11 of 27 7mm-08 Rem factory loads carry 1,200 ft·lb and expansion velocity for black bear; the best reach 550 yd (Hornady Precision Hunter 150 gr ELD-X). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.
| Load | gr | Max ethical yd | MV fps | 500 yd ft·lb | Shoulder shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady Precision Hunter 150 gr ELD-X | 150 | 550 | 2,770 | 1,367 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range 150 gr AccuBond Long Range | 150 | 550 | 2,750 | 1,299 | yes |
| Nosler Expansion Tip 140 gr E-Tip | 140 | 500 | 2,850 | 1,206 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade 140 gr AccuBond | 140 | 450 | 2,825 | 1,173 | yes |
| Federal 140 gr Fusion | 140 | 400 | 2,850 | 980 | yes |
| Federal 140 gr Trophy Bonded Tip | 140 | 400 | 2,800 | 1,017 | yes |
| Hornady Superformance 139 gr CX | 139 | 400 | 2,910 | 1,123 | yes |
| Remington Premier CuT 140 gr Copper Tipped | 140 | 400 | 2,860 | 1,086 | yes |
| Barnes VOR-TX 120 gr TTSX BT | 120 | 350 | 3,005 | 911 | yes |
| Federal 140 gr Barnes TSX | 140 | 350 | 2,820 | 966 | yes |
| Federal 120 gr Fusion | 120 | 300 | 3,000 | 803 | yes |
| Barnes Harvest Collection 150 gr Sierra Tipped GameKing | 150 | wrong bullet | 2,725 | 1,264 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady American Whitetail TIPPED 139 gr SST | 139 | wrong bullet | 2,860 | 1,201 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance 139 gr SST | 139 | wrong bullet | 2,950 | 1,291 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 160 gr Tipstrike | 160 | wrong bullet | 2,690 | 1,224 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington 140 gr Core-Lokt Tipped | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,860 | 1,210 | behind the shoulder only |
| Browning 140 gr Max Point Polymer Tip | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,800 | 1,147 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tip Hunting | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,825 | 1,173 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester Deer Season XP 140 gr Extreme Point | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,800 | 1,147 | behind the shoulder only |
| Nosler 120 gr Ballistic Tip Hunting | 120 | wrong bullet | 3,000 | 1,016 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington 140 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,860 | 989 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester 140 gr Ballistic Silvertip | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,770 | 1,059 | behind the shoulder only |
| Federal 150 gr Power-Shok JSP | 150 | wrong bullet | 2,650 | 923 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady American Whitetail 139 gr SP InterLock | 139 | wrong bullet | 2,840 | 970 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester 140 gr Power-Point | 140 | wrong bullet | 2,800 | 860 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 150 gr Whitetail SP | 150 | wrong bullet | 2,756 | 832 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Custom Lite 120 gr SST | 120 | wrong bullet | 2,675 | 671 | behind the shoulder only |
Fat and hair hide the vitals: aim 4–5″ behind the shoulder and a touch high. Partition / bonded / monolithic. Floor used: 1,200 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: www.themeateater.com, www.oneoutdoors.org.