7mm-08 Powder

[Peakbagger46]

Looking to load up some 140g SST rounds for the wife's new TC Icon in 7mm-08. Powder on hand is Varget, H4895, Reloader 15, and IMR 4350. What powder should I start with?

Rifle will be used for buffalo, African big 5, and possibly rabid grizzlies.

Or maybe just some mule deer, pronghorn, and elk.

After I get things kind of dialed in, we will be switching to 140g Accubonds for a hunting bullet.

I was thinking of trying Varget first since I have a couple pounds of it, but not sure.

 

[magnatecman]

H4895 works for my kids rifles that I load for. I don't have the load data with me but 140 gr. SST's work great.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Was that youth or full power loads?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Since you have plenty of Varget, it is in the proper burn rate range for the 7mm-08 and Varget seems to be accurate in most cartridges it's used in that's where I would start from the powders you listed.

Don't forget the range report...

 

[GooseGestapo]

Real simple, 46.5 gr IMR4350. Winchester brass if you have any. Federal-210 primer.
Seat to 2.800" I seat mine to 2.830" just off the lands of my rifle. Yours will likely be different. Start at 2.80" and adjust if accuracy doesn't suit you.

I'm not fond of the SST's. I prefer the "regular" 139gr Interloks. Bought a large quantity of "Blems" several years ago. Lifetime supply, likely.
You'll be limited with the IMR4350 to how much you can get in the case. It's a bulky powder, but very accurate. This load gives 2,900fps from my 20"bbl.
My preferred propellant is Reloader17.
48.0gr gives 3,000fps.
46.0 under 150gr Nosler or Sierra gets 2,800fps. Real elk getter.
45.0 is my preferred IMR 4350 charge. Gets 2,700+. Works great with either the Nosler Partitions or 150gr Corlokts.

 

[morcey2]

You do realize that a 7mm-08 case only holds half of the powder/muzzle-blast that you need to take elk, right?

I don't have a 7mm-08, but I have a couple of 7x57 and they're really close. The powders that I've tried that have worked for me with 140 gr bullets are IMR4064 and H4350. Varget and RL-15 are effectively the same speed as 4064 and should work well. IMR4350 should also work well in place of H4350 but it might be a little more temp sensitive. H4895 should work also, but I've never tried it in mine.

Matt

 

[magnatecman]

Was that youth or full power loads?

It was using 41 grains with the SST's and that gave about 2900 fps and was just under Moa with my boys Remington 715

 

[GTS Dean]

My son's Rem 700 7-08 really works well with RL-15 behind 140 gr Accubonds. IMR 4350 works almost as well. Bullet seating depth is hugely important for grouping with this chamber's extremely long throat.

When RL-15 got almost impossible to find, I switched to RL-19. These were slightly compressed loads and shot well also.

 

[ironworkerwill]

Varget and imr 4064 are among the most accurate I've used. The secret, the most accurate, the very best I've used.....H380

These are IMO the best for 139-140gr in 7-08

 

[Lj1941]

My most accurate load has been 46.5 grains of W-760 with 139 grain Hornardy Interlock. I have also used 49 grains of RL 19 behind the same bullet. I don't have a chronograph but they work excellent in my Rem 788 with the 18 1/2 inch barrel. Brass has always been Remington with Federal Large Rifle primers. I have had my 7mm08 since right after the caliber was introduced. Some say it is a well kept secret.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My son's Rem 700 7-08 really works well with RL-15 behind 140 gr Accubonds. IMR 4350 works almost as well. Bullet seating depth is hugely important for grouping with this chamber's extremely long throat.

When RL-15 got almost impossible to find, I switched to RL-19. These were slightly compressed loads and shot well also.

Why did you jump to RL-19 instead of trying RL-17 instead? RL-17 is similar to 4350 and RL-19 is slower. I'm surprised you got good rests with 19, what were the velocities?

 

[Peakbagger46]

Thanks guys! Think I will try the Varget first and then move onto other suggestions if needed.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Interested in Deans results with Rel 19 as well. I've had really good results with Rel 22 in my 30-06 with 180g bullets... even though Rel 22 is a slow powder for that application. Probably my 24 1/2 barrel helps some with slow burning powders though.

Once again, thanks for all the imput.

 

[ntg]

RS Big Game is promoted by many...so much so that I got a few pounds. Varget works quite well, know that for a fact.

