Help me out with bullet choice....

sns2 · #1 08-31-2014, 08:38 AM

I picked up a new Kimber Montana in 7-08 that I'm gonna hunt with this fall. Darned thing shoots everything I feed it equally well, with all bullets consistently grouping between .4" and .7", so I now have to choose which bullet I am going to use. I have a cow elk tag and the various deer tags. Her are the choices:

- Nosler Partitions 150 gr
- Berger VLD 140 gr
- Barnes TTSX 140 gr

Feel free to argue like crazy and tell each other off!

Kind Regards,
sns2

catnthehat · #2 08-31-2014, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

I picked up a new Kimber Montana in 7-08 that I'm gonna hunt with this fall. Darned thing shoots everything I feed it equally well, with all bullets consistently grouping between .4" and .7", so I now have to choose which bullet I am going to use. I have a cow elk tag and the various deer tags. Her are the choices:

- Nosler Partitions 150 gr
- Berger VLD 140 gr
- Barnes TTSX 140 gr

Feel free to argue like crazy and tell each other off!

Kind Regards,
sns2

Seirra 160 HPBT Game King - works with no issues
Cat

north american hunter · #3 08-31-2014, 08:43 AM

I used the nosler partition for many many years great bullet, this year I am trying the barnes tsx

bdub · #4 08-31-2014, 08:44 AM

Im a partition fan.

Cowtown guy · #5 08-31-2014, 08:48 AM

Barnes

Dick284 · #6 08-31-2014, 08:52 AM

139gr. Hornady BTSP's!

Thunder/FX · #7 08-31-2014, 09:21 AM

Have to agree with dick on this one. At 7-08 velocities the 139 Hornady BTSP is an impressive hunting bullet. The others mentioned are all excellent but with these velocities the only one of them that I would use is the partition if those were the only choices

catnthehat · #8 08-31-2014, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder/FX

Have to agree with dick on this one. At 7-08 velocities the 139 Hornady BTSP is an impressive hunting bullet. The others mentioned are all excellent but with these velocities the only one of them that I would use is the partition if those were the only choices

I've been loading 160's in 308 sized cases for many years for lots of people with absolutley NO issues on elk, bears, moose, or deer.
160SMP in the 6.5X55 , 160's HPBT in the 7/08 and 7X57, and 175HPBBT Sierra Game Kings all killed many head of game from point blank to the limit of "reasonable"hunting ranges, that is why I recommend them when somebody asks.
Cat

260 Rem · #9 08-31-2014, 10:05 AM

In 308, I have used the 165 Sierra GameKing HPBT on deer with good results so I am not surprised with Cat's experience. Don't know about their ballistic performance in the 7-08, but in my 308's they shot very close to 168 SMK's in terms of POI and accuracy.

duceman · #10 08-31-2014, 10:12 AM

if your stuck with the 3 choices above, i would run the partitions. in 7-08 and 280 rem velocities, my go to is the 120 ballistic tip. several cow elk, 3 moose and countless deer are one shot kills.
i've only recovered one bullet in a cow elk, pass throughs on the moose and deer from 85 to 360 yards, lee

terry b · #11 08-31-2014, 10:43 AM

Tsx never lost an anamial and lots of blod!!! Every time and I find they don't come apart and destroy meat

catnthehat · #12 08-31-2014, 11:26 AM

I'm pretty certain that any of the choices listed will work just tickety-Boo in the 708!
They are all proven bullets, fog sure, it will come down to what works with your rifle.

Cat

1Heavyhitr · #13 08-31-2014, 12:15 PM

140 ttsx!

Ice Fishing Maniac · #14 08-31-2014, 12:42 PM

Of your choice I prefer the 140 TTSX

sns2 · #15 08-31-2014, 12:42 PM

Well the prize goes to Dick. Popped into Cabelas and took back the two boxes of Partitions I had and ended up walking out with a box of Hornady 139 Interlocks.

