@7stw Have you by any chance tried H-100V in your 7/08.(or anyone else for that matter) I have a lb of this stuff that I was doing nothing with and noticed on the Hogdon burn rate chart that it should be a good powder for this cartridge. Just around the StaBall rate and slightly slower than 760. I done a crude pressure ladder to determine pressure and found that 44grs with a 175 gr bullet seemed to be a max in my rifle. Later this spring I will test it for velocity and accuracy. According to a program I was working with is seems this powder would be the cat's meow concerning barrel life. It's a powder we don't here much about.
7-08 loads, New Bergara Ridge
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Arapaho
Well-Known Member
I have a 7mm-08 that I built for my wife Bighorn origin action with a proof carbon barrel and tried several powders. H4350 shot well along with Varget. I ended up loading hers with 139 grain Hornady interlocks on top of a stiff dose of H4895 and it shoots lights out. She has never shot anything with it but I actually hunted with it all season when she didn't go and shot a nice buck at about 100 yards. It was bang flop with that fast little bullet.
Savage 12BVSS
Well-Known Member
7stw your killin' me! I can't get going here with the weather, shot today but snow a comin'. Fire cracks are something to watch out for with slow powders. That .191 group with AB's is killer. I'll keep plowing snow and waiting 
Varget didn't get me excited but will bounce between H4350 and IMR4350 for sure. Dave
Varget didn't get me excited but will bounce between H4350 and IMR4350 for sure. Dave7stw
Well-Known Member
I got a box of 145 Speer, spbt, and a box of 140 by today. Everyone is telling me those inexpensive Speer bullets shoot well, and smoke deer. I'm gonna given a whirl. I've got some brass to fire form anyway.
The Speer bullets were only $18. 00, Mid South!
The Speer bullets were only $18. 00, Mid South!
7stw
Well-Known Member
Your kill in me with the snow plowing. Seen enough flakes!7stw your killin' me! I can't get going here with the weather, shot today but snow a comin'. Fire cracks are something to watch out for with slow powders. That .191 group with AB's is killer. I'll keep plowing snow and waiting
7stw
Well-Known Member
Guys, have a range report to pass on. First. I will say. That I have been totally frustrated with the StaBALL powder. It's extremely sensitive to up charges, and I really don't feel as though it's as temp insensitive as advertised. I'll leave it that, as I've abandoned it pretty well for now.
I worked with RL16 today, in the mid weight bullets, 140. 145, 150.
I got a true one hole with 150 smk, a sub .5 group with 140 nbt.
With cfe223, got a sub half group with 120 nbt. My ploy is that I have some awesome groups with varget, which I can't find any of, and also, with RL17, but am trying to avoid it because if the fire cracking issue.
I really tried to get the StaBall to shoot, but I found it very inconsistent. What worked today, didn't work next week. And beware, I tried one load, that was two full grains plus, less then max, and got pressures.
So, for me, and now, gonna concentrate on the RL16, for the mid weight bullets, and the cfe223, for the lite stuff. May even settle on the mid weight bullets and powder, and be done with it. Guys, this RL16 is awesome stuff. Loaded it also, in another caliber, first time using that combo, and powder, shot both like groups into two respective holes. Think I may have found my angel dust.
On another note, good luck to each and every one, at this unprecedented time in our lives. Hope everyone is well, and safe.
Stay vigilant! God speed to all!
I worked with RL16 today, in the mid weight bullets, 140. 145, 150.
I got a true one hole with 150 smk, a sub .5 group with 140 nbt.
With cfe223, got a sub half group with 120 nbt. My ploy is that I have some awesome groups with varget, which I can't find any of, and also, with RL17, but am trying to avoid it because if the fire cracking issue.
I really tried to get the StaBall to shoot, but I found it very inconsistent. What worked today, didn't work next week. And beware, I tried one load, that was two full grains plus, less then max, and got pressures.
So, for me, and now, gonna concentrate on the RL16, for the mid weight bullets, and the cfe223, for the lite stuff. May even settle on the mid weight bullets and powder, and be done with it. Guys, this RL16 is awesome stuff. Loaded it also, in another caliber, first time using that combo, and powder, shot both like groups into two respective holes. Think I may have found my angel dust.
