7mm-08 Favorite Loads!

[LookinforDirt]

Let’s hear about your favorite loads for the 7mm-08 for hunting.

Provide the info below. Then add any other comments you think are significant, interesting, etc. I’d like for the discussion to remained focused and not get to derailed. Discussions on topic would be great. Your way is stupid, mine is awesome not so much. Informational and fun is the goal here.

Powder & Charge Weight:
Bullet & Bullet Weight:
Brass:
Primer:
Velocity, ES, SD:
Barrel Length:
Group Accuracy/MOA:
#Rounds Fired In Group:
Rifle Information:

Comments:

I’ll start.
Powder & Charge Weight: CFE223, 46.5gn
Bullet & Weight: Barnes TTSX, 120gn
Brass: Lapua
Primer: CCI200
Velocity, ES, SD: 3155 avg, 41 ES, 15.8 SD
Barrel Length: 22”
Group Accuracy/MOA: 1.17”
#Rounds Fired In Group: 20
Rifle Information: Browning XBolt Hunter w/wood stock. No mods, upgrades.

Comments:
Nothing crazy in accuracy or load performance. IMO, solid enough for my hunting needs. Whitetail out to 250 yards but most likely 20-150 yards. My magazine allowed me to load these to 2.850” COAL and 2.251” CBTO. That got me .003 off the LANS according to my measurements. I’m a good shooter but no expert. I think the group would tighten up with a better rear bag and some more practice on my part. I also shot 10 rounds at 47gn (3177 fps) but accuracy really dropped off.

 

[TaperPin]

I don’t shoot the 7mm-08 a lot, let alone hunt with it, but 42ish gr of Varget and 140 gr Partition is my hunting load. Velocity isn’t super fast, 2,700ish fps and the BC isn’t much, so it’s good to 450 yards or so. I never have shot it enough at any one time to get meaningful sd or es, but it’s been plenty accurate. What a fun fast handling little gun with a skinny 22” barrel. If someone needs to borrow a rifle this is probably what they would get out of my closet topped with a 4x scope.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Powder & Charge Weight: SB 6.5 46.5gr
Bullet & Bullet Weight: 150 Eldx
Brass: Starline 1x fired
Primer: CCI 200
Velocity, ES, SD:
Barrel Length: 22”
Group Accuracy/MOA: 1.3”
#Rounds Fired In Group: 10
Rifle Information: Tikka T3x SS, SWFA 3-15, AB-a10 suppressor




Likely what I’ll be running this year

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

My pet load was to turn it into a 284win... Sorry couldn't resist. I have my 7-08 barrel on the shelf thinking I'll toss it on again someday to burn it up.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

My pet load was to turn it into a 284win... Sorry couldn't resist. I have my 7-08 barrel on the shelf thinking I'll toss it on again someday to burn it up.

Been fighting a very strong urge to do a 284win for sometime now, likely to happen at some point

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Been fighting a very strong urge to do a 284win for sometime now, likely to happen at some point

I'm shooting the 162eldm ~2720fps from a 19" barrel with H4350, IE not the highest velocity powder, there is room for gains with some others if desired. But that carries velocity out a good ways in the mountains.

 

[bigunit]

I always used 43gr of varget with a 140ab. Got 2850 and sub moa from a ruger american gen 1. Also had great luck with the same charge and the 140 federal trophy bonded tip.

 

[Grassymike]

47 grains of H4350 with Hornady Interlock 139 gr bullets and CCI 200 primers. With a bit more practice will be sub moa.

 

[Finaddictions]

Powder & Charge Weight: 46 gr RL-17
Bullet & Bullet Weight: 140 NBT
Brass: Federal
Primer: GM-210M
Velocity, ES, SD: 2800 if I remember correctly
Barrel Length: 20”
Group Accuracy/MOA: 1/2”
#Rounds Fired In Group: 5 shots
Rifle Information: Sako Finlight

This has been my accuracy/hunting load for a long while. I don’t shoot as much 7-08 anymore. Once I bought my first Creedmoor, my 7-08’s don’t get shot nearly as much. Still an awesome little cartridge. The combo above shot in every 7-08 I tried it in, and at one point I had about 6-7 different 7-08,s. Down to just the Finlight, Model 7, and a cut down and threaded Tikka. This load is money in all 3.

The 140 NBT is still one of my favorite game bullets. I had a stretch of 8 deer that went straight down when shot in the ribs. Hard to argue with such success. Almost always an exit with extensive damage in between. The NBT is also extremely accurate.

