Who hunts with 120 grain 7mm-08?

T

tinbird

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Just wondering if anyone here hunts with the 120 grain load and what they hunt?
Also, if you use reloads in this weight what powder and charge weight?
Was thinking it would be good for deer out to 200.

Tb
 
I did a bunch of research on the Nosler 120gr Ballistic Tip because I wanted to use it for light loads in my 7mm RM. There are lots of folks who have used this bullet - including in the 7mm-08 - on 24hr Campfire. The pretty much unanimous feeling from those who have used it is that it is an excellent and under-rated hunting bullet. It uses the same jacket as the 150gr Ballistic Tip, which means the jacket is quite heavy in the 120gr version.

I have only done a little bit of load development and have not shot any game with it, but that will change soon.
 
1899 said:
I did a bunch of research on the Nosler 120gr Ballistic Tip because I wanted to use it for light loads in my 7mm RM. There are lots of folks who have used this bullet - including in the 7mm-08 - on 24hr Campfire. The pretty much unanimous feeling from those who have used it is that it is an excellent and under-rated hunting bullet. It uses the same jacket as the 150gr Ballistic Tip, which means the jacket is quite heavy in the 120gr version.

I have only done a little bit of load development and have not shot any game with it, but that will change soon.
Click to expand...

I concur with the above. I did quite a bit of reading on the 120gr BT when I had a 7-30 Waters. I recall seeing a cutaway comparing the jacket thickness of the 120gr to the 140gr BT and the 120gr was clearly thicker (and therefore tougher). I found the picture:

120grBT.jpg
 
I had used the 120 grain BT in a 7-08 almost exclusively for a number of years. Mine shot extremely well with the max listed load of H414. I have taken countless deer, as well as antelope (at a measured 485 meters) and a cougar. It would not be my first choice for elk or moose, but it certainly flattens deer with very little recoil. The only bullets I recall recovering were from a WT buck which I shot 2x at 50 yards or so. Iirc, the recovered weight was 65-70%. The jacket and core were still together, although the core had loosened. The one had gone through the offside shoulder and lodged under the skin. I do not recall the location of where the second bullet was found.
I think I still have them someplace - I will try and find them this weekend.
 
Not 7-08, but I have a friend that uses 120 grain TSX in. A 7mm wby and he flattened a 5x5 bull elk at 927 yards. Only to find out later the bullet did not expand at all, bent slightly from tumbling through the chest cavity and the leg.
 
I use 120gr nbt in my 7mm08. 2830 fps average out of my short 18.5" barrel. I have killed three whitetails and two bears. All single shot to the boiler room. All game were taken between 100 & 150 yrds. All were pass throughs with extensive damage. The exit holes were all large chicken egg size.
 
I've only used Barnes 120 gr TTSX's. I used to use 45 grains of RL15 for a hair under 3000 fps, but have switched to 50.0 gr of Ramshot Big Game which averages out at 3166 fps with excellent accuracy in the 22" barrel of "my wife's" stainless/synthetic Tikka M595.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, seems that 'real world' experiences are very positive. I believe I'll try some Barnes factory loads and go from there, likely ending up at my bench working up some loads, it's all good times regardless.
Have a great weekend, and calm winds, no bugs, cool temps and good opportunities to those who get out hunting!!!

Tb
 
I was shooting the 120 GMX for awhile, but switched over to the 139 SST on paper and 139 IB for hunting... I got much better accuracy and consistency from the 139 loads...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom