Need advice on the best primer to use for the 7mm-08. I have several powders that will work in it but the short list is Varget and Big Game. I intend on loading Nosler 120 BT, 140 BT and 140 Accubonds. The primers I have are WLR, WLRM, CCI200, CCI250 and Fed 210. Any help is appreciated.

fed 210/h414 powder

I use WLRs in mine for Varget, and I personally think they're hot enough for ball powders like BG, but Mule Deer recommends mag primers, and many have reported excellent results when they're paired with BG. Ask Pharmseller.

I’ve had good luck with WLR primers in the 7mm-08. They’ve work well with a variety of different powders and bullets.

I got better velocity and slightly better groups with WLRM compared to CCI200.

WLRM and Big Game is all I use.





P

Are the CCI250 primers as good as the WLRM? I have 2000 of CCI sitting around that I don't use in anything. When I worked up loads for my 7 mag I just reached for the WLRM and found the loads I liked so never even tried the CCI250.

The 250 is a "hot" primer. I'd try it with Big Game and use the 200 or Fed 210 with Varget.

I've used all of those you mentioned in the OP. I've had great luck with all of them. Varget ha always led me to the best accuracy, Big Game to the most velocity. I'm an accuracy guy though. The axis buck I shot a couple of weeks ago dropped like a rock from a 120 BT going 2800 at the muzzle. The recovered bullet weighed 80.5 grains. Good luck,and have some fun with it. I bet yo find multiple accurate loads.

I honestly don't see much difference in group sizes between CCI 200 and WLR primers in my 7mm-08 when using Varget but I don't have a chronograph to measure velocity differences or ES. With Ramshot powders (Big Game for 140's and Hunter for 160's) WLR primers give me slightly better groups.

Pharmseller, do you normally reduce your loads a bit when using WLRM primers? I tried using them in my 358 Win with slightly reduced loads of Ramshot TAC and my normal 225 grain bullet and my group sizes seemed to increase a bit.

I use Varget(120 NBT) and Big Game(140 Partition/Accubond) in my 7-08. I got better accuracy with WLRM primers with both powders than non magnum primers.

Nope, no reduction.

Here’s an example of my experience with WLRM and CCI200, with 120 BT in two Tikkas. Each Tikka shot a three shot group with each load.











Comparable accuracy, slightly better velocity with the WLRM. Either is fine if you are limited by availability.




P

Is the POI shifting that much, CCI-200 compared to WLRM?

That's a fair amount of velocity increase just with mag primer.

Have you tried Fed 215's or other mag primers?

DF

I didn’t adjust the scope, so poi shifts are actual.

Fed 215 became scarce as hen’s teeth so I didn’t even try. Plus, .5” groups are good enough for me.

I have a few thousand WLRM so I’m gonna dance with the girl that brung me.





P

I hear ya...

DF

Pharmseller, thanks! I will give WLRM's a try in both my 7mm-08 and 358 Win without adjusting the loads since neither are at book max. I may also try them in my 9.3x62 which really likes Big Game as well. I've got to get me a chronograph as well. I've been loading for about 12 years or so and it is about time.

JB recommends mag primers for ball powders like BG.

BTW, from what I've learned, TAC and BG are more temp resistant than Hunter or Magnum...

I love the way these Ramshot powders work thru a powder measure.

If you don't already have this 9.3x62 load data from JB, it should be of assistance in your load development.

DF

Thanks Dirtfarmer. I didn't realize that RS Hunter was more temp sensitive than Big Game and TAC. That is good to know as I was getting ready to do some load work using RS Hunter for my buddy's 338 Win Mag. Guess I will stick with H4831 for now since we hunt over a pretty wide temp range from CO to SD and OK.

I do have this info and use his 9.3x62 load data for 250 gr. AB's (finally found a couple of boxes) as well as for 286 gr. NP's. Don't quite get the same groups, but close enough for my hunting needs. I'm sure he is a much better shot than I am. I also use his load data for 358 Win using TAC from an Oct/Nov 2004 Handloader Magazine. John's recipe's have worked well for me.

