7mm-08 and Speer 130's - 24hourcampfire

Anyone load Speer 130's in their 7mm08?

I'm thinking about giving them a try and was wondering if anyone had any pet loads for this combination.

130 Gr. Speer BTSP ove 47 Gr. of W-760 , MOA out of my 20" Model 7 ! Use this Data at your own risk ! It's not a hot load .

Im using the flat base 130gr. Using 49.5 H4350, norma brass , fed BR primers. Havent hunted with this load as yet, but Im sure someone will chime in with feild experience for this bullet.

Was hoping to use 120 ttsx, but alas my rifle doesnt appear to like them....

My family has used the 7/08 with the 130g Speer BTSP with IMR 4895 with a 9 1/2 for years, which shoots very tiny groups, accurcy will be within 2.0g of a max load for your rifle.

This bullet is the hammer of thor on whitetails out to 350 which is as far as we have shot them.

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My family has used the 7/08 with the 130g Speer BTSP with IMR 4895 with a 9 1/2 for years

That combo worked nicely for me with the flat base version.

I am interested in this myself as I have two boxes. One flat base and one boattail, that I have had for several years. I got sidetracked with the 120 gr ballistic tip and never tried them. miles

Originally Posted by milespatton

I am interested in this myself as I have two boxes. One flat base and one boattail, that I have had for several years. I got sidetracked with the 120 gr ballistic tip and never tried them. miles

How has the 120's worked?

I worked a load with Nosler 120's and 50 grains of Big Game....1 hole shot groups at 100.

I just need a back up plan if they don't perform on deer right.

I'm extremely fond of the Speer 130 gr BTSP out of my Remington M7 7mm-08. I generally load this bullet behind max loads of Re-15 or IMR4320 for 3000 fps and MOA accuracy. I can't say whether I've killed more whitetails with the 7mm-08 or the 7x57, but a TON of high fence culls have fallen to both rifles. The 18.5" barrel on my 7-08 no doubt contributes to its handiness and desirability as a truck or box blind favorite.

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How has the 120's worked?

They work great and that is the reason that I have not worked on the speer 130's. I have killed several deer with the 120's before and after I re barreled and made it a 7mm08 AI. They work great in both. I have also had good luck with the 125 gr ballistic tip in my 308 on deer. miles

The flat base version works well in my 7x57 so should also in the 7-08.

Originally Posted by Slim_Sr

Anyone load Speer 130's in their 7mm08?

I'm thinking about giving them a try and was wondering if anyone had any pet loads for this combination.

When I had a Remington 700BDL 7mm/08 my prefered load with a 130gn Speer BT Spitzers and 48gns W760. Over the years I tried a few other powders, including Varget,H4895 and H4350 but W760 always gave the best accuracy in my rifle.

Here's a pic of a 130gn Spitzer I recovered from a boar.. From memory it retained about 58% of its original weight.

I just got bout 1/2 a box from a member here and wondering what powder I should run, good thread!!

Originally Posted by dawaba

I'm extremely fond of the Speer 130 gr BTSP out of my Remington M7 7mm-08. I generally load this bullet behind max loads of Re-15 or IMR4320 for 3000 fps and MOA accuracy. I can't say whether I've killed more whitetails with the 7mm-08 or the 7x57, but a TON of high fence culls have fallen to both rifles. The 18.5" barrel on my 7-08 no doubt contributes to its handiness and desirability as a truck or box blind favorite.

Dawaba,

A max load??

What's the max for RL 15?

Originally Posted by milespatton

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How has the 120's worked?

They work great and that is the reason that I have not worked on the speer 130's. I have killed several deer with the 120's before and after I re barreled and made it a 7mm08 AI. They work great in both. I have also had good luck with the 125 gr ballistic tip in my 308 on deer. miles

Miles,
Which 120's are you using?

I loaded some Noslers.

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Which 120's are you using?

Nosler ballistic tips. 120 gr version in front of varget. Not at my books right now but a pretty stiff load. I am running around 3200 fps in the 7mm08 AI. miles

I load 120 B-tips over RL-15 for about 2950 fps and one hole accuracy if I hold up my end.

Originally Posted by Slim_Sr

Originally Posted by dawaba

I'm extremely fond of the Speer 130 gr BTSP out of my Remington M7 7mm-08. I generally load this bullet behind max loads of Re-15 or IMR4320 for 3000 fps and MOA accuracy. I can't say whether I've killed more whitetails with the 7mm-08 or the 7x57, but a TON of high fence culls have fallen to both rifles. The 18.5" barrel on my 7-08 no doubt contributes to its handiness and desirability as a truck or box blind favorite.

