Got my staball 6.5 in the other day it does shine in the 7mm08 it does react quickly to small powder increases so be careful when nearing a max load 49.8 in lapua palma brass and a 131 hammer bullet running 3126 fps impressive powder 22 inch barrel
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7-08 loads, New Bergara Ridge
- Thread starter 7stw
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7stw
Well-Known Member
Good to hear, but I suspected the same, as a member here, has been trying it out also, and he said, as you stated, the small increments near the top, really made velocity changes.
I'm in the slightly above mid range ladder, with two bullet weights at this time. Have some loaded up, waiting on weather.
How is the Hammer doing, accuracy wise?
I have got to shoot out to 300 so far and its holding about .75 moa I will play with seating depth a little more to try and close it up all I did was pick charge weights between 48.5 and 50.5 in .2gr. increments all at the same depth 2 rounds of each this was the most accurate so I loaded 9 and shot 3 at 100 3at 200 and 3 at 300 100 and 200 were under 1/2 moa opened up at 300 vertical hoping seating depth changes will fix this so far it appears accuracy nodes will be a little narrow with this powder
Savage 12BVSS
Well-Known Member
Well your making me jealous stw as I look out at deep snow with temps below zero tonight again. Hope the shooting goes good, the staball 6.5 sounds like a powder I need to get and try. Just loaded up a huge ladder for distance to lands and also a powder charge ladder. Should finish the 7mm-08 for 4350 powder as soon as it get's a bit warmer, than a final primer test. Believe it will finish in the three's at that point but might surprise me and do even better, who knows. Maybe try some staball 6.5 if you guys get really tight groups. You guy's are gonna have me shoveling off the bench and breaking trail to the hundred yard target frames. Glad my buddy own's the range
Dave7stw
Well-Known Member
Been there, done that. Shovel a path to hundred yd. target. Nope, not any more. If it does snow here, its gone in a day or two. We pay for in the summer though, hot, hot, hot!Well your making me jealous stw as I look out at deep snow with temps below zero tonight again. Hope the shooting goes good, the staball 6.5 sounds like a powder I need to get and try. Just loaded up a huge ladder for distance to lands and also a powder charge ladder. Should finish the 7mm-08 for 4350 powder as soon as it get's a bit warmer, than a final primer test. Believe it will finish in the three's at that point but might surprise me and do even better, who knows. Maybe try some staball 6.5 if you guys get really tight groups. You guy's are gonna have me shoveling off the bench and breaking trail to the hundred yard target frames. Glad my buddy own's the range
Jury still out on the StaBall65.
Still working up, so far, mine seems to like RL17 the best, but these next loads may show a little difference, due to higher charge, and once fired brass. I know I'm close, the round count is coming up on the 100 mark, that's usually when I've in the past saw a turn in the barrels attitude. Waiting patiently on weather! (Impatiently)
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Savage 12BVSS
Well-Known Member
Just found a powder and primer supplier a couple miles from home. They are a couple bucks a unit more but hazmat and shipping bring grafs and midway about the same. They had every powder in five different brands and both my favorite primers tray or sleeve. Sometimes even in winter Life is Good
7stw
Well-Known Member
I seriously remember, literally plowing a path to the 100, and 200 yd berms, when I belonged to a sportsman club, in Massachusetts! So cold, your hands were froze in minutes. Had to sit in car, to warm up hands between rounds. Not to mention the stress the rifle was going through!Just found a powder and primer supplier a couple miles from home. They are a couple bucks a unit more but hazmat and shipping bring grafs and midway about the same. They had every powder in five different brands and both my favorite primers tray or sleeve. Sometimes even in winter Life is Good
Also, I'd load some ladder batches, and sometimes couldn't, or wouldn't shoot it for a month, or two. UGHGH!
Hope you get some much deserved T time soon! It's therapeutic too!
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7stw
Well-Known Member
Guys I dont know where to start, but I can start by saying this Bergara, ROCKS!
