Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm-08 load suggestions.......

Hi from NC. I am in need of some load suggestions for my new Ruger 77 Hawkeye 7mm-08. I presently have a box of 139 Hornady sst bullets to load. I have on hand H414, IMR4064, and H4350 powders to try. Also have CCI200 primers. I figured I would load some of each powder to start off with, but would really appreicate some insight to your experience with this cartridge and bullet/powder combination/s. It's my first 7mm-08, but not my first time out handloading. Been at it for about 5 years now, with various rifle and handgun cartridges. I can also pick up Varget and IMR4350 powders locally, if needed. I will probably also try the Hornady 139 BTSP bullet later, just haven't had a chance to go pick any of them up at the gunshop. I'm also considering trying 120 Sierra Pro Hunter bullets, with IMR4064, following the Sierra tech's recommendation. Trying to get some Rem 9 1/2 primers from a coworker to try as well. Planning on loading some up tomorrow morning, and go test her out. Any and all comments or suggestions would be most helpful and appreciated. Thanks.

I`d start with 4064 and if that doesn`t show the accuracy you want (within reason) try Varget. IMR4350 has been very accurate for me, but I get better velocity with very similar accuracy from Varget. Others I`ve talked to at the range swear by 4064 in their rifles.

I haven`t had any kind of luck with SST type bullets in any of my rifles except for the 120 gr 7mm V-Max in the 708. You may find different, but I would not drop a powder before trying another bullet 1st.

the 120g Vmax out of the 7-08 is great stuff ...

the load I used for it (and the 120TSX) is the patented 'campfire load' ...

RE-15 (between 44-45g, working up slowly and safely of course) with either bullet seated out close to or at the lands ...

Personally, I use RP brass (fireformed and necksized) with WLR primers, moly coated bullets seated about 0.010" off the lands ... I get about 3,050fps and better than MOA accuracy out of a fairly lightweight hunting rig ... Easy to live with, if you ask me ... (grin)

I would try the IMR-4064 first, and would be surprised if you didn't get good results with it. Varget was my favorite powder for the 7-08 I used to have. It also liked Accurate SRB-118 while it was available. I didn't have much luck with 4350 in mine. If for some reason, IMR-4064 doesn't work, I would try the H-414 next.
Seriously, though, your 7-08 should work great with 4064, Varget, or Reloder 15. My bet is that you will settle on 4064 since you already have some. Might want to try a Nosler Ballistic Tip or Accubond in place of the Hornady SST before switching powders. Or even a 139 Spire Point. Have seen a number of posts relating accuracy issues with the SST's.

WGM, I second that load of RL 15, however, for killing I like the Nosler 120gr BT.. Good deer and hog load..

I tried Win. 760/H414 with 140 grain bullets and they didn't do too well in my Encore 7mm/08 handgun.

Varget is what I'm using now. I've gotten my best groups with Hornady 139 gr. BTSP Interlocks. My gun will do about 1 inch 3 shot groups off the bench at 100 yards with this combo.

Thanks guys. I'm not committed to the 139sst. It's just what I have on hand at the moment. A friend traded them to me when I got rid of my .270. Anyhow, with my shots being close range most of the time, I suspect I will be choosing a different bullet. Here in the western NC mountains where I hunt, a shot is seldom offered beyond a 100 yards. Usually, more like 50-75 yards. I used 140 nosler ballistic tips 2 years ago when I killed my first two bucks. Both were fired from a Weatherby Vanguard 7mm rem mag. First one, around 80 yards, hit high ribs a bit far back. Took out three ribs going in, didn't even get to the ribs on the other side. Obviously, not much of a blood trail. Deer ran about 60 yards and piled up. My fault on this one, bad shot placement. 2nd buck, shot at about 35 yards,vital hit, DRT. No tracking involved. Last year, a large doe at about 55-60 yards, Ruger 7mm SAUM, 139 Hornady SP, vital shot, bang flop. None of these deer had an exit wound. Yes, I found all three, but I was lucky on the first one, as I shot him across from a friends house, and he helped with the tracking job. Anyhow, to make a long story shorter, I figured that the sst might work better at the reduced velocities of my 7mm-08. Really, I probably need to pick up some more varieties of bullets to work up for hunting. I'm thinking either 140 Sierra gameking or pro hunter, Hornady 139 SP/BTSP, or Speer 130/145 hot cores. Thanks again for your help, and further suggestions are appreciated.