 

[ironworkerwill]

RS Big Game is promoted by many...so much so that I got a few pounds. Varget works quite well, know that for a fact.

I haven't seen RS powder in so long I forgot they made the stuff. BG works well for 162's.

You'll not go wrong with varget. OTOH H380 meters better and is at least as accurate plus it's less expensive and usually more available. ( NO , I don't work for the supplier of H380)

 

[22250Rem]

Varget's great in the 7-08; having said that I'll also say that my go-to 7mm-08 load for 139-140 gr. stuff is fueled by IMR-4064 'cause it, too , works great, (and I got an 8 pound jug of it).

 

[GTS Dean]

Why did you jump to RL-19 instead of trying RL-17 instead? RL-17 is similar to 4350 and RL-19 is slower. I'm surprised you got good rests with 19, what were the velocities?

Sorry for the delayed response folks - haven't logged in here for a while.

The reason I tried RL-19 was twofold; 1) I had a couple of pounds on hand for 7Mag, and 2) there was a load for it listed in the Nosler book. Frankly, I don't think I had even heard of RL-17 at that time and lots of powder was being hoarded or only sporadically available. Clearly, RL-15 (42.2gr) is the best powder I've tried in my son's rifle with IMR-4350 (44.5gr) and RL-19 (48.2) the others I have worked with. The 19 with the 140 AB set to the optimum depth for the rifle is slightly compressed and I can't put more powder in it to get more velocity. I've not owned a chrono until this year, but haven't shot much through it yet so I can't tell you what the velocities are. There are no pressure signs with any of these loads.

 

[JackSprat]

I was satisfied with the first powder I tried which is IMR4064.I worked up to max load with 139gr Interlocks over 42.5gr,and it was the most accurate,and no pressure signs..I am going to expierement with CFE 223 because I have a lot on hand,but I can't complain about 4064.

 

[the Black Spot]

Another vote for varget

 

[Reloadron]

When I started with the 7mm-08 Remingon since it was a spawn I tried some powders I liked in .308 Winchester. I got very good results with the 140 grain bullets using IMR 4064 and Win 748 but really liked the IMR 4064 results. Rifle was a Remington 700 with a 1:9 twist 24" barrel.

Ron

 

[entropy]

IMR 4064 and Varget.

 

[bluetopper]

There's such a wide array of powders can be used for the 7-08 and 308 burn rate, maybe more than any other calibers. Most will perform exceedingly well. Don't forget the decades old standbys like the versatile BLC2.

 

[GTS Dean]

Sorry for the delayed response folks - haven't logged in here for a while.
Clearly, RL-15 (42.2gr) is the best powder I've tried in my son's rifle with IMR-4350 (44.5gr) and RL-19 (48.2) the others I have worked with. I've not owned a chrono until this year, but haven't shot much through it yet so I can't tell you what the velocities are. There are no pressure signs with any of these loads.

Another delayed update - I chrono'd the RL-15 / 140gr Accubonds and they go 2740 fps average. This bullet is outstanding!

 

[Newtosavage]

That should do it. A 140 Accubond at 2740 is good medicine for a lot of critters and situations.

I've been loading for two 7mm-08's for a few months now, and have tried RL-17, RL-19, H4350, IMR 4350, Big Game, and H4895 for 120, 139, 140, 150, 160 and 162 grains.

I pretty well settled on H4350 as my main powder for this caliber. It just seems to always be more accurate than anything else. RL-17 is close, but not quite as accurate from my guns. In the lighter bullets (120's), H4895 and Big Game are both good powders.

My "go to" deer load is a 139 SST seated to the cannelure (gives me almost exactly 2.80" OAL) over 47 grains (Hodgdon's starting load) of H4350. That is super accurate from both of my rifles, and gives me 2700 from my Tikka and 2770 from my Stevens. And although it's a starting load, I'm not sure how you can get much more than 47 grains of H4350 in most 7mm-08 cases.

The most accurate load I've shot to date has been 162 Hornady ELD-X over 47 grains (over max, so be careful in your rifle) of H4350 out of my Tikka T3. This is routinely in the 0.5-0.75" range at 100 yards and gives me 2700 fps. on average. However, I cannot shoot that from my Stevens as it would be over pressure and the 162 would hit the lands as it's a short throated rifle.

Any of the powders you mentioned will work. Especially with 140's as that seems to be the easiest bullet to load accurately in the 7mm-08.

The more I load for, and shoot this caliber the more I appreciate it.