I am shooting a browning A-Bolt 7mm-08 120 grain Nosler Bullistic tip, IMR 4064,44 Grains Winchester Large Rifle Primers with a two inch group at about 100 yds. I would really like to get a better group. Do you have any suggestions?

Try adjusting the bullet in and out of the case a bit. If yours is like my 308 you won't be able to get close to the lands, but length still matters.

You can also try a bit heavier bullet. The 120 is light for deer, I think.

That should be an accurate rifle, but they can be particular. If you have the factory plastic stock, pay carefull attention to how you hold the rifle. My stock seemd to squirm a bit when the temperature got over 70 degrees F. I finally stiffened the forearm with carbon fiber and glass-bubble-filled epoxy. It really helped.

Good luck,

I have an A bolt in 270 Win. and with 150 grain ballistic tips it will shoot 1/2 to 1 inch groups at 100 yards. Not sure what to tell you, other than I would definitely try the 140 or 150 grain bullet. The 120 is pretty light for that caliber, and it just may not be the most ideal weight bullet for that barrel.

I worked up loads this weekend with the 140gr Barnes TSX for my 7mm-08 Rem 700 Ti and came away very impressed. Using H414 shooting 3 shot groups, I started at 43gr and worked up in 1gr incriments to 46gr then added a 1/2gr at the time to work up to 48.0.

Day 1:
47.0 chronographed at 2811 fps 1.5" MOA
(Nosler Partition clocked at 2809 fps - 47.0 3 shots)
47.5 ........... at 2860 fps 1.3"
48.0 ........... no data (too dark)1.0"

Day 2:
47.7 @ 2889 fps .35" 1st bullet touches #2, #2 touches #3
48.0 @ 2911 fps 1.2" in a horizontal line

The 48.0 load is a little too hot, some primer flattening and my last shot showed some primer cratering. No problems with the 47.7 load at all.
I'll be shooting some more 47.7 loads to verify in the next week or two.

I've had my best results with H414. I've used a little H380 and like the way it fills the case but limited use to this point. All my loads have been for 139 - 140 grain bullets. I know my gun will shoot Nosler BT's but I think they can be fragile on close in shots, that's why I'm looking at tougher bullets. My gun shoots Partitions very well. I like the SST's but have been inconsistant groups at higher velosity's. They will group .75" at 2750 fps with H4985 40.5 gr (2675 fps with IMR 4985 40.5)but open up at any higher velosity. I plan on trying some Accubonds later.

Check out: http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=273049&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

They've been talking about this for awhile now. I'm planning on trying some of the loads at some point.

Turok

Howdy,
You mag will NOT take long OAL bullets. It can be modified, fairly easily, and your accuracy will improve if you make the bullets longer.
To verify this, or, better, to share my experience. A buddy has an abolt 708. A well known accuracy house made him "1/2 moa or better" loads... nice, other than they wouldn't fit in the mag, and single feed, only 13 or 20 went off, they were pretty accurate.

I measured his oal, setup some hornadys, and tried.. sure enough, same thing... Okay, we ordered another mag... SAME THING....

If I remember, we are talking 2.875 or something.. not VERY much longer than stock.

So, i took the mags apart, modified the FRONT of the mag, but i bet just ordering 270 mags would do the same thing, as it's the same action and mag, different front filler, for both.

So, 1: make sure your loads will fit in the mag
2: make them as long as safe

jeffe

The OAL for Browning Short actions is 2.800, so in that case if you want to use 120 Noslers, try 40.5grs. of H4895 give or take a few tenths, if you want a really accurate bullet try the Sierra 150MKs with 38-39.5grs. of RL15 and use Rem 91/2 primers, 44grs of 4064 is a little stiff, from my experience with the 708 they don't seem to like max charges, I might also add, don't shoot your weapon too fast, 1 every 2 min. or so should suffice for that skinny barrel, 39.5grs. of Varget and 150BTs will be accurate also, but I'd stick with RL15 for bullets ranging from 139-150, H4895 with the lighter ones. BTW, What are you using for a rest, scope, etc.? Jay

I have an A bolt 7mm-08 and had similar trouble when I first got it. I tried various combination of the components you would expect to work. 130 - 160g bullets and the slower powders. I worked up some acceptible loads but nothing outstanding - 1�" to 2". I was relating this to a buddy and his advice was if the conventional isn't working try the unconventional. Well it worked, I have settled on a Hornady 139g SPBTI with 40.0g of IMR 3031, CCI BR-2 primers in Remington brass. Velocity is 2788 fps. Though not the fastest it is accurate holding under an inch if I do my part. It's a great deer load and has also taken a big Texas hog. One wouldn't think of 3031 as the typical 7mm-08 powder but it worked. Good Luck.

I can verify Scout Master 54's experience with IMR 3031 - my 7mm-08 Browning BLR likes it best and I have had excellent results loading IMR 3031 in 4 different calibers based on the .308 case.

I shoot the Nosler 120 gr ballistic tip bullet in my 7mm-08 Model 7 Rem. I get .5" groups or better but it took some work. My rifle required the trigger pull to be lightened and the barrel and action to be glass bedded into the stock. As far as a deer round... it knocks em dead. All of mine are one shot kills and most travel only about 2 ft after the shot... vertically. I'm using 43 gr of IMR 4064 and CCI bench rest primers in Rem cases.

Another vote for IMR 3031. 40.5 gr IMR 3031 and 140 gr Nosler BT's is the most accurate load in my 7/08 A-bolt.