I started loading for a new 7mm08 (custom). Unfortunately beginning loads are 1 inch to 2 inches. Granted just started and haven't played with seating depth or primers yet.

1. Big Game 140 TTSX, CCI LRP

2. Big Game, 140 Nosler AB, CCI LRP

3. Varget, 120 TTSX, CCI LRP


I would have thought that one of these would have shown more accuracy out of a bartlein barrel. The journey continues.

My go to in my model 7 is 44gr varget with 120bt and cci lrp, most groups are just under an inch. I think I'm at a .040 jump due to making sure it reliably feeds from mag. I've got some 44.5gr loaded up but havent gotten it back to the range again.

Thanks,

I used a 2.800 general COAL for all bullets. I have limited experience loading Barnes. I checked their website and will be making a few more loads deeper in .025 increments and hopefully find what it likes.

In my experience, Barnes bullets like to jump. Also, they can be finicky. Additionally, your barrel may need a couple hundred rounds down it to “settle in”. Mine sped up by about 30 fps after the first 200 shots, which moved my node ever so slightly.

I would try with some bullets that are not as picky such as Nosler BTs or Sierra Game Kings ( if you have them) to find out what speed your rig likes to shoot at, then go from there.

Thanks Handgun.

I have some 130 speers. Hard finding 7mm08 bullets at moment. I picked up the 120 Barnes TTSX, was all they had on shelf.

I've loaded lots of R15 with 120's . My rifles just prefer R15 over Varget. My youth load is 40 grains and my hunting load is 44, both very accurate. Hope you get it shooting better than 2" group.

Thanks. I hope so as well!

Sat back down at reloading bench. Did max load of Big Game with 140 AB, changed searmting Depth to .010, .030, and .050 off lands. Originally jumping them .060, see if being close will makes any difference. I also had some 150 Eld X to try out using Pharmsellers recommendation I put some together. Those 150 Eld X are long and skinny!

I have a couple of 7mm-08 rifles that are more picky than others. I moved to a bullet that will get close to the lands in my mag-box confines. It tightened things up on both. One got the Speer 145 BTSP, the other got the Fusion BT 140gr.

That sounds hopeful JPro. I also will try mag primers as well as I narrow down the loads.

Those 150 eldx shoot outstanding with Big Game, but you might need to adjust charge according to your brass. I use Lapua brass so my charge is slightly less than Pharmseller. I would load to max length and play with charge weights before I went to adjusting seating depth. Maybe I just get lucky but for hunting loads I really don't play around with seating depth a lot.

Im using Winchester brass.

One thing in common w your bullets is they are boattails.

Try a flat base.

Have had more than 1 rifle prefer a flat base and had a 270 that would shoot about 2" groups with a boattail and 1/2-3/4 groups with flat base bullets.

Thanks 10guage. I'll see what I can find.

I've had 2 7mm08's that didn't like running as hot as Pharm says he runs them. "46.2 gr". Big game powder. One rifle likes 44gr much better and the other likes 45gr of Big game powder. Pharms load of 46.2 was too stiff in both rifles, just to be warned...

I don't either. No need to unless your group dispersion says otherwise. As long as most c&c's are off the lands by .020", accuracy is golden. Mono's are seated a lot further off the lands (like .100" off) and loads worked up and accuracy nodes found.

Thanks for warning. I reduced and worked up the 150 Eld X load. I had already worked up to max load with 140 AB so now playing with seating.

Send it to me. I’ll get it to shoot 140 Partitions like a house on fire.



P

Load these at 0.05" off the lands with 50 or 50.5 gr of Big Game and see what happens. I've had four 7mm-08s and all like that load quite well. Deer aren't so fond of it........

Thanks Pharm 😊 and Country 20! I went back to range. I'm a firm believer the gun hates Big Game and or the 140 AB. I managed to get max load of H414 and 140 AB at 2.830......030 off lands to shoot under 1/2 inch. I tried Big Game and 150 Eld X and it wanted to shoot but believe a different powder is preferred....picky guns. I slso had 2 decent groups with H4350 and 140 AB and had the bullet .005 off lands at 2.855. Unfortunately it made my firearm a single shot.....so I will move COAL to 2.830 in my hawkins mag box and hope it fits. I appreciate all the help guys.

Just curious the specifics on your new rifle. Also who built it. Should be easy to make shoot well. Wondering if you don’t have more gremlins than just loading for a picky rifle.

This is going to seem simplistic, but at this point I'd probably pick up some Federal blue box 7mm-08 and see how well they shoot.

If you get 2" with those, I'd suspect the problem was something other than the load.

Great suggestion. That would give a guy a good baseline. Id try a couple different types of factory loads. If they all shot great, id be rethinking my loading process. If not, id be talking to the gunsmith.

