Deer hunting w/ 7mm-08

[86er]

This is a field report much more so than a hunt report. I've been guiding clients and assisting with culling on a large TX ranch. Not a lot of "hunting", moreso being still, quiet and scent free and making good shots. Anyway, the load we have settled on for the 7mm-08 is the 150 grain Swift Scirocco at 2700 fps MV. My rifle has taken 9 deer now (7 clients used it and I shot two myself) and Ricky has taken 2 deer with his rifle, same exact load. From 100 pounds to 185 pounds animal weight and from 60 yards to 214 yards the bullet performance is outstanding. Slightly over-sized entry holes and exit holes like a half-dollar when lung shots are taken. All of the deer dropped immediately or within sight and those that moved even a little left large blood trails. I really like this loading for deer sized game and smaller!
Side note: The rifle is a T/C Icon Limited Edition. It shoots half-inch 5 shot groups at 100 yds and wears a Leupold VX-3 3X9.

[6pt-sika]

I used a Sako Hunter 7mm-08 back in the mid 1990's quite a bit .
Had a Leupold Vari XIII 3.5-10AO on top and was shooting a handload of the Nosler 140 grain Ballistic Tip and 47.5 grains of IMR4350 set off by a CCI200 primer .

My records indicate that I killed the first two Sika deer I ever fired at with it as well as nine whitetails over the course of a couple years .

That rifle was a stone cold killer for me (but I can say that about alot of rifle/load combinations over the years) !

I have never felt undergunned in the whitetail woods or Sika Marsh's with a 7mm-08 or 260 REM for that matter !

[Dave]

The 7-08 is great round. I always wished for a Remington 700LSS in 7-08 but have too many rifles already.

[Old Savage]

Model 7SS, 1.5-5X Leupold - only rifle I have gotten a true one hole group with - H380 seems to work best with everything. Need to get a load with leadless condor ammo here in Calif.

[Nath]

Anywhere from .264 and .308 in standard chamberings and I am happy

Nice photo's, the floor plate looks just like a Tikka T3 to me!

N.

[JReed]

Careful Joe you are almost smiling in this one

Sounds like a keeper.

[Marlin32]

When I was moose hunting earlier this year, a gal in camp shot a white tail buck, a big boy, 250lb I would guess, at 225+ yards but used the Barnes TSX bullet, not sure of the weight of those. I was more than impressed with the wounds in that animal!! Personally, I would not have taken the shot she did, as think she was pushing 275yds, I can't remember, but I remember thinking I wouldn't have shot that using the 7mm-08. Penetration was a pass through and still broke bones and massive internal damage.

I am not a huge 7mm fan, but I am gaining respect for the 7x57 and 7-08 chamberings.
At least for deer/antelopes.

[6pt-sika]

I am not a huge 7mm fan, but I am gaining respect for the 7x57 and 7-08 chamberings.
At least for deer/antelopes.

There aren't any flies on any of the 7mm or 6.5mm chamberings as far as I'm concerned . Now certainly those calibers based on a PPC or BR case are a different matter . But from the 260 and 7-08 on up I see no problem .

[RustyJr]

I've always thought the 7mm-08 would be a useful round. Only thing is I already have two 270s so I don't have much use for one at the moment. If I were to try and build a light mountain rifle I'd most likely get it chambered in 7mm-08. Seems like its ballistically similar to a 270 but in a short action. Thanks for the reports Joe always enjoy reading them. Look forward to hearing more.

RustyJr

[WCF3030]

Nice "cull" deer. Wish I had there "problem" where I hunt.
Always considered a 7mm-08 in a short carbine.

[pharmseller]

Over on 24 hour campfire there are a few threads concerning the 7mm-08. One post is on the elk hunting board. A lady killed her first elk (cow, but come to think of it, the cow was her first big-game animal as well) with a 120 gr TTSX at around 230 yards. One shot, went 20 feet.
I recently bought this 7mm-08:




to go with my .30-06:



A nice pair.
I loaded a bunch of 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips with varying charges of Varget and Big Game powder. I'll let y'all know how she shoots.

