7mm Do all pill in 7mm-08 and 280 rem?? whats your pick

A

ackertjosh

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hello all. So im trying to come up with a do all pill in both the 7mm-08 and 280 rem. From what I have been reading and watching on countless you tube videos I have settled on 2 for now, but feel there are ones just as good out there that may be easier to obtain and less pricy.

To put into perspective dad and I will be mostly using these pills on white tail deer mostly but every year go to northern Ontario for a moose hunt. Im trying to find a pill that will work good on our bigger bodied bucks and Does but as well on Moose (if the shot opportunity arrives).

Here are pills I have tried I the 7mm-08 in the past 5 years.(custom rem 700 stainless with a 9 twist barrel)

160gr Sierra HPBT Gameking( worked well on the doe I shot at 215 yards and grouped very well but maybe to fragile for moose)
150gr Swift Sirocco 2( never shot any game with this bullet but proved to be very accurate)
165gr Sierra Game Changer( worked well on the 150class buck I got but very very big exit wound and thought again to fragile for moose)
139gr Hornady GMX( shot very well and worked well on deer so possibly a good contender)
150gr Hornady GMX( only tried on paper and a good grouping bullet so far and my current top choice/Load)

Now for my 280 rem(newer to loading this chambering) and newer rifle on route...(Current rifle is a 97 Rem 700 classic 9.25 twist) new gun Sako AV

160gr Federal Trophy Bonded tip( accurate on paper but no game to date)
165gr Sierra Gamechanger( accurate but no game but expecting the same performance as the 7mm-08)
150gr Hornady GMX( still working on load development- will continue when the Sako arrives)

Im kinda leaning towards a 150gr offering as it give a good middle road of velocity and BC and like the 150GMX but I know there are a lot of pills out there and really like the 140 and 160gr Federal Trophy Bonded tip and been looking at them. so pretty much on everyones experience on game and paper im looking for a good all round bullet for deer and the odd moose hunt that I can hopefully load in both cals and not have to re zero based on my quarry.
So throw in your 2 cents and thoughts. im all ears and open to most anything. I also hear a lot of good things about the 130 speer as well.

Thanks all for time and input.
Josh
 
Never tried "pills" in my rifles, but I have been using 150 grain Nosler Partition bullets at around 2,800 fps (at least that what my Chrony says) from my 7x57, for 20 years or so. I had worked up to the max load listed in Nosler manual for RL-19 powder. I use the same powder in my 338 Win Mag with 225 grain Nosler bullets - Partitions and Accubond. I have taken many good sized whitetail and mule deer with the 7x57. Took my first elk with 165 grain HotCor in a 308 Win; my son used same rifle and load to get his first elk; my next two elk were taken with the 338 Win Mag. Have never taken a moose.
 
I've been using 175gr hornady interlocks in my 7x57 and 7x64 (ballistic twin of the 280 rem) former at 2600fps and latter at 2720fps. Ive had great results on deer, bear,and moose. Im about to load for my 280 REM and im thinking ill be going light and fast with this one. 145 hotcors and 150gr ballistic tips. I wouldn't hesitate shooting a moose with those bullets. Place one in the lungs and your good to go.

Mule buck taken with 175gr Interlocks w/ 7x64.
TokmzbD.jpg
 
I usually choose a 140 gr bullet for my 7-08's seems to be a good compromise between velocity and energy :)
 
I've had really good luck with the federal 140 tbt. Killed a large moose with them last year. Hit it twice, recovered both bullets and they both held up really well. Even after going through very heavy bone. They also shoot great. 2.5" on the 500y gong. They're moving along at 2825fps out of my 7-08
 
I went with 139gr Hornady BTSP as my initial 7mm-08 bullet.

Worked up a good load for it, IMR 4350, get good groups on paper but I've yet to take any game with that rifle.

I actually went through that first 100ct box of BTSP and so then I decided to change it up ever so slightly.

I chose 139gr Hornady SST , and it too shoots well.

I hunt predominantly for white tail right now and like the idea of a smaller bullet which won't tear up the animal so bad (I currently hunt with my 30-06)
 
I own a 7x57 and .280 Rem.

My choices for what you describe would be 150gr Scirocco, 150gr Accubond, 150gr Nosler Partition, 139gr GMX or 140gr TTSX.

Any of these will do the job from deer to moose.
 
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My hands down favourite projectile (from all cartridges and bullet selections I have played with) to date has been the Barnes 145LRX. I have had it between 7 and 400 yard on game ranging from gopher to elk/moose and the bullet has never failed to work exactly as it should. It punches through coyote with relatively little damage for a big game bullet, it has a pretty high BC, was easy to make accurate in three different twist rates and had very reliable expansion in all recovered bullets. If I could only choose one to shoot from now on, it may be that one.
 
I have both a 280 ai and a 7mm-08.

One bullet for both is a 150 gn Accubond, deer, bear, and moose.

I would still use the 150 NAB in the 7mm-08 as velocities are near what a 140 does.

With out compromise, the 280 ai gets a 175gn ELD-X as the velocity is within the recommending window of performance for that bullet.
 
good deer bullet that is moose capable, 7mm-08 & 280 - the first one that comes to mind is the Nosler 140gr Accubond. Plan B would be either 150gr Accubond or 140gr Partition
 
This is a firearms forum. Most people reading it are familiar with the technical terms for ammunition components. The little pointy things that shoot out of your rifle are called "bullets".

I have 3 7mm hunting rifles. A 7-08 (Remington), a 280 (Winchester M70) and a 7mm Rem Mag (Savage).

All are much more than is required for deer and all are plenty of gun for moose. To ease logistics I load all with the same bullet, a heavier one to minimize the lost meet on deer.

The 150 gr Accubond.
 
my choice for both would be 150 scirroco. works well in every calibre i have use it in. second 139 gmx i have found them to be deadly in faster rounds.
 
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