My new moderated 7mm08 is very accurate but much slower than predicted by Speer in it's narrative. They predict a maximum velocity loss of 140fps moving from the 24" varmint M700 to the 18.5" model 7. My own 19.5" barrel is producing velocities approx 250-300fps less.

Nosler 120gr BTs and 45gr varget - predicted 3100 (26" barrel) and change, acheived 2850fps

Speer 145gr hot cores and 48gr H4350 - predicted 2911fps, achieved 2635fps.

Hornady 139gr BTSP and 42gr varget - predicted 2,800fps, achieved 2525fps!

RL19 and 150 -154gr bullets - a max of 2,500fps

Being pessimistic in nature I expected it to be slower than predicted but for big game it appears that if 120gr TSXs don't shoot I am going to operating slower than intended. I'm happy shooting 140gr at 2,700fps (as MHO pointed out this is approaching 30-06 territory) but below this I would rather not go allthough at least I probably wouldn't need premiums!

Looks like the wonder results for varget and RL19 don't quite hold true with this rifle. Best hope of achieving 2,700fps appears to be the 145gr hot core and a grain over max of H4350.

go with a slightly faster powder ... i got alot better results on the 139 and 42grs in my former savage striker, 14"

Jeffe - are you saying your striker was faster with 42gr of Varget and the 139gr than this?

Uuhh, what is the magic in those numbers? FWIW my son killed our fartherest mulie with a 7-08 and a 145gr Grand Slam bullet. 280+ long steps. This was the old model with the 18.5" barrel. Killed it deader than a wedge. 1 shot.
I don't Chrony my hunting loads as a rule. I want a accurate load that's near the top end but with some buffer before I get to max. It might disappoint the animals to know they gave up the ghost to a substandard load.
I wouldn't worry about it. You've got a fine weapon.

I can relate to this. My (factory et al) barrels are often quite a bit slower than what either manuals or the Internet lead me to aspire to. It normally causes a bad case of "ballistic complex"! (I'm sure Freud would have described this condition if he had been a reloader: "Why do all the others have faster guns than I do?? I can't stand this any longer!!" ).

Apart from ballistic dreams, I'm not sure it means a whole bunch in real life.

A part of your velocity loss will be the shorter barrel, and some (factory) guns seem to have loose chambers or barrels and produce somewhat lower velocities. Normally, we forget about these guns when we show off on the Internet

Jeffe's idea of using a slightly faster powder is a good thing to try next.

- mike

I would definitely try RL15 with the 139 Hornady's.

RL15 is a good powder for the 308win, should work well in the 7/08 with a short barrel and a medium weight bullet.