Any one worked out some loads for a 7mm-08?

Looking for some 140gr and 150gr loads that work best for you.

Thanks,

Jim

I thought you'd never ask, I shoot a 150MK in my 708 Rem. over 39grs. of RE15 or 39.5grs. Of Varget with the 150Nosler BT, they both shoot under 1/2" at 100yds. RE15 is the best powder for 139-150gr. bullets, Varget didn't work well with the 150MKs. Jay

41 grs of Varget behind a Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tip is a 1/2 MOA performer for me.

Hey Jay

Tell me some more about the powder you are using.

I started loading in the early 80's and quit about 90 when I had too many kids.

I shot Remingtons in 280, 270 and 7 mag. All shot H4831 with the Nos bullets 150's. The 7 shot 175 great.
I loaded to the max end and opened the group to 3/4 inch for all three.

The 7mm-08 will be for my son.


He will shoot the 270 this weekend but with Rem factory amo and nos 150's in place of the rem blunt nose bullets.

NIce th ing is Rem factory 150/ nos sb/ part/ and bt all sit in a 1 inch group at 100.

H-414/W-W 760 (it's basically the same stuff) is great in that caliber. Use magnum primers usually. Geo.

The 7-08 shares its big brother, the 308's, aptitude for accuracy and "handloader friendliness". Field performance is in the same category, too. Great cartridge.

With 139/140's, IMR or Accurate 4064 (42-43 MAX); one of the 4895's (41.5 MAX); R15 (43 MAX); Varget (43 MAX); H414/W760 (48 MAX) all perform well.

With 145/150's, H4350 (48 MAX) and H414/W760 (47 MAX) have always been stellar.

Be sure to start a few grains lower with your initial loads, obviously.

R-WEST

DrJim, RE15 is a medium burning powder, right around 4064, Varget, N140, I guess I started using it because 760 wasn't giving me the accuracy I thought my rifle was capable of doing, actually started with Varget, pulled 60 someodd bullets that had the 760, and replaced with 4 different loadings of Varget with the 150Nosler BT, settled on 39.5grs. with that bullet and powder, then I decided to try the 150MK, and noticed Sierra had an accuracy load of 38grs. RE15 in their manual, so I tried that and 39grs. and was pleasantly surprised by groupings in the low 4s with either load, so I went with the hotter load for a hunting situation, 39.5grs. is the max for the 150gr Sierras, 760 will give you a it more velocity, but I believe in more accuracy over power, for instance, I used a load that chrongraphed at 2300fps in a Savage 7mm08 with the same 150Nosler, low velocity was due to a tight throat so I had to download a bit due to primer cratering with the rifle, but at any rate, had an instant kill on a buck at 110 paces, so the bullet was probably going 2100fps or so when it hit, thats like the bullet being launched at 2950fps and hitting the animal at 400yds. In other words, I wouldn't worry about getting the max out of rifle by using 760 powder. RE15 and Varget are not temp sensitive powders, so won't be affected by temp changes. Keep us all posted, Jay

Dr Jim:

Jay Gorski has his fecees together on the 7/08. I have noted him as giving the straight dope on that cartridge since I have been on this site.

In that case, RL 15, IMR 4064, IMR 4985 and IMR 3031 are your best bets. I have been using RL 15, but the rifle I was loading for ( a niece's, Browning Micro Hunter) sure liked the IMR 3031 with all bullet weights.

If you are using it for your son, and want a downloaded light recoil load, bullets in the 140 and 150 grain range with RL 7 loads are accurate and light kicking. 34 grains or less. Around 30 makes a great load. Check your ballistic charts but if a bullet is exiting the muzzle at 2200 to 2300 fps and is zeroed 3 inches high at 100 yds, it will be dead on at 200. 99 % of all deer taken are taken in that range. Recoil will be along the lines of a light 30/30 load or a 22/250.

30 grains of IMR 4198 with anyone of those bullets will also give you velocity in the 2250 range. why have a kid shoot a 400 yd load to take a 50 to 100 yd deer?

This is a little non-responsive, but my son is practicing with 40.5 grains of 4064 and Speer 120's. They chronograph at an average of 2562 out of his 700 ADL Youth Model (20" barrel) and had a 5 shot extreme spread of 6.5 fps. Recoil is mild, it groups well, and it still should have just under 1000 ft. lbs of energy at 300 yards. For whitetail, I'm not sure that you need 140-150 grain bullets.

Dr Jim,

More of the same, but I use Hornady 139SST's (silhouette to 385m, antelope, deer, etc.). I use 154SST's for the 500m silhouettes. Found RL15 and IMR4064 to be almost identical in this rifle. H414 produced approx 150fps more velocity, but with greater muzzle blast and poorer accuracy. I settled on 41.1 gr of 4064 for the 139's and 40.7 gr of 4064 for the 154's and I consistently get 2750 and 2650 fps mv (respectively) and .625" 100yrd groups out of my stock 22"Rem700ADLSynth. When I shoot the sihouettes, the point of impact is ALLWAYS where I call the shot, so very good loads for me. I have also killed an antelope and deer this year w/one shot each at ranges of 80-190yrds with the 139's. Went through the deer tight behind both shoulders. Went through the antelope's upper leg bone/brisket bones/neck bone and kept on going (antelope have a tendancy to come out from the pack then move backwards quickly which explains the shot hitting more forward and at a more awkward angle than I like) @ 190yrds dropping it on the spot so it is tough enough for deer sized game.

Deke.

bump

Since it was bumped. !45gr Speer SBT over a max load of WW 760/H414 and a Rem 9 1/2 M primer. Vel is 2898 ft/sec and accuracy is great.

43 gr Varget, CCI #200, 2.780" COL, RP Brass, Sierra 140 gr GK, 20" barrel, 2,710 fps <1". 44 gr takes it to 2,784 fps, but not as tight.

I have been loading the 7mm-08 for about 20+ years, I have found mine to likes 43.0 grains of IMR 4064 and 43 grains of RL-15 with 140 sierra SPBT, WLR primer.. Remington brass.. START LOW, WORK UP...

40 GRAINS VARGET
140 GRAIN NOSLER E-TIP
CCI 200 PRIMER
THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT LOAD IN MY 7MM-08

H414 has been very good to me with all bullet weights. 7MM-08 fan for over 30 years!

Yet another attraction to the 7-08. All of the various powders that will work and work well in the cartridge.

Bump

You can add RE16,17,26 and Staball6.5 to the mix these days, have been doing well in these sized rounds, especially with the 7-08 and 6.5CM and 260. RE16 and the Staball seem to be top contenders these days.