Cant find 7mm08 but had some good load development yeaterday, switching to H414 and H4350. I also changed Coal. So i will re verify the loads.

I led you to the water.

Any good 7-08 bolt gun with a custom barrel should be printing under an inch with 139s - 140s.

I always start with Nosler BTs, then Sierras or Hornadys. Never monos at first. RL15, Varget, or RS BG. Should be grouping well, the 7-08 is not a fussy cartridge. If it won't group with NBTs then you have other issues.

1) Switch primers. Fed 210Ms. Sometimes the CCIs shoot ok, but not always.

2) Switch powders. I'd go with H4350 if you've got it. Consider H414 or Win 760 (might go with a Fed 215 primer for those).

3) Change bullets. I have essentially NEVER gotten what I consider acceptable accuracy out of a Barnes bullet. And accubonds are funny. I've had several rifles that shot well with ballistic tips but won't shoot well with accubonds of the same weight. Not supposed to work that way but it did. I'd go with a conventional cup and core bullet to begin with. Maybe flat base.

The idea is to change to components that are more likely to shoot well even if they aren't what you want to use in the end. Get something going, build your confidence in the gun, then start swapping pieces of the puzzle one at a time.

The best 7mm-08 load I ever came up with was a 140 partition over more RL-19 than really wanted to stay in the case. Out of a Remington Seven, stainless, 20" barrel, with a Leupold 1.5-5x, it'd shoot 1.5 inch groups at 200 yards. That will kill blacktails in the timber and brush. I really wanted to use 150s but my gun said "nope". I'll finish by saying that my last 7mm-08, a 700 CDL-SF, failed. After almost 1000 rounds, I still didn't have a reliable sub 2 moa load, so I sold it. Some guns just don't work. Some customs don't work, either.

Once I can find some. I'll purchase some 140 partitions. Plan on shooting elk with it.

Yes you did. Unfortunately components are a tough find at moment. So im stuck with what I have and can scrounge.

Quick question my Hornady manual is saying 49.9 grains of H414 for max load with 139 BTSP. This seems high? I check the 140 grain loads for Hodgon which lists 46.0 as max. Anyone try this load or similar?

Try Barnes 120 TTSX, CFE-223 47gr, COL 2.780 with a crimp.

Post a wtb or a wtt.

Since ~2006, H414 and W760 are the same powder. When load data for these two powders do not match, it is either pre-2006 data or lot variation.

Hornady manual lists 48.9 max of W760 with a 139.

49.9 could be a little hot with your current lot of H414. I don’t think it’s blow your gun up hot, but it could be over the SAAMI limit of 60k psi.

When I tested 140 Sierras and W760, I shot up to 49.5 grains, which averaged 2,880 FPS in my 22” @ 55F.

Thanks, I won't risk it. I will load to 46.0 as max. Guess i have some bullets to pull.

If you have a chronograph, I would watch speed and stop when I got close to 2,900. The Hornady manual rounds both H414 and W760 max charges to 2900fps, which also means it’s above 2850 (or they would have rounded down to 2800).

W760 is a solid B player; pretty much every charge weight was 1-1/4” or less at the same point of impact. Most consistent velocity and 3/4” groups was 48 grains, just over 2800fps.

Also, Speer load data for 145s lists 47.0 as max with H414. Available on their website. W760 max is 49.0.

Hodgon’s max of 46 seems really low.

I did load some with 50 gr. 414 and got 2900 fps but accuracy was not very good. It was no doubt max.

Ok thanks guys for the help.

My Tikka 7mm-08 liked 130gr Speer the best. But did well with most bullets, like 140gr Accubonds, 120gr Barnes TTSX, 120gr Ballistic Tips, and most other 140gr bullets. Best powder

Was RL17, Big Game, and W760 all got 3100 FPS with 120gr Bullets. PP2000Mr was good also.

Esox, is there a reason you aren't saying what kind of rifle it is and if it is properly glass bedded. Generally I like to start at the start and not at the load. All you say is it is a "custom", and the kind of barrel it has. What is it and is it properly glass bedded? You can monkey fu ck around and goat rope all day long with a rifle that is not properly glass bedded and not get good accuracy, yet I see this all the time. Guys want to blame it on something like the load or cartridge or shooter, when it is a dog of a rifle...

