What did you do in the reloading room today?

[NorthIdahoDude]

@NorthIdahoDude those are some interesting figures. I did double-check Hornady's data suggesting a 0.5gr increase in max from Hodgdons (49.0 vs 48.5), but a much lower velocity of 2,900 (unfortunately I can only pick 139gr bullets, and they don't differentiate copper vs cup and core loads, etc). Nothing wrong with playing it safe with the primers though. I wasn't trying to be argumentative, just genuinely curious. For whatever reason, my Tikka 7mm-08 has stiff bolt lift before flattened or mushroomed primers. First 400 rounds were factory loads before I started handloading.

Thanks for sharing the data and experience! I've only played with Big Game, H4350 and Varget, but have a pound of Hunter on the shelf I'm going to try in the next set (I don't know why...I have ~1 MOA 10-shot loads with all 3 of the powders listed above - probably wanted to tinker more and it was cheaper than buying a new rifle in a new cartridge).

Happy to share, such as I know, and happy to hear your Tikka 7mm-08 is a hammer. I am really hoping mine turns out to be too (hopefully with the Varget and the 140 TGKs - I have 1k of those bullets on hand and enough Varget to load them all).

This is my first 7mm-08, about my 9th or 10th Tikka, and around the 30th or 40th rifle I've loaded for over the years. I have loaded a lot of 7x57, which in theory should be similar, but in practice so far, it seems is not (it's a H4350 and slower powder game, and likes heavier bullets more).

I was pretty surprised by my results here. I do still expect the Hunter and N160 and 4350s and the like will do well in the 7mm-08 with heavier bullets tho, and I have some 160 Speer SBTs to try them with later.

Random note on the primers - I am using win primers at this point, which are pretty soft compared to CCI or the like. They will get good and flat before heavy bolt lift (heavy bolt lift being around 75kpsi, or so I assume, based on crap I've read on forums, LOL).

 

[neandth]

I've been loading up some stuff for deer season.

Loaded some 110 gr Accubonds for the younguns .257 Wby Mag

Loaded up some 180 gr Accubonds for one of my .300 Win Mag.

 

[Castle Rock]

Installed a new vice setup! Happy not to have to swap the press out for the vice now.

You might find it is more convenient to mount the barrel vice vertically

 

[Tahoe1305]

You might find it is more convenient to mount the barrel vice vertically

That’s a good idea I haven’t considered. Space is tight.

 

[bhovda]

Just loaded up some 185 juggernauts for the 300 wsm. And prepping some 556 brass for my new rokslide special

 

[Mike D Texas]

Loaded up some 33XC rounds for Raton next month.

Prepping some .223 for my grandson to hunt with.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

I was pretty surprised by my results here. I do still expect the Hunter and N160 and 4350s and the like will do well in the 7mm-08 with heavier bullets tho, and I have some 160 Speer SBTs to try them with later.

Ran a test with Hunter and 160 Speer SBT's from 44 to 48 - a bit less velocity than I was expecting, but also primers look like a bit less pressure than I was expecting also (load data based on 160 SMK's at shorter OAL than mine). Topped out at 2640 FPS at 48 - I think I'd be comfortable to push to 49 and see +/- 2700 FPS. Not my preferred bullet, so I probably won't bother, but it does prove out the theory that Hunter + heavier bullets in the 7mm-08 looks pretty solid/in line with expectations, more so than Hunter + 140 grain bullets. I expect N160 and so-on will probably be about the same in terms of happier with heavier bullets in this cartridge.

 

[neandth]

I’ve loaded up 95gr SST’s and 95gr Nos BT’s for the 243

Also some 130 TMK’s for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Not a whitetail in Nc can handle any of these.