7mm-08 at 400m help

[WhelanLad]

Hey fellas ive been shooting my kimber 7-08 at ranges from 300 to 400m this past week and some more today.....

i use a Burris fullfield scope see below

I have been shootin a 120 sierra alongside my regular 140gr Woodleigh hunting load.

i will talk about the 140gr woodleigh load , 40gr of 2208....
i am working out the POI and where it lines up on the reticle marks below the crosshair, it has 3 steps and then the duplex goes into the bold fat verticle post..

at 300m it lines up with the 2nd 'step' and 400m lines up with where the duplex gets Bold--- so way down there..

i havnt worried shooting in closer for now as im confident an know where it shoots to 250m say an after that its good to know for field use.

from memory it was 1 inch to 1.5 inch high at the 100, which put it just a bit low at 200, seems to be down about 20inch @300 meters an i havnt measured the distance of drop at 400m (yet) although i am hitting the target by using the top of the reticle post where it goes bold...


I am wanting to know for the more often 200-400m shots, Which kind of projectile is going to be better suited over a 140gr PPSN and for what reason? or may i just aswell stick with this combo??

i videod a rock, zoomed in an used my scope marks to see if i can hit the rock on the first shot like hunting, i am getting very close to be confident in taking this to live animals-- i noticed the 7-08 takes a moment to get there and it seemed the 140gr had plenty of wallop once there, but i am open to and love a discussion....an at least this discussion is more realistic than some of my others LOL

the PPSN is a spire point Flat Base. for the record
Thanks
WL.

this is the burris reticle.
https://www.burrisoptics.com/reticles/ballistic-plex

 

[BCBRAD]

I use a 150 gn Nosler Accubond at ~2600 ft/s out of a 20" bbl with H-4350 or a Hornaday 150gn ELD-X with same powder.

Find the 150's run very near the 140 for velocity and the Accubonds also are used in a 280ai, but up the weight of the ELD-X to 175gns to be compatible with the manufacturer's performance window of velocities.

Also, it depends on the size and veracity of the animal hunted, therefore the Accubond for moose sized game.

 

[SJAR]

Is this the reticle you have?

 

[WhelanLad]

I use a 150 gn Nosler Accubond at ~2600 ft/s out of a 20" bbl with H-4350 or a Hornaday 150gn ELD-X with same powder.

Find the 150's run very near the 140 for velocity and the Accubonds also are used in a 280ai, but up the weight of the ELD-X to 175gns to be compatible with the manufacturer's performance window of velocities.

Also, it depends on the size and veracity of the animal hunted, therefore the Accubond for moose sized game.

hey Brad,
i like the accubonds, an they look like a better flyer than the Woodleighs, 400m would be my Max ,
as for the Animal, renowned to be one of the tougher densest with ability to 'soak' up the poor placed shots, i put them on par with your Elk. a female is 115cm at the shoulder, around 150kg and a male it taller and up to 300kg gutted, a fair beast.

From talkin with a buddy who has been shooting the 7-08 & 120 sierras at 300 M on Wallaby, with the aid of a ballistic app, we run some numbers are my woodleigh is doin ok afaic and the rough droppage is in the 40-50 inch bracket for 400m, which i will confirm this week.

i just thought i might of been missing something in terms of bullet flight but all seems good , a heavier accubond wont do anything much more at this distance. and those eldm , in heavy grain seem to take up heaps of 7-08 powder space

 

[WhelanLad]

"ballistic plex" reticle mate.

say i was usin a 7 WSM, at 300 and 400 meters, particularly 400meters ..... how much Less drop and i going to see with a 140gr ?

 

[BCBRAD]

hey Brad,
i like the accubonds, an they look like a better flyer than the Woodleighs, 400m would be my Max ,
as for the Animal, renowned to be one of the tougher densest with ability to 'soak' up the poor placed shots, i put them on par with your Elk. a female is 115cm at the shoulder, around 150kg and a male it taller and up to 300kg gutted, a fair beast.

From talkin with a buddy who has been shooting the 7-08 & 120 sierras at 300 M on Wallaby, with the aid of a ballistic app, we run some numbers are my woodleigh is doin ok afaic and the rough droppage is in the 40-50 inch bracket for 400m, which i will confirm this week.

i just thought i might of been missing something in terms of bullet flight but all seems good , a heavier accubond wont do anything much more at this distance. and those eldm , in heavy grain seem to take up heaps of 7-08 powder space

Good hunting load.

