7mm-08 Savage Range Report for kenscot

[Gregory]

Had my new Savage 11FL out today, first time shooting test groups.  Scoped the gun with an older model Leupold VariX III 2.5-8X.  Groups fired from a sandbag rest at 100 meters (about 110 yds).  Wind was calm and temp 43F.  I had run a box of PMC factory loads through the gun last week to break in the barrel and get the scope on paper.  I then fired thirty rounds using three different bullets and two powders I had on hand Accurate Arms XMR 4350 and Alliant Reloader 15 to see what my max loads could be.  I fired six different loads today, 3 shot groups each.  Four of the six groups broke the 1 MOA mark (<1.1").  The worst group was 1.46" and the best was 0.495".  Three groups were under 1.0".  The Accutrigger broke at 3lbs right out of the box so I never messed with it.  The bullets tested so far were WW 150 gr  and the Nosler 140 gr ballistic tip.  I've still got the 154 gr Hornady Accubonds to test.
 
I'm pretty happy with this gun so far.  Here are the best groups:
 
 

 

 

[kenscot]

Greg,
Well some real nice shooting for an ugly rifle Looks like we both have a couple of rifles to be happy about! I got the spreadsheet and will use it as I never put one together for load development. I have acouple I will email you that I use for finished loads
                                                          Ken

[brasskeeper]

Accurate Arms XMR 4350 and Alliant Reloader 15

I would be interested to see what your loads were. I have a 7mm-08 I'm going to start loading for soon. Ive planned on using 140 gr bullets and IMR 3031 since that is what I have, but I would be open to suggestions.

thanks


brasskeeper@yahoo.com

[Gregory]

brasskeeper
 
I picked Alliant Reloader 15 and Accurate XMR-4350 because those are two powders I have in stock that are in the right burning rate range for the 7mm-08.  I'm pleased that I got accurate loads with the XMR-4350 because I have an 8 lb keg of it.
 
The best group was with cheap Winchester 150 gr bullets over 46.0 gr XMR-4350.  
 
The other two groups above were with the Nosler Ballistic Tip 140 gr bullet.
One was with 48.0 gr XMR-4350 and the other with 42.5 gr Re-15.
 
You need to work up to these loads in your own rifle.  I took the max loads from the Alliant and Accurate web sites then reduced them by 8% and worked back up to max in 2% increments.
 
All loads were in Winchester brass and CCI-200 primers were used. All the XMR-4350 loads are compressed.
 
I still have some testing to do with the Hornady 154 gr Accubond.