Max load is max for YOUR rifle. For mine, I generally work up loads in the heat of the summer till I see subtle signs, ie .001" case head expansion, perhaps a sticky bolt lift, or a burnished mark from the ejector plunger on the case head. I now know that load is too hot! So I back off a grain or 2 (say, 1.5 grs for a medium cartridge like a 7-08). If that lower load gives good velocity and excellent accuracy, it's a keeper.

Dawaba,

A max load??

What's the max for RL 15?

Originally Posted by dawaba

Originally Posted by Slim_Sr

Originally Posted by dawaba

I'm extremely fond of the Speer 130 gr BTSP out of my Remington M7 7mm-08. I generally load this bullet behind max loads of Re-15 or IMR4320 for 3000 fps and MOA accuracy. I can't say whether I've killed more whitetails with the 7mm-08 or the 7x57, but a TON of high fence culls have fallen to both rifles. The 18.5" barrel on my 7-08 no doubt contributes to its handiness and desirability as a truck or box blind favorite.

Max load is max for YOUR rifle. For mine, I generally work up loads in the heat of the summer till I see subtle signs, ie .001" case head expansion, perhaps a sticky bolt lift, or a burnished mark from the ejector plunger on the case head. I now know that load is too hot! So I back off a grain or 2 (say, 1.5 grs for a medium cartridge like a 7-08). If that lower load gives good velocity and excellent accuracy, it's a keeper.

Dawaba,

A max load??

What's the max for RL 15?

Dawaba,

I was wondering if you were using book max.

Originally Posted by Slim_Sr

Originally Posted by dawaba

Originally Posted by Slim_Sr

Originally Posted by dawaba

I'm extremely fond of the Speer 130 gr BTSP out of my Remington M7 7mm-08. I generally load this bullet behind max loads of Re-15 or IMR4320 for 3000 fps and MOA accuracy. I can't say whether I've killed more whitetails with the 7mm-08 or the 7x57, but a TON of high fence culls have fallen to both rifles. The 18.5" barrel on my 7-08 no doubt contributes to its handiness and desirability as a truck or box blind favorite.

Max load is max for YOUR rifle. For mine, I generally work up loads in the heat of the summer till I see subtle signs, ie .001" case head expansion, perhaps a sticky bolt lift, or a burnished mark from the ejector plunger on the case head. I now know that load is too hot! So I back off a grain or 2 (say, 1.5 grs for a medium cartridge like a 7-08). If that lower load gives good velocity and excellent accuracy, it's a keeper.

Dawaba,

A max load??

What's the max for RL 15?

Dawaba,

I was wondering if you were using book max.

Which book? I own Speer books #7 and #10, but both pre-date R-15, so no data exists here. On Speer's website, I couldn't find a load using R-15. My Alliant powder book only mentions combining R-15 with the 130 flat base (42 gr for 2786 fps). Alliant does offer a load for the 130 BTSP with R-17 (48.5 gr for 3007 fps).

Barnes doesn't make a 130 gr bullet, but their max with R-15 behind the 120 and 140 gr bullets is 44 gr/120/3081 and 42/140/2814. There are other sources of published data too, particularly articles in Handloader magazine: the late Don Zutz used 44 R-15/130/2980; Ken Waters didn't test R-15 with the 130 but got 3038 fps with 50/Norma204.

So who are you gonna believe? Do you abide by published data from the bullet maker, or from the powder maker, or from some 3rd party like Lyman? Frankly, the more you read, the more you'll find published data all over the map.

IMO.....to thine ownself be true. Your rifle and your chronograph and your techniques will guide your load development. MY load for MY gun, a Remington Model 7, is 44/R-15/3020 fps. YMMV.

Dawaba,

Thanks

Just wanted to know if you had some data that I didn't have on that load.

Has anybody tried the Speer 130's with Big Game Powder?

I guess not many shooting 130's in the 7-08.

Sure would like some data for Ramshot Big Game and 130's.

I used the Speer 130 and 47.5 grains of Big Game during the late Obama ammo scare. I couldn't find my usual Hornady 139s, but the Speers were on the shelf. I don't have my load notes handy, so I don't know the velocity off hand. Never shot a deer with them but they were very accurate. I went back to the Hornadys the next year for no other reason than I had killed several deer with them and trusted them.

I will probably use the Speers this season in a friend's daughter's rifle.

Speer 130 BT; 45.5 grains of IMR 4064; WLR primer; .010 off rifling = 1 hole groups at 100.