 

[southernman]

You are kind of hooped with a 7-08, in a Kimber, short action in a shorter than normal short action, I've got the same problem with my Kimber .260,
IT may be possible to single load a 162 gr A-max, ELD, but it will be a pain in the ass, if you don't fire, as you have to pull the bolt.
Ive got a 7-08 finnlight, and only run 150gr ballistic tip or 145 Speers, short barrel 17", so not good for long range, 150 ballistic tips go ok, but I've not shot any game past 300m.
7x57 with 162 A-max is my long range rifle, 400-500 max. (Thar, Chamois, reds)
If it was me , i try a heavier bullet, 150-165gr, with higher BC, with a Hollow point or soft point, less bullet length. or a very high BC 140gr, Interbonds are .486
Or trade it in, on a 7mm mag, if you really need 400m plus,

 

[WhelanLad]

hey Brad,
i like the accubonds, an they look like a better flyer than the Woodleighs, 400m would be my Max ,
e

Or trade it in, on a 7mm mag, if you really need 400m plus,

Yeah good point on the whole small kimber deal--- not much mag room left with 140s without goign backwards in the powder column,....

it is an interesting point ,the 7 Rem mag, i would likely source the 7 WSM to keep the short action and overall length of bolt throw and weight down a little in the mid section .... but because i am under 400m and would be seldom over - i cant justify that.


ive been reading up on the 338 Win mag- which might sound way out of left field.....
for Sambar at 300+ to 450 odd this is roumered not to kick too heavily? how would that claim be in Comparing to a 325 WSM??

short, fat and should be a sleek enough bullet to land out yonder with some authority.?

 

[Eagleye]

WL The 338 is a very fine chambering, but it doles out a fair bit of recoil, particularly with bullets over 225 grains.
I have owned several over the years, and shot everything from deer up to Bison with them. Never had any issues.

At present, I do not own a 338, but I do have a 325 WSM, and with the 200 Accubond, it is a pretty potent, flat
shooting package.

I have been experimenting with the 196 ORYX [Norma bullet], and the initial results are very promising. It is
under moa right out past 400, and shoots quite flat, started at just shy of 3000 fps. Recoil is noticeable, but not
vicious. Dave.

 

[Suther]

If you want to reach out, a 180gr or 200gr accubond from a 30cal magnum sounds like a great option.

Eagleye what's your opinion of the 338wm at 300+? I've heard the bullets in that caliber are generally pretty stout and don't get good expansion at longer ranges when the velocity starts to drop, but I have no experience with the caliber personally. Douglas loves his 340 bee, but always said the 338wm is outdone by the 300wm in practically every important way. (eg a 200gr accubond in the 300wm will out perform the 225 in a 338wm, as it has a higher BC and SD)

 

[WhelanLad]

If you want to reach out, a 180gr or 200gr accubond from a 30cal magnum sounds like a great option.

Eagleye what's your opinion of the 338wm at 300+? I've heard the bullets in that caliber are generally pretty stout and don't get good expansion at longer ranges when the velocity starts to drop, but I have no experience with the caliber personally. Douglas loves his 340 bee, but always said the 338wm is outdone by the 300wm in practically every important way. (eg a 200gr accubond in the 300wm will out perform the 225 in a 338wm, as it has a higher BC and SD)

True suther but i just feelthat 300 win mag is way too much powder for me, i sort of felt it with the 300 wsm, now i know the 338 isnt much less but it is a bit smaller powder pressure than the 300 wim, .....

i have that 30-06 i guess could get turned into a bit longer range option.... with some decent profile projectiles??? i dont think i can confidently shoot over a 30-06 in realistic accurate terms since developing the come an go flinch.

its the 7mm-08 i feel very comfortable with, but not evry day if ive been shootin the 06 , even in the field.

i am pretty recoil shy overall...

a 150gr 30-06 is nice. i could do that, if it is any advantage over the 7-08 140 woodleigh....

