This has been a very helpful thread for me over the last few years as I've started playing with the 7-08. Thought I'd give back a little bit and share three loads that are working well for me in a rather picky 7-08.
120 gr TTSX/50.0 gr Big Game/WLR primer/Alpha brass seated at 2.805" COAL. I'm getting 2970 fps from a 20" barrel. I could probably step this one up a bit but I'm happy with the accuracy at this level. Nosler data shows the 120 Ballistic Tip and a max load of 52.0 gr of Big Game for 3267 fps from a 26" barrel.
130 gr Speer Boat Tail/48.0 gr StaBALL6.5/WLR primer/PPU brass seated at 2.805" COAL. This one gives 2849 fps from the 20" barrel. Not close to a max load. Mild load for practice but I'm sure it would work fine for deer. Hodgdon data goes clear up to 51.2 gr of StaBALL6.5 with the Sierra 130 gr bullet.
160 gr Speer Hot Cor/46.0 StaBALL6.5/WLR primer/Alpha brass seated at 2.866". Velocity is about 2662 fps from the same 20" barrel. This load is as hot as I care to go with my components in my rifle. Kinda reminiscent of an old fashioned 7x57 load. The Hodgdon site shows that they were able to go clear up to 47.7 gr of StaBALL6.5 and push a Speer 160 Boat Tail 2825 fps from a 24" barrel. I started getting a bit of sticky bolt lift at much above my 46 grains.
General observations: These three loads share almost identical point of impact at 100 yds but, of course, spread out a good bit beyond that. StaBALL6.5 seems to be the velocity king in the 7-08 but I find the numbers on the Hodgdon website to be optimistic in terms of charge weights (in my rifle at least). Contrary to the experience of many others (whom I appreciate and respect), I get slightly better accuracy with NON-magnum primers with Big Game. Varget is accurate but slow. PPU brass is good stuff. Alpha brass is VERY good stuff. I really wanted to shoot 150 gr ELDX's but I couldn't get decent accuracy with 'em outta this rifle - we're talking some groups of 4" for 5 at 100 yds. Best groups with that bullet at around 2". The Hornady 154 gr IL wasn't a whole lot better. It shoots 140 TSX's and 139 IL's decent but shows a marked preference for the Speers. I'm normally ambivalent about Speer bullets but I guess we have to let the rifle decide.
Thanks to all that have contributed!
