7mm-08 load for Weatherby

[CollegeDad]

I'd for sure try the 140 ETip in that rifle with Varget or Big Game, should work pretty good. The 132 Hammer HHT would be near the top of my list too, those HHTs just seem to work for me in everything.

I have some of the 120 gr Etips loaded with Big Game right now. I’m heading to the range Wednesday. Thanks for the tip.

 

[CollegeDad]

@CollegeDad
How many shots are in that 1.125” group and how many groups have you shot at 1.125” with the 140 accubonds?

3 shots each time. That was the best of 3 different rounds. I’d have to look at my data to see what the other groups were.

 

[F250]

I understand that guys like to load their own ammo. My wife and I both shoot 7mm-08. Both of our rifles shoot sub MOA with a couple different factory loads .

 

[CollegeDad]

I understand that guys like to load their own ammo. My wife and I both shoot 7mm-08. Both of our rifles shoot sub MOA with a couple different factory

I agree I may be able to find factory ammo that shoots. However I’d spend hundreds (maybe a few thousand) if I bought all factory ammo and I do like to reload.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If you've tried multiple powders with multiple bullets it sounds like there are likely other issues.

People like to pretend there is some perfect specific little combo they can create with load dev but if a rifle is that finicky you can burn half the barrel life chasing your tail and never have something that always shoots. If multiple common known powder/bullet combos don't shoot without fuss, there's probably something that isn't right.

3 shot groups lie to you too. A 2 MOA rifle should throw an occasional sub MOA 3 round group because that's how dispersion works.

 

[turbobrick]

If you want to be a smart ass, do your thing. You can do a search on here about the bull that npaden's son had a hell of time finding a day or two after it was shot with a 140 e-tip from a 7-08.

For the rest of the folks reading this:

Here's what I know, they are easy to work up loads for and shoot well, at least for me.

I've caught 4 of them from my 7 RM at 3000+ fps, this one is the best expansion I got out of those that I recovered (furthest on left) compared with a bunch of 140 accubonds at 2850 from my 7-08.

All the others were pass throughs and exit holes were probably the size of a nickel/quarter, compared to the usual 50 cent piece sized exits I get from 140 accubonds. Blood trails were less than stellar from every animal I shot with them. Which is about a 180 degree difference from the blood trails I get with either 160 AB's out of my 7 RM or 140 AB's from my 7-08.

Which, IMO/E, could be a real problem for people that aren't experienced or even for someone that is experienced during dry conditions. I want blood trails and good ones, not picking around looking for drops of blood every 5-10 yards.

Seeing how little expansion I got out of the etips pushing them probably 300-350 FPS faster (at least) than I could get out of 7-08, I would recommend not using them at MV's less than 3k. Even at that velocity I would use caution at much beyond 350.

But hey, what do I know?

So just to recap, the bullet killed all those animals. IMO 7-08 is a 350 and in cartridge regardless, but I prefer more headroom than most.

 

[BuzzH]

So just to recap, the bullet killed all those animals. IMO 7-08 is a 350 and in cartridge regardless, but I prefer more headroom than most.

Yes at 3000+ fps out of a 7 mag.

If I was getting chicken shit expansion and blood trails at that velocity, it seems intuitively obvious to the most casual observer its going to be worse at lower velocity.

Having loaded for "only" 4 different 7-08's I would guess you will struggle to get 2800 out of 140 etips. Most likely 2700-2750 is probably realistic.

That much lower velocity at the muzzle is going to give a person fits and will likely result in either lost animals or a giant pain in the ass following faint blood trails.

I've shot enough animals with enough different bullets to recognize a train wreck coming.

Both the bull elk and bull moose I shot with them were slow to die, both of them required 2 shots. Bull moose took 3.

The wound channels were way more narrow than a similar shot with an accubond which resulted in slower deaths.

I want to like the e-tips, but they flat dont expand enough or create big enough wound channels and exits for me to trust them. In particular if you're shooting them at enemic velocities from a 7-08.

Not a matter of if you're going to have trouble and lose animals with them. There's just wayyyy better bullet choices for the 7-08. For me, I hunt too hard to hinder myself with a bullet that doesnt perform.

But, like I said, learn your lesson the hard, don't care.

I'm more concerned with people that want to listen and avoid problems.

For the record, I've seen a number of elk killed at 400-600 with a 140 AB from a 7-08.