Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles IMR 4451 7-08

Anyone have luck with this combination? I’ve been testing 46 grains using the following but barely over 2600fps with 1.5-2 inch 3 shot groups. Rifle shoots factory hornady ammo very well so I know it’s capable.

22” barrel on m20 NULA
140 gr nosler etip
Cci br2
Lapua brass

Thinking of working up towards 48 grains but wanted to see if anyone has recommendations. Also have a good supply of nosler 120 bt in hand.

Although the TTSX and E-Tip are made of different copper, and so there is a difference between the two, Hodgdon lists max velocity with IMR4451 and the 150g TTSX at 2660fps.

4451 is about halfway between 4895 and 4350.
There is a slight loss in velocity due to the anti Copper fouling coating.

This week I am loading 4451 in 260 long 120gr and 6.5x54r Vostok 129 gr

Find some Big Game and we’ll talk.

You got me convinced....

If I didn't have a big jug of BG, I may be trying 4451; I have a bottle, . BG in the 7-08 is the way to go, IMO.

DF

I love the 7-08, and I love Big Game for it and a couple other cartridges. But lets be honest, the 7-08 is easy to load for with a variety of powders. I load 120-150g bullets in mine, and have very, very accurate loads with great velocities from BG, 4451, RL15, Varget, 4350's, RL16, and H414. If you don't have Big Game it is no reason to go into panic mode, as these and I'm sure a few others will provide fantastic results.

With regards to the OP's specific question, I'd probably increase the powder charge to run velocity up to, or near 2800 and see what happens to accuracy. I'm betting somewhere near 2800 you'll find the accuracy you're looking for. 4451 is an excellent powder, and FWIW I'm using 46.5 gr with a 140g partition.

FWIW, QuickLoad shows max charge of 4451 to be 43.0 grains @ a velocity of 2756 from a 22" barrel. 46 is also the max charge listed for a 140 in the Hodgdon data. Also, with Lapua brass typically being a little thicker (lower internal volume), it is common to reach pressure with slightly less powder. Perhaps your chamber is on the large side which means you need a little more powder. If I were gonna increase from 46 gains, I'd do it in pretty small increments.

Are you compressing powder at 46.0?

7-08:
Staball at 50.3gr, CCI200, Rem/Barnes case at 2.025", 145gr LRX at 2.234BTO, 2900fps 20" Vanguard

I had 4451 to try as well, but stopped at the Staball.

I have a couple of StaBALL bottles, just never tried it in the 7-08, as BG works so well

New powders are interesting. Probably need to try more combos, but when things are running well, not much incentive to squeeze another 50 fps (or whatever) out of a round.

DF

They are listed right next to each other on Hodgdon's burn rate chart. Maybe you have personal experience though . . .

I scraped together Staball, IMR4451, H4350, and IMR4166 to begin reloading this year. Ended up using Staball for everything (30-06, 6.5cm, 7-08, 300wsm) but the 25-06 so now I have a bunch of 4451 that will last forever, and have only been getting staball due to cost and availability.

Could you share any stand out StaBALL loads for those rounds?

I have some, haven't used it.

DF

I'm interested in the 708 with Staball info also as BG has been pretty much unobtainable here for the pst 2 years. And I got a healthy supply of 120gr NBTs

Thinking I’m maxed out with IMR 4451 and haven’t found acceptable accuracy. I’ll try a different powder tomorrow and see what’s going on. My other NULAs have been very easy to load for so I’m sure it’s just a one off. Thanks for the replies, it’s always nice to hear what you guys are using.

7-08:
Staball at 50.3gr, CCI200, Rem/Barnes case at 2.025", 145gr LRX at 2.234BTO, 2900fps 20" Vanguard

Thanks.

DF