What is your favorite Light 7mm-08 load for white-tails?

[swampmaster]

Lets hear about your loads please. I made a run of 120gr ballistic tips in front of 43gr of IMR4350. They shoot well for an 18 1/2 barrel model 7 and are fairly mild to me in a light short rifle. I am looking for some suggestions for possibly milder loads for my grandson in a similar rifle.

 

[EdP]

I developed 2 loads for my M7. Neither has much recoil but may not be any different than your load in that regard. Generally, a lighter bullet will give less recoil. Hammer makes .284 all copper bullets from 90 grains to 172 grains. (On their website, all their .284 bullets have a note to make sure your twist rate is fast enough for the bullet. It doesn't make any sense to me for the lighter bullets, but that's what is there.)

43 gr Varget, 120gr Hammer Hunter
40 gr Varget, 140gr Sierra GK

If I was trying to minimize recoil I would give a moderate load with the 101gr a try.

 

[TN2shot07]

The factory loaded 120 ttsx’s are pretty mild out of one of my model sevens. They’re as accurate as I can shoot that little rifle and hell on deer.

 

[180ls1]

.284 Cal-090gr Hammer Hunter™ - Hammer Bullets

Here is the 7mm pure copper Hammer Hunter™ speed demon. Just think about running this in your 7 mag at 3700 fps plus, or in your 7mm-08 at pushing close to 3500 fps. Laser comes to mind!

hammerbullets.com

 

[swampmaster]

So can anybody tell me what the rate of twist is on late 90's model 7 with the 18 1/2" barrel? That is what mine is. It was my wife's gun, but she no longer hunts so I threw on a full size synthetic and it's my go to for tight quarters. If I am going to be doing drives I will also carry it because it is quite capable of long shots on the fields. Anyway that is where I am leaning for my grandson. I have also been looking at the 700 sps compact so I wonder if the Rate of Twist is out there for that also.

 

[swampmaster]

Oh By the way.... Holy crap! I haven't purchased reloading stuff for a while, but man!!! $60 for 50 slugs??!!! I used to get mad when I had to pay $25 for 100 partions!! I might just end up using the 120's ballistics since I already have several hundred on hand. I'll keep watching the thread to see what others say. I have always used IMR powders because that is what I started out with. I understand that there are others that are as good and likely better so I'd like to hear. Bear in mind I also load 30-30, 35 rem, 44. 280. and 30-06. I try to keep my powder numbers to a minimum.

 

[Rufus]

Hey Swampmaster. I don’t load for a 7-08, but did check on Hodgdon’s website and they show a few reduced loads for the 7-08. One that looked promising would be a 120 gr ballistic tip over 40.8 gr of H4350 for a mv of 2496 fps. This would basically duplicate the 7-30 Waters from years ago, which at one time, was a very respected whitetail round designed to compete with or surpass the 30-30. I have a 7mm BR handgun that does about the same with 120gr ballistic tips and it does well on whitetails.

Hodgdon had several other loads with the powders for the 120 gr ballistic tip. All of them were around the 2500fps, give or take.

You are doing a great thing for your grandson by reducing the recoil. Make sure to let us know how it turns out.

Thanks. -Rufus