Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL15 and 120 TTSX in a 7-08

Any recipes to share? Trying these bullets with Ramshot BG but will give the '15 a run if the BG doesn't satisfy.

I've used '15 and 120's but just for mild loads; haven't tried to max it. Looking for speed with this one.

Jeff,

44-45 gr will get you over 3000 with a 22" tube. 45 is the highest max load I have seen listed.

bludog

What Bludog said and play with seating depth. Start at just touching the lands and work shorter in .005. I have 2, one likes it at .005 off, the other at about .015 off. Obviously yours may like a little more or less. You will be surprised at how much difference .005 in seating depth can make.And dont worry about the .050 starting position that Barnes says, it aint necessarily so!
Bill

This is a short action factory Rememton. I ain't reaching the lands!

Start as long as your mag allows, try 42 or 43 grains to start, and see what that gets you. You might want to check to see how far off the lands mag length seating puts you at, but you're talking hunting bullets, presumably stuff you won't be using primarily for PDs, so do you really need itty-bitty, teeny-weeny groups to plug your deer across 600 yard clear cuts at distances that likely won't give you the expansion you want???

Jeff,
My Remington '08 really shot well with the TTSX and 44.0 gr. of RL 15. My current '08 does a little better with 50.0 gr. of Big Game. Both chronograph in the 3100 fps range out of a 22" barrel. Both of those loads are near max in my guns so be careful.

JeffO, not to change the subject on you, but we've both been fiddling with this stuff lately. FWIW, the 120 BT is much more accurate than the 120 TTSX in my rifle so far. They'll both hunt though......TTSX 44gr Varget right at 1MOA, BT w/45 g Varget at .6 MOA. I haven't dickered with seating depths yet, as both are at max magazine length in my T3, about 2.80 OAL. I had the Varget on hand and haven't tried any others yet, but this is probably going to be good enough for me and my daughter.

Yeah, I tried the 120 NBT first (with Big Game) but it was just so-so.

Klik, thanks. No, I don't need itty bitty groups in this case. It's not a load for long range. I have 162's for that. Just opening my mind to the idea of running light and fast, since I'll be in open country and it's just a deer anyway.

I have a very good 140 NAB load that I've been running for years- if the TTSX's spray a 3" pattern (not expecting that) then I'll just default back to that. Pretty sure that'll work.

If you can't get the 120gr BT to shoot from a 7mm-08 you have rifle issues

It shoots; I have a mild RL15 load that's excellent. However, using Big Game, as I ran the pressure up it was just mediocre at about 1.5 MOA.

Mine was at 44.4 of '15, until my 260 came along......

44 of '15 works

Both of mine are short action Rem. You might be surprised how close you can get to OAL and mag length. Hoping you have a OAL length gage.

The lands on this rifle are WAY past mag constraints... I have one load I run at 2.950" and single-load them.

Have two different model 7's and both shoot consistantly 1" or better with 44.5 gr of 15 and 120 BT's.

Roy

Jeff if you revisit the 120nbt give varget a run. Id take it any day over 15

Jeff, I just started reloading about a year ago using the 7mm-08 and barnes. The ttsx 120gr and my xs7 likes 44gr varget with coal of 2.780 Rem brass and ccibr primers and shoots 1/2 moa if I do my part.

44 gr RL 15 at 2.81 coal with fed large rifle GMM primers

Thanks guys- appreciate it.

I tried the Big Game/ 120 TTSX initial loads today. Looking good. I didn't set up my chrono but should be between 3150-3200 fps based on what BG did with the 120 NBT's. Accuracy was fine for what this load is for at a bit over an inch @ 100. I'll mess with it a bit more.

You are good to go with that combo - bullet works great at that starting velocity.