Picked up a Marlin in 7mm08 for my son. I'd like for him to shoot 120 grain bullets for deer. If you could choose 1 ,ok 2 powders for this caliber and bullets what would they be? Thank you

Ramshot Big Game immediately comes to mind but it seems damn near impossible to find these days. So Varget and R15 would come to the forefront from my experience. Lots of options.

Big game and then big game.....

I understand that CFE223 and H4895 both do well with the lighter 120 bullets. I haven't played with either yet. My 7-08 sure likes Varget and 139 gr hornady bullets.

IMR-4064 works well for me

I run the Nosler 120 with a charge of RL15...two guns like it....so I stick with it....

I'd look at RL15 or CFE223 if a new 7mm-08 showed up at my house and I was planning on 120's.

Actually, one showed up yesterday, so CFE223 will get the first try.... (grin)

Watch that CFE223 if you haven't worked with it already. I used different components that Hodgdon did for some 308 loads, so I was conservative in my approach. Even then things were sporty pretty quick.

For example, Hodgdon's start charge of 46.6 grains under a 168 SMK gave then 2662 fps from a 24" test barrel.

From the 24" barrel of one of my 700's I got 2750 fps with PPU brass, 168 Zmax, and WLR with the same start charge.

It's hot down here these days, but the range firing line has a roof and the rifle and cartridges weren't hot, having been in an air conditioned car just before.

R15 is hard to beat for the 120's. There's not a lot I wouldn't shoot with a 120gr. TTSX.

Varget shoots best with 120's in mine.

I recently put one together and couldn't get a "7-08" powder. I used IMR-4320 with good results to start with. RL-15 came available recently/locally. I'm impressed. Still waiting on Big Game though.

Varget, RL15, Big Game, IMR4064 in no particular order. If none of those worked I would buy a different rifle (Ha!)

varget and 120 NBT is a deadly combo in mine

IMR 4064 and H414 were winners in my picky rifle.

H-380 works well for me with barnes ttsx 120. Good velocity and accuracy.

45.0 Varget and 120 NBT was the beginning and the end of the story in mine. I'd roll a 120 TTSX these days, though.

Yep.

Supposedly Big Game will be appearing again soon.

I tried CFE223 with 120 TSX's in my present 7-08 and couldn't get anywhere near the max load listed by Hodgdon. The Hodgdon data did use 120 Ballistic Tips, not TSX's, but in general short TSX's produce less pressure than most other bullets. In fact had to use two grains less than the max Hodgdon load. Velocity and accuracy were just OK. This fits right in with mathman's suggestion of possibly sporty results with CFE223.

Luckily I still have most of a jug of Big Game it worked great, per usual.

Big game = pixy dust....hopefully your right and that will change.

RL-15 or RL-15. If you can't find any, then try RL-15.

Or Norma 203-B, which has worked exactly the same as my present lot of RL-15 in every rifle I've tried it in so far.

What velocity are you all getting with RL15? It seems to be fairly good in that department, from what I hear, but not great.

Also, is it magical in the accuracy department?

Maybe 3k with the 120 TSX and 2,650-2,700 with 162's. Accuracy was magical enough for a Dicks Special in a McSwirly.

IMR 8208 is what I've been using in mine. 120 gr. Nosler ballistic tips and 110 TSXs.

Anyone getting 3100+ w/ 120ttsx and big game combo?

Yup

Around 3200 in a 22" barrel.

Thanks guys. JB that's smokin'... what do you get w/ 140's?

Around 2850-2900, depending on the bullet.

Big Game showed good velocity; very close to that of leprechaun tears or ground Unicorn horn. All three have similar availability, so I saved myself the trouble and use Varget or RE-15.

Thanks again JB. I have a 260 on the way but it's getting real hard to ignore the 7-08, just seems to be a really potent and sensible cartridge.

Yep, basically a short-action version of the 7x57, which has a very long track record of great success, even aside from elephants....

You'll start saying "7-0 what?" once the 260 arrives......

Another vote for IMR 4320, it worked well for me when I had a 7mm-08. It flows really well in the powder measure too.

Dale

Haha. Yeah right.

More like "Why do I have two rifles that do the exact same thing?"

I'd probably pick Varget.

Which is how my 243 and 7-08 got sold...

"Only" get 3025 from my Kimber 7mm08 and 50 grains of BG under a 120 NBT. I'll just have to suffer with it doing about the same with 120 VMax's and consistently printing 3/4" triangles to the same POI at 100.

If I'm 175 fps less sexy ... thank God Doecamper doesn't read the chrony ...

GE

I have been using SR4759 for reduced recoil loads with 120 gr. bullets for our daughter to use for both practice and deer hunting. Have also had good results with IMR4064 for loads with 140 gr. bullets.

Several powders work well in the 7mm-08, ie Varget, Big Game, H4895. I am on my 5th 7mm-08 and one powder has worked well in all of them. RL 15........... Just my experience, but several on here have had the same results. If you have any, give it a try; if not, get some. With the 120 gr. BT, 44.0 gr. of RL 15 gets close to 3100 fps in my rifles (22" barrel) and is accurate. Big Game gives more velocity, but comes in second in the accuracy dept. but good enough for the distances I shoot. Give both a try, and have fun.

My wife and I both shoot semi custom 700
7-08s and like many have said RL-15 is hard to beat. Luckily both ours shoot bug holes with the same load of RL-15 under 140 accubonds.

