Looking over the 7mm08 loads you guys are posting , I was wondering if some of you would share some big game results and loads with 120 gr bullets.

Thanks , WT

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web.pdf

Two rifles, same load.







No results, I use 140 Partitions.




P

Thanks Pharmseller, impressive!

Welcome to the fire!

Nosler lists a max of 52 gr of BG w/ their 120 gr NBT using a Nosler case & WLR primer with 50 as an accuracy load. The 2 rifles I load for (using LC 7.62 NATO cases resized & sparked by WLRMs) like 49 gr for accuracy.

Every rifle is an entity unto itself so work your way up but this sure seems like a winning combo as it's heavily favored here on the fire and elsewhere.

efw,

Out of curiosity, what's the accuracy difference between 49 and 52 grains?

Thanks efw , I'm starting at 47 gr and going up to 50 gr.

What barrel lengths do you have and have you chronoed your loads ?

Finally got my hands on 2lbs of Big Game. Excited to try it in the 7-08 and 22-250. Tag...

John that's a good question I usually am not so far back from max and had to check my notes. Turns out I didn't even test that high; I think it's because of the RS published max of 49.1 w/ TTSX (which I know has different pressure characteristics than NBT), my use of heavier brass & hotter primer? Honestly I don't remember what got me there; may well have been before Nosler put all their load data on the web for free?

Anyway I'll be leaving it because it's so accurate and I don't like to push NBTs at warp speeds like I do TTSXs.

That makes sense! Thanks.

Well, only 47.5 gr of big game gave me a 1" triangle at 100 yards
with a Sierra 120 gr spt.

All other charge weights were bad.

Back to the lab ! LOL !

Mule Deer, have you shot 120 BT's with Big Game? I checked my copy of Big Book of Gun Gack and you don't have any 120 loads listed. I've been shooting 140 BT's for a long time (quite satisfactorily I might add) but I've thought about messing with the 120's for a touch of extra speed. I've seen Pharm's loads, just curious if you've tried and had good luck with them from an accuracy standpoint?

Buy some 120 BT seconds from shootersproshop.com and load up more BG. Use a magnum primer.





P

I'll have to give the BTs a try.

When you guys pull bullets, do you resize the case necks ?

48gr of Big Game and 120gr Ballistic tips shoot clover leafs in my 7/08. Target from the last time I shot it just to make sure it was still "on". Still shooting cloverleafs. Opens up a little bit to just under an inch if I up the charge so I stick with the cloverleaf load. I like the accuracy.

Nice, good shooting !

I use Lee Factory Crimp Die after seating new bullet.

DF

Yes. Neck tension is on the bullet is important for consistent accuracy. I never crimp unless I'm feeding a semi-auto.

IMO, resizing a loaded round is a lot of trouble. You'd have to dump the powder, pull the decapping pin, etc.

The Lee FC die compresses the case neck into the bullet, even those without a cannelure. That produces pretty good neck tension, MUCH easier, IMO.

DF

I doubt you'll see much difference at 100yds with an average hunting rifle by not resizing the neck after pulling and seating a new bullet. Neck tension will affect accuracy but the average rifle won't show how much (with statistical confidence) without shooting a LOT of 5-10 shot groups. A very accurate LR rifle or BR rifle may be a different story, but in that case I would only use such rounds for fouling or practice. Still, I will normally run the case back in the FL die and go about 2/3 down the neck but not touch the body. The de-cap pin is removed on all my FL dies and this method doesn't require any lube.

I use the Lee FC on a couple calibers and it will help, but you still won't have the "same" neck tension as on a round that had been re-neck sized. And either one would most likely be a little different than a case that had been fired and sized normally. It gets down to how fine do you want to pick your nits...

Good points.

DF

Thanks guys , I'll go on and resize them for piece of mind.

The Lee Collet Neck sizer dies work great for the situation you described. It is what I use if I need to pull bullets and then resize/reload.
In the past I have had pressure issues with crimped loads when trying to work up loads. The accuracy was erratic at times also. This was with a 243 and problem went away when I quit crimping. This was just my experience. I used to crimp a standard 30-06 load that worked great in a lot of different rifles. But if I didn't crimp using the same load my personal rifles shot it more accurately. Not a great deal more accurate, but still noticeable at 100yds.

The Lee Collet Neck sizer is never a bad option...

DF

HUGE +1!!