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Author Topic: Powder for 7MM08 ?  (Read 1947 times)

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Offline doninva

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Powder for 7MM08 ?
« on: September 26, 2009, 03:09:00 PM »
I use  to reload for several caliber but got out of it after a divorce about 22 years ago. As ammo is getting a little pricey, I am going to start loading again. A frind is going to let me load on his equipment till I get my own. I have bought a couple of rifles and scopes in the last couple of weeks so money is a bit tight. I want to buy just one kind of powder right now for the 7MM08. What powder seems to shoot best in this caliber. I know I will need to find the right load but is there a powder the 7MM08 likes. Thanks, Don
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Offline burntmuch

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2009, 03:26:01 PM »
Ive tried a few with my 08. Settled on IMR 4350. & 139 grain Hornadys. IMR 4350 works pretty good for a couple of my calibers
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Offline doninva

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2009, 05:02:07 PM »
That was one of my favorite powders years ago for 270, 3006,7mm mag. I used IMR4064, I think, in 243. I know they have come out with some new ones in the last few years. Don
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Offline Tom W.

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2009, 08:47:21 PM »
Varget
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Offline BCB

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2009, 01:29:12 AM »
I just finished a reloading project for an Encore in the 7mm-08 caliber…

I started with IMR-4350 as it seemed to always be the one suggest most often.  Although the results were O.K. with groups mostly around 0.5” or thereabout AT 50 YARDS.  My eyes are not so great anymore so I do my testing at 50 yards and then make the effort to shoot a group or two at 100 yards…

So, thinking the IMR-4350 might be a tad bit slow for the 7mm-08 when using the 139 Hornaday and the Nosler 140 BT (not heavy bullets for the .284 bore); I switched to a fast burn-rate powder.  I went to IMR-4895—that was the final choice…

I was getting groups AT 50 YARDS of less than 0.5” and the smallest was 0.225”.  I shot only 2 groups at 100 yards and both were right at ¾ inch and that is good enough for me…

I will chronograph it soon if the rain stops here in Western PA…

So, you might want to give this powder a try if you have it on hand or could scrounge a bit from a fellow reloader in your area…

Good-luck…BCB
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Offline sr sawyer

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2009, 11:40:18 AM »
I have had pretty good luck with IMR 3031 and 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips.  Never chronographed but
+2" @ 100
 "0" @ 200
-9" @ 300

Ken
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2009, 11:46:42 AM »
My best accuracy came with W760 but be aware it is VERY temperature sensitive. My loads worked up in the fall using it while fine during hunting season were WAY HOT during summer heat so hot in fact it would lock up the action when fired. Yeah I just had to try a second to be sure it wasn't a loading error on that one round. Loads were near but not quite book max so really shouldn't have done this but sure enough did.

As an additional side note the rounds were at least 2-3 years old when this happened but had been stored same as all my other ammo so I don't think that contributed to it but just am not sure what took place. Needless to say all were taken apart and I've not used W760 for the 7-08 since. But now I shoot ONLY Hornady Light Mag factory loads with the 139 SP anyway for hunting and use reloads only for practice and plinking in rifles so chambered. This ammo has been uniformly more accurate than any reload I've ever worked up in EVERY such chambered rifle or TC Encore I've tried it in.
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Offline bubba

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2009, 12:04:26 PM »
140 grain corelokts 40 grains of varget in my encore is deadly
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Offline revbc

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2009, 05:36:39 PM »
Varget if your not going to use a powder measure.............and Win 760 if you do.  760 is a ball powder and usually meters well in a powder measure, Varget is a stick.  Not saying Varget won't meter, but for me it hasn't been as consistent when you throw a charge.
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Offline Lazermule

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2009, 05:40:00 PM »
Varget, yep Varget...

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Offline Autorim

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2009, 05:51:26 PM »
IMR 4350 will work just fine.
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Offline Sweetwater

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2009, 06:06:21 PM »
Curious. Are you shooting a rifle or a carbine? Years ago, when the 7mm-08 was brought out in a carbine of 18inches, one of the rags ran an article searching for rifle ballistics from the carbine. The drift of the story was that handloads in the carbine with BallC2 could very closely duplicate factory ammo velocity and pressure from a standard rifle barrel of 22inches. Don't remember who wrote it or in which magazine. It was a long time ago. I started using BallC2 at that time in my 8mmx57 carbine and was very pleased with what it did for my 200gr Noslers.

Regards,
Sweetwater
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Offline doninva

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2009, 02:26:08 PM »
It's a Tikka T3 lite rifle. Thanks, Don
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Offline Lazermule

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2009, 10:15:49 AM »
Don,

I have the same rifle, and with 140 grain bullets mine sure likes Varget.  I shot a 10" group with this rifle at 1000 yards using Varget. 

LM

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Offline spinafish

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Re: Powder for 7MM08 ?
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2009, 11:29:57 AM »
ditto the Varget..
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