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I love all the Hornady 154-gr bullets in the 7mm-08, but don't expect hot FPS out of a carbine. Factory loads in a 24-inch barrel are advertised at about 2,740 FPS, so be happy with 2,650 out of a carbine. What I like is having a RN, flat base, boat tail Interlock, and the SST all in one weight. They all shoot to about the same spot up to about 175 yards, and the SST floats on out there a bit further.

I have found great accuracy with RN bullets in the .257, 7mm-08, .308, .30-06, .303 and .375. I shoot 150-gr RN in my .308 Savage 99 saddle gun, and in a 20-inch full stock Mauser .308.

I worked up 154-gr loads using 46.0 gr of IMR-4350, because I was originally trying to duplicate the Remington factory 140-gr loads. Working up to 42.0 grains of RL-15, Varget or IMR-4895 would be my next experiment. The 4895 should give you a bit more velocity than the 4350, but I have not tried it yet. I am happy with this load. When I buy another 7mm-08 with a 22 inch barrel, I might try to finish working up those other loads. It's always good to have several proven ones, in case you can't find the powder you used before.

But for deer and bear inside 200 yards, the vanilla Rem factory 140-gr SPT Corelokts and Federals shoot great for me. I bought a box of Federal Fusion that I saw cheap ($17.00) but have not had a chance to try it.

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Since you are from Maine, here is an article I found several years ago about the 7mm-08 BLR in Maine, by someone who should know.

http://www.sportingjournal.com/main79.shtml

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Originally Posted by ChipM
Originally Posted by Lee24
I have a 20-inch BLR in 7mm-08 and an 20-inch Model 70 Compact in 7mm-08. I prefer more weight and less muzzle blast than barrels shorter than 20 inches have. Velocity loss in the 7mm-08 is not much, so going to a 21 or 22 inch barrel should be all about balance and feel for you, not 50 fps.

As stated, the 139-140 grain bullets are the norm. 150s and 154s will start to lose steam with the smaller case and shorter barrels. 160-gr is really in the domain of the .280 Rem, .284 Win and 7x64mm.

For flat shooting to 300 yards, go to the 120-gr BT or TSX.

It is hard to find a Steyr that won't shoot well, and like the Tikka T3, they aren't picky about various loads.


I'm not sure I understand this one Lee24. I have a 20" Barrelled carbine on a Mark V Weatherby in 7mm-08. Great little round and also read Metcalf article on velocity loss. It was an eye opener. Now I can understand why you lose more velocity out of say a '06 length or long mag case as you have powder that has not burned down the shorter tube. But on a case such as the '08 case you have efficency in burn rate which gives you little velocity loss prior to exiting the barrel.

Your comment states that as you get into the heavier bullets, you lose more steam. Wether the bullets is 120 grs or 154 grs isn't velocity lose going to be the same percentage?

..............................In side by side chrony comparisons with my own 16.5" barreled 300 WSM Ruger Frontier along with two 24" 300 WSMs and given the same variety of identical loadings in powder, charge weights, bullet brands and a variety of bullet weights, the percentage of velocity loss "remains" about the same.

In other words, the percentage of velocity loss from the shorter tube does not increase simply because a heavier bullet is used as opposed to a lighter bullet. In all bullet weights used from the 150 gr up to and including the 200 grainers, my overall velocity losses averaged from 4.2% to 4.5% vs the 24" barrels.

I will also point out that the M77 MK2 Ruger Frontiers have a heavier tube along with the additional weight of the scout scope base mounted on the barrel forward of the receiver, of which the new M77 Ruger Hawkeye compacts don`t have. The new Ruger Hawkeye compacts use a lighter barrel with no scout base, hence a pound lighter. And as a result the new version will have less muzzle stability.

So imo, there is no muzzle stability or balance issues due to a too light a muzzle when it comes to the Ruger compacts in the earlier Frontier versions only. In fact, it balances just as well and is as stable from the muzzle as most of the 24" barreled rifles I`ve fired from various freehand positions (using a conventionally mounted scope), including shooting while resting on a standing bipod used for hunting. And when a scout scope is used (I do both; a conventional and a scout scope), the muzzle stability gets even a little better with little effect on rifle balance.

Depending on which rifle version and just because a barrel is shorter down to a 16.5" length, doesn`t automatically mean the muzzle is less stable or that the rifle won`t balance well.



28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger


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I don't expect hot fps with the 154 and choose it knowing this. I was just trying to point out, which Bigsqueeze backed up is that velocity loss percentage remains the same wether using a 120 gr bullet or 160 gr bullet.

Thanks for the link. Good article though I would argue that the bolt is much slower especially when adreline come in to play. I love lever guns also but over the years have found that a well practiced bolt gun is quick on fwp shots.

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Originally Posted by ChipM
I don't expect hot fps with the 154 and choose it knowing this. I was just trying to point out, which Bigsqueeze backed up is that velocity loss percentage remains the same wether using a 120 gr bullet or 160 gr bullet.

Thanks for the link. Good article though I would argue that the bolt is much slower especially when adreline come in to play. I love lever guns also but over the years have found that a well practiced bolt gun is quick on fwp shots.
............Yep! The lever is a faster action and should give you the same velocity performance in a shorter barrel as does the bolt.

Have fun!


28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger


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Hi guys, thanks all for your comments.

It's about to push me to some decision.


Va t'in tch�re !
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