't found a factory load to equal that yet, but he hasn't been shooting it for 30 years, either...

Sensei · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2004, 10:03:50 AM »

I looking for what scope to put on a 7mm-08 Encore. Also would like to know where the best deals for a 2 to 7 leopold as well a 15 ' Stainless Encore Barrel. any help would be appreciated.

JC · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2004, 03:55:17 AM »

Sensei,
I get all my stuff from Natchez Shooters Supply. They have a friendly group of guys. They have good prices and are close so I get my stuff quickly. To Fred, like GB and the others have said the 7-08 is awesome to say the least. My dad and brother used a A-bolt in 708 to rid Texas of 5 does on a cull hunt. All 5 were one shot kills all deer traveled about three feet, straight down. I have the 15" in the 7-08 and love it. Got some tips on floating the fore arm on here and it helped alot. I am hitting constantly about inch to an inch and a hlf. I need more practice to get them tighter. :sniper:

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:47:37 AM »

I finally made it out to the range the other day with my 7mm-08 Encore. All I can say is WOW! Any questions I had about it being enough to get the job done have definitely been answered.

I was running 40 grains of Varget with a 140 grain Nosler ballistic tip. I was only able to use the 25 yard range but I could cover a 3 shot group with a quarter. This is the first time shooting the 7mm-08.

I am going to reduce the powder charge down to 34 or 36 grains of Varget and see what that does. Let me tell you, with 40 grains of Varget, you definitely know that you have fired the shot. I would describe the recoil as a "little sharp".

I can definitely see this being a 150 yard gun without any problem. I'm sure the gun is a better shooter than I am.

Thanks for all the input.

Fred

TCShooter · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2004, 03:09:56 PM »

Fred, your going to love this caliber. I have the same one in a 15 incher and it is my favorite.

And as Lone Star mentioned...250 is long but I have shot as far as 375 yds. in the field with mine, from a solid rest, (checked with a range finder) so the gun is able to do it. Just get as much shooting time as you can and check back on this site if your groups open up at 100 yds. as there is a ton of info here that will help.

Best of luck

Varmint Hunter · « **Reply #22 on:** November 05, 2004, 05:21:01 AM »

Fred,

If you want to reduce the recoil, switch to a 120gr Barnes bullet and slow them down a bit. Recoil will be noticably reduced and the combo will remain lethal on whitetails.

TCShooter · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2004, 11:41:31 AM »

Quote from: Varmint Hunter

If you want to reduce the recoil, switch to a 120gr Barnes bullet and slow them down a bit. Recoil will be noticably reduced and the combo will remain lethal on whitetails.

Hey Varmint Hunter...any idea how fast the Barnes need to be going in order to open properly?

Just curious.

KYODE · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2004, 01:45:35 PM »

41.5gr of H4895 with a 120gr nosler bt gives 2800fps, and great accuracy out of my 15" 7-08. great handgun round, imo.

singleshotfan · « **Reply #25 on:** November 06, 2004, 10:42:09 AM »

The 7-08 is my alltime favorite all around cartridge. Have many one shot kills on Texas Hill country whitetails and some large hogs.
This with a XP-100 15" barrel. My Rem 7 carbine only has 3 more inches barrel. In factory loads plain Remington cartridges and anything with Hornady on the label shoots well. With reloads VArget seems to do better.
HAve 3 pistols and two rifles in this caliber.
Richard

fennell · « **Reply #26 on:** July 03, 2005, 08:45:42 PM »

I have used my 7-08 Encore for many years on everything form very large hogs to prarie dogs and it is great. The 139 gr hornady boattail behind 43 gr of Varget works very well for me on just about everything with WW standard primers and RP brass for 2600 fps. It is a good load for deer and big hogs as well as black bear out to 200+ yards and good expansion. THe Interbond bullet works well also. I like Varget and H4895 with this caliber because it is consistant in hot and cold weather and very accurate. for deer the 130 gr Speer boat tail behind the same charge of Varget works very well.

Hope this helps

fennell

:-)

poncaguy · « **Reply #27 on:** July 04, 2005, 04:17:57 AM »

I've just got a 15" 7MM-08 barrel SS for my Encore, only shot it a couple of times. Wanting to put a scope or Red dot on it. What do you guys have on your Encore pistols? Have a grat 4TH...I really love the Graybeard Forums...........!!! :-)

Bim · « **Reply #28 on:** July 04, 2005, 09:59:30 AM »

Now you guys have gone and done it! I guess the 7mm08 will be my next barrel.

ratgunner · « **Reply #29 on:** July 04, 2005, 10:18:00 AM »

The 7-08 was designed specifically for deer.