Writing this makes me think I should dust the Tikka or Sako off and let them sing once again.

One note on powder temp insensitivity. If not hunting in extreme temp swings, I think it’s worried about more than need be. The main thing is to check for zero shifts. With this load, I’ve shot it from single digits up to 80 degrees without enough zero shift to ever worry me about being effective. If truly worried about it though, H4350 is your huckleberry for this great little cartridge.

 

[LookinforDirt]

Powder & Charge Weight: 46 gr RL-17
Bullet & Bullet Weight: 140 NBT
Brass: Federal
Primer: GM-210M
Velocity, ES, SD: 2800 if I remember correctly
Barrel Length: 20”
Group Accuracy/MOA: 1/2”
#Rounds Fired In Group: 5 shots
Rifle Information: Sako Finlight

This has been my accuracy/hunting load for a long while. I don’t shoot as much 7-08 anymore. Once I bought my first Creedmoor, my 7-08’s don’t get shot nearly as much. Still an awesome little cartridge. The combo above shot in every 7-08 I tried it in, and at one point I had about 6-7 different 7-08,s. Down to just the Finlight, Model 7, and a cut down and threaded Tikka. This load is money in all 3.

The 140 NBT is still one of my favorite game bullets. I had a stretch of 8 deer that went straight down when shot in the ribs. Hard to argue with such success. Almost always an exit with extensive damage in between. The NBT is also extremely accurate.

Writing this makes me think I should dust the Tikka or Sako off and let them sing once again.

One note on powder temp insensitivity. If not hunting in extreme temp swings, I think it’s worried about more than need be. The main thing is to check for zero shifts. With this load, I’ve shot it from single digits up to 80 degrees without enough zero shift to ever worry me about being effective. If truly worried about it though, H4350 is your huckleberry for this great little cartridge.

Nice write up. RL-17 seems to be a good powder for 7/08. What’s been your experience with H4350?

 

[Huntman777]

160gr Nosler Accu-Bond

37gr Varget

2.800” COAL

Fed 210

 

[Finaddictions]

Nice write up. RL-17 seems to be a good powder for 7/08. What’s been your experience with H4350?

H4350 has been very accurate the few times I worked up loads, but always suffered a bit in the speed department. I used to be a speed chaser, so I landed on RL-17 way before RL-16 hit the market. Anymore if I want more speed I just get a bigger cartridge. I’ve also found dropping the load back has usually resulted in better accuracy than stepping on the gas. With that in mind I’d definitely try H4350 again… after I burn up the 20 plus pounds of 17 I’m sitting on!

 

[walk2112]

47.5gr Big Game, 140AB, Lapua brass, Win MagLRP, seated to jump about 0.025 to the lands. 2760 fps in 18.5” M70 ftw barrel (with a scythe screwed on there) shoots better than I can, but 10-shot groups 1”@100 still on average

 

[Dave Thomas]

Around 42 grains varget or n540 with a 140 grain bullet of your choice.

 

[jzeblaz]

I worked up one for a buddy:
Powder & Charge Weight: Ramshot Big Game, 47.0
Bullet & Weight: Barnes 145 LRX
Brass: Norma
Primer: Fed 210M
Velocity, ES, SD: 2831avg, I didn't look at SD or ES.
Barrel Length: 20”
Group Accuracy/MOA: I don't recall the group size, but was tidy enough group to send him on his way
#Rounds Fired In Group: 3-5, then 10

 

[EastHumboldt]

150 ELDX
46 g SB 6.5
CCI 200 primers
PPU Norma, and Hornady brass all seem to perform about the same as far as velocity and accuracy.
Tikka T3x
2680 FPS
ES 40ish. SD 15ish

Loading this for mine and my brother’s T3X’s. We were out shooting a couple days ago, getting elevation dope for his dialable scope at 250 and 275 yds. He fired six shots into a 2-1/2” circle at 275, and three of them hit the 1” bullseye. I was kidding him and said “ If we encounter a critter inside 100 yards, we need to back up to 275 because that seems to be your sweet spot”.

We’ve just switched from 30-06 this year, so no kills with this round. But I don’t expect any problems inside of 400 yds. Neither one of us will shoot past that as we don’t feel we’ve developed the skills for it. We’re both shooting more accurately with the smaller cartridge, as one would expect. We’ll be using this on elk in Eastern NV.