Effective hunting range of 7mm08

TrevorMack said:
So for those who have hunted with the 7mm 08, what is the effective hunting distance the calibre will take medium large game at. I've been doing searches some say keep it within 200 other people are saying good out to 500? That is just from a google search I'm looking for info from folks who have used them and taken animals. Thanks.
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How far do you want to shoot it at an animal?
 
TrevorMack said:
Depends on the effectiveness of the calibre. Iike to keep shots within 200 but where I hunt there is the possibility of longer shots.
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Then you have to work "backwards" - if you are talking a deer how far away, in all types of wind and weather conditions can you "always" hit an 8" pie plate?

IF that is 600 yards, then you check ballistics charts and see what bullet at what speed would still be packing 1000 foot pounds.

But if you can't hit that pie plate @ 400 yards it really doesn't matter if you are pulling the trigger on a 223 or a 375 H&H, because neither is lethal if you can't hit the target.

I would say over 90% of "hunters" (not precision shooter) have rifles that are far more capable than them at taking down the target. A factory loaded 165 grain, 30.06 Accubond from Nosler is still making a "bambi killing" 961 foot pounds @ 700 yards - how many "hunters" are capable of hitting an 8" pie plate in even a very calm 5 mph cross wind @ 700 yards?

So hunting with a "very common" 30.06 would give you about double the "effective kill range" that the "average hunter" would be comfortable shooting.

The 7.08 again with "off the shelf" 140 grain Accubond's (Nosler factory stuff) is making 1008 pounds @ 600 yards - so really, how far do you "realistically" want to shoot?

At 300 yards that same 7.08 would be making well over 1600 foot pounds, enough to take down a Yukon Bull Moose - and the 7.08 would be considered by "many" to be a "minimal moose caliber".

So if you wouldn't pull the trigger at more than 300 yards max, the 7.08 is "more than you need" for any North American Game Animal - it's all "perspective".
 
It's really simple to answer.
Just get some paper picnic dinner plates.Put one at 100 yrds,if you can put your bullets in it consistently you can shoot a deer at 100 yrds with that rifle.
Keep trying out farther and when you finally have trouble doing it ,that's your limit.
 
none said:
It's really simple to answer.
Just get some paper picnic dinner plates.Put one at 100 yrds,if you can put your bullets in it consistently you can shoot a deer at 100 yrds with that rifle.
Keep trying out farther and when you finally have trouble doing it ,that's your limit.
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I like your logic, pity more don't follow suit isn't it ?
 
conor_90 said:
We used to joke at the gun counter that the only thing wrong with most hunting calibers at 300 yards was the loose screw behind the trigger.
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As well as the "nut" that holds the gun and the "jerk" that pulls the trigger.

That aside, I use the Barnes TTSX in a 280 Remington. Keeping the velocity over 2000 fps puts my range at 450 yards.
The 7-08 should have sufficient accuracy, using the above criteria for me to suggest 400 yards.
 
Well I practice with mine to 1200yards. First round head shot a crow at 425 once. Coyotes out to 800 or so. Deer sized game gets a 600yard cap because of bullet performance.
 
cdn shooter said:
Well I practice with mine to 1200yards. First round head shot a crow at 425 once. Coyotes out to 800 or so. Deer sized game gets a 600yard cap because of bullet performance.
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So how many times have you completely missed a crow at 425 yards? A one-off luck shot, does not make shooting the heads of crows at 425 yards a realistic expectation.

For hunting big game, it is important to think of what you can do every time, on purpose, not just "once".
 
galamb said:
Then you have to work "backwards" - if you are talking a deer how far away, in all types of wind and weather conditions can you "always" hit an 8" pie plate?

IF that is 600 yards, then you check ballistics charts and see what bullet at what speed would still be packing 1000 foot pounds.

But if you can't hit that pie plate @ 400 yards it really doesn't matter if you are pulling the trigger on a 223 or a 375 H&H, because neither is lethal if you can't hit the target.

I would say over 90% of "hunters" (not precision shooter) have rifles that are far more capable than them at taking down the target. A factory loaded 165 grain, 30.06 Accubond from Nosler is still making a "bambi killing" 961 foot pounds @ 700 yards - how many "hunters" are capable of hitting an 8" pie plate in even a very calm 5 mph cross wind @ 700 yards?

So hunting with a "very common" 30.06 would give you about double the "effective kill range" that the "average hunter" would be comfortable shooting.

The 7.08 again with "off the shelf" 140 grain Accubond's (Nosler factory stuff) is making 1008 pounds @ 600 yards - so really, how far do you "realistically" want to shoot?

At 300 yards that same 7.08 would be making well over 1600 foot pounds, enough to take down a Yukon Bull Moose - and the 7.08 would be considered by "many" to be a "minimal moose caliber".

So if you wouldn't pull the trigger at more than 300 yards max, the 7.08 is "more than you need" for any North American Game Animal - it's all "perspective".
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An excellent, thorough and insightful answer. Thanks for taking the time to write this up.
 
