7mm-08 loads with 154gr SST, 139gr SST and 120gr Ballistic Tip

[LVJ76]

So I finally got out to try a load on my 7mm-08 with the 154gr SST and the best group was 0.87" with
47.0gr of RL19
WLR primers
Winchester Nickel brass
COAL of 2.86", pretty much max mag length.
I know RL19 is not temp stable but had some at home and this load wont be used on warm weather.

Winds were swirling at constant 15 to 20 mph and wind gusts up to 35 mph, typical day here in southern AZ. Obviously not the ideal conditions but it is what it is. Im thinking I'll try it again next Sunday when I check zero's for the upcoming spring javelina hunt.

For my wife's 7mm-08 I went ahead and tried some current loads but with WLR primers instead of the G210M and got a bit bigger groups, both are Sub Half MOA woth the G210M primers but again the winds were crazy.

On the 139gr SST group the crossed off shot was a flyer caused by me

This is with the 120gr Ballistic Tip. This is the group I shot last when the wind was the strongest, the high shot was also a flyer by me, the other four were good.

At this shooting range the winds always push your bullets from left to right so don't know what to make of this one, they were good until one went too far right. Thinking I'll try them again next week and hope its less windy.

Any thoughts?

TIA

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

For groups wind is quite the challenge, my range is also from left to right when blowing it seems. WLR primers are one of the group I test with along with federal match and cci benchrest, always try a magnum primer too. You are well on your way, have you done a distance from lands ladder to home in on sweetspot? That would make the powder charge search easy and assure tightest groups possible. Trigger pull pretty light? Once you hit 1/2 MOA the road sometimes leads to rifle tuning, trigger pull, shooting techniques, and scope tracking and holding POI. Did you decide on COAL due to magazine length or moving it back and forth till the gun shot best? I know lot of questions to ponder, some way smarter than me will probably post and offer ideas as well. Good Shooting Dave

 

[LVJ76]

Thanks Savage and I appreciate the input.

Trigger pull set at 2.0 lbs.

I tried different primers because I've read here multiple times that they sometimes shrink your groups, ive always used Federal but have some Winchester and CCI and thought might as well try them.

For the 154gr SST I'm at max magazine lenght, but for the others I got room to play with. I'll go full magazine length on the other two bullets and try them this weekend.

It's always windy here so its hard to really trust the groups you get.

There is another shotting range but it works the other way, wind goes from right to left and have the same issue.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

OK the trigger pull is fine, everything is good but you should find a node in your barrel harmonics where movement is calm and the groups tighten up. If you have a tool you can use it to find the lands in your barrel and set the bullet accordingly. I'm more of a hands on guy so I take an empty brass with the neck sized and start a bullet (the one you plan on using) into the brass just slightly seated. The bullet will be mostly hanging out the end, place it in the chamber and firmly close the bolt till the lugs engage(bolt will close)now open and pull out with bullet seated in to the lands. Measure the overall length with calipers and do it several times more till it starts to read the same each time, as you break the neck tension it seats and slides into the case easier. When you get distance to lands established I don't start at that measurement I start .008 shorter and load groups of three every .003 as you go further into the case and increase the distance off lands. Somewhere as you shorten the groups will noticeably tighten up when you hit the node. fine adjust several thousands on each side till its tuned in and then start with your powder charges and go up and down till you get it shooting best. Take that load and try your different primers in groups of three and pick the tightest grouping. Now you are dialed in for that powder and COAL with the primer the load likes best. Hope that all made sense. Dave

 

[LVJ76]

Thanks Dave and it does make sense.

I have 2 identical 7mm-08's, Remington 700's SPS Buckmasters edition, one is my wife and the other one is mine. The loads I tried are from mine and group sub half moa already, but on hers they grouped ok but not that tight of a group as we'd like. She used to shoot 140gr Ballistic tips out of hers in sub half moa groups but we run out of those, and we have several hundreds of the other ones so might as well try them on hers.

I have not measured to the lands on it yet. I'll get it measured and go from there and try again this coming Sunday.

Her max range is 500m and with those groups it could be good enough but we both don't like good enough. She was with me at the range and when she saw the groups her first comment was "not quite good enough". She likes clover leaf groups or better and is pretty stubborn about it Lol.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[fmuguira]

Some rifles just don't like certain bullets. If you ve got some Dierras, Noslers, etc try s couple groups with those.

I ve always had good accuracy with Varget and H4350 in numerous 7-08 s

 

[LVJ76]

Thanks Fmuguira.

It does like the Nosler 140gr Ballistic tip and Silvertips and she used them all so we wanted to try other loads with what we have in stock. I bought several thousand 7mm bullets a few years back on an awesome deal so I want to go through those first.