On another note, good luck to each and every one, at this unprecedented time in our lives. Hope everyone is well, and safe.
Stay vigilant! God speed to all!
Arapaho
Well-Known Member
I shoot h4895 in a 26 inch proof on a Bighorn origin action. I got good speed and low es and little bitty groups. I worked a load for my wife to shoot with 139 and 140 grain Hornady hunting bullets. I found some good loads with Varget but not near as good as h4895. I will have to look at my book because I don't recall the load right now. The proof is an 8 twist and shoots heavies good as well.
Speer boat tails absolutely wollop deer. My family has taken gobs of blacktail with the 120gr out of a 25-06. It's bang/flop every time.
7stw
Well-Known Member
This Bergara, is a shooter, for sure, since I've had it, I've shot all weights, from 120-168.
It really likes varget, and RL17. I've read about the h4895 as well, but in my area, the H powders are nowhere in site. I'm told Varget starting to trickle in here , or there. At least with the 16, its another load option, but found it very promising on first time out, with two calibers to boot. Thanks for the feedback. Really love this caliber!
Kill it with a seven!
7stw
Well-Known Member
I have a load, using virgin Lapua brass, and 145 Speer, spbt, that I would have no problem using on a deer hunt. Used them to fire form, and load check, and noted that load as a go to load! I just need to fine tune it, but now need to adjust load to RL16. I really like this powder.
I've heard the 130 Speer, spbt, is a hammerhead! Thanks for the feedback!
West Calamus
Well-Known Member
I shoot 150 eldx with 45.2 gr H4350 out of my 7-08, MV is 2735 fps out of a 22 inch barrel and .010 to .015 jump.(if magazine allows). I think the 162 gr bullets slows up your Mv a little much in the 7mm-08. Be carefull of your Hornadays eld-M and Eld-X fragmenting on bone untill the bullets gets under 2100 or 2200 fps as I have had them personally come apart if you hit bone on shots under 300 yards. I routinely shoot this load with a burris elimanator 3 at 750 yard zero and 158 inch drop. Point and shoot. For a game loads on BIG deer or Elk I am seriously thinking of going to the accubonds or interbonds in the 145 to 150 grain bullets.
TRyan
Well-Known Member
I've been working on a load for my 7/08. I was shooting 168 Berger hunting bullets at 2615 fps, but I switched to 150 LRAB and gained some speed @2830 fps. My barrel likes this combo. Found a good node using 43gr. of Varget. It's a full 2gr over book max but showing pressure signs.
Got out today and was ringing steel at 415 yards. I'm looking for some other spots that I can hopefully shoot out to 600-700 yards. It's tough to find long range spots here in Western Wa.
Got out today and was ringing steel at 415 yards. I'm looking for some other spots that I can hopefully shoot out to 600-700 yards. It's tough to find long range spots here in Western Wa.
7stw
Well-Known Member
I do have a load with the 150 AB, that I think I can convert to the RL16 powder. This barrel likes that bullet, with varget, RL17. I have a hunch it would even do better with the 16.
Thanks for the heads up on the ELD's. Haven't killed eith them, but have with AB.
I really feel that the RL16 is very similar to H4350. Burn rate, and temp insensitive.
All the best!
If anyone is interested I done a very informal test to chrony the 145 gr Speer SBT with StaBall 6.5 and H-100V. Too much snow and cold to do any accuracy testing where I live. The components were 145 Speer spt -CCI-250 -Hornady case and oal 2.763. The rifle Custom Kimber- 24" Benchmark 1/9 twist 5R rifling.
50 gr StaBall-- 3012 ft/sec
49 grs H-100V --2992 ft/sec
These were safe loads in my rifle and I believe I could safely increase the loads by 1 gr.
H-100V is a powder that really has my interest. Never hear much about this powder. Really anxious to try later this summer for accuracy. JME
50 gr StaBall-- 3012 ft/sec
49 grs H-100V --2992 ft/sec
These were safe loads in my rifle and I believe I could safely increase the loads by 1 gr.
H-100V is a powder that really has my interest. Never hear much about this powder. Really anxious to try later this summer for accuracy. JME
