New to reloading-7mm-08 question

[Flintlock]

I have been shooting the 7-08 for about 15 years in a XP100, 16" 1-9 twist barrel and an Encore 15" , 1-10 twist barrel.
I have only shot one load since I started shooting both of these.
I use the Nosler 140grn Ballistic Tips, Varget - 40 grn., OL 2.800, with Fed 210 primers. The BT out of the 16" barrel is running 2440 fps. You should gain between 40-50 fps. average for every inch of barrel you are over the 16" that I have. With the Barnes bullet and your barrel you could possibly be running about 2900 fps. I have taken Antelope out to 405 yards, 4 whitetail from 80 yds to 230 yards. I shot two wild hogs, 80lb. & 205lbs. Never had anything go more than maybe 20 yards. Most dropped in a couple of steps.
I loaded some 140 grn. Nosler partitions and loaned my 15" Encore to a friend and he took a 400lb. cow elk with it a few years back. I have no doubt it would take a Moose or Bear. I know some friends that they use the 7-08 on black bear most of the time in the Lower 48 states. You should have no problem taking game with yours and the Barnes bullets are great bullets. I shoot only barnes in my 257JDJ and 308 pistols. Load and shoot all you can and get to know your rifle and your drops.
Good luck when you hunt.

Mike

 

[BoomFlop]

Compressed loads are where the powder charge could come in contact with the base of the bullet. Nosler data will give you a better understanding as they list case fill. Once case fill gets close to or over the 100% mark it will start to potentially become a compressed charge. In other words, you will compress powder with the bullet. This is okay within reason, however, as always work up to these loads (as they are typically at or towards max charges).

Good luck.

 

[manitou]

To answer your question, the max load posted in the manual or on that specific manufacterer's website is the max they recommend with THEIR specific brand of bullet, shot from THEIR test rifle of a specific make. These max numbers are generally several thousand psi under SAAMI max, for example "X brand" reloading manual may have your max load of Varget at 45 grains with a 120 gr Nosler Ballistic tip. This load may be at 58,000 psi and SAAMI max may be 65, 000. This, however, is NOT a free pass to exceed the reload data charge weight. I have seen and have owned rifles that will show over pressure signs BEFORE hitting book max. I also own rifles that show no signs of pressure two grains over max... as an exception. You can take five different makes/"models" of 140 grain bullets and shoot them from the same rifle and all five will have different chamber pressures. Likewise, you can take the SAME 140 grain bullet and shoot it from five different brands of rifles and get five different pressures. This is the reason we start low and work up a load. For simplicity, I buy or research load data for the exact bullet and powder I will use... then I figure in the variable difference with the barrel twist, primers, etc. This is obtained by trial and working up the load. Some barrels shoot higher pressure than others... some are faster/slower than others (which is a direct result of pressure). At first it will seem daunting, but then you wake up one morning and realize you enjoy figuring this reloading thing out almost as much as shooting! You will also realize how much time it has "sucked" away from your daily duties, lol.
Never exceed book max, start low and work up, and rework your loads , starting lower and working up any time you change a component, even if just changing primer brands.
Best of luck!

 

[Mackegney]

I have been shooting the 7-08 for about 15 years in a XP100, 16" 1-9 twist barrel and an Encore 15" , 1-10 twist barrel.
I have only shot one load since I started shooting both of these.
I use the Nosler 140grn Ballistic Tips, Varget - 40 grn., OL 2.800, with Fed 210 primers. The BT out of the 16" barrel is running 2440 fps. You should gain between 40-50 fps. average for every inch of barrel you are over the 16" that I have. With the Barnes bullet and your barrel you could possibly be running about 2900 fps. I have taken Antelope out to 405 yards, 4 whitetail from 80 yds to 230 yards. I shot two wild hogs, 80lb. & 205lbs. Never had anything go more than maybe 20 yards. Most dropped in a couple of steps.
I loaded some 140 grn. Nosler partitions and loaned my 15" Encore to a friend and he took a 400lb. cow elk with it a few years back. I have no doubt it would take a Moose or Bear. I know some friends that they use the 7-08 on black bear most of the time in the Lower 48 states. You should have no problem taking game with yours and the Barnes bullets are great bullets. I shoot only barnes in my 257JDJ and 308 pistols. Load and shoot all you can and get to know your rifle and your drops.
Good luck when you hunt.

Mike

thank you so much for a such a detailed response. With those experiences that you have had it definitely gives me the confidence that, if I do my part, then I should have the right load to take a mulie out to 300 yards.