For what it’s worth from my experience, Big Game, RL15, and Varget would get all my reloading done with the 7mm-08 (in a pinch H4350). I used to use mostly RL15 or Varget until I tried Big Game. I use a magnum primer, the CCI 250, with Big Game as several have stated. I use the standard CCI 200 or Federal 210 with RL15 or Varget. I shoot mostly 120 gr. Ballistic Tips or 139 gr. Hornady SP Interlocks. They both work great on whitetails, with my preference going to the Ballistic Tip. If after something larger I use either the Barnes 120 gr. TTSX or the 140 gr. Nosler Partition. I think you are gonna enjoy your 7mm-08.

I’ve used Hunter in a .30-06 from 3F to 60F without a noticeable difference in POI.

YMMV, but Hunter is pretty stable.




P

I don't think it's a marked difference. Hunter and Magnum are great powders.

DF

Whether it be H414, Varget, or RL-16, I run WLR in all my 7-08 loads and get really good performance and mid-sub moa accuracy. However, just for kicks and giggles I did try a few loads with WLRM and found nothing to warrant buying magnum primers. Good luck...

Been following this post as I'm developing loads for a custom 7mm-08 I acquired last year. Was going to try WLRM's per recommendations, but this (80) yr. old fart can't do any better than this!

Is anyone using RL-16? Alliant shows some good velocities with that stuff.

As with most things, some think its great, some think, not so great. Some are getting really good speed, others, not that good. My 7-08 likes it, but it also likes H414, Varget, but so do a lot of other 7-08's

I'm using RL 16 and it has been the most consistent, not by much tho, in my 7-08. 45 grs with a 150 gr NBT. Excellent accuracy, sub MOA. Don't know about speed, don't have a chrono. But to be honest, I'm not too concerned with velocity because I don't have any shots past 150 yds and that's stretching it.

Getcha some and try it for yourself. You might find it to be the cats meow...Good luck

I use 210M with Varget and 120 NBT. 215M with CFE223 and 120 NBT. CCI250 LRM with Big Game and 140 NBT and 140 AB. Accuracy is good to very good with all.

Resistance is futile.




P

I will have to try magnum primers with ball powders. I never bothered to use magnum primers in 308 size cartridges before. My go-to load in the 7mm-08 since acquiring my first (a Remington Model Seven) back in 1991 has been 43.0 grains of WW-748 and a 139 grain Hornady Spire Point. That is a Ken Waters load, and has shot well in every 7mm-08 rifle I have owned. I don't think Ken used a magnum primer in that load. I never have, but maybe I should try them.

I'm going to try RL-16 next.

Which standard primer have you been using?

I have 25 pieces of brass with CCI250 and 25 with WLRM ready to load up. I will only be testing 2 bullets, ( 120gr NBT and 140gr NBT), and two powders, (Varget and Big Game), with everything going over the chronograph. As soon as I get a chance to shoot I will post the results.

Federal match and IMR 4350

Standard Large Rifle Primers will work in the 7mm-08 with almost any powder you use.

I use WLR and CCI-200 and have used Remington and others. Not much difference. I tend to be on the cheap side and buy what I can get the cheapest.

Did you ever post these results? Curious to your findings!

In my M70 Classic Fwt 7-08, magnum primers have made good improvements in accuracy over the WLR I had been using with Big Game and 140s. The one that surprised me is the accuracy improvement with Big Game in my Ruger M77 250-3000 with 100 gr bullets. Both combos were 1 1/4" at best with WLR, Wolf or CCI magnum primers brought both into MOA and under territory.

I generally use Federal 210s, 210 Match if I can find them. I used CCI standard primers back in 1991 when I first tried that load in my Model Seven. I still have it, and it still shoots five shot MOA groups with its skinny 18-1/2" barrel. I tried RL-16 last week and it wasn't accurate in my Nosler M48 7mm-08. Tried Big Game and had better results. 48 grains with a 140 grain TSX was too hot - 2,950 fps! That was with Federal brass and 210M primers.

Max per Nosler for the 140 Accubond/Partition is 47.5 (my load). I get 2880 or so.

Max per Ramshot for the 140 TSX is 46.5.

48 is aggressive.




P

I have had the same experience with Big Game and CCI 250 primers in the kids' 7mm-08s.

Well, I just did a comparison of WLR vs WLRM primers in my go to load of 47 gr. of Big Game & 140 gr. Accubond. Average speed was 2919 fps with WLR and 2926 fps with WRLM, not enough difference to warrant any change! Accuracy was quite a bit better with the standard WLR primer, but no conclusions to be made as this 80 yr. old shooter's eyes are a major factor!!!