My 7mm08 likes 49g of RL19 with the 139g Hornady SST.

I've had good luck with RL15 and IMR4895 with 140gr bullets. Personally, I'd skip the SST. IMO, they should be marketed as a varmint bullet. If the SST shoots well, try an Interbond. Same shape but relatively tougher.

The 7mm-08 load that I've been using for years is:

44.0gr IMR4895
139gr Interbond (used 139gr SP prior to IB introduction)
R-P brass
CCI Lg Rifle primer.
MV is 2930ish in a 21" barrel.

As with any load, work up to it!

RH

42 grains of Varget underneath a 140-grain Accubond has been a great deer-killing combination for me.

I load the 7mm-08 for my grandson. I use 46 gr IMR 4350 or 42 gr Varget with 140 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. Either load groups about 1 inch at 100 yds.

In my old M700 KS Mtn Rifle (a 280 Rem) it loved the Nosler 140gr Ballistic Tip bullets.

I tried a few loads today with the 139sst. Not too impressed, but it is a new rifle. Best 3 shot group at 60 yards was about 3/4" with 46.5 grains H414, CCI200 primers. I also tried 41.5 grains of IMR4064, and 48.5 grains of H4350. None of these were very impressive. Going to try some 120 grain bullets next, probably with 4064. May also try a different primer(Rem 9 1/2) if this next combo doesn't work well with the CCI 200's. I'm thinking I may need to try flat base bullets instead of boat tails. We'll see. Stay tuned.

120g bullets (Barnes TSX, Hornady Vmax, or Nosler BT) seated out basically at the lands over about 44g RE-15 is what's going to do it for you ...

at least, if I were a gambling man, that's how/where I'd be placing my money ... (grin)


note: always work up your loads slowly and safely ... every rifle is an individual, and you should never start near a max 'book' load ...

Thanks WMG. I'm beginning to think the 120 grain bullets may be better for my Ruger. I'm thinking Nosler 120 BT. I had really good luck with those in a Weatherby Vanguard 7mm mag a few years ago. It loved those with a nice charge of IMR 4350 and WLRM's. We'll see. I am planning on picking up some Varget and RL-15 soon. I thought I'd try the 120's with 4064 as well. I had high hopes for H4350, but not today. You're right about starting a bit too close to book max, but no pressure signs at all with any of the loads. I actually cross-referenced my loads with several manuals, before starting at those charges. Still, if I had less experience, I wouldn't have started as high as I did. In any case, I will back off my charges next time around just to be safe. Safety is the MOST important aspect of handloading. I'm curious as to what primer you use with the RL-15? Thanks again.

I'm using WLR primers ... and RP brass, fireformed in a standard issue remington factory chamber ...

but you'll find others here using Laupa .308win brass necked down to 7mm ... WW brass as well ...

as for primers, I've seen people mentioning use of CCI and Federal match grade primers, all with good results ...

43.1 grains of Varget

While the cartridge in question tends to do well with many powders, several in addition to the ones you have, those three have been very good powder choices in two different rifles I've used. The plain 139 SP is a tough bullet to surpass for finding accurate loads though and would be my first choice - though again, many bullets can work for this.

My experience suggests that 4064 at 41 grains and going up just a bit is a good one.

Either your 4350 or 414 pushed to top end book loads have also been accurate loads for me, as well as quite fast.

One thing about the 139 SP Hornady, when you find and like a certain load with it, the 140 Partition will usually shoot well with a very similar (worked up) load combo. IOW, you can do your homework with the cheaper bullet and then a few trials with the Partition will usually get you "there."

Thanks again guys. A friend of mine gave me a box of 120 grain Hornady spire points today. I am going to give these a try, but I don't know how good of a bullet this might be for hunting whitetails at close range. It is advertised by Hornady as a varmint bullet. Any experience with these? They do look similar to the Sierra 120 pro hunter bullet, but I don't have any of those on hand to compare at the moment. As far as the 139 SP, I had really good luck with those in my Ruger 7mm SAUM last year. Alas, I sold it, along with the reloading components to a friend. Come to think of it, neither the 139 sst nor the 140 Nosler ballistic tip shot all that well in that rifle either. I'll have to try those 139 spire points again as well. Much shooting to do. Thanks.

I only had a 7-08 for a short time, but I used both the 139sst and the 120 hp and both of them were accurate and fast with H4895. You can fill the case full of H4350 and it will shoot accurately but a little too slow for me to hunt with.