 

[Mackegney]

To answer your question, the max load posted in the manual or on that specific manufacterer's website is the max they recommend with THEIR specific brand of bullet, shot from THEIR test rifle of a specific make. These max numbers are generally several thousand psi under SAAMI max, for example "X brand" reloading manual may have your max load of Varget at 45 grains with a 120 gr Nosler Ballistic tip. This load may be at 58,000 psi and SAAMI max may be 65, 000. This, however, is NOT a free pass to exceed the reload data charge weight. I have seen and have owned rifles that will show over pressure signs BEFORE hitting book max. I also own rifles that show no signs of pressure two grains over max... as an exception. You can take five different makes/"models" of 140 grain bullets and shoot them from the same rifle and all five will have different chamber pressures. Likewise, you can take the SAME 140 grain bullet and shoot it from five different brands of rifles and get five different pressures. This is the reason we start low and work up a load. For simplicity, I buy or research load data for the exact bullet and powder I will use... then I figure in the variable difference with the barrel twist, primers, etc. This is obtained by trial and working up the load. Some barrels shoot higher pressure than others... some are faster/slower than others (which is a direct result of pressure). At first it will seem daunting, but then you wake up one morning and realize you enjoy figuring this reloading thing out almost as much as shooting! You will also realize how much time it has "sucked" away from your daily duties, lol.
Never exceed book max, start low and work up, and rework your loads , starting lower and working up any time you change a component, even if just changing primer brands.
Best of luck!

Again thanks everyone for such detailed responses. It's funny you say that but I actually already do enjoy the research and loading the rounds as much as the shooting. I have definitely spent hours over the last week researching this over household duties.

 

[Battering Ram]

Here's the load data for my wife's 7-08. 145 LRX load data. 44.5 grains r-17. 2.262 off the lands. Chrono at 2900 FOS at 60 degrees. I live about 50 miles south of Arco. Here's what that round did to a cow elk at 200 yards.

 

[Mackegney]

Here's the load data for my wife's 7-08. 145 LRX load data. 44.5 grains r-17. 2.262 off the lands. Chrono at 2900 FOS at 60 degrees. I live about 50 miles south of Arco. Here's what that round did to a cow elk at 200 yards.

Wow. Congrats. Looks tasty. Thanks so much for the data. Where are you if you don't mind me asking? When I head out there I fly into salt lake then drive up to Arco from the south. We hunt the salmon challis National Forest. After hitting johnny's pickle place of course.

 

[Battering Ram]

Wow. Congrats. Looks tasty. Thanks so much for the data. Where are you if you don't mind me asking? When I head out there I fly into salt lake then drive up to Arco from the south. We hunt the salmon challis National Forest. After hitting johnny's pickle place of course.

I was in Chubbuck/Pocatello. I just relocated to Firth Idaho, just north of Blackfoot. I've spent a little time in the Arco area. Here's last years deer

 

[Mackegney]

Whoa nice deer! That's awesome I always stop to eat in Pocatello then drive up 15 through Blackfoot, and then a hard left to Arco. My buddy sent me this Saturday night. He had a good day she'd hunting near leathermans peak. I told him we better find the deer that was attached to the browns on his pack. Maybe we'll get a beer in Blackfoot this year if that's good with you. First ones on me.

 

[Battering Ram]

View attachment 184678Whoa nice deer! That's awesome I always stop to eat in Pocatello then drive up 15 through Blackfoot, and then a hard left to Arco. My buddy sent me this Saturday night. He had a good day she'd hunting near leathermans peak. I told him we better find the deer that was attached to the browns on his pack. Maybe we'll get a beer in Blackfoot this year if that's good with you. First ones on me.

 

[Battering Ram]

Oops. Hit the wrong button. The sheds look good. That's a good area for deer! Good luck to you this coming season. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

 

[Mackegney]

Will do thanks again

 

[7stw]

Awesome. I have 100 empty star line brass. I have a 1x9.5 twist. Does the CFE give you better velocity than varget or just less standard deviation over the course of fire? Thanks so much for the load data btw

Any given powder dosent necessarily come with lower es, or sd, it is achieved through the ladder process. It can be lost or gained. by increase, or decrease of powder, or in the load combination. I too, after many years of NOT owning this caliber. acquired one, and it has become my favorite.
You'll find that the cfe 223, will be better suited for the 120-140 class bullets. I have a few combos with that powder, that I would have now problem taking it hunting. Especially, with 120 class bullets.
On a side note, have been using RL16 recently, and the results have been impressive. I have repeat loads, with two different classes of 150 bullets, that yield groups at 100 yds, in the .1's. And others, that are no more then .5 at 100. The 7-08 is a great round, very effective afield, easy to load, not bad on recoil. Good luck, congrats, enjoy!

 

[Mackegney]

Awesome. Thanks so much