7mm08 loads for hunting& accuracy

[Gpkhill2]

I've owned a few 7mm-08s in savages, Howas and XBoits. And I've found good success with 140 accubonds over imr4350 and imr4064. All have shot under moa. And they work great on game.

 

[jfloyd]

Great results with 4064 and 120 Barnes TTSX.

 

[jerry moore]

thks for all info definitely going to try these loads

 

[LVJ76]

Let us know how it works out please.

Stay safe

 

[300 Driver]

Jerry,

Congrats on your 7-08. You're going to love it! I've been reloading for the 7-08 for 18yrs now and it is a great round and easy to load for. I've loaded it right up to max for my rifle and downloaded it for my 8yr old to shoot.

Ive used 120 Sierra SPT, 120 Barnes XBT, 120 Nosler BT, 120 Hornady VMax, 130 Barnes XBT, 130 Speer SPBT, 140 Nosler BT, 145 Speer GS, 162 Amax, 162 EldX,168 Berger VLD and Varget, H4350, H414, H100V, R17.

ive never had a combo that didn't couldn't give me sub-moa (if I didn't my part) honestly. Smallest group just under .2"

instead of a specific recipe, I'd recommend going to Hodgdon site and see the powder and bullet combo you like/can find. Start low and have fun!

 

[sierracharlie338]

Tagging in for some data on the 150 Berger's as well.

 

[LVJ76]

Tagging in for some data on the 150 Berger's as well.

I've used IMR-4350 with hard to beat accuracy with the 150gr Sierra MK for my silhouette rifle, it shoots the best groups than any other powder.

For my hunting 7mm-08 H4350 has now worked best with the 150gr Ballistic Tip and RL16 on my wife's rifle. For the Bergers I'd start with these last two powders.

Stay safe

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Heres an update on my 7mm-08 work (I forgot this post after it dropped from sight). I now have two guns pretty much dialed in and a third barrel that needs a gun to go on (it may replace my 260), this fall I got varget really working in both guns with one in the 3's and the other now in the 4's with 41-41.1gr. Will continue this coming spring with a 41-42gr tenth of a grain at a time ladder till I hit best they will do. They slightly edged IMR4350 with less case fill so no compressed loads, slightly better accuracy so far, and of course less temp sensitive and a little cleaner and easier to meter. Criterion bbl. on new gun is very accurate and easy to clean. Also made the changeover from norma to lapua brass and that seemed to be a change for the better also.

I'm very slow working up loads with so many variables and now powder and primer shortages Stay Tuned

 

[sierracharlie338]

I've used IMR-4350 with hard to beat accuracy with the 150gr Sierra MK for my silhouette rifle, it shoots the best groups than any other powder.

For my hunting 7mm-08 H4350 has now worked best with the 150gr Ballistic Tip and RL16 on my wife's rifle. For the Bergers I'd start with these last two powders.

Stay safe

Good info thank you sir

 

[Rflshootr]

My wife and I both hunt with the 7mm-08, we have identical Rem 700 SPS Buckmasters with 24" barrels.

Both shoot sub half MOA with the 139gr SST and with the 120gr Balliatic Tip.

- 41.0gr of IMR-4064 with the 139gr SST, WLR primers.

-41.5gr of IMR-4064with the 120gr BT, GM210M primer, here a picture of this load from my wife's rifle
View attachment 180428

Currently working up a load for the 154gr SST, I'm at a 0.8" group so needs more work. I'll be trying IMR-4166 from the enduron line amd will see how that goes. Also will be developing loads for 160gr and 162gr bullets for both rifles.

My Silhouette competition 7mm-08 likes 44.5gr of IMR-4350 with the Sierra 150gr HPBT Matchking.

Hope this helps.

I see measurements on groups all the time on the internet. Maybe people don't know how to measure them properly. If you look at the pic, if you have 2 bullets exactly touching edge to edge, the smallest the group could be, is the diameter of the bullet caliber. So, if you have 2 .30 caliber holes exactly touching at the edges, then the group size is .308. If there is any space between them, then the group will of course be larger than .308. Same thing with any other bullet diameter.

 

[Kimber7man]

Not if you are measuring the group center to center….

 

[LRNut]

I see measurements on groups all the time on the internet. Maybe people don't know how to measure them properly. If you look at the pic, if you have 2 bullets exactly touching edge to edge, the smallest the group could be, is the diameter of the bullet caliber. So, if you have 2 .30 caliber holes exactly touching at the edges, then the group size is .308. If there is any space between them, then the group will of course be larger than .308. Same thing with any other bullet diameter.

Not if you are measuring the group center to center….

Rflshootr is correct; you measure the width of the group far edge to far edge, then subtract the bullet diameter. So if you are shooting a .284 bullet and your two farthest spaced bullets are touching the inside edge, the group is .284 - still good, but not .16. A group that measured .16 would have the widest bullets overlapping each other by nearly 50% - like the top two shots in the group photo.

 

[Rflshootr]

This is what an honest 7mm-08 .265 group looks like.
And if you look closely, that's 5 shots in that hole.

 

[LVJ76]

I added the distance between the center of all 3 and divided it by 3.

From what I've read here in the past, there are quite a few ways to measure groups. Whether it's a 0.16" or 0.284", I still love those cloverleafs, as long as they hold at longer ranges.