7mm-08 and 162 ELD-M

[TxLite]

Every barrels different for sure, but I (so far) have seen more accurate results having the ELD-M’s jump a bit.
Was fooling around with N540 most recently since 6.5 StaBall and my barrel don’t like each other, and saw better accuracy/consistency jumping .080-.100 vs .020 and .050 (where I first started).
This was in a chopped M70 Ftwt so YMMV but as a data point anyway. I haven’t found the sweet spot yet with that rifle

Thanks. I think I probably got caught up in maximizing COAL and freeing up powder space. At this point I’m out of virgin Alpha brass and will have to adjust charge weights with the once fired. Maybe I’ll find where it likes to be

 

[walk2112]

Thanks. I think I probably got caught up in maximizing COAL and freeing up powder space. At this point I’m out of virgin Alpha brass and will have to adjust charge weights with the once fired. Maybe I’ll find where it likes to be

I was doing the same! Ha

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I was doing the same! Ha

Me three... I don't have the COAL measurement tool, I just use the old sharpie test until there's no land marks.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Thanks. I think I probably got caught up in maximizing COAL and freeing up powder space. At this point I’m out of virgin Alpha brass and will have to adjust charge weights with the once fired. Maybe I’ll find where it likes to be

What is the logic behind changing charge weights after brass has been fired? Do you typically increase or decrease? I'm shooting Alpha as well...

 

[TxLite]

What is the logic behind changing charge weights after brass has been fired? Do you typically increase or decrease? I'm shooting Alpha as well...

I’ve noticed a pressure increase with once fired when compared to Virgin brass at the same charge weights. If I remember correctly the thought is that the once fired brass has less room to expand in the chamber and experiences a pressure spike (and slightly higher velocities).

After it is once fired I haven’t seen a change on subsequent loadings.

 

[spearo]

Do you folks recommend magnum primers with staball65?

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Do you folks recommend magnum primers with staball65?

I tried mag primers with Staball 6.5 and was getting stiff bolt lift on every shot with the same powder charge I was using with LR primers(20+ rounds) and flipping bolt open easy.

Small sample size (5) shots but it was consistent for all 5 shots.

I still use LRM primers for Big Game powder though in 7mm08.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Do you folks recommend magnum primers with staball65?

No. I never needed magnum primers. Standard CCI LRP with 46.5 grains of SB 6.5.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

No. I never needed magnum primers. Standard CCI LRP with 46.5 grains of SB 6.5.

I ran this load with 162 Eldx and mag primers is where I ran into the issue, But large primers no problem.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I ran this load with 162 Eldx and mag primers is where I ran into the issue, But large primers no problem.

My daughter killed a nice cow with the 162 ELDX and 46.5 grains of SB 6.5 last fall. At 180 yards she put it in the crease quartering away and it took a few steps down hill and a couple steps uphill and tipped over. Dead in less than 10 seconds.

 

[Pharmseller]

My daughter killed a nice cow with the 162 ELDX and 46.5 grains of SB 6.5 last fall. At 180 yards she put it in the crease quartering away and it took a few steps down hill and a couple steps uphill and tipped over. Dead in less than 10 seconds.

Yeah, but she’s a girl. We all know the 7mm-08 performs better for women and kids.




P

 

[TxLite]

Yeah, but she’s a girl. We all know the 7mm-08 performs better for women and kids.




P

Really that’s the only use case for it anyways

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Yeah, but she’s a girl. We all know the 7mm-08 performs better for women and kids.




P

Oh heck yeah! It would be beneath me to encourage other grown men to shoot tiny groups with such a paltry and marginal cartridge. LOL!

 

[spearo]

I ended up going superformance instead of staball.

Alpha brass
Fed210m
162eldm
17” suppressed tikka barrel
Loaded around 2.98”

49gn 2550
49.5 2610
50 2650

50grains felt hot and 2550 was my target anyway. It’s tempting to stick with 2600 but really it gives me nothing I need in the field. This will drop anything here in New Zealand out to 600m.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

I ended up going superformance instead of staball.

Alpha brass
Fed210m
162eldm
17” suppressed tikka barrel
Loaded around 2.98”

49gn 2550
49.5 2610
50 2650

50grains felt hot and 2550 was my target anyway. It’s tempting to stick with 2600 but really it gives me nothing I need in the field. This will drop anything here in New Zealand out to 600m.View attachment 888165

That’s a great photo. And a sweet setup.

Ive yet to play around with superformance in any cartridge but that seems pretty good for a 17” barrel.

I just got started loading 162eldms in 7-08. So far H4350.

 

[steelheadmike]

I ended up going superformance instead of staball.

Alpha brass
Fed210m
162eldm
17” suppressed tikka barrel
Loaded around 2.98”

49gn 2550
49.5 2610
50 2650

50grains felt hot and 2550 was my target anyway. It’s tempting to stick with 2600 but really it gives me nothing I need in the field. This will drop anything here in New Zealand out to 600m.View attachment 888165

Superformance works well but I've found it to be a little more temp sensitive than I'd want. I would use nothing else but the velocity swings were too much to overcome. My rounds with superformance have become target ammo for me.

My loads pretty much mirror what you were getting. 50-ish grains were showing some pressure signs and I settled on a little over 49. This load gets similar velocity (~2600 w/ 19" barrel) as I get using SB6.5.