7mm FP bullets

[Densan]

I was given 9 boxes (50/box) of 7mm/120 FP bullets. I can't find reloading info. Will these bullets shoot (at a reduced velocity) from a 7mm08? What firearm were they made for?

 

[NCsmitty]

Welcome to THR, Densan.

It's likely your bullets were made for the 7-30 Waters which is derived from the 30-30 case, and used in lever action rifles with tube magazines, hence the flat point. Factory ammo in 7-30 Waters with the 120gr bullets were rated @ 2700Fps, so if you keep your loads around that level, the bullets will behave as designed. Push them too fast and they might behave like varmint bullets, with too rapid expansion, especially at close range. It's still good fodder for shooting target, if nothing else.

Load them with data for any 120gr bullet for the 7-08, and likely most start loads with that bullet will be ok if it proves accurate in your rifle. Of course, you can push them faster if you're just doing paper or plinking.


NCsmitty

 

[Densan]

Densan

It seems I will need to do some plinking, or find someone with a 7-30 Waters and give them a heck of a deal.

 

[41 Mag]

Like mentioned those were for the 7x30 Waters, mainly due to them being fed form a tubular magazine.

They will work just fine in the mid ranged loads in your 7-08, but like also mentioned if you push them they will over expand. However if your shooting varmints that might not be an issue.

Personally I would look over at Hodgdon's site at the reduce load data for H-4895 to use with them. They can be loaded from slow to go with that powder and might provide some great light recoiling target loads if you didn't want to hunt with them. Or if you have a young shooter they would be excellent for them to use. The good thing about that powder is that you can start off with the loads listed in the reduced load guide, and work all the way up to the top end loads listed for it in the standard load data. That is a pretty broad range of loads to use them up with.