Best bullet choice for fox shooting in 7mm-08?

[7Miller]

So I'm looking for a bullet choice in my 7mm-08 to cover my needs to shoot foxes as well as deer.
The rifle will be used 50% for foxes and the remaining will be 40% deer and 10% steel and paper target shooting.
I only neck or head shoot roe, muntjac and fallow deer. I like a bullet that expands reliably but accuracy is always key along with good velocity.

I know some using the 7mm-08 with 100gr sierra HP and swear by it but I was liking for something with a better BC, (BC for the 100gr is 0.209). I was leaning towards the Nosler BT 120gr with a BC of 0.417, (can't see another 120gr with a BC that good), but with all shots on foxes being sub 250 yards, (50 to 150 the normal), does the BC really matter that much? With deer usually being shot below 150 yards, with 60 to 100 yards being very much the normal range.

 

[Apthorpe]

Is itnpossible that you're overthinking this? Inside 250m, BCs and the like are hardly that important.

Most bullets will do the job absolutely fine. In 7mm, I use Hornady 162gr ELDX. Nothing has moved far after being shot. It would probably be better if I used a 139/140gr bullet and doubtless 120gr is fine too. but I'll use what I have first.
In my opinion there's no need to turn the insides of foxes to soup with very fast small bullets, almost anything does the job effectively - from 40gr .22 subsonic to 160gr RN.

 

[7Miller]

Is itnpossible that you're overthinking this? Inside 250m, BCs and the like are hardly that important.

Most bullets will do the job absolutely fine. In 7mm, I use Hornady 162gr ELDX. Nothing has moved far after being shot. It would probably be better if I used a 139/140gr bullet and doubtless 120gr is fine too. but I'll use what I have first.
In my opinion there's no need to turn the insides of foxes to soup with very fast small bullets, almost anything does the job effectively - from 40gr .22 subsonic to 160gr RN.

Overthinking is one of my biggest faults!

 

[scotch_egg]

I’ve had a 7-08 for 20 years and for a time was the only rifle I had. I shot a lot of foxes under the lamp with it and the only bullet I’ve ever used was the 140gr Nosler BallisticTip. They were well for head shooting and the odd shot further out where I don’t head shoot have enough energy for the larger deer.

You are quite right under 300 yards BC really pales to insignificance.

 

[7Miller]

2 responses and you've already told me what I thought but was allowing myself to Overthink things! I really need to try and stop that.

I just don't want a round that will have a tendency to pencil through, as I'm not worried about meat damage in 95% of all my shots.

 

[scotch_egg]

The 140gr Nosler certainly don’t pencil through.

 

[Greenmist]

Why change, you appear to have a suitable load for your rifle that shoots well, why complicate things by introducing different trajectory and characteristics

 

[Apthorpe]

Overthinking is one of my biggest faults!

Mine too

 

[jthyttin]

It's not true that BC doesn't matter at the distances mentioned (up to 200-300). The thing is, comparing bullets of different weight and similar BC for the weight class, you can either use slow velocity and high BC, or high velocity and low BC. Between those there isn't much.

If you want to stay on the light side (and somewhat reasonable price range), quick browse gives the following options:

- Speer 110gr TNT, .384 G1
- Sierra 120gr Pro-Hunter, .328 G1
- Hornady 120gr V-Max, .365 G1
- Nosler 120gr BT, .417 G1 (like you mentioned)

Speer's BC sound squite high, but the form looks somewhat similar to 22cal 53gr V-Max / Varmageddon which are modern design high BC bullets. Speer and Hornady would likely give you results more akin to the 100gr Sierra, Nosler and Sierra would probly be a bit harder.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have shot plenty of foxes with 243, 7x57 and 7x65R using the bullets I use for deer. In the past a soft point, now copper monolithics. Most have died pretty much on the spot. I have had a couple of runners which I put down to my own shot placement.

Of course the 7–08 is completely different to 7x57. Typically they are 1 in 10” twist. In the 7x57 the older RWS 123gn cone points had a good reputation on being flat shooting (reduces ranging error) and quite explosive. I now use the 130gn Fox bullet in my 7x57.

 

[lochty]

I use either 140 grain ppu soft points or 140 grain Barnes ttsx in mine. Nothing moves very far after the hit, stick with what you know groups well.

