7mm-08

[Flashole]

I have a brand new 7-08 and a bunch of reloading supplies.  I was wondering if these guns typically shoot better with a light or heavy bullet.  I have 120-175 setting on the bench.  This gun will be used as a  plinker at first.  With 19 sets of dies on the bench I know every gun does not act the same.  Just trying to keep from burning up expensive supplies.
 
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[thejanitor]

I had my old7-08 for about 6 years before someone here suggested H4350 I always had it just never tried it and my gun shot its first actual bragable groups. I am shooting 120 gr bullets in it. Now we have three Handi 7-08s in the house and they all shoot that powder / bullet combo very well. I also used to try to be close to the rifling.... Now I seat them just like factory ammo length and find it to be just fine.
Good luck, thejanitor

[Flashole]

With three in the house it sounds like you have some good shooters.  This is #3 handi for me.  I had such a bad time with a 204 ultra I got rid of it.  I was a little reluctant to give it another try.   With so much info past along here and the price of these guns its hard not to.  My 45lc shoots very well.  Hope to get this one doing the same
THANKS
 
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[thejanitor]

The oldest one - even with poor paper groups was my most hunted with and most successful rifle, within the last year it has become a good small group gun, but even when it shot 2 inch groups it was putting meat in the freezer. It is a very good round and if a person reloads it makes it as affordable to shoot as any of the other calibers, but factory rounds go pretty high around here.  thejanitor

[necchi]

Mine likes the 120-140 range too, 120's best.
H4895 and Varget are winners with Barnes 120TTSX or Nolser 120 Ballistic tips. Can get those things clocking around 3000fps and still sub-moa accurate.

[quickdtoo]

I have two 7mm-08 Handis, a 22" standard and 20" Lite, both shoot the first two rounds well under ½" at 100yds with no real forend work, just floated with a washer, 120gr TSX in the 22", 139gr Hornady BTSP and 140gr TTSX in the 20" lite, all handloads.

Tim

[petemi]

Patty and I have 2 complete 7mm-08 rifles and a third in pieces that I'm working on.  I've got to add a plus one to accuracy with light bullets.  I've got to emphasize that we are NOT deer hunting with these rifles with this load.  It's strictly target and varmints.  The two working rifles are sighted in with 115 gr. Speer Hot Core Hollow Points over 43.0 gr. Varget for 3019 fps.  The bullets are seated to book length.  It is an extremely accurate and mild load.  The rifles were sighted in at 40 yards and are dead on at 175.....less than 6 inches low at 300.  In Patty's capable hands they're sub-MOA.........yeah, ya got it......I'm not that good

Good luck with yours, I think you'll like it.  I might add, Brian56 had his fingers in Patty's rifle...It is a shooter and she loves it.  Thanks, Brian.

Pete

[Flashole]

Hey quick what happens to the third shot.  It has been a few years  but last time I asked some thing like this  you told me handis don't like hot barrels at all.  That makes finding a good load all the much harder.   That maybe what happend with my 204. I  just chased my tail.  Now that I think about it, it seemed like every trip to the rang started out OK then went down hill fast.  If that's the case I just need to spend more time at the range.  Sounds like I should start with the light ones and be patient.   Thanks guys I will post a range report if it goes well,  headed to the garage.
 
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[BBF]

I would not go above 150 gr on bullets.
The 175's take up to much case room. Rem's original load was a 140 gr bullet. Give or take a few grains from that weight would be my choice with lead filled bullets.

[quickdtoo]

Hey quick what happens to the third shot.  It has been a few years  but last time I asked some thing like this  you told me handis don't like hot barrels at all.  That makes finding a good load all the much harder.   That maybe what happend with my 204. I  just chased my tail.  Now that I think about it, it seemed like every trip to the rang started out OK then went down hill fast.  If that's the case I just need to spend more time at the range.  Sounds like I should start with the light ones and be patient.   Thanks guys I will post a range report if it goes well,  headed to the garage.
 
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Third shot opens the group to 1½-2" which is still very acceptable for a big game hunting rifle, just a waste of ammo and takes longer to cool for the next step up in the ladder for load work.  If I can't put a deer or elk down with the first round or two, I shouldn't be out there hunting them. 

Working with the forend, bedding or whatever is necessary, can eliminate the third round flyer, but if it consistently shoots the first two rounds from a cold barrel where I want them, why mess with it for a big game rifle?