I'll will fine tune these loads we tested and I am also eventually going to try 140gr Sierra Gamekings and Prohunters we have and some 139gr Interlocks as well.

I do want to try Varget but I still have little over 8 lbs of IMR-4064 left and 1 or 2 lbs of IMR-4895

Thanks again

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Some rifles just don't like certain bullets. If you've got some Sierras, Noslers, etc try a couple groups with those.

I've always had good accuracy with Varget and H4350 in numerous 7-08's

I agree completely with this, I would also add IMR4350 as its my most accurate powder.

 

[LVJ76]

Yes it is, I use IMR-4350 with 150gr Sierra Matchkings on my 7mm-08 Silhouette competition rifle with a 28" barrel.

I dont know how it would work on a 24" since its a slower burn powder, I have never tried it but wont hurt to do so.

Thanks again

 

[7stw]

OK the trigger pull is fine, everything is good but you should find a node in your barrel harmonics where movement is calm and the groups tighten up. If you have a tool you can use it to find the lands in your barrel and set the bullet accordingly. I'm more of a hands on guy so I take an empty brass with the neck sized and start a bullet (the one you plan on using) into the brass just slightly seated. The bullet will be mostly hanging out the end, place it in the chamber and firmly close the bolt till the lugs engage(bolt will close)now open and pull out with bullet seated in to the lands. Measure the overall length with calipers and do it several times more till it starts to read the same each time, as you break the neck tension it seats and slides into the case easier. When you get distance to lands established I don't start at that measurement I start .008 shorter and load groups of three every .003 as you go further into the case and increase the distance off lands. Somewhere as you shorten the groups will noticeably tighten up when you hit the node. fine adjust several thousands on each side till its tuned in and then start with your powder charges and go up and down till you get it shooting best. Take that load and try your different primers in groups of three and pick the tightest grouping. Now you are dialed in for that powder and COAL with the primer the load likes best. Hope that all made sense. Dave

Savage, you do things like I do, as far as figuring max length, using case and bullet, and then chamber. Been doing that for twenty years, never failed me. It just plain works, no modified case needed!

 

[JMW67]

Thanks Fmuguira.

It does like the Nosler 140gr Ballistic tip and Silvertips and she used them all so we wanted to try other loads with what we have in stock. I bought several thousand 7mm bullets a few years back on an awesome deal so I want to go through those first.

I'll will fine tune these loads we tested and I am also eventually going to try 140gr Sierra Gamekings and Prohunters we have and some 139gr Interlocks as well.

I do want to try Varget but I still have little over 8 lbs of IMR-4064 left and 1 or 2 lbs of IMR-4895

Thanks again

I have had good luck with 4895 and 120 - 140 grain pills give up a little velocity but always accurate in my 22 inch barrel

 

[LVJ76]

I have had good luck with 4895 and 120 - 140 grain pills give up a little velocity but always accurate in my 22 inch barrel

It depends, we had one rifle that really liked it and that pushed the 150's just above 2,800 fps.

I haven't tried it in these two rifles yet but you guys got me thinking about it. Looking at the reloading books I should be able to get the 140gr's at or above 2,800 fps like I do with 4064. I am more about accuracy than pushing them fastest possible, so if I loose some fps so be it.

So many bullet and powder choices, the fun never stops Lol.

Thanks JMW67, appreciate the info

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I dont know how it would work on a 24" since its a slower burn powder, I have never tried it but wont hurt to do so.

It shoots real tight groups with my 20" match barrel. I do lose some velocity but will trade that for groups, went 20" for climbing trees and wading thru thick wet bogs. If you ever hunt after a wet snow in low understory bogs, you notice that long barrels catch on everything and dump snow down your neck

Savage, you do things like I do, as far as figuring max length, using case and bullet, and then chamber. Been doing that for twenty years, never failed me. It just plain works, no modified case needed!

7stw, we do think alike, I can tell in your posts. Yeah the OAL thing is easy to do, and the first step to finding a barrel node that's the basis for a good load. For years I've used Nosler and Sierra for most accurate powder's in their load recommendations, can't go wrong really and gets quick results after you figure distance off lands.

 

[fmuguira]

You may not want to go heavy but I shoot a 162 AMax at 2700 fps out of my 24" Rem 700 and it s consistent 5/8-3/4". Got lots of 3 shot groups at 1/2" or slightly under.... it usually comes to my day/work behind the trigger.

I shoot 47.2 grs of H4350 with CCI250 in WW case with this. 2.90 OAL as I have extended Wyatt Mag. It's a full house load so work up. Primer pockets staying tight. That bullet makes the 7-08 a hammer even out at 600-800 yds !