Gator, what bullet weights are you shooting with the RL-15 that's working so well. I ran one test load once, and not near max under a 139btsp and it wasn't impressive. Varget was better. Recently read, RL15 is best at near max loads. Just curious. Thanks.

If any of you are not getting the accuracy you would like with Big Game, you might try WLR primers (not WLRM). In my X-bolt with 50.5 gr BG, it really tightened up the groups and is in the 3120-3140 fps range for velocity with 120 gr TTSX.

PS - I think the 7-08 (and 7-08ai) are absolutely great with 120s. The 120 gr NBT and TTSX with today's powders have worked great for Hope and me.

NTG, I'm running 41.0 grains of RL-15 under 140 grain Nosler Accubonds. Running around 2850fps.

WW760/H414 is a dirty powder, but it works really well in the 7-08 with 120-140 gr bullets. It is not my first choice any more, but if that is all I had, I would not feel out of luck.

I load Barnes 140's with H-380 in the wife Ruger 7-08 and my Rem 700. Both shoot less than 1". I would have to look but 47 gr. of the H-380 is what I think I load. Fast, Flat & deadly. Hogs, yote, & Wt's up to 350 lbs in Canada. Wife took a big 10 that went 250 in NW Missouri last Nov., buck ran about 10 yds.

I've had good accuracy and velocity from RL-17 in a variety of 7mm-08's. I bought some some '17 a few years back when it was impossible to find '15, Varget, etc and worked up some loads. I've never seen a reason to go back.

David

David, what are your loads? I have some RL17 I plan to try in mine.

All my stuff is packed up, I'm in the middle of a move. Here's some stuff I posted before:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/9239284/Searchpage/1/Main/618327/Words/Canazes9/Search/true/Re:_7mm-08_RL17_162AMAX,_139SS#Post9239284

I did some work with 150 ScenarL's that produced outstanding accuracy at moderate velocities (2750fps if I remember correctly), but that will have to wait until I can unpack my stuff in a week or two.

David

H414

I've had good luck with IMR4064 and RL15 under 140's

Thanks...I'd forgot that thread. I REALLY need to get back to my 7-08! This summer's been too busy.

Has anyone had success loading the 145 LRX with RL15 or h4350? In 7-08?

I haven't but that is a looonnnggg bullet.

Barnes sent a page from their mkost recent loading manual. RL17 is recommended powder for thje 145LRX. MIN load of 40.9 ti MAX load of 45.5. I have worked ip to 44.0 and will shoot the 44.5 next. No pressure sign yet and improvement in groups at 44.0 being seen. OAL is at 2. 87 or I would be cracking powder!

My custom Sako does it's best groups with 120 gr. Nosler BT with H4895. 41 grs. shoots .64, while 42 grs. does .62.
The 110 gr. TTSX shoots best, 1.1 MOA, with 45 grs.of TAC. E

I was finally able to dig up some of my reloading stuff.

150 ScenarL, F210, unfired Norma brass, 2.800 COAL, 46.2grns RL17 gave 2750fps with no pressure signs in my Kimber 22" 7mm-08. Accuracy was outstanding.

145LRX, F210, unfired Norma brass, 2.800 COAL, 46.0grns RL17 gave 2720fps with no pressure signs in my Kimber 22" 7mm-08. Accuracy was rather poor, my rifle did not like this load. I was more than a little dissapointed with this, I really like the LRX in my 6.5CM, was hoping for similar easy loading sucess w/ the 7mm-08.

I've had this rifle rebarreled w/ a 23", 8" twist Hart barrel, chambered in 7mm-08AI. Have not been able to fire a round through the new barrel yet. Will load some of the ScenarL loads and go fire form some brass soon....

David

IMR3031

I have been on the look out for Reloader 15 for the last month with no luck. So I will continue to use Varget which is actually very good. The experimenter in me says try H4350 if R15 is not available (Ramshot BG not available either) when I restock powder. My load development is with the NPT 140 / NAB 140 and the NBT 120.

Just completed a mini ladder with the 145 LRX with Barnes recommended powder. From 42.5 to 45.5. Best was 42.5 at 1 1/2 inch. Best. Load to date with this bullet is 3/4" with rl 15. Still having problem finding much positive about Rl 17 powder.

'grande - did you run any of those lrx loads over a chrono?

H4895! I was looking forward to load workup when I got my 7mm-08. I started with H4895 and accuracy was so good I quit testing! Works great with both the 120 and 140 ballistic tips!

My 7-08 likes Varget.

Barnes recently updated the 7-08 data:

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2014/11/7mm-08RemingtonV6.pdf

Anybody loading 7mm08 with 120's in Federal brass?

Powders of particular interest are Varget, H4895, and RL15. Precision takes precedence over velocity.

TIA

I load Sierra 120gr. pro hunter over 42gr. Varget.

My 7-08 likes 44 gr of RL-15 with a 120 gr TTSX. Prior to this, I was loading Big Game behind a 140 gr Partition.

I'm using 48.5 gr of H4350 with a 140 Nosler Accubond. Sub MOA at about 2820.

Big Game is my favorite in the 7/08's that I own now. Down to my last pound and haven"t seen any in well over a year. Varget, RL15 and H414 have been good ones in past rifles before I found Big Game.