Powder Recommendations

[X13]

Just ordered the Lyman book to start with.

I also procured some .22 cal bullets from 55 grain-65 grain and the dies for my .22-250

 

[6mm Remington]

I like Nosler bullets, so I use Nosler's manual. Hodgdon has their load data on the internet. If your 30-06 won't shoot IMR4350 and 165 grain bullets, you should throw it away. Lol

I like the Nosler book also as that's the only bullets that I load are Nosler. Hodgdon has a yearly magazine with loads and new powders that comes out. You can find one of those in any good book store like Barnes & Noble, etc. Of course on-line works too.

 

[Coyotecaller93]

Just don't expect the velocities in Noslers manual to be accurate. I have yet to get their velocities on a single load and usually their printed velocities are about 100 fps faster than reality.

 

[Focus]

OP I'm partial to H4895 in several different cartridges. I have a 22-250 and a 260 Rem that likes it a lot. Also good in 30-30 and 223.

Guys above who recommended IMR4350 and 165 grain bullets are spot on. I use the CCI 250 mag primer in my loads and have killed a handful of deer DRT with the 165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip.

I also have good luck with a load I stumbled on while attempting to create a practice load for my wife prior to her one and only antelope hunt. 150 gr Hornady Spire Point with a std. primer and 57.0 grains of H4350. This is if I recall correctly about 4-5 grains under book max. I've shot numerous sub-moa groups with it and have shot a handful over the years that go 1/2 moa. Velocity is in the same neighborhood as a .300 Savage....I've not shot anything with it yet but I'm sure the Hornady SP would perform well on deer and antelope (in fact I know it will because the first few deer I shot were with a 130 gr SP out of a .270).

Manuals....I've found over the years a guy can never have enough.......I find them fun to review and compare. I have some oldies from the 70's that I still consult on for a new (to me) cartridge, but usually the older ones have hotter loads so caution is advised. My two go-to manuals are Nosler and Hornady, simply because those are the two bullet brands I'm partial to.

As always, heed the warnings in the manuals and work up to a load that's max for your rifle!

 

[Dougfirtree]

Just don't expect the velocities in Noslers manual to be accurate. I have yet to get their velocities on a single load and usually their printed velocities are about 100 fps faster than reality.

It doesn't help that their data for the 7mm-08 is from a 26" barrel... I've had mixed experience. I've had some that were much slower, but one that was actually faster at all powder charges.

 

[X13]

I worked up my first batch. 7mm-08, 139 gr. Hornady SP, 47.0 grains of IMR4350.

I sized the cases to 2.025 then seated my bullets to the top edge of the cannelure and it gives me an OAL of 2.795.

Does that all sound right?

Edit: Other things worth noting- I was totally surprised by how full the case was after adding powder. Also I was able to successfully put the round in a magazine, chamber it, and eject it from my T3. Also interested in how everyone measures their chamber to know how far your bullet is from the lands

 

[MThuntr]

I worked up my first batch. 7mm-08, 139 gr. Hornady SP, 47.0 grains of IMR4350.

I sized the cases to 2.025 then seated my bullets to the top edge of the cannelure and it gives me an OAL of 2.795.

Does that all sound right?

How did you get to that charge weight? What did you base that OAL off of?

 

[X13]

How did you get to that charge weight? What did you base that OAL off of?

I picked a charge weight in the middle of the spectrum, I was mostly interested making sure my equipment all worked and for practice.

The OAL was measured with vernier calipers and the Lyman book showed a picture of a sample 7mm08 cartridge with an OAL of 2.800

 

[VikingsGuy]

I worked up my first batch. 7mm-08, 139 gr. Hornady SP, 47.0 grains of IMR4350.

I sized the cases to 2.025 then seated my bullets to the top edge of the cannelure and it gives me an OAL of 2.795.

Does that all sound right?

Edit: Other things worth noting- I was totally surprised by how full the case was after adding powder. Also I was able to successfully put the round in a magazine, chamber it, and eject it from my T3. Also interested in how everyone measures their chamber to know how far your bullet is from the lands

Not at all attempting to address proper powder choice, powder load or CAOL for your round, but if you have all those items "by the book" and it seems like the case is too full to fit the bullet as deep as you wish, or if you here "crunching" when you seat the bullet, you can buy (or make) a "drop tube" that will help settle the powder in the case much better and give you more room for the bullet.

 

[Focus]

JT13, your charge weight is 1 grain over book max in my Nosler book, and 1/2 grain over book max in my Hornady book. Which manual did you get that load from?

You asked earlier about manuals. My reply was something along the lines of "you can't have too many". This is one reason why......it helps to compare various manuals to see if their max charge weights line up. Sometimes they don't and then its use-your-best-judgement-time, but when several do line up, like this instance here, I usually go with the lightest max that's consistent over several books, rather than use the heaviest max that I can find.

 

[X13]

JT13, your charge weight is 1 grain over book max in my Nosler book, and 1/2 grain over book max in my Hornady book. Which manual did you get that load from?

You asked earlier about manuals. My reply was something along the lines of "you can't have too many". This is one reason why......it helps to compare various manuals to see if their max charge weights line up. Sometimes they don't and then its use-your-best-judgement-time, but when several do line up, like this instance here, I usually go with the lightest max that's consistent over several books, rather than use the heaviest max that I can find.

