7mm-08 okay for elk?

[crowinghen]

I just  bought a 7mm-08 and am having a little doubt that it's a good caliber for elk- what say you?
I shot a big bear  with my .243 with a Federal Fusion last year, was thinking of using the same brand bullet in my 08 ( we don't reload)
 thanks in advance!

[Woodchuck]

I am sure that the elk I killed with that caliber figured that it works just fine. 
I think so to.

[Bofire]

Yep!!

[crowinghen]

 

thanks! what bullet do you like in that?

[Woodchuck]

I shoot 139gr Federal Fusion.

[jay.sharkbait]

Only if shot from a bolt gun.

[sumpnz]

It's on the lighter side for my preference, but certainly with good marksmanship it'll do the job.  I killed my first elk with my 6.5x55mm rifle.  So 7-08 will certainly work.  It just doesn't have as much margin for error or the legs to go as long on range as other cartridges.  I would probably avoid quartering toward shots at anything over 100 yards and avoid any shot much over 300 yards.

[JimmyHoffa]

It is like using the 7 mm Mag after it already traveled 200 yds, and the 7 mm Mag has a large following for being an elk rifle (long range too).

[theleo]

Use a 140 grain bullet of whatever flavor you choose (try to avoid bullets like Ballistic Tips that come apart), shoot them in the lungs, and get to packing meet. Great cartridge to pair with light weight rifles as it won't beat you to death without a break, like many magnums will.

[redi]

I agree with Sumpnz. My kids have shot several bulls with a 7mm-08 using Remington 140 coreloks with great results

[Whitpirate]

My boy's bull didn't seem to notice it was a "light" round when he put him down with a single shot last year.  Hornady Interbonds worked well.

[C-Money]

140s are the way to go with the 7mm-08. My family shoots 140gr Nosler Partition bullets with a 7mm-08 load out of the Nosler manual.

[Jonathan_S]

Keep that Fusion bullet away from shoulders and leg bones. Solid caliber, kills a lot of animals.

[Woodchuck]

Keep that Fusion bullet away from shoulders and leg bones. Solid caliber, kills a lot of animals.

No kidding, it busts the snot out of em. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Keep that Fusion bullet away from shoulders and leg bones. Solid caliber, kills a lot of animals.

Only animal I ever saw shot with a fusion bullet was a mule deer buck, and the bullet literally exploded on a near side rib.  One lung looked like a shotgun pattern hit it, and the other lung was fine.  Buck was 80 yards broadside.  Maybe a fluke deal, but I sure won't ever shoot one again

[Bob33]

There are calibers with greater kinetic energy, and calibers with less. In the majority of cases a well placed shot taken with any legal big game caliber, at reasonable distances, will cleanly kill an elk. Larger bullets, and more energy can provide a greater margin of error if the shot placement is not ideal or distances are greater.

I would not hesitate to use a 7mm-08 on elk at reasonable distances.  My son has one and has cleanly killed numerous animals, some as large as elk.

[Jonathan_S]

Keep that Fusion bullet away from shoulders and leg bones. Solid caliber, kills a lot of animals.

No kidding, it busts the snot out of em. 

Not quite what I was getting to  however, they shoot pretty accurately for stock ammo.

[7mmfan]

Fusions did not shoot worth a darn out of my -08. I've had to work up my hand loads to get any kind of reasonable accuracy. Maybe its just my gun.

[huntnphool]

140s are the way to go with the 7mm-08. My family shoots 140gr Nosler Partition bullets with a 7mm-08 load out of the Nosler manual.

140gr Partitions

[splitshot]

  my great-granddaughter shot a spike with hers last year .  her first elk.  she loves to shoot the gun.  mike w

[h2ofowlr]

It will work great on elk!  A good shot will put them down quick.  Keep them under 300 yards and you will have no issues.  Some hunt units that require the elk dropping on the spot or it gets shot another dozen times, so the RUM's are the round of choice.

[jrebel]

If you don't reload, take a hard look at the Winchester Super X 140 grain box ammo.  It shoots really well, is cheap and flat puts game down.  My wife shoots a 7mm-08 and shot her first elk last year....one shot kill.   

[huntingaddiction]

I know somebody that shot a moose with one.

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[Wingin it]

Solid cartridge, as others have mentioned it will handle elk no problem.

[thinkingman]

Great cartridge.
I would look for Barnes 140gr TTSX.