Steiner S1 Reticle and the 7mm-08

 

Steiner GS3 3-15x50

I recently purchased a Steiner GS3 3-15x50 rifle scope which I mounted onto a 7mm-08 rifle. The rifle is a Remington 700 with a 24 inch barrel and set into a free floated and bedded Bell and Carlson stock. The scope is mounted using Burris Signature Z Rings. 

The GS3 I purchased has the S1 reticle. This reticle is a simple design but is well suited for shots up to 500 yards. 

First, lets deal with why I purchased the GS3 rifle scope. Initially I had a Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50 CDS scope mounted on the rifle. To put it mildly, I was not impressed with the optic clarity. The scope was only marginally better than my Nikon Prostaff scopes. So, I decided to make a change. I have always admired Steiner scopes for their crystal clear optics and extremely rugged construction. For years I toyed with the idea of giving one a try and after doing some research into the S1 reticle I was convinced that the GS3 and S1 were a perfect match for my 7mm-08.

If there is a downside to Steiner scopes it is their weight. They are definitely heavy; but that comes with the extremely rugged construction.

One of several S1 configurations

 

The S1 reticle is designed so that the rifle is zeroed in at 100 yards; then adjusted so that the 400 yard marker is dead on. The logic is that the 200, 300 and 500 markers will fall roughly in line. Steiner offers an MOA guide that lets you know exactly how many MOA each mark on the reticle is set at. The concept is simple, but it doesn't work well with calibers that push bullets over 3150 fps, nor does it work well with slow sluggish rounds. For example, I shoot a 6mm Remington that no matter how you try, just won't marry well with the S1. 

Steiner S1 Reticle

As it turns out though, the reticle happens to be a perfect match for the 7mm-08 when shooting 140 or 150 grain high Ballistic Coefficient bullets. But ... and this is a big "but", the key is to sight the rifle in to a zero of 200 or so yards, and then use the range markers for 300, 400, 500, and 600 yards. Generally speaking, after sighting in for 200, fine tune so that the 400 yard marker is dead on. If you want to sight in with a zero of 100 yards as Steiner suggests, it still works, but not quite as well.

I shoot 150 grain Nosler Accubond Long Range bullets at a velocity of 2950 fps. When sighted in at 200 yards, all range markers on the S1 are almost dead on. I can hit a 10 inch gong out to 500 yards all day long (I have yet to try the 600 yard marker but ballistically it should be right on) Using regular 150 grain Nosler Accubond bullets I sight in at 220 yards then fine tune to be dead on at 400. It works like a charm.

Here is the MOA ballistic profile of my Nosler ABLR rounds as compared to the S1:

300 yrds -1.5 moa (S1 - 1.49 moa) 

400 yrds - 4.5 moa (S1 - 4.31 moa)

500 yrds - 7.1 moa (S1 - 7.18 moa)

600 yrds - 10.25 moa ( S1 - 10.56 moa)

In Summary, any caliber and rifle combination that offers up a ballistic profile similar to my 7mm-08 would work fine with the S1 reticle. It makes for rapid target acquisition and as long as you do your part to center the target in the scope so that parallax error is minimal, you should be right there.      

Discovering the 7mm-08 Remington

Several years ago my hunting partner began speaking praises of the 7mm-08 Remington. At the time, other than having heard of the round, I knew nothing about it. Over the years I started to do some research, and as things often work out, I became increasingly impressed with the round. I now own and hunt with a 7mm-08.

When reading hunting forums, one more often than not comes across the magnum crowd who refer to the 7mm-08 as a great "kids" or "lady's" round. After all, it's quite short and very limited in recoil. Adding to this theme is that so many 7mm-08 rifles come in compact size with short barrels, which actually do it a great disservice.

It's not until one begins to dig a bit deeper into the actual ballistics of the caliber, that it causes a definite raising of the eyebrows.  The little 7mm-08 is definitely a lot more than just a "kids" round. 

Maybe the best way to bring this point home is to describe the performance of my very own 7mm-08.  It's a 24 inch barrel Rem 700 set into a bedded and free-floated Bell and Carlson stock. I have used primarily two hunting bullets in it, which I load myself. 

First is the 120 grain Barnes TTSX.  Using Winchester's new StaBall 6.5 powder, the rounds zip out the end at 3250 fps with a maximum charge (absolutely no pressure signs). When zeroed at 250 yards, it gives me a max trajectory height  of 2.4 inches at 150 yards and an impact only 3 inches low at 300 yards. It's not until 500 yards that the little 120 slows to 2060 fps with an output of 1134 foot pounds of energy. That's plenty of hit for any whitetail or mulie. If there is quarrel to be had, it's that the Barnes bullet may produce a small wound channel at this velocity. 

My personal experience using this bullet is that it easily zips through deer out to 350 yards (my furthest shot with the 120s).  My hunting partner's wife has taken several bull elk with this round, out to 250 yards, and in each case the round passed cleanly through and dispatched the critter quickly. At 300 yards the little 120 carries 1670 foot pounds of energy and velocity of 2500 fps. In my humble opinion, this is plenty for elk size critters out to 300 yards and given the Barnes fame for penetration, the 120 may be an ideal round for those limiting their ranges. 

