RL26 in 7-08
- Thread starter N2TRKYS
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
I have never had a 7/08 but RL26 may be too slow for all but the heavies in it?
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
Agreed. My 6.5 creedmoor didn't pressure out with 140s and I had the powder halfway up the neck. Best bet with rl-26 would be to run 162s.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Figured so. Too little capacity for bore size for that powder. Sad thing is that RL23 likely won't either because it isn't nearly as dense, at least that's been my experience.
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
It does make great speeds. I pushed 140s at 3014 fps on the top end with my 6.5. But I don't think with lighter bullets I could get enough velocity out of it because it's too slow for the lighter pills. Same would go for the 7mm-08. Would be better off running a 162. But you can try the 140s it can't hurt. Just start at a safe load and work up
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
I think a safe load is whatever fits
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Don't quote me on this but I think they are saying you can't get enough powder in the case to over pressure a 140
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
I would say yes that's correct. I looked up some 140 data for the 7mm-08. Ramshot big game was a 47.5 grain charge and it falls faster than rl-17 on the burn chart. It doesn't look like you could get enough rl-26 in the case to see a significant gain with 140s
my data shows that I got to 2900fps with 143 eldx seated out longish in a 260 rem not as compressed as one would think says I was using fed 215 mag primer not sure why I think it was recommended somewhere I thought that I tried it in the 7-08 but didn't find anything on this probably because I finally got some more h4350
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Powders with a burn rate close to Varget, H-380, RE-15, RE-19, H-414, H-4350 and N540 are best suited for the 7 08 because of case volume and case density. I prefer 98 to 100% powder density for any load and bullet combination. in my opinion, RE 19 and slower would not produce the best results.
If you limit your pressures to SAMME Specifications, these powders work best. With higher pressures, all bets are off.
The most accurate load I have found for the 7/08 has been H414. the fastest and still accurate has been Varget. All of the other powders I listed perform well and in different rifles could prove better than Varget and H414.
In my experience with this cartridge, longer barrels than 24'' didn't give me much gain in velocity. 22 to 24'' barrels gave the most gain per inch over the shorter barrels. (18 to 20'').
Also because of the case capacity 120 grain to 140 grain bullets gave the best overall performance. Larger 7mm bullets required more case capacity than the 7/08 has to exceed the lighter bullets performance.
So in my opinion, if you want to use 160grain or heavier bullets a 280 or larger cartridge is best without exceeding SAMME pressures.
A good friend just made a DRT shot on a WT Deer with a 7/08 at 680 yards using a 140 LR Accubond And saw the hit (It Don't Get any better than that) so again unless you plan on shooting more than 800 yards with the 7/08, the heavier bullets give up to much in my opinion.
I also have a 7/08 AI that gives me less than 100 ft/sec more than my 7/08 because of its case capacity, so that might be a place for the slower powder use.
J E CUSTOM
If you limit your pressures to SAMME Specifications, these powders work best. With higher pressures, all bets are off.
The most accurate load I have found for the 7/08 has been H414. the fastest and still accurate has been Varget. All of the other powders I listed perform well and in different rifles could prove better than Varget and H414.
In my experience with this cartridge, longer barrels than 24'' didn't give me much gain in velocity. 22 to 24'' barrels gave the most gain per inch over the shorter barrels. (18 to 20'').
Also because of the case capacity 120 grain to 140 grain bullets gave the best overall performance. Larger 7mm bullets required more case capacity than the 7/08 has to exceed the lighter bullets performance.
So in my opinion, if you want to use 160grain or heavier bullets a 280 or larger cartridge is best without exceeding SAMME pressures.
A good friend just made a DRT shot on a WT Deer with a 7/08 at 680 yards using a 140 LR Accubond And saw the hit (It Don't Get any better than that) so again unless you plan on shooting more than 800 yards with the 7/08, the heavier bullets give up to much in my opinion.
I also have a 7/08 AI that gives me less than 100 ft/sec more than my 7/08 because of its case capacity, so that might be a place for the slower powder use.
J E CUSTOM
I seen a QL prediction on another forum for a 140 nos part 2.800 oal 22 in barrel 7-08 the rl26 if I read it correct as far as propellant burnt at 94% it was better than rl 19, 23 & h4831 and had higher velocity and lower pressure than h4831 and rl 19 the rl 23 was only 2500 fps with the same 105% case fill the rl 26 was at 2700fps again this was predicted for 105% casefill so most of the common 7-08 powders were over pressure
Last edited:
Trm82
Well-Known Member
I think this guy really wants to use RL26 , he has posted on just about every forum website that I know of.
Last edited:
