Many people use the sweet shooting 7mm-08 Remington for hunting deer, elk, and many other species of game with great results. Here are a few outstanding 7mm-08 ammo options that will serve you very well on your next hunt.
The now-famous 7mm-08 cartridge first appeared as a wildcat variant of the.308 Winchester cartridge. The 7mm-08 Remington cartridge has long been a favorite of hunters who seek a short action cartridge that gives a nice blend of tolerable recoil, a somewhat flat trajectory, and plenty of killing power on medium sized game. It uses a.308 case necked down to shoot 7mm/.284′′ bullets.
As expected, the 7mm-08 cartridge immediately became popular among North American hunters after Remington fully standardized it in 1980. It is still a favorite today.
Because of this, nearly all major ammunition producers, including Barnes, Browning, Federal Premium, Hornady, HSM, Norma, Nosler, Prvi Partizan (PPU), Remington, Swift, and Winchester, make a variety of 7mm-08 bullets for hunting deer, bear, elk, and other large game animals.
While the 7mm-08 Remington is excellent for deer-sized game, it can also be fairly effective against larger species, such as elk and even moose, when fired with premium ammunition and bullets. The cartridge is also popular among smaller-framed and/or recoil-averse hunters since it has very moderate recoil.
It’s crucial to understand that different hunting scenarios call for the use of various types of 7mm-08 ammunition for maximum performance, and that utilizing the incorrect ammunition can have disastrous consequences.
For instance, a light recoiling load that works well at close ranges on whitetail deer would be a bad choice for use on extremely large game like elk.Elk and even moose can be easily dispatched with the 7mm-08 Remington. Since the cartridge is on the light side for game that large, however, careful consideration must be given to the choice of bullets if you intend to use the 7mm-08 for elk.
Fortunately, there is now a wide variety of controlled expansion 7mm rounds available for hunters, and these bullets work fantastically on extremely large game like elk and moose.
The 120 grain and 125 grain bullets are excellent for deer hunting, but hunters who employ those lighter bullets on larger game will almost certainly encounter problems with inadequate penetration, especially on sharply quartering shots. For this reason, if you intend to use the 7mm-08 Remington for extremely big game hunting, like moose, I strongly advise choosing top quality controlled expansion bullets that are 140 grains or heavier.
Consider all of these before choosing 7mm-08 ammunition for an upcoming hunt.
Furthermore, although bullets made for target shooting, such as the Sierra MatchKing or Hornady ELD Match, are extremely precise and may kill large game animals, I don’t advise using them for hunting.
This is due to the fact that target or match bullets frequently aren’t made for the best terminal performance on large game animals, and you might experience problems with low penetration.
It is preferable to stay with hunting-specific 7mm-08 Remington ammunition that uses soft point, jacketed hollow point, or comparable hunting bullets.
Fortunately, there are numerous 7mm-08 factory loads available that are made expressly for practically any big game hunting scenario. Consequently, whether you’re
On the list of the top 7mm-08 hunting ammo below, whether you’re using a bolt action Remington Model 700, Ruger Hawkeye, Savage 110, Tikka T3, Weatherby Vanguard, or another hunting rifle, there’s pretty much something for everyone.
The best 7mm-08 ammo for hunting deer, pronghorn, black bear, feral pigs, elk, moose, and other large game will be demonstrated in this article. I’ll also go through each load’s advantages and disadvantages to help you choose the best ammo for your particular need.
The links below may contain affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a tiny commission (at no additional cost to you).
purchase of shotgun, rimfire, rifle, or pistol ammo via those connections. By doing so, I can continue to produce free content that is helpful to hunters like you and support the blog. I appreciate your help.
Updated in August 2021: Ammunition supplies finally seem to be on the mend. Things are far better than they were even six months ago, but we still have a long way to go and selection is still far from where it was in 2019.
If you simply want to quickly check what 7mm-08 ammo is available and prepared to be shipped so you can hit the range and get ready for hunting season, click the link below.
IN-STOCK 7mm-08 AMMO
Hornady Precision Hunter
Not many people consider the 7mm-08 Remington to be a long-range cartridge. But contrary to popular belief, it really performs better over a wider spectrum (better than the 6.5 Creedmoor in many respects).
