7mm08 help

[BuckyFan69]

Picked up a Rem youth lightweight in 7mm08 with a 18in barrel. I have no experience with this round or a barrel that short. I got 6+ boxes of 120gn Fed Fussion with it so need to shoot that up for the brass. After that the plan was to start with H4895 and 140gn SGK. Any advice on how to get max performance from this little rifle would be greatly appreciated.

 

[7stw]

Picked up a Rem youth lightweight in 7mm08 with a 18in barrel. I have no experience with this round or a barrel that short. I got 6+ boxes of 120gn Fed Fussion with it so need to shoot that up for the brass. After that the plan was to start with H4895 and 140gn SGK. Any advice on how to get max performance from this little rifle would be greatly appreciated.

Metalhead, you do have a interesting dynamic with the 18 inch barrel, but with a fast burning powder, and a tough, but light bullet, that will be dynamite deer hunting package. First of all, with a parent case like the 308, accuracy will be easy to get.
I would suggest a 120 Barnes TTSX, and IMR 8208 powder. It difficult to speculate as to the speed, but maybe you could realize 2800-2900. Stick a whitetail in the ribs with that bullet, and he's going for a pick-up ride!! The H4895 is faster than the IMR 4895, but I believe that the 8208 is yet a little faster. With the Barnes bullet, at 120 grains, it PERFORMS as good as a 140 lead core bullet, but with a little more speed. Also, IMR 3031 is good for that bullet weight/ barrel length combo. Actually, the 3031, and 8208 are very close, but the 8208 is very consistent, and a great performer. Hope this helps, and good luck! The 7-08 is a great cartridge.

 

[varmintH8R]

My buddy's 11year old got a 7-08 youth for his first deer season. We took a similar approach on bullets, but not on velocity. I loaded him some 140 TTSX's in front of 37.5gr of Varget. The recoil was way less than factory 140's, and his shooting improved dramatically. Maybe too dramatically - he was shooting pretty close to his dad at 100 - next year I have a feeling he is getting max loads!

Depending on your max range and your son's recoil tolerance, you may want to consider a similar approach.

Good luck, great cartridge! Versatile and will serve you well.

 

[BuckyFan69]

Thanks guys. Id like to get 300yrds. Think thats reaching with such a short barrel?

 

[Daveinjax]

Varget is what I would try behind a 140gr nosler BT. I think you will be surprised at how well it will do out to 600yards.

 

[varmintH8R]

At 300 yds you should have no issues.

Assuming you can get 2600fps at the muze with a 140gr TTSX (should be possible)

100 yds, +2.3 in

200 yds, zero

300 yds, -9.6 in, 1237 ft/lb energy

400 yds, -27.9 in, 1020 ft/lb energy

500 yds, -56.8 in, 857 ft/lb energy

Conventional wisdom is that 1000 ft/lbs is minimum for deer-size game.

 

[TJAY]

I have had great results with H 4350 and IMR 4007 with 140 g. bullets. Barrrel length doesn't matter whatever powder that was fastest in a 22 or 24 will be the fastest in an 18.5 barrel.

 

[Daveinjax]

In my very conservative 2010 Hodgdon manual the 7mm-08 in a 15"pistol barrel. Will do 2612fps with 43.5gr of varget behind a 139gr HDY SP. I think you can get 2700fps + with that load in an 18.5" barrel with no problem at all.

 

[Archer 1]

Your son will not be undergunned or at a disadvantage with an 18.5" barreled 7MM-08. My family has three guns in this cartridge and those little 08's have accounted for many deer, elk, antelope, caribou and coyotes. As stated in an earlier thread, the Barnes 120 grain TTSX is a proven bullet and is our personal bullet of choice in the 7MM-08, no matter the quarry. I would also suggest that as long as you keep Elk distances under 300 yards and Deer/Antelope distances under 400 yards, it will do the job, and do it well. (I actually have loads using this 120 grain bullet in my std 7MM Rem Mag, and for my 7MM RSAUM) Bullet performance is incredible and I wouldn't hesitate using that little bullet on the biggest moose on the planet.

Barnes recommends keeping the OAL to a point where the bullet is considerably back from the lands and grooves. (See their website for details) I have found that each gun does have a sweet spot as it relates to COL. Find it and they will shoot.

For the 7MM-08, each of my guns prefer a different powder... BLC2, Varget and Hybrid 100 V. They will all shoot 1/2" groups.

Happy Hunting and Loads of fun

 

[BuckyFan69]

Thanks alot guys. I've not had good results with tipped bullets, (Nosler and Hornady), but I'll give the TTSX a try. I seen a couple loads for benchmark and I have some on hand. Anyone tried it in the 7-08? I have H4895, BL-C2 and Benchmark on hand and need to get some Varget anyhow so I'll start with those 4. Will probably get a lb of IMR8208 and try that too. I'm very lucky in that I live within an hour of 2 powder sources, Recob and Bluff View Arms. I can buy 1lb jugs to try, no hazmat and as of yet no real availability issues.

 

[g0rd0]

If long shots (250+ yrds) are your plan you should first find the rate of twist in your barrel and use the right weight of bullet for that twist. If you have 1in10 a 140 grn with 4064 or 3031 should work good, 4064 is probbly the better of the 2

 

[BuckyFan69]

Book says it's a 91/4 twist.

 

[Marble]

I have used 42g RL 15, 140 AB in a REM M7, I think a 22" barrel and got 2850 fps.

I think with the suggestions the others have given, you will find a load that will work.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Picked up a Rem youth lightweight in 7mm08 with a 18in barrel. I have no experience with this round or a barrel that short. I got 6+ boxes of 120gn Fed Fussion with it so need to shoot that up for the brass. After that the plan was to start with H4895 and 140gn SGK. Any advice on how to get max performance from this little rifle would be greatly appreciated.

I had a rem model 7 in 7-08 for a spell many moons ago with a 20" pipe, not the 18.5" you have. I used 120 grain sierra pills with it with both varget and rl15. The dang pills wouldn't even go through a dang whitetail; I had to shoot it with a 44 and give it a left hook to boot. I switched to 140's on the spot.

I tried varget and rl15 with 140 sierras, but in the short barrel they only came up to 2650-2700 fps; then I tried h414 in a whim; moa accuracy and 2800 fps topped out. If I didn't already have a sour taste in my mouth from the 120 grain bullet failure, I'd probably still own the little rifle. It was fun to bust rocks and stuff with such a light little rifle.

My kids are getting old enough I'll have to find another carbine in the next couple of years; I'll go back to the same medium slow ball powder offerings in my next rifle too if it's a 7-08.