The 7mm-08 is far more capable than the hunters out there using it, just like many other chamberings.

This comes down to 100% shooter competence and 100% bullet selection.

The 7mm-08 is 100% capable within average and normal hunting distances with normal hunting bullets.

What distance are you competent to?

NOW, when you get to the fringes of chambering and bullet performance is when you as an ethical hunter must make a judgement call.Are all environmental factors considered going to still allow you to make that shot? Wind drift, drop , etc..... when it is +5C and no wind, how about -25C with a gusting wind of 10-25 km/hr.Some chamberings and bullets will allow for smaller variables but they are still there.

Now . here IMO is what I feel would be maximums based on bullet hitting intended vital zone, this is in no way to be used as reference or a guide, merely what I feel would be the limit of the chambering, not the hunter/shooter , with the appropriate projectile.

Small varmint - gophers- Where ever your projectile become unstable.
Large varmint- coyote - 800ish yards
Deer size game - 600ish yards
Small bears - 450ish
Large game - 450ish

I have taken various game at various distances with the 7mm-08 and have tested loads for it for years and years, So I will tell you my longest kill shot at game...

I shot a *&^%$#@ at exactly ### yards, when the temperature was XX degrees C with a XX km/hr cross wind.
 
rral22 said:
So how many times have you completely missed a crow at 425 yards? A one-off luck shot, does not make shooting the heads of crows at 425 yards a realistic expectation.

For hunting big game, it is important to think of what you can do every time, on purpose, not just "once".
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So, you're telling me the time I skipped a 20 gauge slug about 50 meters into a welfare gong (old pot) at 200 meters was a one time thing?:p
 
rral22 said:
So how many times have you completely missed a crow at 425 yards? A one-off luck shot, does not make shooting the heads of crows at 425 yards a realistic expectation.

For hunting big game, it is important to think of what you can do every time, on purpose, not just "once".
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If I set up a crow head target at 425, I'd have about a 70% hit percentage. And shooting prone at 600, in calm winds, the "pie plate" dies every time.

Thanks for calling me out though.
 
galamb said:
I hunt with a 7.08 - use it for moose. Have never had to shoot "over 100 yards", so not sure how to answer you. I don't know many guys that even shoot out past 200.

I "consider" it a Moose rifle out to 350 yards using a stout bullet (Partition, A-Frame, Accubond etc) in the 140 grain weight.

With the same bullet I consider it "easily" a 500 yard deer rifle.

But none of that matters if you will never shoot that far - since I never shoot (never ever) past 200 yards, then what it will do at 300 or 500 means "nothing".

Perhaps you should ask the question you really want to ask, as in "I plan on shooting out to 650 yards, will this be lethal on a ....."

Or are you simply "wondering"?
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X2...moose and elk out to 350-400 yards, and deer, (medium game), as far as 500. It's a necked down .308, a pretty decent cartridge.
 
i am very impressed with all the honest opinions that you guys are giving.....i have been on another forum years ago and there was more of the cocky "i can shoot anything at 1000 yrds" talk versus actual experience and honest opinions.....im very new to this site but already feeling like i made the right choice joining, sorry for the side track, my gf also shoots a 7-08 and her comfort zone right now is 150-200 yrd. but i agree with everyone else it depends on the shooter as well as the bullet you are using the right bullet and skilled shooter can do amazing things.
 
I'm pretty sure that at least 90% of my rifles are better than me. And most of them can kill game cleanly far beyond the range I can put the bullet where it needs to go. Five hundred yards is a long ways off.
 
hunting_outlaw84 said:
i am very impressed with all the honest opinions that you guys are giving.....i have been on another forum years ago and there was more of the cocky "i can shoot anything at 1000 yrds" talk versus actual experience and honest opinions.....im very new to this site but already feeling like i made the right choice joining, sorry for the side track, my gf also shoots a 7-08 and her comfort zone right now is 150-200 yrd. but i agree with everyone else it depends on the shooter as well as the bullet you are using the right bullet and skilled shooter can do amazing things.
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What sort of scope is your GF using? If she were to get a 4-12X40 Bushnell Elite 4500, and mount a light but sturdy bipod on the fore-end, I'm very confident her confidence would increase. The scope I mentioned is reasonably priced, has Rainguard for seeing decently on showery days, and bright and sharp. She can bring the deer right in close with the 12 power, and the bipod would give her a quasi motionless stable view. Food for thought...we're all in this sport together! By the way, if she's a deer hunter, the Nosler Accubond 140 grain ammunition is tough enough to do the job if it hits a leg bone on the way in, is soft enough to expand well even at long range when the bullet slows down, and is excellent ballistically (aerodynamic bullet and a stout powder load). If her rifle likes them, they're almost perfect.
 
^IME a complaint of many female shooters/hunters is that guns are too heavy. A bipod and big scope will not help with this.
 
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