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7mm08

timhill100timhill100 Member Posts: 1,133 ✭✭
edited October 2010 in Ask the Experts
whats a 7mm08? Are they better than just a normal 7mm?

Comments

  • timhill100timhill100 Member Posts: 1,133 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i just perchased a rem model seven in 7mm08, was looking for one in 308 but setteled for this one. the price was right, its a older model 7 with a 18.5 inch barrel, i reload but never for this cartridge befor, whats a good starting point for powder and bullet weight, i plan on useing it for a treestad hunting gun for deer out to about 200 yards, was thinking a 140gr bullet should work for that range, but no idea on powder charge, i got the books but was hoping for a short cut. a load that was already worked would be nice, would save me many hours at the reloading bench and range, deer season is only a few months away
    thanks in advance
  • timhill100timhill100 Member Posts: 1,133 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm thinking of a browning 7mm08 a-bolt with the boss barrel,would this be a good deer gun in a 140 grain bullet? also what kind of recoil should I expect? how does the boss barrel help? Is anybody out there useing this setup,or should I look for something else,I sure could use some help.Thank- You fellow sportsmen&women.Dano.
  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi Tim,

    You have a great cartridge, in a really great little rifle, that will be real fast handling. Due to the short barrel, you will not be able to get all the 7mm-08 is capable of delivering, but it will still work just fine.

    I personally would use a 140 grain Nosler Ballistict Tip, or Accubond, and around 44-46 grains of Winchester 790, or Hodgdons 414 powder. I wouldn't suggest a 120 grain bullet, unless it is a Barnes TSX, as it might not work all that great, if you hit heavy bone on the way in.

    Here is a web site for Hodgdon/Winchester/IMR powders and loading you can browse also.

    http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

    Best
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    timhill100,

    "...i got the books but was hoping for a short cut."

    Every rifle is unique so assuming another shooter's load will be up to your requirements is often incorrect.

    Sierra and Speer both have manuals which select a particular load for it's accuracy. So does Vihta Vuori or at least they did with their online resource.

    The cartridge is gaining more followers every day, more so as deer season approaches. It's been a proven performer so long as the proper bullet selection and placement is accomplished.

    I usually suggest the 140 gr. Nosler Partition or the 145 gr. Speer SP for short range deer hunting. Either is easy to develop a load for and both will do the job on the deer.

    Powders of choice for the short barrel rifles are:

    IMR-3031
    V V N-140
    AA-2495

    Be aware of muzzle flash early and late in the day as well as the increase in noise from these short barrels.

    Good Luck with your hunt!

    Best.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    timhill100,

    That would certainly be a conveninet tree stand gun. It could also be a pretty good long range gun if you wanted to try that as well. A longer barrel would be helpful in that arena, but the round has some really high BC bullets that can make it work well enough to go a long ways out.

    So, since you have an 18 1/2" barrel, my opinion is you should use faster powders such as H4895 (41), VV-N135 (39), VV-N140 (41), Ramshot Tac (39), Win 748, (38) and AA2520 (40). I listed each of those powders with a safe start place using 140 gr. bullets. You would need to work up. The only one of those that's a little on the slow side for your barrel is the VV-N140. If it doesn't give you a great big flash it's a good choice.
    The best thing to do is run a ladder with a few of the powders I've mentioned. My personal choice here would be the H4895 followed by the Ramshot Tac. But anyhow, take each powder and load up 7-8 bullets in increasing increments of 1/2 gr. powder each. When you start to see the loads walk up your target and then three, sometimes four, all kind of sit in one place, that's the best load with that powder. By loading up seven or eight you will actually go above max in the book sometimes. YOU CAN VERY WELL EXPECT TO PULL A CASE OR TWO IN EACH POWDER CHOICE. So don't worry about that. Just find what's right and use the bullets you pulled for practice when you re-load them in the powder of your choice.
    BTW, the groups you will get are what's called finding the 'natural flex' of your barrel. The harmonics of the charge bring it to that. The barrel will show a given stiffness which will take a good amount more of powder to overcome. That's when you really see erratic groups. You also will be overpressure by that time. So, stick with the lower or mid load from those groups.

    Also, I have no problem using 120's, 115's or even 100 gr. bullets when shooting deer. At the speeds your short barrel can push the lighter bullets they will still kill an animal handily. It comes down mostly to picking your shot anyway. You save more meat too by picking your shot and not destroying a whole quarter. But, you maybe already knew that. I've killed a lot of deer with 85 and 100 gr. bullets.

    -good luck
  • mbsamsmbsams Member Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    experimenting with loads is where the fun in shooting is for me - I like reading all I can about reloading and shooting - why take a short cut?
  • timhill100timhill100 Member Posts: 1,133 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i like reloading as well, reason for short cut is deer season is only a few months away, no time for the whole 9 yards here, if i can just get a good deer load for this season is all im after, ill start from scratch in the spring
  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by timhill100
    i like reloading as well, reason for short cut is deer season is only a few months away, no time for the whole 9 yards here, if i can just get a good deer load for this season is all im after, ill start from scratch in the spring


    Federal Premium with either a Barnes TSX bullet, or 140 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. That will be far safer, and give you some brass to play with, untill you can seriously decide to reload. Being that rifles in general are their own individual, yjis is the safest approach to use.

    If you have time enough to explain to us, as to why you don't have time to work up a load, then you ultimately do have the time.

    Best

    Best
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    timhill100,

    In addition to the Federal suggestion, I've been testing some of the Hornady Super Performance ammunition and find that it would be a vast improvement over a fast work up handload.

    Most of us who handload exclusively often feel that this is the only real solution. But a couple of the major ammunition manufacturers are making some great inroads into accurate factory ammunition. Hornady has been leading this effort for quite a while now and has some pretty good alternatives for instances such as yours.

    http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-GMX-Superformance/

    http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-SST-superformance/

    Good Luck with the hunt!

    Best.
  • AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,206 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have one of those short barreled Model sevens in 7-08. The best load in mine is the 154 gr. Hornady spire with 48 gr of Hodgdon 4350 (not IMR). The velocity averages 2615 fps over the Oehler 35P screens. Hope this helps. My experiments have included 8 different powders and 10 different bullets so far.

    Good luck with your hunt.
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,063 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I got a new Vanguard carbine in 7mm08 last year and worked up some good loads for it's 20" barrel. Using Hornady 139 BTSP and Nosler 140 BT, I was able to reach 2850 fps with good accuracy. The Nosler loads performed well on several deer shot throughout the season at ranges up to 285 yards. IMR 4064 gave me better results than H414 or IMR 4895.
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