 

[bearhunter]

True suther but i just feelthat 300 win mag is way too much powder for me, i sort of felt it with the 300 wsm, now i know the 338 isnt much less but it is a bit smaller powder pressure than the 300 wim, .....

i have that 30-06 i guess could get turned into a bit longer range option.... with some decent profile projectiles??? i dont think i can confidently shoot over a 30-06 in realistic accurate terms since developing the come an go flinch.

its the 7mm-08 i feel very comfortable with, but not evry day if ive been shootin the 06 , even in the field.

i am pretty recoil shy overall...

a 150gr 30-06 is nice. i could do that, if it is any advantage over the 7-08 140 woodleigh....

Whelanlad/Suther, why compare apples to oranges????

I see it in articles all of the time. A writer compares a smaller diameter bullet of a specific weight with a larger diameter bullet of the same weight at different velocities and extols the merits of the smaller diameter bullet. When all things are equal, velocity and BC, etc, there is little if any difference in performance.

If I hadn't become so recoil shy, because of damaged shoulder joints, I would still be shooting my 338-06 for most of my hunting needs.

With 225 grain Hornady flat base spire point bullets, at 2600+fps, it will perform and expand reliably on large game animals such as moose/elk out to 500 yds. Maybe further but my longest shot on an Elk was 460 yards, according to my range finder. The bullet mushroomed perfectly and was caught up in the hide on the opposite side, after going through both lungs and breaking a rib on the far side. If it hadn't hit the rib, the bullet likely wouldn't have been recovered.

Now, I settle for my 338-08 at 2450 fps, because I can handle the recoil.

When all things are taken into account, the heavies don't get used nearly as much as they used to. With the advent of the great bullets we enjoy today, the 6.5x55 is my main go to caliber.

The difference in velocities is significant between the 338WM and the 340Wby, with the same bullets. At 300 yards, the performance of those bullets will not be noticed by any game animal in North America. At least as long as the shooter does his/her part and places it properly.

As for the 300WM or the 300Wby the same can be said.

All of the cartridges being discussed are so close performance wise when everything is equal, that we're discussing the difference between the split ends on the hairs of a gnat's butt.

 

[Suther]

True suther but i just feelthat 300 win mag is way too much powder for me, i sort of felt it with the 300 wsm, now i know the 338 isnt much less but it is a bit smaller powder pressure than the 300 wim, .....

i have that 30-06 i guess could get turned into a bit longer range option.... with some decent profile projectiles??? i dont think i can confidently shoot over a 30-06 in realistic accurate terms since developing the come an go flinch.

its the 7mm-08 i feel very comfortable with, but not evry day if ive been shootin the 06 , even in the field.

i am pretty recoil shy overall...

a 150gr 30-06 is nice. i could do that, if it is any advantage over the 7-08 140 woodleigh....

Slightly less powder/pressure maybe, but heavier bullets. You'll need a heavier bullet in a 338cal to match the ballistics of a 30cal, which usually means more recoil.

Of course recoil can always be decreased by increasing the rifle weight, if you're willing to make that compromise.

If recoil is a real concern and you still want to reach out to 400+ on sambar then maybe the previous suggestion of a 7mag is the best way to go. A 7WSM would be equally good, but I don't think having a long action vs a short action is a big deal personally.

Whelanlad/Suther, why compare apples to oranges????

I see it in articles all of the time. A writer compares a smaller diameter bullet of a specific weight with a larger diameter bullet of the same weight at different velocities and extols the merits of the smaller diameter bullet. When all things are equal, velocity and BC, etc, there is little if any difference in performance.

If I hadn't become so recoil shy, because of damaged shoulder joints, I would still be shooting my 338-06 for most of my hunting needs.

With 225 grain Hornady flat base spire point bullets, at 2600+fps, it will perform and expand reliably on large game animals such as moose/elk out to 500 yds. Maybe further but my longest shot on an Elk was 460 yards, according to my range finder. The bullet mushroomed perfectly and was caught up in the hide on the opposite side, after going through both lungs and breaking a rib on the far side. If it hadn't hit the rib, the bullet likely wouldn't have been recovered.

Now, I settle for my 338-08 at 2450 fps, because I can handle the recoil.

When all things are taken into account, the heavies don't get used nearly as much as they used to. With the advent of the great bullets we enjoy today, the 6.5x55 is my main go to caliber.

