Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
7mm-08 Remington
A short-action 7mm-class cartridge in the .308 case family. Its balance of case size and bullet selection gives it a distinct identity from 7×57 and .280 Remington.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.530–2.800 in
64.262–71.120 mm - Case length · max
- 2.035 in
51.689 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2845 in
7.226 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.473 in
12.014 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2845 in / 7.226 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 12 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 120–150 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
7mm-08 Remington is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 7 mm-08 Rem. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
The 08 refers to the .308 case-family name, not an 8mm bullet. It is a separate cartridge from every other 7mm entry here.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The 7 mm-08 began as the 7 mm-.308 wildcat, with rifles chambered for the idea before 1960. It was part of the wave of experimentation that followed the .308 Winchester case family, but did not immediately attract the factory attention given to cartridges such as the .243 Winchester.
Metallic-silhouette competition changed its prospects. Shooters found a useful combination of trajectory, adequate power for the targets and manageable recoil, giving the neglected wildcat a more specific commercial audience. Remington standardized it in 1980 and initially offered it in the heavy-barreled Model 700 Varmint Special in response to that market. Its later reputation in light hunting rifles followed a different path from that first factory competition platform. The 7 mm-08’s history shows how an established wildcat can reach production because a new shooting discipline creates demand.
Historical sources: Sierra: 7mm-08 Remington cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited 7mm-08 Remington examples, bullet weights are 120, 139, 140, 150 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
120 grains
3,000 fps
FUSION
139 grains
2,840 fps
InterLock® SP
140 grains
2,850 fps
FUSION
Compare all 12 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FederalF708FS2 | 120 gr 7.78 g | FUSION | 3,000 fps 914 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady80572 | 120 gr 7.78 g | SST® | 2,675 fps 815 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| Hornady8057 | 139 gr 9.01 g | InterLock® SP | 2,840 fps 866 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| Hornady80573 | 139 gr 9.01 g | SST® | 2,950 fps 899 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| Hornady805764 | 139 gr 9.01 g | CX® | 2,910 fps 887 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| Hornady80578 | 139 gr 9.01 g | SST® | 2,830 fps 863 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| FederalF708FS1 | 140 gr 9.07 g | FUSION | 2,850 fps 869 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalP708C | 140 gr 9.07 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 2,820 fps 860 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP708TC2 | 140 gr 9.07 g | TROPHY COPPER | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP708TT2 | 140 gr 9.07 g | TROPHY BONDED TIP | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Federal708CS | 150 gr 9.72 g | SP | 2,650 fps 808 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady85578 | 150 gr 9.72 g | ELD-X® | 2,770 fps 844 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
7mm-08 Remington: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 120 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 3000; 100: 2719; 200: 2455; 300: 2206; 400: 1971; 500: 1753 |
| 139 gr Hornady InterLock® SP | Hornady | 0: 2840; 100: 2608; 200: 2387; 300: 2177; 400: 1978; 500: 1790 |
| 140 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2850; 100: 2615; 200: 2393; 300: 2181; 400: 1980; 500: 1791 |
| 150 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 2650; 100: 2438; 200: 2235; 300: 2043; 400: 1859; 500: 1689 |
| 120 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2675; 100: 2435; 200: 2207; 300: 1992; 400: 1790; 500: 1604 |
| 139 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2950; 100: 2757; 200: 2572; 300: 2395; 400: 2224; 500: 2061 |
| 139 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 2910; 100: 2694; 200: 2488; 300: 2291; 400: 2103; 500: 1925 |
| 139 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2830; 100: 2639; 200: 2456; 300: 2280; 400: 2112; 500: 1951 |
| 140 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 2820; 100: 2589; 200: 2370; 300: 2162; 400: 1963; 500: 1777 |
| 140 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 2800; 100: 2614; 200: 2435; 300: 2264; 400: 2100; 500: 1942 |
| 140 gr Federal TROPHY BONDED TIP | Federal | 0: 2800; 100: 2589; 200: 2388; 300: 2196; 400: 2012; 500: 1838 |
| 150 gr Hornady ELD-X® | Hornady | 0: 2770; 100: 2613; 200: 2461; 300: 2315; 400: 2173; 500: 2037 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is 7mm-08 Remington?
A short-action 7mm-class cartridge in the .308 case family. Its balance of case size and bullet selection gives it a distinct identity from 7×57 and .280 Remington.
What diameter does 7mm-08 Remington use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2845 inches (7.226 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
The 08 refers to the .308 case-family name, not an 8mm bullet. It is a separate cartridge from every other 7mm entry here.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 65 ↗
- Sierra: 7mm-08 Remington cartridge background ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.