Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm08 Powders

Picked up a Marlin in 7mm08 for my son. I'd like for him to shoot 120 grain bullets for deer. If you could choose 1 ,ok 2 powders for this caliber and bullets what would they be? Thank you

Ramshot Big Game immediately comes to mind but it seems damn near impossible to find these days. So Varget and R15 would come to the forefront from my experience. Lots of options.

Big game and then big game.....

I understand that CFE223 and H4895 both do well with the lighter 120 bullets. I haven't played with either yet. My 7-08 sure likes Varget and 139 gr hornady bullets.

IMR-4064 works well for me

I run the Nosler 120 with a charge of RL15...two guns like it....so I stick with it....

I'd look at RL15 or CFE223 if a new 7mm-08 showed up at my house and I was planning on 120's.

Actually, one showed up yesterday, so CFE223 will get the first try.... (grin)

Watch that CFE223 if you haven't worked with it already. I used different components that Hodgdon did for some 308 loads, so I was conservative in my approach. Even then things were sporty pretty quick.

For example, Hodgdon's start charge of 46.6 grains under a 168 SMK gave then 2662 fps from a 24" test barrel.

From the 24" barrel of one of my 700's I got 2750 fps with PPU brass, 168 Zmax, and WLR with the same start charge.

It's hot down here these days, but the range firing line has a roof and the rifle and cartridges weren't hot, having been in an air conditioned car just before.

R15 is hard to beat for the 120's. There's not a lot I wouldn't shoot with a 120gr. TTSX.

Varget shoots best with 120's in mine.

I recently put one together and couldn't get a "7-08" powder. I used IMR-4320 with good results to start with. RL-15 came available recently/locally. I'm impressed. Still waiting on Big Game though.

Varget, RL15, Big Game, IMR4064 in no particular order. If none of those worked I would buy a different rifle (Ha!)

varget and 120 NBT is a deadly combo in mine

IMR 4064 and H414 were winners in my picky rifle.

H-380 works well for me with barnes ttsx 120. Good velocity and accuracy.

45.0 Varget and 120 NBT was the beginning and the end of the story in mine. I'd roll a 120 TTSX these days, though.

Yep.

Supposedly Big Game will be appearing again soon.

I tried CFE223 with 120 TSX's in my present 7-08 and couldn't get anywhere near the max load listed by Hodgdon. The Hodgdon data did use 120 Ballistic Tips, not TSX's, but in general short TSX's produce less pressure than most other bullets. In fact had to use two grains less than the max Hodgdon load. Velocity and accuracy were just OK. This fits right in with mathman's suggestion of possibly sporty results with CFE223.

Luckily I still have most of a jug of Big Game it worked great, per usual.

Big game = pixy dust....hopefully your right and that will change.

RL-15 or RL-15. If you can't find any, then try RL-15.