Not advocating unsafe loading, only mishap I ever had was a blown primer using IMI brass long ago which was a lower capacity brass. Here is a load on a site, using WW Brass, in a 20.25 bbl, over 2900. MY Speeds may have been atypical, IDK, but it's what I was getting, in my guns, and I never had a problem. If loading today, I would use WW brass vs RP, which has about 1.5 more capacity and is better quality, and I might reduce the charge to 44.0 - just depends on pressure signs and what speeds I was obtaining.
Book max changes over time with various manuals. Years ago with my first rifle, a RM - I wanted to duplicate 280 speeds with a lower charge, so I picked one in an OLD Speer manual. The 145 blew up on the shoulder of a large WT deer, and I later found out it was much faster then the book, in my 700.
In talks later with Speer, I was informed the original load data was in a firearm that gave different pressures and speeds. They later used another rifle and charges were dropped.
In the 7/08 I know charges were lowered IIRC since I first started using Varget.
2800-2850 is a good goal and average many get in the 7/08. My loads were what I consider top end, safe, and accurate, in MY rifles. 50-100 fps is not significant and a couple of clicks on a turret or adjustment in POI will compensate.
FWIW, as a comparison, I ran 47 routinely using 120s, 3050-3100 was the norm. Again, RP brass. That same load btw, shot 3/4 - 7/8" at 200 yds in my BDL - Varmint (in a VLS stock, pressure pad removed, no bedding), for (3) 100 Hornady HPs...was very fast, and a coyotes worst nightmare
Last thought on My speeds - here in Louisiana in summer, we have temps in the 90s.....that might have added a bit of heat to the equation. Someone might chime in but that might change things a bit, I'm not up on the temp sensitivity of various powders.
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail.asp?CaliberID=43&Powder=Hodgdon+Varget&LoadID=8760
