7-08 & Reloder 17 -19

[Byrnsey]

Fellas,

my first post on LRH but I am longtime member at Australian Hunting.net.

Have a new 7mm08 on order and I am a long time user of the cartridge and have loaded for it with AR2208 and AR2209.

I am wondering if anyone here has any experience or feedback on Reloder 17 or Reloder 19 in the 7-08 behind 140 grain projectiles.

Thanks

 

[steelshooter]

I load 140gn noslers in my 708 with 43gns of Reloader15. Its a Tikka T3 and gives .4moa and just over 2900fps. I also use the same charge for 100gn sierras. 2208 would be a good coice but didn't group as well in my rifle. 2209 maybe just a bit too slow burning and better suited to 160s

 

[jimbires]

this load is about one and a half grains over max , so start low and work up . I've shot this load in the heat with no problems . my brass life is good so far . some of my brass has 4 and 5 loads , and primer pockets are still tight .

I'm using49.0 grains of RL17 .Berger 140 hunting , CCI200 primer , norma brass . I'm at the lands with a COAL of 2.845 . the last day I shot this through the chrony my velocity was ; 3077 , 3077 , 3080 , 3077 , 3081 . the velocity is good . the accuracy is good . does not seem to be temp sensitive . I really think RL17 is a good powder for the 7mm-08 . these two targets were shot on different days . Jim

100 yards

200 yards on top from left to right 48.0 , 48.5 , 49.0 .
( big lower target is a different rifle .my Tikka 7mm-08 using IMR 4064 )

49.0 at 200 yards

 

[J E Custom]

I don't know if it is available "Down Under" but Varget has been the fastest powder in the 7/08
and it is not heat sensitive.

I had good results with the Reloader powders but with temperature swings of 70o it was two
unpredictable.

The most accurate load I have found is 49.5 grains of H414 behind a 120 grain Ballistic tip
(.052 5 shots @ 100 yards) but it is very heat sensitive and will go from 3010 ft/sec to
3154 ft/sec depending on the time of year.

Varget remains the next best accuracy load and velocity and has almost 100 ft/sec more
velocity in the 22" barrel. Velocity only swings 8 to 10 ft/sec from 30o to 100o.

J E CUSTOM

 

[steelshooter]

Varget actually is 2208. Many of Hodgdon powders are made by ADI in Australia and exported to the USA.

 

[Byrnsey]

Jim,

they are exceptional velocities. Your results certainly have me interested in trying RE17.

Did you mike your case bases checking for case head expansion?

At 49 grains how full is you case?

 

[jimbires]

Jim,

they are exceptional velocities. Your results certainly have me interested in trying RE17.

Did you mike your case bases checking for case head expansion?

At 49 grains how full is you case?

I have a 24"bbl . using a Berger 140 hunting with a COAL of 2.845 . a case water capacity of 55.3 , I'm using norma brass . quickload says I have 102.7% case fill . quickload rates the 7-08 at 60191 psi max . this load has 68252 psi , so yes it is over by 8000psi . yes I have miked the case head on once fired brass , it's under .0003. some measured .0002 some under .0002 a couple just over .0002 . I have some brass thats been loaded 4 times and some that have been loaded 5 times the primer pockets are still tight . quickload says 47.2 grains is max ,60179psi with a velocity of 2971 FPS 98.9% case fill .

quickload varget data .
same everything as above only change is varget powder . max is 43.9 60246 PSI ( over just a little ) with a velocity of 2881 FPS case fill 99.8% . so it's a little more PSI and 90 FPS slower . Jim


the nice thing for me is this COAL will feed from my magazine , and I'm at the lands .

 

[jimbires]

while I have quickload running I'll give you RL19 info too . everything the same as above , only change is now using RL19 powder .

max is 51.0 grains , 60178 PSI ,112.1% case fill , 2958FPS .

 

[Byrnsey]

while I have quickload running I'll give you RL19 info too . everything the same as above , only change is now using RL19 powder .

max is 51.0 grains , 60178 PSI ,112.1% case fill , 2958FPS .

So you wouldnt get enough RE19 in the case.

That s why I started looking to the Reloder powders. From the data in various loading manuals 2209 looks to be more suitable than 2208 but in most cases (pun intended) I have not been able to fit enough in to get near max load.

I think I will be buying and trying some RE17

Thanks Jim.