P

[rogn]

My daughter bought a starter Savage in 7-08 this spring.Shoots well, stays under an inch at 100 with the loads we tried. Plans are to use the Barnes 120TTSX for serious deer hunting, if she ever finds the time to do it, as they say work expands to fill the allotted time. She used her "little brother's" 308 in Africa very well on a wildebeest and a warty, but I suggested the 7 due to the good ballistics on 284 bullets with a lesser amount of recoil. The 120 Barnes at over 3000fps starts barking at the heels of the 270W. My experiences with the 7X57 never left anything to be desired, and the 7-08 is just a similar package.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Congratulations Joe, Buck on top looks especially awesome.
I'd like a BLR in 7-08 maybe even more than in 308 as I already have a 30-06, and 308 in bolt actions.

[BigB-AMT]

Hello 86er,

I know it's been years since you posted this, but I have the same rifle (TC Icon 7mm-08 L.E.), and when I tried loading Scirroco IIs it was a total bust. Grouping over 2", really unpredictable, I don't have my reloading book in front of me so I can't tell you what powder(s) I tried. I would love to know what powder you used for that load and at what seating depth/COAL. I was not able to get Hornady Interbonds to group either, and they have a similar ogive, at least to my eyes. I have a load with 160gr Speer Deep Curls that shoots pretty darn well, but it's only going around 2575, and I was hoping that a 150gr high BC bullet going around 2700 would retain more energy down range. Speer also tells me they're pulling the Deep Curls off the market for now, so my best load to date is now an endangered species. I'm also tinkering with 130gr and 145gr Speer Hot-Cors, if I come up with anything spectacular I'll be glad to share.

Thanks

[pharmseller]

Well, as long as we're digging up old posts, I'll tell you about my 2013, the year of the 7mm-08.

First came deer season. My brother liked my Tikka T3 lite stainless so much he bought one. He shot (once, DRT) this buck opening day with my handloads, 140 grain Partitions with 47 grains of Big Game:




A couple of weeks later I shot this 4x4 bull with the same load. One shot, DRT:




The Partition is a wicked little pill:





I'm a fan of this cartridge.


P

[Les Staley]

Nice deer..great shooting..pretty pictures...but what's all that GREEN stuff all over the ground?

[piller]

That is Texas dirt. It is green when the temperature is below 100 degrees in the shade, and brown when it is above it. Funny, but even after the recent days in the 20s, the grass in my yard is still mostly green. I like H4350 in my 7mm-08. Discounting the wandering zero on the darned Burris bases and rings, it gives great accuracy every time I zero it. I need to just give up on Burris and put on Weaver bases and rings. I don't know what powder 86er is using, but it is getting great speed for that weight bullet. Ricky, do you know?

[H_Talon]

old post old pic's but I love my 99 in 7mm-08

and it has put meat on the table too



better pic



this one was in the kaycee wy area .. 180yds 0ne shot dropped
ammo was the Hornady 139 grn SST.

[7.62 Precision]

[quote="H_Talon"]old post old pic's but I love my 99 in 7mm-08 /quote]
What a beautiful rifle! That photo made my day.

[H_Talon]

old post old pic's but I love my 99 in 7mm-08 /quote]
What a beautiful rifle! That photo made my day.

thanks!! it's one of my fav's too ....

[Old Ironsights]

...

I'm a fan of this cartridge.
P

I'm a fan of the Knife...

Anybody else name it? I have 2...

[Old Ironsights]

old post old pic's but I love my 99 in 7mm-08

and it has put meat on the table too



better pic



this one was in the kaycee wy area .. 180yds 0ne shot dropped
ammo was the Hornady 139 grn SST.

That forearm is nuts... Where'd you get it?

[H_Talon]

I had it made here

Great American Gunstock Company
http://www.gunstocks.com/

he said after he made it he'd never do another one .. it was a PTA
to get it right ...

tiger stripe maple ...

I love mannlichers and 99's sooo a match made in heaven

thanks !!!!