My fellow 7mm-08 reloaders...

[jbseamus83]

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.

I almost never see anyone else going back to the old W760 on this caliber, but I have had awesome results with it in my 7-08. Good velocity and awesome accuracy. It and H4350 are the 2 best running for me. My FIL also has a 7-08 and Varget has shot well for him. I can't group at all with it.

 

[std7mag]

Your W760 and H414 are same essentially the same powder.

As far as velocities go. There are some "faster and slower" barrels, but some of the posted velocities scare me.
My posted were of 10 shots over a Beta Master then velocity trued at longer distances (600-800 yards).
And i was shooting an "AI".

Look at some of the 280 Rem posted velocities & you'll see Rem Mag speeds.

Wondering how Dougfirtree made out with his 12 bullets! ?

 

[Dougfirtree]

Your W760 and H414 are same essentially the same powder.

As far as velocities go. There are some "faster and slower" barrels, but some of the posted velocities scare me.
My posted were of 10 shots over a Beta Master then velocity trued at longer distances (600-800 yards).
And i was shooting an "AI".

Look at some of the 280 Rem posted velocities & you'll see Rem Mag speeds.

Wondering how Dougfirtree made out with his 12 bullets! ?

As I recall, I went with Varget and got nothing worth repeating. I decided in the Spring, to sell that rifle and I replaced it with a Tikka in 7mm-08. I dropped it in a Bell and Carlson stock and started out playing with the e-tips I still had. Found a good load with Varget that shoots about 3/4" if I do my part well, 2740fps. That should do nicely.
Who knows though, I may give those 139 LRX's another try some day, or the 145's. I like the idea of mono bullets designed to open up at lower velocities.

 

[std7mag]

I was all over the Barnes website. I found nothing about minimum expansion velocity.

Cutting Edge actually raised the minimum velocities for their bullets.

ABLR is still 1,300 fps...
Just say'n.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I was all over the Barnes website. I found nothing about minimum expansion velocity.

Cutting Edge actually raised the minimum velocities for their bullets.

ABLR is still 1,300 fps...
Just say'n.

It's different for each bullet, but they'll tell you if you call.

 

[wgiles]

Who knows though, I may give those 139 LRX's another try some day, or the 145's. I like the idea of mono bullets designed to open up at lower velocities.

No one has mentioned the Barnes reloading guidelines where they say that best accuracy may be obtained by seating the bullets so that there is 0.050 to 0.250" "jump" before the bullet contacts the rifling. I haven't done any centerfire reloading with Barnes bullets, so I can't say how much this matters, but it is prominent on Barnes reloading guidelines.

 

[Dougfirtree]

No one has mentioned the Barnes reloading guidelines where they say that best accuracy may be obtained by seating the bullets so that there is 0.050 to 0.250" "jump" before the bullet contacts the rifling. I haven't done any centerfire reloading with Barnes bullets, so I can't say how much this matters, but it is prominent on Barnes reloading guidelines.

I have found seating depth to be very important for monos and started my Barnes endeavors around .050 off, but never actually found my best accuracy there.

 

[Speeddmn]

I use 140 Bergers and Varget. If I do my part, its a nickle size or less. Around 2760 fps. Ive also always started shooting the ahorteat rounds first. Find a good load, i can always push the long ones down.

 

[GunTruck]

I almost never see anyone else going back to the old W760 on this caliber, but I have had awesome results with it in my 7-08. Good velocity and awesome accuracy. It and H4350 are the 2 best running for me. My FIL also has a 7-08 and Varget has shot well for him. I can't group at all with it.

I have good results with W760, But I usually use RL17, Or Big Game.

 

[GunTruck]

W760 is excellent powder in the 7mm-08. If you have it use it. It works great with 120gr 130gr and 140gr. It is very accurate and gives high velocity with those bullet weights. I like it a lot.

 

[DamascusSteel]

Have you tried other mono bullets like the Nosler E-tip, Hornady GMX or Hammer bullets?

 

[GunTruck]

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?

I use W760, RL17, Big Game and PP2000Mr, and RL16. If you live in a cold climate Try RL16 the best I got from it was 3030FPS SD 11.1 the first 4 will a little over 3100FPS. That is with my Tikka. I am switching to WLRM primers also. My Speeds are from a Lab Radar.

 

[homers]

3100 fps with Varget and 131gr Hammer Hunters (actual weight is 134gr).

 

[blueridge]

3100 fps with Varget and 131gr Hammer Hunters (actual weight is 134gr).

How many grains Varget and what length barrel on that? Standard or Mag primer?

 

[blueridge]

Anyone ever try Shooters World Precision Rifle powder, billed and reputed to be very comparable to Varget? I couldn’t find Varget so I grabbed a couple pounds of Precision to test on the new 7mm-08 load I am working up with 131HH’s. It was snowing so I didn’t shoot groups, but did a modified ladder over the chrono checking velocities. 46.4gr gave me just over 3000fps with no pressure signs and a 5 shot ES under 25. Hoping the Hammers are as easy to dial in as I have heard.

 

[OwyheeHuntr]

Anyone ever try Shooters World Precision Rifle powder, billed and reputed to be very comparable to Varget? I couldn’t find Varget so I grabbed a couple pounds of Precision to test on the new 7mm-08 load I am working up with 131HH’s. It was snowing so I didn’t shoot groups, but did a modified ladder over the chrono checking velocities. 46.4gr gave me just over 3000fps with no pressure signs and a 5 shot ES under 25. Hoping the Hammers are as easy to dial in as I have heard.

I have 3 pounds on the way right now. Haven't been able to find Varget anywhere local or online. I refuse to pay gunbroker prices. I've had good luck loading 140 grain accubonds and Varget for 3 different 7mm-08s.

 

[huntn100]

My kimber hunter 7mm08 likes 47 grs of big game with 140 ttsx, I have 2 boxes of 139 gr lrx that Im wanting to test. Interesting that the Barnes rep recommended them. I am also beginning to load 120 ttsx for my Sister in laws 7mm08, as she only hunts deer and antelope at this point. I like the trajectories of those 120's alot.

 

[GunTruck]

PP2000mr was very accurate and had high velocity in my Tikka. Has anyone tryed PP4000Mr in a 7mm-08?

 

[std7mag]

PP2000MR gave me 2,832fps with 140gr class bullets out of 7mm-08AI with 22" barrel.
ES-6, SD-2.
With PP4000MR, you'll likely want a 160gr or up bullet, with a long throat to seat the boat tail/shank junction at the case neck/shoulder junction.

PP4000MR working good in my 284 Win & 280 Rem with 150gr ABLR.

 

[GunTruck]

On Sunday, first time sat the range in 6 months Best load was PP4000mr using 145gr Speer BT, I got 2888 FPS and Sd of 9.6 using WLRM primers and Winchester cases at 2,780 OAL. Going to change to 215M primers next time.

Loaded RL26 with 2 different primers WLRM and 160gr N Partitions I got 2741 FPS, Win cases SD was 21.4

When using 215M primers same RL26 powder charge I got 2718 FPS SD was 8.1 all other components was the same.