Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL26 in 7-08

For those that are using RL26 in 7-08, would you mind sharing some load data?

I'll be using 120 grain NBT and 140 grain Accubonds/Partitions in Lapua brass.

Thanks

You'd be better off using RL17.

With the Nosler 120 BT I used N140, but with the 140gr. Partition I use 49.3gr. of RL 26. I would use a mag. primer if you aren't already.

K22 What velocity and barrel length please.

I have not shot it through the chronograph yet. This bullet and powder was suggested to me by a friend in my effort finding a heavier bullet for a rifle that preferred 120gr. only. It worked. The barrel is 22".
The same powder behind a 100gr. bullet in a 243 I own is very right at 3100fps with a 22" barrel. I know, oranges to apples, but that powder sure seems user friendly to me.

I'm using Fed. 215 primers with that 7-08 load, but I'm going to try some Rem. 9 1/2 mag. primers to see how much difference it makes. I'll set the chronograph up when I do that and let you know the velocity.

Thanks for the info. I'm interested in your velocity findings, as well.

Well I guess I will watch this thread but I see no data at Alliant that supports using re26 in the 7mm O8 the powder is slower than reloader 22 and how that fits in a 7mm O8 baffles the heck out of me.

With 129 NBT i've used CFE223 and Varget and the 140 TTSX used Varget also. Had good velocity and accuracy with both.

49.3gr. of RL26 fills the case to the bottom of the neck without a droptube.
I've thought about increasing the load to see where the max pressure is, but RL26 does not seem to peak very quickly. Seems to have a slow pressure curve. It would be a bit slow for the 120gr. bullets, but 140 gr. on up work just fine.
I'm running 48gr. in a 243 and that fills the case close to half way up the neck. A Rem. 9 1/2 primer works well in mine.

How much a powder fills a case has nothing to do with it being the proper burn for that cartridge... the 243 and the 7mm O8 are NOT the same when it comes to the powders that bring Optimum performance. There is a reason Alliant would recommend reloader 26 for the 243 and NOT at all for the 7mm O8.

They also don't have data for 7 SAUM and RL26, but it's awesome together.

Okay I'll watch for chrono readings....but the 7 Saum is a big enough case to utilize slow powders like h4831 and re22...not the same as 708.

I'd actually bet Kraky.. that RL 26 would make a great powder for reduced velocity loads for kids
in the 7/08.,.....low pressure, light bullet, less recoil....

will have to give it a try in my 7/08 just to see...

its not like I am not sitting on any RL 26, and having a shortage of it...

I kind of doubt these guys are after kids loads?....
When it comes to light loads in cartridges like that I think I would far prefer working with a 4895 or a 4198 and hoping for a real nice clean burn and nice clean case when I'm done.... seems like burning full cases of slow powder make sooty results! And why not burn less powder if you can for more efficiency.... save the good stuff for what it's really designed for. I just latched onto some re 16 and re 26 from powder valley.... the re16 is going to be my 7mm O8 powder!

I'm new to the 7/08.. fell into a good deal...

but I've been shooting the 260 for 20 years...

My GoTo powders there have been Rl 15, 4064 and IMR 4895...

as far as RL 26 for reduced loads...

I've seen where 'reduced loads' they've actually recommended powders
like 8700 or 4831.. full case, they still are not generating much pressure...

That is where I was coming from about RL 26..

I copied this from a recent post on the Elk forum:

I load for 4 7mm-08s, all Tikkas, all stainless T3s. Two are Superlites. 22 1/2" barrels. Photobucket won't let me post pics and the Fire doesn't use Tapatalk so I can't include pics.

All loads safe in my rifles, not yours, start low and work up.

First, get some Big Game, and get more than you think you'll need. Get some Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers, too. All my recipes use them.

150 ELDX
46.2 gr Big Game
2.156" from the ogive, right about 2.821" overall
2790 fps and half minute or so. This load killed 3 of our 5 bucks this year, fork, 3x3, 4x3. Nothing needed a second shot and the farthest recovery was 30 yards. My nephew used this load on a 6x5 bull at 407 yards.

140 Accubond
47.5 gr Big Game
2.229" from the ogive, right at 2.806" overall
2850 fps, again half minute or so. One of our bucks this year, neck shot, DRT. My dad also used this load two years ago on a big 5x5 bull, 225 yards, one shot above the heart, 30 yard recovery. I shot an antelope buck in 2014 with this load, 303 yards, DRT and exit. There have been others.

140 Partition
47.5 gr Big Game
2.262" from the ogive, right at 2.806" overall. This was my pet load until the ELDX shot so well in a different rifle I just had to try it.
2875 fps, cloverleaf. Killed a 4x4 bull a few years ago, close shot so no test, DRT. Shot a spike bull a couple of years ago at 346 yards, DRT and exit. Killed a big bodied fork last year at 541 yards, DRT and exit. There have been others.

I tried the 120 Ballistic Tips and they shot very well at 3126 fps. 2.231" from the ogive, 2.803" overall, 51.5 gr Big Game. I used this bullet with a reduced recoil load for my boy, 2600 fps or so, mature blacktail buck, DRT and exit but a surprising amount of bloodshot. Keep me posted on your results.





P

120nbt and varget. 3100fps and amazing accuracy from my 23" tube

That should have been 120 NBT not 129 NBT. Should have proof read before posting.

I got the Labradar out today and tested 6 loads. 3 using Federal 215 primers and 3 using Rem. 9 1/2Mag. primers. All 6 loads were as follows..............

Bullet 140gr. Partition
Powder 49.3 gr. of RL 26.
Brass Remington

Velocity with Fed. primers
2676, 2657, 2654

Velocity with Rem. primers
2609, 2604, 2613

Groups were right at an inch, outside to outside. All 6 rounds I fired without any cooling time.

Barrel is 22".


I will increase the load when I get time to see if accuracy gets any better. I also want to improve the velocity which won't be hard.

I took my Winchester model 70 Supergrade 7mm/08 with 22" bbl to the range today for some load testing. First up, I tested 139gn Hornady BTSP and 49.5gns of H4350 with produced a 5 shot average of 2855fps. Next up was the 140gn Nosler Accubonds and 48gns of H4350 which produced a 5 shot average of 2775fps.