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.