I loaded up a couple of revisits, a few up charges, and a few samples of things that I've learned about the gun, its likes, and dis likes. First of all, I can not get 139 Interlock, to even begin to group. Not going to burn any more powder on them. Ok, here we go
41.6-Varget-140ct
BR2 .191 group
Horn brass, f2 100 yards.
44.6-RL17- 150AB
Br2.
Horn brass, f2. .488 @100
.635 @160
46.2- StaBall6.5 - 168smk
BR2
Lapua, f1. .508@160.
Just broke the 100 mark, just today, rifle cleans easily, and is now grouping with three different weights. Three powders too. The 168 bullet
I loaded up a couple of revisits, a few up charges, and a few samples of things that I've learned about the gun, its likes, and dis likes. First of all, I can not get 139 Interlock, to even begin to group. Not going to burn any more powder on them. Ok, here we go
41.6-Varget-140ct
BR2 .191 group
Horn brass, f2 100 yards.
44.6-RL17- 150AB
Br2.
Horn brass, f2. .488 @100
.635 @160
46.2- StaBall6.5 - 168smk
BR2
Lapua, f1. .508@160.
Just broke the 100 mark, just today, rifle cleans easily, and is now grouping with three different weights. Three powders too. The 168 bullet
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7stw
Well-Known Member
Let me try this again, at the end of the above post, internet went pyscho, on me.
As I was saying, the 168smk, is just a play bullet, and was more curious then anything, just to see if I could get it to fly! Well, it does. The 140ct did well, almost as expected, and even with the powder it did it with.
The 150AB continues to impress, along with the RL17 as its propellant.
I tried a load of StaBall, with the 140ct, and it was unimpressive, which, at that time, I thought maybe the 140ct wasn't going to fly, til I shot it with the Varget.
The barrel, has definitely made the turn, it cleans very quickly, and is smooth as glass. The whole rig seems to work very well together, and I haved fell in love with this cartridge. The jury is still out on the StaBall. Shortly, I'm going to shoot through my friends Magnetospeed, to get some good numbers. The mirage today was incredible, wow!
As I was saying, the 168smk, is just a play bullet, and was more curious then anything, just to see if I could get it to fly! Well, it does. The 140ct did well, almost as expected, and even with the powder it did it with.
The 150AB continues to impress, along with the RL17 as its propellant.
I tried a load of StaBall, with the 140ct, and it was unimpressive, which, at that time, I thought maybe the 140ct wasn't going to fly, til I shot it with the Varget.
The barrel, has definitely made the turn, it cleans very quickly, and is smooth as glass. The whole rig seems to work very well together, and I haved fell in love with this cartridge. The jury is still out on the StaBall. Shortly, I'm going to shoot through my friends Magnetospeed, to get some good numbers. The mirage today was incredible, wow!
You may try changing primers with the staball
7stw
Well-Known Member
I actually am on my second primer with this powder. My first was 215GMM, and even with a lite starting load, they flattened, as if overpressured. No swipe, smear, or bolt lift issue. It shot the second string of the 168smk, (br2), really well, and the first string pretty well too, but the second load, was an up charge, and it balled them up pretty well.
TRyan
Well-Known Member
I just ordered a box of 150gr LRAB to try in my 7/08. I have varget and RL17 for powders, Norma brass and CCI BR2 primers.
7stw
Well-Known Member
I think you will be happy with either one of those two. The rl17 seems to work in mine, but am going to eork with the Varget a little more. The 17, is great stuff, but I'm afraid of the firecracking, but maybe I'm over thinking it abit! Those LRAB, will be the deal, I'm sure. I'm impressd with mine. This rifle is really coming into its own now, and is rapidly becoming my all time favorite, and I've had more then a few! Good luck my friend, enjoy the ride!
Ps, that Norma brass is nice. I'm running Lapua brass, I like it, but needed to work it a little, as it wasn't as consistent as it has been in past . Still nice though. Strong!