The 7mm-08 is a part of Hornady’s Precision Hunter range. For hunters trying to get the most out of the 7mm-08 cartridge’s long range capabilities, that load is a great alternative. This ammo is ideal for western hunters who are pursuing animals like mule deer or pronghorn and need the best 7mm-08 ammo for a long range hunting situation because it is loaded with the incredibly aerodynamic Extremely Low Drag eXpanding (ELD-X) bullet.
The ELD-X bullet, according to advertising from Hornady, has the best ballistic coefficients in its class over its entire trajectory.
Additionally, ammo gives match-grade accuracy (usually sub-MOA).
Although the ELD-X lacks a bonded core like the Hornady InterBond, it does include a thicker jacket and an InterLock ring that work to reduce the likelihood of core-jacket separation and control expansion. This makes the ELD-X a much better option than their SST bullet for usage on larger wildlife while still being destructive on deer and pronghorn sized species.
Even though bigger bullets can be used in handloads, most factory ammunition for the 7mm-08 caliber has a maximum bullet weight of 140 grains. But one of the heaviest bullets available for the cartridge—150 grains—is used in this load.
You have some 7mm-08 ammunition when you add it all up.
It can give excellent terminal performance on a variety of big game for shots at 400 yards or more.
Bullet Type: 150 grain Hornady Extremely Low Drag Expanding Bullet
.574 Muzzle Ballistic Coefficient (G1) 2,770 feet per second is the speed.
Barnes VOR-TX
Barnes produces 7mm-08 ammo as part of their VOR-TX line, which is good news for anybody who truly appreciate Barnes bullets. This ammo, which uses their renowned copper-tipped Triple Shock X (TTSX) bullets, is engineered for quick expansion, excellent weight retention, and deep penetration. In particular, Barnes produces a single 7mm-08 load with 120 grain bullets.
This 120 grain high velocity load makes for excellent 7mm-08 ammunition for pronghorn and deer hunting. However, I believe there are many better ammunition options if you want to use your 7mm-08 for elk hunting. Some hunters use this ammunition on larger animals, such as elk. I believe that Federal’s loadings for the 7mm-08 with the 140 grain Trophy Copper and 140 grain AccuBond are both preferable choices for elk hunting.
- Bullet Type: TTSX Boat Tail
- Bullet Weight: 120 grains
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .373
- Muzzle Velocity: 3,005
Winchester Deer Season XP
One of the most common calibers used by American deer hunters is the 7mm-08. Unsurprisingly, the Deer Season XP range of ammunition from Winchester includes a 7mm-08 load. This rifle ammunition uses an Extreme Point bullet, which is similar to Winchester’s Power Point bullet but has a huge diameter polymer tip that is specifically engineered to produce a massive wound channel in addition to tremendous impact trauma.
As a result, the tracking process is typically fairly quick and the blood trail is very simple to follow. Additionally, Deer Season XP ammo is specifically made to compete with other well-liked options for whitetail deer hunting ammo in terms of accuracy, such as Federal Fusion, Federal Power-Shok, Hornady American Whitetail, Winchester Super-X, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip.
performance at the terminal, and dependability.
Out of all the 7mm-08 Remington ammunition options on this list, the Winchester Deer Season XP line boasts one of the most affordable pricing per round.
Therefore, this ammunition not only has a reputation for creating a wide wound channel and reducing the distance deer travel after being wounded, but it is also very inexpensive 7mm-08 ammunition. All things considered, this Winchester ammunition is among my top picks for 7mm-08 ammo for hunting whitetail deer.
For larger species like elk or moose, I DO NOT suggest utilizing Deer Season XP ammo. Choose the 140 grain Remington Core Lokt that I previously advised if you need a low-cost ammo choice for larger game hunting.
- Bullet Type: Extreme Point
- Bullet Weight: 140 grains
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .484
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,800 feet per second
Federal Premium Nosler AccuBond
For those in need of some high-quality 7mm-08 ammo for deer, elk, or bear hunting, Federal Premium provides a loading that uses a 140 grain Nosler AccuBond bullet.
You don’t have to be concerned about the bullet “grenading” or expanding excessively upon impact with the AccuBond because it is a bonded bullet, as its name implies, with a lead core that is chemically linked to the jacket. These characteristics make the AccuBond a considerably better option for an elk hunt than normal cup and core bullets from Nosler, like the Nosler Ballistic Tip, while it isn’t nearly as durable as the Nosler Partition.
