I have never loaded any bullet before that required significant intrusion into the powder space like these bullets.
My chamber will allow longer than book OAL, but the bullet still takes up a lot of case capacity extending below the neck.
Hornady lists same load and OAL for 139s and the GMX.
Just my lack of experience or am I looking at pressure issues (IMR 4350)?
Starting low in the listed data of course!

Do you hunt in a lead restricted area? If not, why are you messing with a monometal bullet?

IMR 4350 is quite bulky for a small case like the 7mm-08. I would look at using W760 powder. Very close to the same burning speed but it takes up much less space being a ball powder

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Do you hunt in a lead restricted area? If not, why are you messing with a monometal bullet?

Ignore this guy because he's just an ole paper puncher. His next line is going to respond about using match lead bullets ...

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
I have never loaded any bullet before that required significant intrusion into the powder space like these bullets.
My chamber will allow longer than book OAL, but the bullet still takes up a lot of case capacity extending below the neck.
Hornady lists same load and OAL for 139s and the GMX.
Just my lack of experience or am I looking at pressure issues (IMR 4350)?
Starting low in the listed data of course!

Just follow normal load work up procedures and you'll be fine. I load almost exclusively Barnes TTSX or LRX bullets and haven't had a problem finding an accurate load for monometals, including copper and brass bullets.

Good luck!

Why am I loading monometal bullets . . .

Cause I have some and so they are there.
Just not used to bullets that project so far down in the case (may just pull them and forget that plan).

Graybird
Thanks for addressing my question.
I am not used to such long bullets and the manufacturer made no statement in their manual and I am able to load them longer than they state so so it should have some reduced pressure.

I have a box of 140 Noslers and may just load them and be don with it.

TC,

I know you didn't ask, but I'll add a bit to my previous post. I have not shot the GMX bullet you are referencing.

I load a 120 gr TTSX in my 7-08. It is fairly well known that 44-45 gr of RL-15 with the 120 gr TTSX in the 7-08 should produce an accurate load. My particular rifle prefers 44.5 grains, and this load has accounted for two elk and numerous deer and antelope.

I agree with your concerns about overly long bullet length. Yet, with monometals, you can drop to a lower bullet weight and remain equivalent (possibly even better) regarding bullet weight retention and penetration with higher bullet weight lead bullets from years past. Keep in mind, many rifles prefer a jump to the barrel lands to gain better accuracy, which is another reason to drop in bullet weights.

Good luck!

Graybird

I bought these as a lark and may well just disassemble the rounds and put the bullets back for a really rainy day.

I'm guessing 120 monometals are about as long as 140 lead cores?

I'd forget what the manual says about COAL and seat those bullets out to max mag box length and go from there. I start every load workup like this no matter the bullet or powder. Find a powder charge that looks promising and then mess around with seating bullets deeper in .030 increments.

quote:

I have a box of 140 Noslers and may just load them and be don with it.

A wise course of action.

I have loaded GMX bullets for my 7mm-08. My favorite load for 139-140 grain bullets is 40 grains of WW-748. There is no problem with case capacity using that powder. That is an accuracy load from Ken Waters' Pet Loads. I have been using it since 1991 in half a dozen 7mm-08s.

Made a mistake on that favorite load for the 7mm-08. It's 43.0 grains of WW-748.

I found CFE223 to be really good for the 7-08 and monometals.