The difference in velocities is significant between the 338WM and the 340Wby, with the same bullets. At 300 yards, the performance of those bullets will not be noticed by any game animal in North America. At least as long as the shooter does his/her part and places it properly.

As for the 300WM or the 300Wby the same can be said.

All of the cartridges being discussed are so close performance wise when everything is equal, that we're discussing the difference between the split ends on the hairs of a gnat's butt.

I am comparing them because he mentioned a 338wm as a possible option. I was simply suggesting if long range is the goal than a 30cal might be a better option. However it sounds like both might be too high recoil wise.

 

[WhelanLad]

yeah interesting.

like i can shoot big guns, especially stalking, point and shoot, but when it comes to placing a shot and trying to watch through the scope, it seems my limit is around that 30-06 / 150g / with my Abolt...

recoil shy but not a pussy if we can understand that, shoulder injurys in soft tissue, a mongrel 300 wsm when i was 18 LOL , a couple of weatherby eyebrows..... you know

i have shot my 7-08 an 3006 side by side out to 300m recently.... fair difference at the moment but one is set up for bush stalking an one a all rounder..

hmmmmm.

if we could go Supressed.... i would be all over a Magnum 7 etc.

Muzzle breaks..... it could be an option to try tame one down enough, a 7rm with 140gr......... or the 7wsm thats for sale here, coupled with 140gr and recoil pad and potential muzzle break...

 

[Lead hammer]

7mm Rem mag with 160’s Accubonds and a brake. 200-400 is not that far. You could lighten up the bullet and shoot a Barnes.

 

[Eagleye]

If you want to reach out, a 180gr or 200gr accubond from a 30cal magnum sounds like a great option.

Eagleye what's your opinion of the 338wm at 300+? I've heard the bullets in that caliber are generally pretty stout and don't get good expansion at longer ranges when the velocity starts to drop, but I have no experience with the caliber personally. Douglas loves his 340 bee, but always said the 338wm is outdone by the 300wm in practically every important way. (eg a 200gr accubond in the 300wm will out perform the 225 in a 338wm, as it has a higher BC and SD)

Suther; Bearhunter summed it up quite well. I have never had expansion problems with the 338 Win Mag, but I used pretty well exclusively 210, 225 Partitions, which
are pretty reliable expanders, even when slowed down a bit. A friend had a problem with the 250 TTSX at 285 yards. It failed to expand and resulted in 3 shots required to anchor the animal. I have the recovered bullet in my possession. I do not believe the 338 will do anything that the 300 Win cannot do. [Ditto the 308 Norma Mag]

A 200 grain spitzer bullet at 3000 is pretty persuasive, and shoots quite a bit flatter than many think. I shot a Bull elk this year with my 8mm Rem Mag, using a 220 grain bullet at 3000, but I would not have had any different results had I used the 200 grain bullet at similar velocities in my 308 Norma Mag. Shot was 425 yards. Dave.

 

[dan belisle]

Used to load 210 gr partitions over RL19 in my 338 WM. 2900 fps and surprisingly flat. - dan

 

[Eagleye]

Used to load 210 gr partitions over RL19 in my 338 WM. 2900 fps and surprisingly flat. - dan

My pet pairing as well. 7x grains of RL 19 behind the 210 Partition. Shot a 2 point Bull moose at 440 yards with my 338. One shot,
lungs demolished, moose took 2 steps and pitched down on his nose, dead. Dave.

 

[Lead hammer]

Pretty sure he wanted something without heavy recoil.

 

[boxhitch]

...........
I am wanting to know for the more often 200-400m shots, Which kind of projectile is going to be better suited over a 140gr PPSN and for what reason? or may i just aswell stick with this combo??

...............i am getting very close to be confident in taking this to live animals-- i noticed the 7-08 takes a moment to get there and it seemed the 140gr had plenty of wallop once there,

For 7mm.284 the 140 is middle-of-road for the caliber, results can be expected as with maybe 165 .308, or 225 .338
It might be suitable for the task at 7-08 velocities, or a heavier for caliber like 165 may perform better on skin but not have the ballistics
generally I like to follow the heavy for caliber rule with conventional cupand core bullets, but throwing heavies at slower speeds has its issues too.
175s at 280 speeds often have an exit, nice for tracking

ymmv