 

[Stover Rover]

120 grain Sierra Pro-Hunters I used these on fallow, roe and foxes. Effective, cheap, rapid and most importantly accurate. I was running a Sako 75 Varmint unthreaded.

 

[7Miller]

Why change, you appear to have a suitable load for your rifle that shoots well, why complicate things by introducing different trajectory and characteristics

I've not done a load for the rifle yet. The rifle has been built and is at proofhouse. I'm just getting everything ready for when it arrives in my hands.
Once I've decided bullet, then I have to decide on powder!
Got Norma cases and RWS large rifle primers ready.

 

[Heym SR20]

130gn Fox Bullet - typical group, On a Fox, On a Sika Stag and a hoodie crow out my 7x57.

 

[7Miller]

130gn Fox Bullet - typical group, On a Fox, On a Sika Stag and a hoodie crow out my 7x57.



View attachment 409188View attachment 409189View attachment 409190View attachment 409191

A nice, all round bullet and calibre there

 

[GWP]

Sierras 140gr i had issues with hornady they look identical but for some reason dear were getting up again couldnt understand it but a change back to the sierras stopped the issue nothing has run since and no difference in carcase damage

 

[JMS906]

It's not true that BC doesn't matter at the distances mentioned (up to 200-300). The thing is, comparing bullets of different weight and similar BC for the weight class, you can either use slow velocity and high BC, or high velocity and low BC. Between those there isn't much.

If you want to stay on the light side (and somewhat reasonable price range), quick browse gives the following options:

- Speer 110gr TNT, .384 G1
- Sierra 120gr Pro-Hunter, .328 G1
- Hornady 120gr V-Max, .365 G1
- Nosler 120gr BT, .417 G1 (like you mentioned)

Speer's BC sound squite high, but the form looks somewhat similar to 22cal 53gr V-Max / Varmageddon which are modern design high BC bullets. Speer and Hornady would likely give you results more akin to the 100gr Sierra, Nosler and Sierra would probly be a bit harder.

Well, if we are going to discuss the BC of spitzer shaped bullets we shouldn't be using G1 values but G7.

I have a 7-08 and shoot 140 to 154g bullets, but I'm primarily shooting deer (and sometimes boar) with it with foxes as an occasional. If I was mainly shooting foxes and occasionally deer then I'd find a bullet around 120g suitable for deer and use if on the foxes.

I have found the Sierra Pro-Hunter (7mm 150g and .30 calibre 150g) to be a bit keen to expand - more than I care for, even on roe and foxes. Others might desire that effect. The V-Max is a thin-jacketed pure lead core varmint bullet, not intended for game. The Speer TNT as it's name suggests, is another thin-jacketed pure lead core varmint bullet, not intended for game. The Nosler Ballistic Tip comes in two flavours. The light-for-calibre bullets are intended for varmints. The heavy-for-calibre bullets are for game.

As an aside, I wouldn't shoot 100g bullets in a 7mm, I'd step down to a 6mm for that. But if you have just one rifle ...

-JMS

 

[long_range_rob]

I use the 100gn Sierra, 120gn NBT and 140gn NBT they’ll all do what you need. I just go up a bullet weight as planned quarry gets bigger.

 

[long_range_rob]

 

[jthyttin]

Well, if we are going to discuss the BC of spitzer shaped bullets we shouldn't be using G1 values but G7.

Spitzer won't fit either profile very good. Since G1 is only profile available, and velocity window is somewhat restricted, it's usable the comparison.

The V-Max is a thin-jacketed pure lead core varmint bullet, not intended for game. The Speer TNT as it's name suggests, is another thin-jacketed pure lead core varmint bullet, not intended for game.

OP was considering 100gr Sierra HP Varminter for the task and only head/neck shooting so I cannot see V-Max or TNT non-suitable for him.

The Nosler Ballistic Tip comes in two flavours. The light-for-calibre bullets are intended for varmints. The heavy-for-calibre bullets are for game.

Actually there's no hard'n'fast rule based on weight for caliber. Some calibers have just Varmint and others just Hunting Ballistic Tips. Only 6mm and 25cal have both, and then your rule applies.