BSA, yes I specifically did not say the rifle builder out of respect for them and their reputation. I have not addressed the issue with them and believe if I cannot get it to shoot to my liking the builder would rectify the situation. I posted this for help on reloading. The gun I believe is picky but am starting to get better results with the change of powder and coal. H414 is working the best thus far and H4350 is not far behind it using 140 grain AB. Im getting sub .5 groups with these powders. I need verify these last results. Thankyou again for your help as well as the others who posted.

https://postimg.cc/nj85PYbn

https://postimg.cc/SYkPySx5

Here were my last groups using H4350 and H414 with 140 AB at 2.830 COAL. Big improvement over Big Game.

That one ragged hole group looks great. Ive been messing with my new to me 7mm08 and wasnt getting the velocities i wanted with one powder. I saw H414 listed in the manual and lucked out finding 4 pounds at a LGS. Accuracy is not quite there, but velocities are much better. Glad to see you are getting yours rung out. Keep us posted on that H414 powder. Ive heard it can be slightly temperamental. Ill be learning myself.

Thanks BSA,

Im hoping to hit range on Wednesday, weather dependent. I will do a 5 shot group to verify accuracy. I have a long history with H414 and never a problem with it in my 30.06. I shot it from a humid 90 degrees to freezing temps and have done quite well with it. Meters awesome which is another plus.

I tried a few powders in my model 7, 7-08 trying to find velocity and accuracy with 120's, 130's and 139's, at the same time. Surprisingly, I found acceptable velocity and decent accuracy with H4895. It performed better for me than H4359, IMR 4064, Varget, AA2230C (I had it on hand already, so gave it a whirl), and H414. One other powder did give great velocities, but accuracy was not there. That powder was MR 2000.

It got even better when I tried Big Game. I hot my target velocity with a grain less than maximum with a 120BT and accuracy runs around ¾" for 3 at 100. Accuracy improved when I seated a bit deeper, (due to magazine length restrictions). I believe that I'm seating about .030" off the lands.

I have more load development to do for sure. But it beats 1 3/4 to 2 inch groups that I had got initially.

Sounds good and looks like you're on the right track... Man I've had some great groups go to chitt once you stretch them out.... so play around at 300 yards also and see how it's grouping... before settling.

Thanks Remington. I will test it thoroughly.

There are a lot of factors involved but here is what I found. First my TIKKA was under a inch with almost everthing I tryed except PP4000MR

Still trying to get that to work. Anyway, my TIKKA likes 130gr Speer better than any other bullet but not by much. 140gr Accubonds shoot great, 120gr Ballistic Tips, 145gr Speer,

120gr Barnes TTSX I make them jump .070 thousands or so at over 3000 FPS. I use Starline cases and Winchester cases. I use the Winchester cases for powder that take up a lot of

space. For primers I use WLR and WLRM primers. For powder I use several, RL16, RL17, PP2000mr, Big Game, and W760. For bullets heavier than 140gr I use Hunter, RL17, Above 145gr

I use RL17, MRP, and RL26. One caution MRP is very compressed, and RL26 is almost as compressed. So I recommend RL26, it works with 145gr also but I use Flat based bullets

with anything over 145gr. One more thing I have been very surprised at how good W760 is, that old power produces some of the tightest groups and velocity is as fast as any of the others.

I like it a lot.

Usually the 7-08 like it's big brother 308 are not Picky. I my experience both will shoot anything you put through them quite well.

140 Sierras (Pro Hunters but I'm sure GameKings would work as well) over book max Varget solved my accuracy problems.

If a 7-08 is difficult, I would also swap scopes, check the mounts for tightness and binding of the scope, and then check the bedding for debris or other irregularities. Everyone likes to focus on loads, but sometimes it is a mechanical issue.

Thanks. Looking at another scope to put on. Making up some more loads with 140 NBT. Getting typical 2 touching 1 flier which seems like a bedding issue. Checked action screws. Also going to change cci primers out.

Pulled scope put on different scope. Changed to fed 210 primer from CCI and used 120 NBT

https://i.postimg.cc/8kyzB4F2/20210129-145742.jpg

That's more like it. I have had a bunch of 7mm08's none were hard to find a good load for.

I was started to wonder what the hay?

Now you’re cooking with gas.


P

Wow, that should make you happy. A good rifle, and you certainly did your part too.

Thanks Pharm and Teebone! I'm going back out on monday to hopefully duplicate results. I also adjusted my trigger weight down. Fingers crossed.

Nice. What scope came off, and what took its place?

Thanks. Meopta meopro 3.5 10x44 came off. Replaced with Meopro 4.5 14 x 44. Now need to contact Meopta to have scope checked/fixed.

Glad you got this accuracy problem fixed. I haven't seen an inaccurate 7-08 before. In the 80's my go to silhouette rifle was a 7-08 in a Remington varmint. It won many matches and trophies for me.

Thanks Dusty. I'm hoping to duplicate the results. My next order of business is to get a good 140 shooting in it for elk season.