Greetings, This is my first posting here at the Accurate Reloading Forum. I hope that someone can help me with a new rifle caliber, just back from the gunsmith. I just had a Rem M7 in 7mm-08 improved to a 7mm-08 Ackley Improved with 40 Degree shoulder and I have no reloading info available in any of the manuals I own. Today I fireformed 20 cases and have deprimed and sized them and need only a few starting loads to get out to the range. I am mostly interested in loads for the 120 and 140 grain bullets. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Start with manual max loads for the 7mm-08 and work up slow.

in2rifles

I would start out with normal 7mm-08 loads & work up,other peoples loads could be an overload in your rifle, i'de be a little bit careful using full loads i'de drop them a couple of grains to start with just to be safe.

If you have any normal 7mm-08 ammo left over you can fire them & they will fireform to 7mm-08 imp.

I have a tikka continental in 7mm-08 & am considering having it improved so i'de be interested in knowing how much increase in performance you get.

Alan

I fireform with my coyote load, 46.0gr of IMR 3031, with 100gr Sierra's firm into the lands. My data may not work well, or even be safe in your rifle, but here's what I use. As for powders, it depends what the purpose is. For punching itty bitty holes in paper, I load 140gr Sierra's ahead of 49.5gr of IMR 4350. For deer hunting, I load 140gr Nosler Partitions ahead of 51.0gr of Reloader 19. This load is fast and still groups in the "sixes". 50.0gr of H-380 works very well, also. These loads are below maximum in my rifle, and still shoot well. As mentioned earlier, I use 46.0gr of IMR 3031 with Sierra 100gr HPBT for a coyote load. To compare, I took my dad's factory 7mm-08, Model 7 to the range today and worked up some loads with 100gr Sierra's. 44.0gr of IMR 4064 was fast, but nowhere near as accurate as the IMR 3031. I settled on a load of 41.0gr of IMR 3031 with the 100gr Sierra's. It put all six bullets from that load into one ragged hole. That's better than my custom 7-08AI shoots the 100 grainers, albeit, a "little" slower. My dad's 7-08 has a skinny 18.5" barrel with the standard Remington 1:9.25 twist. My 7-08AI has 22" Shilen, with a 14 twist.

[ 04-07-2003, 05:02: Message edited by: SST ]

Thanks for the replies. I got out to my range over the weekend and put a few rounds through the 7mm-08AI with pleasing results. I started with 48.0 grs. of H414 and moved to 48.5 grs and finally to 49.0 grs. The last load shot about .650" at 100yds with little pressure signs. I will get back out when it stops snowing, maybe in June!!!