7mm/08

[huntwithme]

i'm starting to reload a 7mm/08 for a friend he has a ruger 77 but it's got a 16 inch barrel i've read different powders to use but with the short barrel can you still use imr 4350 or varget with good results or do you have to use a faster powder he wants me to handload the nosler 140 grn bt
thanks for ny info

 

[chav0_12]

I have a shorter barreled 7-08 sitting in my gun room right now. It's my son in law's. I shot some 140s out of it and I couldn't get over 2600fps with Varget. Based on some of the other research I did after that I bought some Hammer Hunter 120s, StaBall 6.5, and some Alpha brass. If you're using the 140s I wouldn't expect good velocity. I still think I can get the 120s to almost 3k fps with the StaBall. That's where I'd be looking.

Edit to say, these were actually 145s and were Barnes LRX. I have some 140 TSX that I thought I was using but my data says otherwise. I'd be interested to know what you find out.

 

[Wyosam]

Varget is rarely the wrong answer. I use it for 140 class bullets in my 18" 7-08ai.

 

[outdoorguyBP]

I have a 22" tube, but I couldn't get the velocity out of Varget running 150s or 162s. Happy with the speed (2650fps) and accuracy with Staball 6.5, might give it a try if you have any

 

[birddog 68]

Agree with the above posts and you will not get very much velocity with varget or IMR 4350. I switched to Ramshot big game using 140 BT and gained over 150 fps over IMR 4350. I tried 6.5 staball and velocity was good but accuracy was poor. W760 is another option which should yield good velocity and accuracy.

 

[Dmagna]

barrel length doesn't have much of an impact on powder choice as bullet weight does. I use varget with 120-140s.

 

[cb186]

7/08, 17.5" barrel, 42.0 of N150 w/140 VLDH = 2690

 

[Justice1327]

Staball, Superformance, RL15.5 and HV100 will give you good velocity. Does in all my 7-08's /AI's.

 

[cape cove]

I have two 7/08's and at one point had 3. I have always used bullets ranging from 139 grs to 150 grs with the 145 Speer SBT being my favorite. Win 760 and StaBal 6.5 are good powders with StaBal being the velocity king but the best I have used taking into account velocity and accuracy is H 100V.

 

[huckfin]

Look at the Hodgdon Reloading data website, they have new data for "pistol reloads" with velocity posted for a 15" barrel. They have data for the 7mm08, every barrel is different however this data will give you a better idea what velocity you will achieve with certain powders is a short barrel.

 

[john k]

Agree with the above posts and you will not get very much velocity with varget or IMR 4350. I switched to Ramshot big game using 140 BT and gained over 150 fps over IMR 4350. I tried 6.5 staball and velocity was good but accuracy was poor. W760 is another option which should yield good velocity and accuracy.

concur with Birddog. Was using IMR4350 pushing 140AB's until I chronographed. Very accurate but slow. BD recommended Big Game and gained significant speed. Not quite as accurate but sub moa. Using Varget with my 120 HH's.

 

[CoastalShooter907]

Currently I have 5 different 7-08's. Two of which have 18.5" barrels. I have had the best results in those two using 145 Speer SBT, 120 NBT, 139 SST's, and 150 Accubonds in front of Varget, IMR 4166, and the best have been with IMR 4064. I use the 4350's in my longer barrels with 150-168 gr bullets

 

[06 SB]

I also did not get great velocity from Varget but it was accurate. I find IMR4895 gets me both.

 

[Deans]

If you are useing 140, 150, or 160 gr bullets look at Big Game and Hunter.