Need 7-08 Help

[Boom]

Shooting an Rem 700 accurized at HS Precision with a 20" barrel. Rifle is primarily a 100-300 yard whitetail rifle. The recommended load included when I received the rifle called for 48 gr of H4350 with a 140 gr Nosler BT. Near as I can tell this is a max load and, with some research, found threads indicating that H4350 may be too slow for a 20" barrel. I can, and will, try the suggested load but was wondering if anyone had any experience with 7-08 loads through a 20" barrel that may be a better alternative. Thanks!

 

[steelshooter]

I have two 7-08s but one has a 26" and the other a 24" barrel. They both shoot best with Reloader15. 44.5gns with 140 Noslers.

 

[Freebore]

I have 2 short barreled 7mm-08's. One is a BLR the other a Browning Micro-Hunter. I shoot the 145 Speer Hot-Core with WW-760 or 4350 preferably 760 w/CCI Mag primer in BLR.

In the Micro I shoot the 140 TTSX's with H-414 and WLR primers. The 120 Bal-Tip is devastating to whitetails pushed with Varget w/BR-2 primers @3050.

4350 works. If you have an accuracy load try it, chrono it, keep it if it works. The other loads you can work on. That's what neat about reloading, finding what else works.

 

[Daveinjax]

I'm using 44.5 of Varget behind 140gr BT's lit by wlr primers in a 22" barreled Ruger m77 mk II and getting good accuracy. Watch out with the W760. I have had it really drop off in cold weather ( like drop 9" more at 300 yards on a 15 degree morning ) , enough to make me shoot under a deer at 300yds. Another load I use is 50.2 of H4350 with same bullet and primer but in my 24" barreled m700 remington.

 

[arroyobuck]

Daveinjax,

44.5 of varget and 140 grain BT is a hot load. My nosler book shows 42g as max. Are you seeing any pressure signs? Do you know what you velocity is out of the 22 inch barrel?

 

[jacack]

Don't discount the 120nbt, it's a great bullet in the 7mm08 I have shot a ton of deer and hogs with it and it's always done its job

 

[Daveinjax]

44.5 is warm but not flattening primers or anything. The primer pockets get loose after 4 to 5 loadings but this is cheap Remington brass I'm loading. I use this as a hunting load so I'm not worried about brass life. As to velocity , I don't have a chrony so I can only tell you it drops @ 5.8" at 300yds with a 200yrd zero. You could run it on a ballistic program to get a good estimate. I'm starting to want to shoot farther these days so I'm gathering stuff as the round- to- it's funds become available. The chrony is one of the first round-to-it I have on order. The w760 load I'm shooting IS hot! 50.3gr behind a 140gr BT. My 24" 700 loves the load but it flattens primers and 3 loadings max'. Most published load data is really tame.

 

[Freebore]

In the woods treestands I use that 145 Speer Speer hot-Corew/760 full house and have never had a deer go any further that 3 steps most drop dead right there. It just gels the lungs. WW-760 powder is a ball and in cold weather you should use a Mag primer. I work the load up using Mag primers from the start. Some will question this. That is why the standard WLR primers are hotter than most primers...because WW makes ball powders. The BR-2 I have had good results with too. I always load just before a hunt so I know exactly what to expect from my load/test/chrono contemplating the weather will cooperate and stay in the same range.

Varget works well with the 140's in the 7mm-08 and match primer. I anneal/trim the brass every 2 loadings too. I have had split necks after 4-5 loading without it.

Never go hunting on 'clean' bore either. I have seen many guys wonder why they missed and I have always asked did you clean you rifle bore completely prior to the hunt? The answer was always yes as I have seen them shoot. I then asked did you fire a first shot on that clean bore and understand point of impact compared to follow- up shots. No was their answer...ehhh...wrong answer! Hunt on a dirty bore, just 1 or 2 rounds is enough to foul the barrel. my2c