My fellow 7mm-08 reloaders...

[Dougfirtree]

Lend me your ear. It's winter and time to focus our brainpower on ridiculous topics. About a year ago, I was talking to a guy who works for Barnes Bullets. I was saying how I'd experimented extensively with the 140 ttsx and the 145 LRX in my 7mm-08, but hadn't found a single accurate load. I also told him I wasn't interested in the 120s. He said that the 139 LRX bullets seem to really like being loaded in the ol' 7mm HT and that he'd send me a dozen for free (what a guy)! But, they never arrived....until today (literally, this was a year ago)!
So, I've got 12 bullets to play with, which means I can play around with one powder. The question is: which powder maximizes my chance of finding a load I'd want?


A little background: I did eventually find a decent load with the 140 grain Nosler E-tip. It's nothing special; it shoots right around 1" and leaves the barrel at just under 2700fps. This load uses H 4895, a powder that I have an irrationally strong love for. So, for me to switch to the Barnes, I think I'd need to find a load that was shooting solid sub-MOA groups and at a significantly faster velocity for it to offer a real advantage. The powders I have on hand currently:

H 4895
Varget
IMR 4350
H 380
Big Game
RL 17


The last two seem to be big velocity-getters, but I had rotten luck loading other bullets with each of them. I have a suspicion that my rifle might just not like fast loads, period. (It's a WInchester M-70FW with a 22" barrel and it is picky, but I've generally been able to get 3/4" groups with it using accubonds, or BT's (before you suggest a really simple solution, know that I'd like to be shooting lead-free at this point). The secret seems to be getting the bullet to right around 2700...

Ok, which powder would you choose to test these 12 bullets?

 

[BigHornRam]

Varget or H 380.

 

[Doublecluck]

Varget or buy some 4451

 

[JCW]

I currently use Varget with good results, but wouldn't mind giving IMR 4166 a try simply for availability.

 

[MThuntr]

I tried RL17 with 140Etips and I ran against extremely compressed loads. Got good results but giant pain loading. CFE223 was a bust also.

Trying StaBall6.5 as soon as I can

 

[deer_shooter]

Mine likes 47gr of Big Game behind a 140gr Accubond. I'm getting 2725fps with this load and shoots about a 1/2" - 3/4.

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot 5 shot groups under 1 inch with 140 accubonds with the following powders:

Varget, H380, H4350, RL 15, 17, and 19.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I've not tried Barnes bullets in my 7-08 but if I did I would start with Big Game. I've had best results with that, a good combination of accuracy and velocity, but also done well with Varget and H4895. I hear of people using H4350, but Ive had no luck with it.

 

[Firemedic92]

My mod 70 super grade loves the Etips behind a max charge of Imr- 4350. I don’t have a chrono so not sure of the speed but i was happy with it this season. 3 antelope, 2 whitetails and a coyote were not nearly as impressed.

 

[std7mag]

Having put over 900 rounds a year through my 7mm-08, turned 7mm-08AI at distances from 25 yards to 600 yards, in all weather, i've played with a powder or 6.
All testing was done with a Stevens 200 with factory 22" barrel.
The only one i haven't is BigGame. Way to spotty to obtain in my area.

The 3 speed demons are 4007(discontinued), BigGame, RL17.
Of those i've burned a LOT of RL17!
Decent accuracy, almost 100 fps faster than ANY other powder tested. 2,916 fps AI accuracy node.

Varget, RL15, IMR4895 gave good accuracy, but low velocities. In the 2,700fps range. Not entirely desirable with lighter weight bullets. BC just isn't high enough to compensate.

IMR4350, H4350, H414, IMR4064, IMR4166, Alliant PP2000 all gave good accuracy with decent velocity. 2,800 fps range.

The stand out was Alliant Power Pro 2000.
AI was 2,832 fps with ES6, SD2.
This was the powder i shot my first 600 yard F-Open with, also same load for deer at 413 yards in 18°F.

Stuff just plain works!

Also works well in 223 Rem with heavy bullets!

