Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Recomend 7-08 load

Looking for an accurate load for 7-08, will be using 120 Gr Barnes ttsx.

Ramshot Big Game, Varget or RL15 will all get you there. I use 50.0/Big Game and a Nosler 120 BT.

44 Grains of Varget works very well out of my Kimber with that bullet.

Thanks guys, I have r-15, will have to get some varget or RBG.

Necked down LC 7.62mm NATO brass, CCI-250, 49 gr RS-BG, & 120 NBT.

45 gr.-15 w/120s works...work up, yada,yada

I use 52.0 of big game and smokes anything it hits

Big Game for lightweights and Hunter for the heavies covers all your 7mm08 needs.

I love em. My fav is a 160 AccuBond and Hunter around 2800 feet.

Big Game, or maybe Big Game.

I load for four 7-08s, used to be five, they all shoot like this with BG:

















Start low and work up, but expect the best results with hotter loads.


Five targets, four rifles.




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I've also had really good luck loading RL-17, but as mentioned above Big Game is undeniably a great powder with the 120's. It's shot well in 3 of my 7-08's, and going to be tested in a fourth very soon.

Wow, nice groups!
Thanks guys!

I worked up some 120 TTSX loads with BG, comparable groups to the above, can't find the pics. I use WLRM primers.






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My 7mm-08 Ruger American likes : Hornady brass, Winchester large rifle primer, 120 TTSX 43.5gr 8208xbr set at 2.78col. I get around 3,020 fps avg velocity and great accuracy.

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44 Grains of Varget 120 Shoots great out of my Feather weight

That RL15 that you have will work fine with a standard primer. I used 44.0 gr. with both the 120 gr. BT and the 120 gr. TTSX for years with great results. I have recently switched to Big Game with a magnum primer. About the same accuracy as the RL15 load, but gains about 100 fps when loading at maximum levels with both powders.

I had some H380 around and tried it in my 7mm-08 with 120 gr ttsx. Best shooting load I have ever had in my Forbes. 47 gr H380. at about 3050 fps.

If temperature sensitivity is important to you then H380 isn't your best bet.

I've read that TAC and Big Game are less temp sensitive than Hunter or Magnum. Don't know how Big Game stacks up against RL-16 and some of the newer powders like 223-CFE/Pw Pro 2000 LR.

Hard to beat Varget for the lighter bullets. It's temp stabllilty is pretty good.

DF

I've tested Big Game in several cartridges at zero degrees Fahrenheit, several times since it appeared over 15 years ago.

Generally, if the velocity is within about 30 fps at zero of the same load's velocity at 70 degrees, I consider a powder cold-resistant, partly because a string shot with the same load will often chronograph 30 fps different on the same day. Big Game has qualified easily.

Am planning to run some warm-weather tests as soon as the temperatures become consistently warmer in a month or so--but so far during routine testing in temps up to 85+ haven't seen anything unusual from it--which can't be said of all spherical powders.

Years ago, with another 7mm-08, Norma n-204 proved to be an excellent powder. I still have part of a can.

Norma URP is very close to n-204, may be it's replacement; I have a can of that, too.

IMR-4320 burn rate is close to RL-15. I don't see it getting much attention, may be worth trying. Some of the IMR series aren't that temp resistant, don't know about this one.

For the time being, I'm sticking with Big Game, just wanted to give credit to those Norma powders as good options and to mention IMR-4320.

DF