The Lyman book has 48.0 as the max charge with IMR 4350

 

[MThuntr]

I strongly suggest working up from minimum and finding the max powder charge tracking potential signs of pressure. Yes it requires more input of time and money in components but randomly picking a charge from a book can be a hazard to your health.

https://www.primalrights.com/library/articles/load-development

https://www.primalrights.com/library/articles/understanding-pressure

 

[Focus]

What Mthuntr said.......sounds to us like you've only loaded 48.0 grain charge weights and are going to hit the range. I generally load in 1 grain increments from about 4-5 grains below max and start shooting from the lowest charge weight, looking for pressure signs as I go. Does your Lyman book cover pressure signs? I just looked in my latest hornady manual and they have a pretty comprehensive section on pressure signs.

About COL.....you are ahead of the game if you are figuring out if the cartridge fits the magazine. A lot of rifles have throats that allow the bullet to be seated way out there but the COL is too long for the magazine.

Regarding COL and seating depth measurements......

I use the Hornady OAL gauge and bullet comparator for COL and seating depth measurements.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...ools-and-gauges/lock-n-load-bullet-comparator

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...tools-and-gauges/oal-gauges-modified-cases#!/

Another thought.....If I'm working with a light-for-caliber bullet like a 40 grain .224 bullet......sometimes the throat is so long that the bullet would be out of the case mouth if it were seated close to the lands. In this case, I will try to get a bullet diameter's worth of bullet length below the mouth of the case. In other words, seat a .224 bullet .224" from base of bullet to case mouth.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don't measure to the ogive. I measure COAL. I don't chase the lands, cause I load for hunting rifles and don't want to hand feed them. I use my cleaning rod to measure the distance to my lands.

 

[X13]

What Mthuntr said.......sounds to us like you've only loaded 48.0 grain charge weights and are going to hit the range. I generally load in 1 grain increments from about 4-5 grains below max and start shooting from the lowest charge weight, looking for pressure signs as I go. Does your Lyman book cover pressure signs? I just looked in my latest hornady manual and they have a pretty comprehensive section on pressure signs.

About COL.....you are ahead of the game if you are figuring out if the cartridge fits the magazine. A lot of rifles have throats that allow the bullet to be seated way out there but the COL is too long for the magazine.

Regarding COL and seating depth measurements......

I use the Hornady OAL gauge and bullet comparator for COL and seating depth measurements.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...ools-and-gauges/lock-n-load-bullet-comparator

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...tools-and-gauges/oal-gauges-modified-cases#!/

Another thought.....If I'm working with a light-for-caliber bullet like a 40 grain .224 bullet......sometimes the throat is so long that the bullet would be out of the case mouth if it were seated close to the lands. In this case, I will try to get a bullet diameter's worth of bullet length below the mouth of the case. In other words, seat a .224 bullet .224" from base of bullet to case mouth.

I'm bagging what you're mowing

I'm going to load up some cartridges starting at the low end and work them up to near max in .2 or .3 grain increments

 

[BuzzH]

I wouldn't worry about 47.0 grains of 4350 in a 7-08 with 140's...you're in safe territory there.

I used that as a starting load in 2 7-08's...no pressure signs at all.

Just check your brass and be sure to know what you're looking at for pressure. The couple times I've experienced excessive pressure it was obvious on the brass and also a sticky bolt lift.

For the record, I almost never start at minimum loads, usually only a grain or maybe 2 below the max. Referencing a few different loading manuals/online loading sources is never a bad idea though.

I also usually don't mess with increments less than .5 grains, unless I'm trying to squeeze every ounce of accuracy from a rifle and only when I already have something that's shooting pretty well.

 

[cahunter805]

+1 Buzz. Work up in .5gr increments til you find your powder node. You can then fine tune in .2 or .3 from there. Then test your seating depth to tune even more.

Best way to measure lands is with a modified case and OAL tool. You can also take a fired case and size the neck. Then cut a slit or 2 in the neck. Load it into your chamber and then eject it carefully and measure OAL. Repeat a few times to verify OAL.

 

[Focus]

I agree with a lot of what BuzzH said (I don't load for the 7-08 and can't comment on that powder charge).....

The only time I load in .2 grain increments is when I'm working up pistol loads. There's a huge difference between 4.7 grains max load on say a 9mm Luger vs 47 grains in a 7-08. There are a lot of other variables that affect the precision of a load and a .2 grain difference in a load isn't going to make a noticeable difference when we're talking in terms of anything north of say 30 grains.

If I was loading for your 7-08 I would load 6 rounds at 45, 6 rounds at 46, and 6 rounds at 47*........go to the range and shoot 3-shot groups, starting with the lightest charge and going up. Look for pressure signs (bolt lift....the other two most common and obvious ones are flattened primers and the ejector mark on the base of the case). Once these 6 groups are shot, assuming you are good at shooting off a bench and every shot was repeatable (there's those pesky variables again) you'll have a good idea of what your gun likes (or maybe ALL six groups are garbage and you might want to consider another bullet).

18 rounds, shot for group and allowing a cooling time between shots and between groups, would take less than an hour or so. Take other rifles to practice with while you are waiting for the barrel to cool.

Assuming your max charge weight shows no signs of pressure, and you are reasonably happy with the group (close to moa?), then you can start dinking with things like seating depth and maybe backing off a half a grain.

* I did find 47.0 of IMR4350 in an older manual

 

[X13]

I'll be loading up some more tonight.

What sort of shooting procedure do you guys follow during your load testing? (Cold bore, warm up shots, time between shots, etc)

Shooting a Tikka T3 Hunter and am concerned about the barrel heating up on me and screwing with the group sizes

 

[N2TRKYS]

I load 3 rounds per powder charge. I shoot those 3 rounds, then wait for the barrel to cool. Then I repeat the same with the next load. Once I fine a load that I like, I'll load up 5 rounds and test them. If it's still good, that's the load I use. This has worked the best for me.

I don't shoot any rounds without my chrono.