My experience as well with whitetails.
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Beyond Excited
- Thread starter muddyboots
- Start date
You could put sorry bullets in the 7-08 and leave disappointed as well. Like you I would probably move on, but it would be in my bullet choice.
Either way, congrats on your new rifle. Regardless of the reason, new rifles are always fun to tinker with. Post some pictures when you get it.
Hard bullets and whitetail aren't a good combo. I think most people buy monos because they think they cost more so they kill better, and they don't unless you're after big stuff or you're breaking bones. One thing I've found is a lot of hunters don't know deer anatomy and are terrified of a deers shoulder blade so they shoot them mid ribs rear lung and liver, the deer runs, and the cartridge used is junk. You may have center punched both shoulders, but I doubt it.
The 2 you found, rib shots?
I used a 140 Accubond left over from my elk hunt in my 708 last year on a huge old doe. Put it right where I wanted it and she ran quite a ways with zero blood, not a drop.
Know what that tells me? Use a softer bullet.
139 BTSP is up to bat year.
The 708 is never a bad choice. You will certainly enjoy it
The 2 you found, rib shots?
I used a 140 Accubond left over from my elk hunt in my 708 last year on a huge old doe. Put it right where I wanted it and she ran quite a ways with zero blood, not a drop.
Know what that tells me? Use a softer bullet.
139 BTSP is up to bat year.
The 708 is never a bad choice. You will certainly enjoy it
I guess I don't understand the science. Those same bullets are awesome in the 7/08.
Congratulations on the new rifle! Always a ton of fun and exciting
Hey regardless of caliber you choose, having the caliber you want and a gun you love…. simply hard to beat!
DA shared a load on here many times for the 7-08 Since using that load my daughter has hammered them all dead in their tracks. We have not tracked a one. Even a perfect double lung shot on a doe, sent her straight down. Like they deer swallowed a grenade lol
Hey regardless of caliber you choose, having the caliber you want and a gun you love…. simply hard to beat!
DA shared a load on here many times for the 7-08 Since using that load my daughter has hammered them all dead in their tracks. We have not tracked a one. Even a perfect double lung shot on a doe, sent her straight down. Like they deer swallowed a grenade lol
The accubond is my choice of bullet out of any caliber
They're great bullets, just not one I'll probably use again on whitetails.
Top to bottom my favorite whitetail bullet is the Nosler ballistic tip. They have done more damage, left better blood trails if needed and I've never had one not exit. They're typically my first choice for the rifles I hunt with.
With NABs I have almost always gotten an exit wound, thus great bloodtrail, but also devastating expansion. Most often I get a bang-flop. Seems to be the perfect balance to me.
In full disclosure I had some bad experiences with some of the earlier NBTs which soured me on them for decades but I'm now warming back up to them for cartridges with velocities under 2800 fps like a 308
Nothing I hunt with breaks 2800fps at the muzzle except my 243 and my 708 with 120's.
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/deer/articlegad.html
Some bullet and caliber info near the bottom. An interesting read
I never had good experience with the ballistic tips.
bowhunterfanatic
Well-Known Member
Even out of your 7-08s? I shoot Hornady Superformance 139 gr ballistic tips out of both of mine and it's devastating on whitetails if I do my part.
Those aren't ballistic tips. Same principal but not the same bullet. Should have similar performance tho
Now granted it was the first year of ballistic tips. My buddy bought some. We used them that year and basically every deer we shot was a chore of a track job. I have never tried them since then. About that time I bought a model 7 7/08 and started using partitions. Basically used that until I started using Barnes ttsx. Both performed amazing. Then I got the 6.5 last year and same bullets just not same results. I'm sure they are fine. Just something with me was not right for me.
Yep the NAB has always left me Fantastic blood trails. I'm really starting to like the long range accubonds and their performance as well.
Early ones were soft. New versions have beef toughened up. An example is the .308" 168 NBT, in tests I've seen it will hang right with the .308 200gr Accubond for penetration.
I've used them on deer in 6mm 95gr, 6.5mm 120gr, 7mm 120gr and 140gr, .308" 165grand 180gr. A friend uses the .308" 125gr religiously and all have been excellent.
DaveB
Well-Known Member
The 7-08 is a pretty good choice.
After all, not many calibers get a Special Nod from Mr. Nosler.
A few of the more jaded may thing this is a dig at Mr. Barnes but, shoot, who cares? Flying fast and straight and looking super.
After all, not many calibers get a Special Nod from Mr. Nosler.
A few of the more jaded may thing this is a dig at Mr. Barnes but, shoot, who cares? Flying fast and straight and looking super.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2015
- Messages
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For a hunter, the carbon barrel is a no-brainer. The downside to the carbon barrel is poi changes after firing more than a few shots. A hunter really only needs one shot and a backup or two.
I wish I could say it was just what I wanted. I can't. It's an awesome gun but the Seekins just feels better. Is what it is. I guess I just can't get what I want.
