Originally Posted by
10-Ring
I bought a Sako Hunter 7mm/08 in early 1988 and the calibre in NZ back then was as rare as an honest politician. No factory ammo was available so it was all handloads and extensive testing. After many years of using that rifle I came to the conclusion that it was not a 7 mm Rem mag and I restricted my shots to 300 metres or less. Well, that's an estimated distance as rangefinders were something the military used and weren't readily available.
I did shoot the occasional deer out around 400m but preferred to get closer, much closer. The best projectile I found for all round use was a good 139/140gr lead tipped one such as the Hornady 139gr Interlock SP.
The 7mm/08 is a great little cartridge but there are far better ones for shooting past 300m.