7mm-08 Reduced Load - reality check

[ks_shooter]

I am wanting a reduced deer-hunting load for my 11 year old. He can handle the recoil of a 20 gauge, but I want the load to be mild enough that he will practice with it.

Here is the recipe that I am considering:

120g Barnes TSX
32g H4895
goal: 2400 fps

The TSX seems to have a good reputation for expanding at low velocities (long range with standard loads). At 100 yards (assuming 2400 at the muzzle) this load should be traveling about 2180 fps and have about 1270 ft-lbs of energy. This load should have about half the recoil of a standard 7mm-08 140g hunting load. I don't expect him to attempt a shot beyond 100 yards.

Does this sound reasonable?

 

[dakotasin]

sure, but why not go w/ a standard cup and core bullet for your purposes? the 120 sierra should be about right in this application and velocity...

 

[Art Eatman]

Another powder option would be 2400. I'm just guessing, but start with 20 grains for testing. That charge is mild in a .308 with a 150-grain jacketed bullet; it's max in a .30-30.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Hodgdon has an entire section on Youth Loads. That link will take you to their pdf file which you can download and save for future reference.

For the 7mm-08:
They recommend 35.6gr H4895 with a 120gr bullet for 2605 fps.
They recommend 35.2gr H4895 with a 130gr bullet for 2503 fps.

They DO NOT recommend lowering those charges more than an additional 10% since they are already 40% lower than the normal Max charge for that cartridge/bullet combination. Their youth load rule is, take the max charge and multiply it by 60%. That will give you a light but accurate load but they only recommend you do this with 4895 since that powder reacts well to such a light charge.

Please read the text in the file I linked to before you try this. I don't want to explain something incorrectly and have you make a mistake because of me.

 

[ks_shooter]

Thanks for the replies.

ArchAngel,

I actually started with the Hodgdon data. They recommend not going lower than 60% of max load. The max load for a 120g with H4895 is 43.7g, so the minimum charge would be 26.2g. The Youth load of 35.6g that they recommend is in between the min and max, at about 81% of max . The 60% loads are designed to give velocities below 2100 fps and are for cast bullets. I wanted to go a little slower than the Youth load that they listed, to reduce the recoil even more. At 2400 fps, this load should feel about like a 7.62x39. I'm not sure this bullet will expand very well at this velocity. I might have to find a coyote to shoot to test it out ;-)

I ended up getting some Hornady 120gr Softpoints to try. I loaded three weights: 30g, 32g, and 34g. I am going to chrono them and see how they do for accuracy.

 

[GunTech]

Interesting project. Just out of curiosity, I ran the numbers through QuickLoad for some possible powders. The requirements were 120 TSX, 2400 fps and 90-100% load density. Don't know if this is useful to you.

Tod

Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms

Alliant Reloder-22                  98.4     45.0     2.92    2400    76.8    31752    9026   1.225
Vihtavuori N560                     98.2     45.4     2.94    2400    73.2    32091    8997   1.219
Hodgdon Supreme 780                 97.7     46.8     3.04    2400    77.7    33935    8596   1.197
Hodgdon H4831 SC                    97.5     44.6     2.89    2400    75.5    34263    8434   1.195
IMR 7828 SSC                        97.4     45.3     2.93    2400    73.5    33101    8767   1.203
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V                 95.2     40.3     2.61    2400    88.8    31628    8604   1.236
Alliant Reloder-19                  94.5     42.7     2.77    2400    78.4    32679    8675   1.218
IMR 4831                            94.2     40.8     2.64    2400    86.3    31422    8806   1.245
Accurate 4350                       93.9     40.6     2.63    2400    85.7    30854    9020   1.254
IMR 4350                            91.5     39.7     2.57    2400    82.3    32134    8640   1.227
Norma 204                           90.1     42.1     2.73    2400    78.7    33272    8531   1.211

 

[GP100man]

i think i have a few 110gr tnts ????

GP100man

 

[rbernie]

The '90% load density or better' powers not really optimum for reduced loads for a child - they're very LOUD and flashy due to the slow powders. BTDT.

I've been using 36gr H4895 behind a Hornady 120gr SP for my reduced 7mm08 loads, and they're very mild in both recoil and report.

 

[GooseGestapo]

You did well with the Hornady 120gr SoftPoints.

The recoil of the 7mm08 with ~2,400fps loads will give you what you're looking for.

BTDT.

 

[jmorris]

Shortly after I first purchased an xp-100 in 7mm br it became one of my favorite rounds. When we started hunting hogs at night I looked into rebarreling a model seven to 7mm br, the cost was just too much for the amount of time I would spend using the rifle. I came across a really good deal on a 7-08 and just down loaded them to 7mm BR velocities (2250fps). The projectile I use is the 140gr Nosler partition and 35.2gr of Winchester 748, very low flash and recoil.

FWIW the XP-100 shooting a 140gr @ 2250 fps has less felt recoil than a 6” 44 mag.

 

[lonewolf5347]

I have a pound of old powder sitting around from the 70' when I had my 6.5 rem mag: I like to try in the 7MM-08
IMR 4831 anyone have any load data on the 4831 and the hornady 139 SP bullet

 

[Shoney]

Reducing loads are only the first step in managing recoil. The combination of several factors will make full max load seem a lot less.

Installation of a premium recoil pad is essential. A Mercury recoil reducer is easy to install and does a great deal to reduce the recoil.
http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/index.htm#top

Making sure the comb and the stock length aren’t causing problems by striking the face.

I am presuming that you are taking measures to reduce the punishment of shooting at the bench. With my wife and daughter, I found that by increasing the height of the rifle off the bench, it allowed the spine to be as close to 90 degrees with the barrel as possible. By more closely approximating a standing pose at the bench, you will have more flexibility to the upper body and thereby have a long hard push to the shoulder, rather than a short hard whack down the spine.

At age13. my petite daughter would sometimes shoot the 300 Win Mag in this manner, no ill effects after 5 shot groups. I might add, that she did not enjoy this, but both felt it made her appreciate shooting her 30-06 and 270.

 

[ForneyRider]

I have been researching reduced loads for my 7mm Mag with 100-120gr bullets. Nosler ballistic tip 120gr are very accurate, but I was shooting them at 3500fps and they kicked like max load 160gr. I bought some Sierra 120gr Pro Hunter and run 3000fps reduced loads. Haven't shot those yet.

IMR4895 shows up a lot for reduced rifle loads.

Lee book has reduced loads, Lyman as well.

 

[mlw332]

+1 on hodgen youth loads.