I picked up a 7mm-08 in Rem model 7 a couple of years back for a lighter rifle for backpack whitetail hunts. Can't believe how light the recoil is for a sub 7lb rifle with scope. My 5' wife has no problem shooting it and if we can ever get pronghorn tags it is what she will use. So far the only load I've developed is with Varget and 120 gr Hammer Hunters. It worked nicely on a whitetail doe this past season. I'd have no hesitation to use it out to 300 yds.

Very nice firearm Mike. What make and model?

Chris

Usually Barnes X or a bonded a frame type bullet. 139 grains . Usually factory loads. Not 100% sure on bullet weight..

Have three of them in Remington 700 . Me and kids have shot Deer and Bear with them . Great caliber

Lung shots, always lung shots.

If you don't mind me asking what are your thoughts on those hammer bullets?

That's very interesting, thank you

Have Two. Remington Model Seven and Remington 700 Titanium. I have killed a pile of PA deer with them. All I really use anymore. Don’t reload. Shoot mostly 120 Grain Barnes Vor-Tx factory loads. I’ve recovered very few but the ones I found are perfect mushrooms.

I have "numerous" in 7-08 all Remington 700's or model 7's. Good ballistics and mild recoil. I stocked up (again) on ammo in January when Norma had a big sale and got it for just over $20 per box to my door. I should be good on ammo for a while.

I have been shooting the 7mm08 since 1984. I currently own 3.
Rem 788, 700, TIKKA T3.
I have harvested a pile of deer with them, mostly 150 yds or less.
I have NEVER, EVER FELT under gunned!
Varget and hornady 139 interlocks, will put the hurt on them.

I bought one for my daughter when she was 10, she will be 16 in September. With140 grain Accubond bullets she's taken 4 bucks and 2 bull elk. I can't recommend this set up enough for kids especially. We live out west and 300 yard shots are common this fits the bill for her.

I have found a 788 and I'm waiting on the owner to finally part with it. I can't wait to hunt with it.

788 is on my list of needs

Your first 788 huh?

Bought one for my oldest son a few years ago. He's doing shot three PA whitetail with it. Hardly moved after the shot. All three were heart shots. One at 285 while it was running. I'll be working up some loads this summer, as we've been shooting 140 grain factory loads and it'll cut holes with them. It's a Savage, can't remember what model.

My son has shot numerous deer in the 250-300yd range while on doe patrol. One spotter, one shooter. Bullets are key, SST’s shoot great in his gun and kill deer. But, you better be able to see it fall, that bullet doesn’t exit. He’s trying some Barnes and something else this coming year. He used the Barnes at the end of season and every deer seemed to drop and the couple that ran had a blood trail.

Have older Model 7, put a synthetic stock on it, 1 x 4 Leupold scope, pure poison on Pa whitetail. Loads, best I found is 40 grains of Varget n Hornady 139 spire points. Buy 1 you won’t be sorry.

Wife, grandson, nephew and his wife all shoot it, love it low recoil good nock down. Have shot, Elk and mule deer with it as well as whitetail. Great accuracy out at 400 yards.

I bought one for my daughter for her 9th birthday. She piled deer up with n it both myself and my boys have shot several with it. Out of all our deer guns it's my favorite. Deadly accurate and bang flop or a short stumble. Light recoil supresses well.

For comparison we also shoot deer with 243,260,357mag,300black out, 270,30/06, 50cal Muzzloader Xbox and bow.


But that 7mm08 is my favorite. A factory left hand rem 700 with SAS Arbiter .30cal suppressor it will hold 2.5" groups at 300 with Hornady American whitetail factory ammo so and I bought several hundred rounds of it for the kids to practice with so I could have the brass. Turnd out to be so accurate and effective I have not bothered to load any of that barns on the shelf yet. It can wait tell we run out of the factory ammo first.

Have a Rem 700 in 7-08. Stainless fluted. The caliber is deadly on whitetails and recoil is not bad. When I first got mine many years ago I loaded some Barnes copper bullets. Lined up two doe deer and made a double head shot. Never again, but it worked flawlessly. I prefer Remington CoreLokt for NC deer. Caliber is perfect for the East. Nicest whitetail I have ever taken was in the Idaho panhandle. A guided hunt. Everyone else had magnums or long action cartridges. I took the only deer. A 10 pt at 50 yds straight on. Others said they were holing out for something better. I killed mine on day #2, then slept in. Rained every day. Good ole little 7-08.