7mm-08 Load, heavier bullets

[7mmfan]

I've been shooting hand loads with pretty dang good accuracy out of my 7mm-08 the last couple years with 139 gr Hornaday SST's. I have been playing with the idea of switching up to this gun for elk in WA as well due to doing more back country hike in hunting. I want to try some 154 interbonds or SST's out of it, and was curious if anyone has any experience with these heavier bullets and has some load info to start with?

Rifle is a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle, 9 1/4 twist.

[jrebel]

I wouldn't change a thing...other than maybe change the bullet.  I don't have a ton of experience with the SST but know the Nosler partition or Nosler E-tip in 140 grains would flatten an elk of your 7mm-08.  My wife smacked her elk with the 140 grain partition and it dropped in it's tracks. 

[theleo]

If you're worried about the SST because of how they come apart switch it for an Interlock or a bonded bullet of some sort. My dad uses 140 grain Interlocks in the exact rifle as yours as a loaner for guys in Idaho that have magnums they can't take the abuse of. It's killed multiple bulls out to 300 yards or so and the same load did just fine for me through a model 7 for my first elk when I was a kid. Going heavy with the 7mm-08 is a venture in diminishing returns

[headshot5]

I've killed a few elk with the regular hornady interlocks 139gr.   If I was you, I'd get some 140gr partitions or 140 gr Nosler accubonds.   I run 139's/140's in both my .260 REM and my 7mm-08 and they do the trick on elk with no problems.  That said the SST's would not be my first choice, but moving up to heavier bullets shouldn't be necessary. 

[huntnphool]

140 Partitions in my kids guns work well too.

[7mmfan]

The SST is not my favorite bullet, that's why I want to get away from it. I used interlocks for a long time with decent results. I switched to Interbonds in my 7 Mag a couple years back and have been very happy with them. You guys are giving me some confidence in the smaller bullet again though, I may get a box of the 139 Interbonds and give them a go.

What kind of loads are you guys running through them? I was using 44.5 gr I believe of H380 (going off of memory here, so bear with me), does anyone have a pet load they'd share?

[bobcat]

Go lighter- 120 grain Barnes TTSX. 

[huntnphool]

I switched to Interbonds in my 7 Mag a couple years back and have been very happy with them. You guys are giving me some confidence in the smaller bullet again though,

 I've used the 140 Partition for years in my 7mag as well, never a issue.

[headshot5]

With 140's I use 40-42.0 ish of IMR 4064.   42.5 is max in my rifle so be careful find the best load in that range.   It will give you upper 2700's to lower 2800's.  Other powders that work good are 4350's (IMR and H) and IMR 4320.  Don't have a specific load range on the top of my head for those two powders.  Varget is also supposed to be pretty good, might be a touch slower, but with great accuracy.   

[7mmfan]

This is what I love and hate about reloading     Powder is to expensive to by a whole jar of it to test it out. I need to find someone with some of this that I can steal 10 loads worth from.

[huntnphool]

 I'll check my data when I get home and let you know too.

[Bob33]

My son has used 140 grain TSX bullets with excellent success on animals as large as kudu. With the right choice I don't believe it's necessary to use a bullet heavier than 140 grains for elk.

[7mmfan]

I suppose that's probably why virtually every factory load is 139 or 140 gr.

[carpsniperg2]

I would stick with the 140's. I have put thousands of rounds through many 7mm-08 and always had the best luck with 140g bullets.

[huntnphool]

PM sent 7mm