Haven't loaded them yet, but am quite confident they will be very easy to find a load for as this gun is anything but fussy.

tchardy1972 · #16 08-31-2014, 02:46 PM

My favorite part about the Sierra game king and hornady interlock is how easy it is to make them shoot good. Not to mention price.

Alberta Bigbore · #17 08-31-2014, 02:51 PM

TTSX.... or even a Hornady GMX

Bushrat · #18 08-31-2014, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

Well the prize goes to Dick. Popped into Cabelas and took back the two boxes of Partitions I had and ended up walking out with a box of Hornady 139 Interlocks.

Haven't loaded them yet, but am quite confident they will be very easy to find a load for as this gun is anything but fussy.

Hope you have better luck than I , interlocks are one of my favorite bullets but I could not get them to shoot for beans in my 7-08 actually in two 7-08 kimbers, tried both boatails and flat bases. Found they both liked 140 Sierra pro hunters and really liked 140 Bergers. Let us know how they work for you.

elkhunter11 · #19 08-31-2014, 03:27 PM

I an a big fan of the Barnes TTSX/TSX, but at 7mm-08 velocities, I prefer the 140gr Accubond. My second choice would be the Partition.

Bergerboy · #20 08-31-2014, 09:28 PM

All of them work. Use whatever bullet gives you the peace of mind and confidence and you will shoot it well and eat well.

colroggal · #21 09-01-2014, 01:29 PM

I watched a vid on youtube the other day comparing the nosler partition to the barnes ttsx. Granted it was a .308. He was using wet newspaper to test penetration and to demonstrate temp wound channels. Both were 150gr and both were devastating in their effect. I must say in his experiment the edge was given to the barnes. 4 inches more penetration at 23 " and a hole ten inches deep in the center he could run a fist through.

I've always been partial to nosler but this vid (can't seem to find it now) gave me food for thought.

Colin

gitrdun · #22 09-01-2014, 07:28 PM

Of the 3 choices that SNS2 listed, I would choose the partition if I wished to fill an elk tag. However, when I'm chasing after a deer, I use 120gr. Sierra ProHunters. Not that I have anything against his 2 other choices, I simply have little to no experience with Bergers or Barnes. I've also had good results both accuracy and terminal performance with 139gr. Hornady Interlocks (on deer). I think that these days we have so many good bullet choices.

Gboe8 · #23 09-01-2014, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I think that these days we have so many good bullet choices.

These are the smartest words that any of us have spoken about bullets. They are all good.

6.5 shooter · #24 09-01-2014, 10:26 PM

145gr. Speer Hot Core, great bullet, accurate and easy to work up a load for.

iceman99 · #25 09-01-2014, 10:41 PM

The ttsx 140's are the way to go! Used them on a number of animals and they work better than the other choices you're thinking of.

Jeron Kahyar · #26 09-02-2014, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Seirra 160 HPBT Game King - works with no issues
Cat

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

145gr. Speer Hot Core, great bullet, accurate and easy to work up a load for.

I would take one of these suggestions myself. Only I would go for the 150 gr. SBT Game King insted of the 160 gr. HPBT. Mostly just personal prefrence though (was shooting the 7x57 and not the 7-08 same thing though right...)

Robmcleod82 · #27 09-02-2014, 07:01 PM

I'd use bergers just to get everybody else going, because they won't kill stuff.

Joe Fehr · #28 09-02-2014, 07:07 PM

I'm having issues getting the TTSX to shoot decently out if my kimber 7mm-08 today I went to 139 gmx and at the lower end of things was at 0.75". The interlock is a good choice, I think I'm switching to Hornady all together. Barnes are just way to finicky and pricey.

kman300 · #29 09-07-2014, 06:40 PM

Ttsx/gmx. Have used both in 7mm rm with great results.

sns2 · #30 09-07-2014, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robmcleod82

I'd use bergers just to get everybody else going, because they won't kill stuff.

That's exactly what I'm gonna do.

Dang Interlocks are the only bullet I have tried that won't shoot. They were so all over the place, I thought there must be something wrong with the gun.

Bergers it is! I just hope they make it to the elk before they explode