what bullet for 7mm/08?

**devildogandboy** · 08-15-2013, 11:12 AM

I just installed an 7mm/08 Savage barrel----11-11 1/2 twist----22" sporter contour and need some idea as to what bullet will work best in this caliber and TWIST. haven't found much info. I tried a few 139's just because that is what I had around but wasn't impressed, they were scattered all over the target.

appreciate any help I can get.

thanks in advance!

**stomp442** · 08-15-2013, 12:11 PM

My favorite bullet in 7mm is the berger 168.

Samson · 08-15-2013, 01:21 PM

I like the 140 gr Nosler Accubond!

**JWW123** · 08-15-2013, 02:39 PM

try 130g or less on bullet weight and a 11.5 twist i use a 120g works good good luck jw

**devildogandboy** · 08-15-2013, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by JWW123

try 130g or less on bullet weight and a 11.5 twist i use a 120g works good good luck jw

I think I might have some 120's, i'll try them. thanks for the input.

Bruce

jb6.5 · 08-15-2013, 04:58 PM

120 gr nbt works really good in a 7 08 shooting deer & hogs. I think the jacket is a little thicker on the 7mm 120 than some of the others Seems to shoot good most guns we've tried them in . Good luck.

stangfish · 08-15-2013, 06:03 PM

<121gr

**bootsmcguire** · 08-15-2013, 06:32 PM

Give the Sierra 120gr Spitzer's a try. I shoot them in a 7mm Mag and they are very accurate and tough with reliable expansion. 120's were about the heaviest thing I could get to work in 7-08 slow twist I had for a bit.

**fossil** · 08-15-2013, 07:05 PM

Speer T-N-T 110 gr. HPs is what my 11 and 1/2 twist Stevens sporter barrel LOVES!

**scope eye** · 08-15-2013, 07:08 PM

Sierra's 100gr hollow points, they work great in my 7 Rem Mag and 7 WSM anyways.

Dean

emtrescue6 · 12-24-2013, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by devildogandboy

I just installed an 7mm/08 Savage barrel----11-11 1/2 twist----22" sporter contour and need some idea as to what bullet will work best in this caliber and TWIST. haven't found much info. I tried a few 139's just because that is what I had around but wasn't impressed, they were scattered all over the target.

appreciate any help I can get.

thanks in advance!

For a twist that slow I would guess 130g is probably the higher end for weight.

Here's a good basic chart on the Shillen website that is useful...

http://www.shilen.com/calibersAndTwists.html

That being said, there is no one size fits all chart for every rifle...I had a custom built recently based on a 257 Roberts Ackley Improved...I used a 1:10 twist 24" long Lilja barrel which shoots 110g Nosler Accubonds into 1 hole ragged groups @100....according to the chart a 1:10 in .25 cal tops out at 100g lead...bullet design has just as much impact as weight in my opinion.

**LHitchcox** · 12-24-2013, 11:04 AM

My slow twist Savage 7-08 barrel shoots Nosler 120 BTs really well, much better than the 130 Speers. They are tough bullets and do a job on deer.

**Smokey262** · 12-24-2013, 11:09 AM

+1 on the Nosler 120 BT

**jonbearman** · 12-24-2013, 04:28 PM

The 11 twist and above will not properly stabilize much above 123 grains.I tried everything and the 120 sierra matchkings or any bullet of that weight works fine.Nobody will ever know why savage chose the 11 1/4 twist for a short time,just plain stupid.

**Smokey262** · 12-24-2013, 04:30 PM

Curious, are they still doing that or did they change?

n4ue · 12-24-2013, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by fossil

Speer T-N-T 110 gr. HPs is what my 11 and 1/2 twist Stevens sporter barrel LOVES!

+1 My Axis shoots these like a target gun!

ron

emtrescue6 · 12-24-2013, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Smokey262

Curious, are they still doing that or did they change?

The Savage website shows the current 7-08's having 1:9.5 twist barrels...not sure when they changed but the 11THXP in 7-08 I have has the 1:11.25 and is only a couple years old.

**LHitchcox** · 12-25-2013, 11:11 AM

Savage used the slow twist because most 7-08 shooters were using 140 or lighter. My slow twist Savage shoots 120 and 140 Noslers well as well as 139 Horndays. They have recently gone back to a fast twist barrel because of the complaints.

**gunrack** · 12-25-2013, 09:34 PM

So is it safe to say that a heavier bullet is supposed to shoot better out of a faster twist rate? I can't find any factory ammo other than 140 grain bullets around here and my gun does not seem to like them. My twist rate is 9.5" at least that's what the book says. According to the link someone posted up for a reference it suggested that theoretically that twist rate should shoot 140 grain and heavier.

**Jetpig** · 12-26-2013, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by jb6.5

120 gr nbt works really good in a 7 08 shooting deer & hogs. I think the jacket is a little thicker on the 7mm 120 than some of the others Seems to shoot good most guns we've tried them in . Good luck.

These and the Sierra game king 120's coupled with IMR 4064 have been CRAZY accurate in my -08.