Tim

[carbineman]

I would not go above 150 gr on bullets because the 175's take up to much case room. Rem's original load was a 140 gr bullet. Give or take a few grains from that weight would be my choice with lead filled bullets.

I'm going to try some 160 grain Speer with H4831sc this winter sometime and I'll report back the results. Will also try Ramshot Hunter because I already have it. A 160 grain bullet at 2625fps is a respectable round for whitetails.

[Dinny]

I'm kinda afraid of getting one myself. I'm afraid it will replace my 6.5x55, 30-06, .356 and 30-30...




Thanks, Dinny

[thejanitor]

Dinny- it won't replace them it will just be another favorite     
thejanitor

[Flashole]

I agree quick.  I just need to slow down at the range.  I saw some real nice deer that were posted on another topic that fell to the 7mm-08.   I have to use a (some times very busy) public range.  I'm working on a 35 Rem contender and an old Savage 243 that has not seen the light of day in years.  I'll take all three and just rotate to keep the handi cool.  Do any of you guys neck size for you single shot weapons ?
 
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[quickdtoo]

You can get away with neck sizing with milder loads, but I've always had to push the shoulder back a tad to be able to fully chamber a near max loaded fired case, there's just too much action flex in the high pressure chamberings. A simple test will tell you if you need to FL size, try to rechamber a fired case, if it will chamber and fully lock up which pretty much requires the round be flush with the chamber face when checked with a straight edge, you're probably good to go, this is usually the situation for a stuck case on an ejector barrel tho, just depends on the load.

Tim

[BBF]

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I'm going to try some 160 grain Speer with H4831sc this winter sometime and I'll report back the results. Will also try Ramshot Hunter because I already have it. A 160 grain bullet at 2625fps is a respectable round for whitetails.

The Speer 160 gr bullet is my top choice for a 284 Win. with heavy bullets.

[ratdog]

how does it compare to the 7mm Mauser look similar my Mauser is a shooter with 115 hollow points. if they are as good get one.

[Deerhunter#1]

Tim the same with me in regards to having to full length size my handi brass. The shoulders always need a little bump back to rechamber. I got rid of a 7mm-08 handi i picked up at a gun show cheap. I have no idea why I did it. I am in the same mindset as Dinny I want another but am afraid the 25-06 and 30-30 wont see the woods.

[cwlongshot]

Arita dabeau writers touted it as the best "whitetail" caliber made.
I read many such stories and doing so worked myself into a buying frenzy. In late 1984 I fought a Ruger 77 in 7mm/08.
I began loading it with Nosler Solid Base bullets and H335 powder. Personally I haven't had great luck with accuracy of Ruger bolt guns. This one was no different, 2" groups are the norm.  Plenty for what I do. Shot a half doz deer with this setup. Like most guys the bullets shed its core regularly. I switched to a Hornady 154 RN and SP bullets. Never had another bullet failure.
I shot a deer or two with the 139gr SP and they also worked well.

Personally I would stick with 140-160 for this caliber when hunting deer.  The 175s are a bit heavy and with the 120's a strong argument could made atowards a good long range bullet. Overall a 140 is a better choice.

I liked the caliber, it's a good one. But don't worry about it dethroning the 30/06 or stealing thunder from the 356/358.  It's simply not going to happen.

CW

[Singlebarrel]

I tried a 7mm-08 barrel on one of my receivers, factory matched.  Tried every trick in the book and could get no better than 5 " groups at 50 yards.  Tried 4 different brands of ammo and both 120 and 140 grain bullets.  Sold the barrel.

7mm-08 Browning X-bolt puts 5 shots into 1/2 inch at 50 yards, one ragged hole with the first three shots.  Using Barnes TTSX 140 grain over 45.5 gr H380.  This appears to be about just above middle of the road as far as power goes according to the Barnes data.  I worked up from the minimum load on the Barnes table to the 46.5 maximum at 1/2 grain intervals, then worked with the best two in a run off for first place.  Mild shooting load, extremely accurate and very consistent.  Wish I had a chronograph.  According to the math this load should be running about 2,785 fps. 

 

[BBF]

&mm-08 vs 7x57
 
Using Standard loads* the 7mm-08 has more V and E. Because of the case shape and neck lenght, the Mauser can handle the 175 gr bullets better.
 
*
7x57 =      46,600 CUP
7mm-08 = 52,000 CUP