Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good Rem 7-08 loads

I have a new Ruger LH 7-08 heading my way. Never loaded for a 7-08 need some loading sugestions. Have lots of RL-15 , 4320, 4350, WW 760. Bullets from 120 gr to 175.

I tried 4320 in my Tikka when I got it, that has worked well with 140 Ballistic Tips (1 inch groups) and 100 gr Hornady HP (.6 inch groups).

I really haven't had the time to do much development but with results like that, why bother?

Dale

RL15 with 120s/140s.

MtnHtr

Speer 160s and 44.5/H414 in my Tikka 595 7-08

120 B-Tip 49.0 H414 = 3086 fps and cloverleaf accuracy in my son's Savage.

44-45gr R-15 and the 120 B-Tips has been a standard load for the 7-08 around here for some time. I've never tried the other loads posted so I can't comment.

W760/H414 have always been the ideal speed and accuracy combo champs for me with 140-150 weights. Had good luck with faster powders nd lighter bullets: H335 and Varget; RL19 and 7828 work well with the heavies; 4350 with 160s. Those are my results. I doubt you'll have trouble putting the rifle to work with what you have though.

I like 49gr of IMR4007ssc with 120 gr Ballistic Tips. They run 3041 fps over my Pact and shoot sub MOA.

I'm running RL-15 with 120TSX's for critters. For range stuff, I'm using 120 NBT's, and I'll give the 120 V-Max's a try when I run out.

My 7-08 is a Weatherby so we all know how the free bore is but I run 160 grain Sierra SBT with 46.2gr of RE-19. Group is around 3/4 at 100yds. Don't know the speed as I've never run it through the chrono. Primer is CCI 210, OAL is 2.765.

I use Varget and 140 gr Ballistic Tips myself.

Your RL15 should work just the same.

The 130g Speer BTSP is a fantastic deer bullet, we use IMR 4895 with a 9 1/2 primer, accuracy is where the bullets touch at 100 yards.

Yep, and R15 with the Speer 130 BTs are the cat's meow!

Out of a twin to your rifle:

140gr Accubond 48.0gr Ramshot Big Game for 2902fps

150gr Partiton 49.0gr Ramshot Hunter for 2760fps

Both sub-MOA (after working the trigger and floating the barrel.)

I shoot the 120 tsx with a max load of H414 and it shoots lights out! It should put a whoopin on some deer's behind this year. I also had good luck with 49.5 H414 with 120 BT. W760 is the same powder and works great in the 7-08!

For my new FN Win Model 70 in 7-08, I want straight to 140 grain Nosler Partitions for a Deer load. I compared case capacities of the 7-08 and the 7x57, and reduced the powder charge for the starting 7-08 load. I have several 7x57's and best accuracy with 140's is with 47.0 grains of H-414, same powder as 760 which you have. I dropped the charge weight to 45.0 grains for the 7-08, and proceeded to shoot a 3 shot, 1/2" group my first outing with the new M-70, after zeroing the scope. That load is a keeper, for my rifle.
Also, I wanted a Varmint load for the M-70, so I loaded up some 100 grain Sierra HP's with 42.0 grains of Varget, and repeated the 3 shot, 1/2" group at 100 yards. I was using a Weaver V-16 set at 16x for the load testing. Fed 210M primers were used in both loads.

Shot the New Ruger LH 22" Hawkeye 7-08. bedded action & action screws, barrel forend pad left in. Probably free float it most groups had 2 shots < .5" 3 rd shot group opened up. My test loads in my rifle, awful conditions 15 to 30 MPH wind. New WW brass, CCI primers all 3 shot groups at 100 yards

Big Game (47.5) GR 2793, 2810 FPS, 140 Sierra GK 3 @ 1.3"

RL-15 USA (45) GR 2925, 2901,FPS, 120 Nosler Bal. Tip 31.4"

(44.5) Gr WW 760 2510 FPS, 160 Speer FB 3 @ 1.1"

RL-15 USA (44) GR 2812, 2814, FPS, 140 Nosler AB 3 @ 1.9"

RL-15 USA (44) GR 2759, 2779, FPS, 140 Nosler Bal. Tip 3@ 1.32"

Test loads in New Rifle worked up to book max in my rifle.
Do velocitys look normal or slow for a 22" barrel?

Second this - W760 gets 'er done with 140 Accubonds or 145 Hot Cors - both in velocity and accuracy. Varget or RL-15 both work well with 120 gr bullets.

You might want to try H414 @49 gr with your 120 gr bullet setup. I get 3058 fps out of a Stevens 200, 22 inch barrel.

Couldn't get H414 to work in my M70 Fwt. so I switched to Varget. Glad I did.