A final asset of the 120 grain bullet is that it delivers very little recoil, making it suitable for light framed hunters and light weight firearms. 

The second bullet I have hunted with is the 150 grain Nosler Accubond Long Range bullet. It is my go-to round for deer size animals. The reason for this is that the excellent ballistics make it a wonderful round for longer ranges; and second (as strange as it may be) this round matches perfectly the ballistic reticle of the scope I have mounted on the rifle (more on that another time).

I push the 150s out the tube with a maximum powder charge of  StaBall 6.5.  In my particular rifle the least pressure signs are to be had using Winchester brass (slightly flattened primers). The 150s zip out the barrel at an average FPS of 2950.  Accuracy is easily sub-moa. My most recent group was about 2.5 inches at 400 yards. 

At 300 yards the round is traveling at 2460 fps with an energy output of 2015 fpe. At 500 yards, velocity is down to 2159 fps with energy coming in at about 1553.  That's plenty for any deer size critter, in fact, at 700 yards the bullet is still traveling at 1880 fps with an impact of 1175 fps. Nosler claims it's ABLR are good down to 1300 fpe. 

All in all, not bad for a "kids" caliber. 

 

Remington 700 in 7mm-08, 24 inch barrel, Bell and Carlson Stock

Internet forums are full of complaints about the ABLR bullets ... that they are poor at close range. All I can say from experience is that at 150 yards, out my rifle, they deliver clean pass through wounds, although large. This year's white-tail buck (a large bodied northern brute) took the round broadside but a bit low. The result was two completely severed legs, a massive gaping hole in both sides of the lower chest, and a very dead deer.

I am not sure I would recommend the ABLR bullets for larger critters like elk, and I won't be testing them out on elk anytime soon as I have a perfectly good 35 Whelen for animals that size. 

In summary, if you want a low recoil, inherently accurate, short action, delightful round to hunt with and target shoot with, I highly recommend the 7mm-08 Remington. But, I will let a member of an internet chat forum have the last say:

"A 7mm08 is boring.

Bang-Flop. Bang-wobble-Flop. Bang-Bronco kick-Flop. Bang-Spin in a tight circle- Flop. I actually had a minor bit of excitement last year when I got two wobbles on my Lope.

Reloading is boring too. Every load combo is 1 1/2" or better.

It doesn't kick outrageously, so there is no challenge there.

I have several more interesting rifles, but I cannot understand, for the life of me, why I've kept hunting with one for the last 17 years......"

Fielding the 35 Cal 200 Grain Barnes TTSX

35 Whelen Barnes 200 Grain TTSX

 

A while back I wrote that I would be trying out Barnes 200 grain TTSX bullets. With the 2020 hunting season in the rear view mirror, I can now report my real world findings.

I took a young bull elk on the last day of my elk hunt. The shot was rushed as the elk crossed a narrow cut. I knelt down, barely centered the cross-hairs and fired. The elk dropped instantly... But I was immediately disappointed in the shot. I have pulled the trigger enough times to know where my bullet should hit, and in the rushed moment I knew I had hit high. The way the elk collapsed told me I had likely caught the spine; not an ideal shot.

I approached the bull just as it took a last breaths. Upon examination it turned out that the shot was exactly where I thought it would be.... high in the shoulder.

What surprised me though, was that the elk had died quickly; no follow-up shot was necessary. Truthfully though, it was a typical marginal shot 35 Whelen kill... Just when you think you screw up, the 35 Whelen delivers a margin of forgiveness. 

Later, as we dressed the carcass, the full story of the bad shot became more clear. The Barnes bullet had struck just below the spine and had passed through both shoulder blades, stopping on the offside hide. Meat damage was very slight as is often common with the Whelen, but the injury was severe enough that the elk had died quickly.

The bullet had shed 3 peddles, but strangely, they were all clustered around the main core of the bullet, just under the hide. They clearly had broken off after the bullet had traveled through the animal.

So, here I was, once again skinning an elk taken with the 35 Whelen, and not for the first time, experiencing success despite taking a "not-so-perfect" shot. 

Conclusion: The 200 grain ttsx bullet performs just as well as the heavier ones (225,250 gr.) because you can push the 200 quite a bit faster. In my case the latest chronograph tests have yielded an average of 2935 fps. But, you have less recoil to deal with compared to the 225s or 250s.

As well, the 200, when pushed to max velocities gives you an added 75 to 100 or so yards of practical range with a bit less recoil.

Terminal performance seems to be no different on elk size critters. 

The 200 grain Barnes TTSX will be my go-to bullet for the 35 Whelen. I hope to heck that the recent liquidation of Remington doesn't spell the end of the Barnes line of bullets. 

Update: Sierra has purchased Barnes, and has stated that the line will be continued.

Update 2: Since my last writing I have had the opportunity to harvest an elk out past 200 yards. The 200 grain barnes passed through easily, but the wound channel was quite small, as is typical of Barnes Bullets once they slow down a bit. The elk trotted off but dropped in about 25 yards. The shot was perfectly placed. But, this was the furthest any moose or elk has ever gone when hit with my 35 Whelen. I am not making any conclusions from the experience, just adding it to my knowledge base.