Bullet weights and distances 7-08

[Szumi]

I have a Savage 11 in 7-08 coming my way and I plan to try my hand at shooting high power once the snow is gone. I had a blast shooting small bore last year. This year I'll try both.

I'm thinking heavier bullets are shot at rams but I wonder what is considered proper for the other critters that are closer in. Any idea of what weights/velocities that are typically used for each range of targets?

I'm trying to determine what weights of bullets to buy and how hot to load them. I have a lot to learn about this game. I'll have more questions.

At the moment I have 100 154g Hndy SST's, and 250 168g Noslers HPBTs on hand. I'm going to have to start with Privi Partizan brass since that is what I could find.


Thanks,

[malinois]

I shoot a 7mm br...not quite in the same class but, I shoot sierra 130 mk or hornady 120 hp for c,p,t and hornady 162 a-max, sierra 168 and 175 for the rams all have worked for me. enjoy the 7mm but the guru will have other selections for you to try he shoots the 708 extensivly.

[yankee]

Greetings it sounds like you are about to be bitten by the high power silhouette bug. You are correct that most people shoot a lighter bullet at the shorter distances. Usually somewhere around a 130mk or 150mk for the first three animals and the 168mk or 175mk for the last. The 175mk may not stabilize with your twist so I suggest only getting one box to try. Some people shoot the 168 all the way to keep things simple. Velocity for the 130 150 and 168 should work best in the 2400 to 2500 range. To get the best from your rifle you will have to try different loads to determine what gives you the better accuracy. So for varget or Imr 4064 you can start at 35 or 36.0 grains and go from there. You can take any 308 brass and neck it down to the 708 with your existing 708 full length die just lube it up and run it thru. Have fun Yankee

[boats]

When I used 7mm08 in a 700 SS Hunter rifle my bullet for Rams was the 168 gr Match King. Chicken Pigs Turkeys used 140 gr Game King. Hunted with the CPT loads, Game King was just as good as the match bullets on Silhouettes. Both Varget, from memory backed off about 2 grs when loading the 168's Also used Nickel cases for 168 loads Brass for the rest. To avoid mistakes on the line.

Boats

[edgehit]

120gr HP for C-T. I use Varget. But it's hard to find right now. IMR 4320 may work just as well. H4895 will work too.

162gr A-max for rams pushed by H4350. I haven't lost a ram with this bullet - yet.

[kevinbear]

120's on the closer targets with 335, 168's for rams with either Varget or whatever you can find these days in the medium burn range. The days of being picky about what components you use are gone for most people, buy what you can find and share with fellow silhouette shooters when you can.