AccuBond bullets, on the other hand, are remarkably aerodynamic and will consistently expand at lower impact velocities. thus, this weaponry
provides good performance at a distance without being overly delicate for close-range shots on large game.
All things considered, this 140 AccuBond load works well on larger, more difficult species like black bear and elk as well as wildlife like deer and pronghorn.
- Bullet Type: Nosler AccuBond
- Bullet Weight: 140 grains
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .485
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,850 feet per second
Federal Premium Trophy Copper
Hunters in search of a high quality alternative to Barnes bullets should definitely check out Federal Premium’s new Trophy Copper line of ammunition, which has been endorsed by the MeatEater crew. Like the Barnes TTSX, the Trophy Copper provides a devastating mix of high weight retention, rapid, yet controlled controlled expansion (to approximately twice the original diameter), and deep straight-line penetration.
This ammunition is available using a 140 grain bullet, which is a much better option for hunting bigger game like elk than the 120 grain bullet used in the Barnes VOR-TX line for the cartridge. With those things in mind, this 140 grain Trophy Copper load is an outstanding choice of 7mm-08 ammo for elk, moose, or bear hunting where it’s really important to use a heavy, well constructed bullet.
This is also perfect 7mm-08 ammunition for an African safari where really large or tough game like blue wildebeest, kudu, or eland are on the menu. This ammunition is not just limited to really big, tough game either. Indeed, it’s also great for game like whitetail and mule deer.
In fact, this is my #1 recommendation for the best all-around 7mm-08 ammo for hunting most species of North American big game like deer, elk, black bear, pronghorn, and feral hogs.
With proper shot placement, this ammunition will deliver excellent performance if it hits bone or soft tissue at short range as well as at several hundred yards. Just aim for the vitals, do your part as a shooter, and the bullet will do the rest.
Federal Premium Trophy Copper ammunition is another choice of lead free 7mm-08 hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.
Use a bullet that is well-made and hefty.
Additionally, this 7mm-08 ammo is ideal for an African safari that includes exceptionally huge or challenging wildlife, such as blue wildebeest, kudu, or eland. This ammo is not only effective against very large, difficult game. It is, in fact, excellent for game species like whitetail and mule deer.
This 7mm-08 ammo is actually my top pick for hunting the majority of North American large game species, including deer, elk, black bear, pronghorn, and feral pigs.
If the shot is placed correctly, this ammunition will perform well whether it strikes bone or soft tissue up close or hundreds of yards out. Simply aim for the vitals, participate in shooting, and
The rest is up to the bullet.
Another option for lead-free 7mm-08 hunting ammunition for use in jurisdictions like California that forbid the use of lead bullets is Federal Premium Trophy Copper ammo.
- Bullet Type: Federal Trophy Copper
- Bullet Weight: 140 grains
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .489
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,800 feet per second
Remington Core Lokt
Are you a “meat and potatoes” hunter that only needs some dependable and fairly priced 7mm-08 ammo for taking down deer, feral hogs, and black bears? The 140 grain Core Lokt soft point from Remington will probably serve you well.
By no means is this ammunition the newest and best. However, this 7mm-08 Remington ammo has been around for a while, and countless hunters have utilized Core Lokt ammo to successfully take nearly all of North America’s large game species.
These are good bullets and a hit with one through the vitals of a deer, hog, or even a black bear will make for a very short tracking job. After all, the Core-Lokt exists for a reason.
The “deadliest mushroom in the woods” is referred to as a bullet.
Remington Core-Lokt ammunition would not be my first choice for use on larger animals like elk or moose in light of the foregoing. Although many elk and moose hunters use this ammo effectively each year, particularly on cow elk or juvenile males, it will unquestionably function in that capacity.
Out of all the 7mm-08 ammunition on our list, this ammunition is among the least expensive and has one of the lowest costs per round. The 140 grain Remington Core Lokt load is recommended over all other “budget” 7mm-08 bullet options if you’re on a tight budget and can’t buy premium ammunition, especially if you want to use it on larger game.
- Bullet Type: Core-Lokt Pointed Soft Point (PSP)
- Bullet Weight: 140 grains
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .390
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,860 feet per second
