Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Best 7mm-08 load with 120 grain BT

So I worked up to 52 gr with the Nos120. All the groups hover .6 - .75. I'm getting 3130 fps, SD of 11 with it. I know I could go 1 grain more with hodgdens data if I wanted to, but I haven't gone there. I'm using Starline brass and slight compression at 52 gr.

I've planned to try it with some 139btsp but they shot so good with RL16 that I've not tried it yet.

3 7-08’s here and they all shoot 44gr of RL15 and the 120 NBT. No reason to change.


Roy

45 grains of varget

Yeah, hard to beat perfection....

That's one reason I haven't tried more combos in my rifles. When I find a real winner, it's hard to keep looking. So, I understand.

StaBALL seems to be faster in some rounds, especially the 6.5 CM, but you can't always tell what a niche powder like that is going to do in other rounds.

Hodgdon data does show StaBALL as top performer in the 7-08.

Here's their data by bullet weight:

120 gr. with 53 gr, (compressed) gives 3,200 fps at a pressure of 54.8K
140 gr. with 48.5 gr, (not compressed) gives 2,976 fps at 59K
150 gr. with 48.5 gr, (not compressed) gives 2,900 fps at 58.9K

Interesting that the same charge has slightly less pressure, 150's vs. 140's. I guess we'd need to look at specific bullet types.

With 150's, the best Hodgdon velocities (other than StaBALL) are with H-4350 at 2,550 fps and Varget at 2,500 fps So, StaBALL reportedly beats H-4350 by 350 fps, max load compared to max load.

Of course, Hodgdon doesn't give BG data.... Pharmseller posts 46.2 gr. BG with the 150 ELDX, moving at 2,790 fps and very accurate. So, maybe StaBALL even runs faster than BG. Of course, accuracy isn't addressed with these data.

Maybe I do need to try StaBALL in my 7-08...

Interesting Loony stuff, for sure.

DF

Yep, the 140 is a "sticky" Swift.

Thanks, that definitely makes sense.

DF

The 139 Hornady shows 51 grains, and it's pretty likely the 2.5 grain charge difference isn't from the one grain weight difference.

Do those 139's have less shank engaging the rifling, less resistance?

DF

I’m going to call BS on their data.

I’ve read quite a bit on other shooter’s real-world experience. No one is getting that kind of velocity on 140 or 150 gr bullets.

Reminds me of Weatherby’s factory ammo claims.

Aggressive embellishments.




P

They are also standard jacket gilding metal which is also less grabby than copper Swift jackets.

Seemed pretty aggressive to me. That’s near 7RM speeds out of the small block, 7-08.

Displacement rules, variables otherwise adjusted for, such as pressure.

I haven’t tried it yet.

DF

Same for my rifle....It'll shoot 3 into a small ragged hole @ 100 yds!

My daughter's RAR is scary accurate with 44 grns of Varget, CCI 200 primer.

It kills elk and deer stone dead.

The girl can shoot.

I have great loads in my ss 700 sps with BG as others have posted. I actually get the best accuracy with BG at 49 gr, which gives me just over 3k FPS. When I pushed it to 51.5 gr I was getting 3/4” accuracy at 3175ish, but had 2 bullets come apart in does I shot at roughly 50 yards. Others have had better luck with the bullet staying together. I decided to dial it back with 45 gr of IMR 4350. Accuracy is excellent at 2800 FPS and I believe the bullet will work very well at that speed for the small Virginia deer I shoot inside of 200 yards.

Although the powder has not been mentioned before, I have tried to conserve powder with 38 gr of VVN140. Shooting about 2600 FPS with tiny groups. Very easy to shoot, and should be easy on the gun and brass. Might get a few more loads to a pound of powder too. Sierras load data with 120’s shows a number of loads in the 2600 FPS range that use relatively light charges, including imr4064 and varget.

Vv 140 real close to BG burn rate.

DF

I'm one of those that, in spite of the 120BT's toughness, doesn't like to red line it. I'm perfectly content with 3000fps or thereabouts, and much more interested in accuracy. I've lost count of the number of animals I've killed with that bullet (killed 17 whitetail does in one weekend with it) and the majority of them that were "caught" inside the animal had the core separated from the jacket. No biggie, as they are a game killing machine.

I load the 120gr BT with 50gr of H4350 and a WLR primer for my Rem 7600 and stainless Ruger Hawkeye Ultra-Light 7mm-08s.

I hear that.

My BG loads are fast enough and very accurate. It would be hard to change something that works so well.

DF

44 grs REL-15 here in a Tikka T3

48g h4350,139 interlock or sst, sako a7. Tested up to 50g with little to no pressure. 48 is 1/2" @100