 

[VikingsGuy]

Varget would be my first choice. But if the 139 LRX doesn’t work get some 134grain Hammers. I have a 7mm08 that didn’t like the Barnes TTSX 120, 139, 140 or 145 with Varget, H4350 or H4895. I was about ready to sell the thing, but got good loads both varget and H4350 right away with the Hammers.

 

[efw]

Monos perform best at top speed so I’d look hard at Big Game.

I’ve found magnum primers to be helpful w/ that propellant even in the 7-08.

 

[Gunner46]

Hummmm…..Uhhhhh…. I'm not going to weight in with just 12 rounds and only one powder. Seriously? Couldn't they have just sprung for 20 ?????
I have just given up on the 'Mo Speed...'Mo Betta" bandwagon, mono's or not.

Varget, RL-19 have across the board, given me almost duplicate accuracy results, with near identical volocities.

Either/Both may not be the Speed Demon, but putting a dime that covers a 3 shot 100 yd group, at 2760 fps, sure as hell pumps my ... I Got This... 'tude!

 

[Dougfirtree]

Hummmm…..Uhhhhh…. I'm not going to weight in with just 12 rounds and only one powder. Seriously? Couldn't they have just sprung for 20 ?????
I have just given up on the 'Mo Speed...'Mo Betta" bandwagon, mono's or not.

Varget, RL-19 have across the board, given me almost duplicate accuracy results, with near identical volocities.

Either/Both may not be the Speed Demon, but putting a dime that covers a 3 shot 100 yd group, at 2760 fps, sure as hell pumps my ... I Got This... 'tude!

Hey, a dime size group at 2760 would be great!

 

[HiMtnHntr]

My wife's Tikka superlite likes the 139 gn LRX and RL 17. The current load is nearly 2900 fps.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Hummmm…..Uhhhhh…. I'm not going to weight in with just 12 rounds and only one powder. Seriously? Couldn't they have just sprung for 20 ?????
I have just given up on the 'Mo Speed...'Mo Betta" bandwagon, mono's or not.

Varget, RL-19 have across the board, given me almost duplicate accuracy results, with near identical volocities.

Either/Both may not be the Speed Demon, but putting a dime that covers a 3 shot 100 yd group, at 2760 fps, sure as hell pumps my ... I Got This... 'tude!

Mine does nicely with 140 grain Partitions at 2850fps out of a 20" barrel.

 

[BWALKER77]

RL17 works well for me.
Barnes bullets have been very easy for me to get to shoot. The plain TTSX are about the least bitchy bullet around.

 

[Firemedic92]

So after getting a chronograph and shooting my loads over it I have found that my imr-4350 loads are slow. As in consistently around 2630. I went back to the drawing board and have been playing with different powders. Big Game i can get 2900 out of but the groups are all over the place. It seems to like 44.5 of BG with a mag primer and I'm getting a little over 2700 velocity wise. My rifle seems to like the nosler's seated deeper. I see you guys getting much faster loads and and I just cant seem to get my rifle to those speeds without the groups opening way up. Ive messed with seating depth and everything else I can think of. Going to shoot some accubonds today and see what they do.

 

[huronmtns]

If Reloder 16 is available in your area, try some of that. It bumped my velocity about 50 FPS over the other powders I tried except Big Game. The Big Game powder seemed to have a higher extreme spread with what I tried. The RE 16 had a broader band of accuracy in my 20.5" barreled gun. 2771 FPS was where I ended up shooting 140 grain Accubonds in Nosler Brass. 2.807" COL.

 

[GunTruck]

My TTikka Superlite gives 2900 FPS using 140gr Accubonds and RL17, PP2000MR, and Hunter. W760 gets about 2890FPS.
RL16 gave 2877 FPS and Big Game gave 2863 FPS.

For hunting I am going to use 120gr Barnes TTSX at about 3100FPS or a little more, With RL17, PP2000MR, RL16, Or W760.

W760 gave 3108FPS and was very accurate. RL17 gave over 3150FPS.