Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles How hard is it to reload for a 7mm-08?

I'll pile on for the 139gr. Hornady. Excellent speed and accuracy. I'm running about 2950 with the flat base over Varget. Groups hover around 1/2" or just over. Best 3 shot was just over 1/4" CTC. The loose trigger nut keeps messing up the consistency.

I just finished developing loads for my 7-08.
I tried
160 Accubond- shot well
162 Horn BTSP- did not shoot so well
150 Nosler BT- shot very well
150 Nosler Partition- shot very well
140 Accubond- shot very well
139 Horn SP- rifle did not shoot these well at all

Powders tried were
H4350( from Mule Deer's and Brian Pierces writing)
IMR4350
Hunter
Varget
RE15
W760- great velocity, but lagged in accuracy

The 4350's were the winners in the accuracy and in making velocity goals of 2850fps with 140's and 2750 to 2800fps with 150s.
The Nosler bullets worked well with just about any 4350 load I tried.

The one problem I encountered with the slower powders that filled the case to capacity was seating bullets consistently with heavy load compression. It was a learning curve, but doable with some experience.

Your mileage may vary.

The 7mm/08 is very easy to load for. It is very versitle as far as powders go. I've shot bullets from 110 grs. to 160 grs., but I keep coming back to the 140's for deer hunting. (Accubonds at the moment)

I'm a little surprised that you hadn't gotten accuracy with W760 Nailbender. I've had pretty decent luck with it in my 7-08. What charge weight did you use?

+2,

Plus the 154 Hornady Round nose....deer hate them too!

Big Game pushes the 120 NBT well, and may give a little more velocity than RL15 if you can live with this kind of accuracy...grin.



DJ

Nice shootin', Tex. I could live with that accuracy. Doubt the deer could though...grin.

DJ,
I saw your other post.

How far did you back off to get that OAL

I think I'm around .015 or so off, IIRC.

DJ

Turok,

I was suprised that W760 did not work for me either. A friend recommended it and I found several references on the net indicating it would work.

I worked up to what I considered max and my velocities were within reason.

I do not post my charge weights on the net.

I did not discriminate with any of the bullets and produced a consistent lack of accuracy with all of the bullets I tried it with.

Turok,

I was suprised that W760 did not work for me either. A friend recommended it and I found several references on the net indicating it would work.

I worked up to what I considered max and my velocities were within reason.


It did not discriminate with any of the bullets and produced a consistent lack of accuracy with all of the bullets I tried it with.

Nailbender,

You certainly have to go with what your gun likes and not what everyone else tells you it should like. My .338 doesn't work with R19, but so many people out there claim it's THE powder for it.

I'm using the R15/120 gr load in my 7-08 now, but I will be looking into picking up some Big Game given the results posted here.

Sometimes THE powder works fine for me.

I have some 760 loaded with 168 Amaxs in 30-06 to give a go.

I have a good varget load with the amax that is my test load to see if the rifle or scope has gone bonkers on me or if I am screwing up.

I keep reading that it is more temp sensitive than some others, but would have to test that out to see for myself