I’m having a very difficult time finding a load this model seven likes. Does anyone have a load for a 308 win for deer and looks good on paper? I’ve been loading for years never had this problem. I’ve tried imr 4350,4895,and 4064. 165 sst and 150 btsp in many different combinations. With no luck. Thanks in advance
308 Winchester help
- Thread starter bigart4280
- Start date
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
41gr of imr4895. If you cant find a load with that get rid of that rifle.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
If you can't take a jug of 4895 and almost any quality bullet and make it shoot well, it would be a pretty weird 308. jd
Ditto that there
What components do you have on hand?
What bullet?
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
You said you had 150gr on hand. Itll work on a 168 too
Good advice on IMR 4895. IMR 4064 and Varget are also very good choices with 150 and 165 grain bullets in the 308.
I suspect your difficulty in attaining good groups is due to the light weight of the Model Seven. It's quite brutal to shoot with full power loads in 150 and 165 grain bullets.
The factory stock is junk, that plastic stock will flex like a rubber noddle under the recoil of full power 150 or 165 loads. The pencil thin barrel will heat quickly opening up groups significantly. Load developed should be done from a cold barrel allowing the barrel to cool between shots.
The rifle may benefit by free floating the barrel and / or pillar bedding. Another alternative is to purchase a Bell and Carlson stock with a bedding block. It will add weight also which will help stablize the rifle under recoil.
Another approach is to develop a reduce load with 125 grain bullets which will minimize the recoil effect. IMR 4895 is the powder to use for this approach. Visit the Hodgdon web site for their reduced load data. I use a reduced load for my lightweight Tikka, 40 gains H4895 with 125 Nosler BT. This load shoots sub 1 moa and delivers over 1,000 ft lbs of energy at 200 yards which is more than adequate for white tail. The recoil is mild, even with a light weight rifle. The 125 Nosler BT is not a varmint bullet either - it a big game bullet.
Last but not least, the Model Seven was never designed to be a "paper gun". It's claim to fame is the light weight for field use. If you can keep shots within a 6" circle at the max distance you intend to shoot in a hunting situation you'll fill your freezer - you don't need a tack driver for white deer unless you're shooting at extreme distances.
Hope this helps.
I suspect your difficulty in attaining good groups is due to the light weight of the Model Seven. It's quite brutal to shoot with full power loads in 150 and 165 grain bullets.
The factory stock is junk, that plastic stock will flex like a rubber noddle under the recoil of full power 150 or 165 loads. The pencil thin barrel will heat quickly opening up groups significantly. Load developed should be done from a cold barrel allowing the barrel to cool between shots.
The rifle may benefit by free floating the barrel and / or pillar bedding. Another alternative is to purchase a Bell and Carlson stock with a bedding block. It will add weight also which will help stablize the rifle under recoil.
Another approach is to develop a reduce load with 125 grain bullets which will minimize the recoil effect. IMR 4895 is the powder to use for this approach. Visit the Hodgdon web site for their reduced load data. I use a reduced load for my lightweight Tikka, 40 gains H4895 with 125 Nosler BT. This load shoots sub 1 moa and delivers over 1,000 ft lbs of energy at 200 yards which is more than adequate for white tail. The recoil is mild, even with a light weight rifle. The 125 Nosler BT is not a varmint bullet either - it a big game bullet.
Last but not least, the Model Seven was never designed to be a "paper gun". It's claim to fame is the light weight for field use. If you can keep shots within a 6" circle at the max distance you intend to shoot in a hunting situation you'll fill your freezer - you don't need a tack driver for white deer unless you're shooting at extreme distances.
Hope this helps.
I shoot Sierra 150 gr. Pro Hunter SPTs and RNs over 42.4 gr. of Viht N140 in Lapua cases with CCI 200 primers. Have shot small groups and have taken several Texas whitetails with that load.
How far do you want to push that Model 7 ?
I suggest you wipe a bit of velocity off your loads and use a 150gr 30.30 projectile.
Pencil thin barrel and stoking them some won't always work with these 7's.
BTW, check the muzzle crown for damage.
I tend to use the faster powders for the caliber primarily to get velocity rather than muzzle blast out of these short tubes.
I own 2 and love them dearly, 223 and 6mm Rem but mates have had trouble with their 308's and full power loads.
It’s a brand new rifle I’m assuming the crown is good. So your saying slow it down some? 4895 and 150 or 165? I’ll try 41-45 grain tomorrow I started at 47.0 today
bigart4280
You stated its a brand new rifle, did you take the stock off to clean and inspect the new rifle?
I would start with a visual inspection of the bedding and torquing the action screws to specifications.
Some times over tightening the bedding screws can effect the accuracy.
Long Range Shooting: Optimizing Your Precision Rifle
https://loadoutroom.com/thearmsguid...bolt-action-rifle-to-shoot-long-range-part-2/
Action Screw Torque
The torque applied on the action screws is crucial to determine accuracy and point of impact consistency. You can’t just screw in the action to the stock on a precision rifle. Screws must be tuned, like the strings of a guitar. For this purpose, you’ll need a torque wrench, since the applied torque must be both precise and uniform. Torque must be checked regularly (I do it before any shooting session, preferably after the transport), and the same amount must be re-applied every time you disassemble or reassemble the rifle.
The range of optimal torque settings varies depending on the stock conformation and material, the presence of bedding and pillars, and the conformation of the action. For standard commercial rifles, the manufacturers usually share the optimal torque settings for their products on their website; however, although you might be able to dig up the relative information for customized rifles on the ‘Net, you may have to find out the correct torque settings from your gunsmith. For example, for a Remington 700 with a synthetic stock and an aluminium, integral bedding (like the Remington Police), the torque settings for the three action screws are: 55-60 in/lbs for the front screw, 40-45 in/lbs for the central screw, and 22-24,5 in/lbs for the rear screw. You can try to find the best settings in the given range yourself; it could even improve your accuracy a little, but the process is also time (and ammo) consuming. The key point is to make sure you always apply the same amount of torque for a given range.
The screws must be tightened starting from the front and continuing to the central and then the rear screws. While you’re doing this, keep the rifle with the barrel pointed upward, allowing the action to seat in the position where it naturally would move during recoil.
When you select your torque wrench, pay attention that it must be graduated in [in/lbs] and not [ft/lbs], since ft/lbs will give you twelve times the torque force. You could also find the torque values and/or the torque wrench settings in Nm (Newton per meters). To convert [in/lbs] into [Nm], multiply the [in/lbs] value by 0.113. To convert [Nm] into [in/lbs], multiply the [Nm] value by 8.85.
You stated its a brand new rifle, did you take the stock off to clean and inspect the new rifle?
I would start with a visual inspection of the bedding and torquing the action screws to specifications.
Some times over tightening the bedding screws can effect the accuracy.
Long Range Shooting: Optimizing Your Precision Rifle
https://loadoutroom.com/thearmsguid...bolt-action-rifle-to-shoot-long-range-part-2/
Action Screw Torque
The torque applied on the action screws is crucial to determine accuracy and point of impact consistency. You can’t just screw in the action to the stock on a precision rifle. Screws must be tuned, like the strings of a guitar. For this purpose, you’ll need a torque wrench, since the applied torque must be both precise and uniform. Torque must be checked regularly (I do it before any shooting session, preferably after the transport), and the same amount must be re-applied every time you disassemble or reassemble the rifle.
The range of optimal torque settings varies depending on the stock conformation and material, the presence of bedding and pillars, and the conformation of the action. For standard commercial rifles, the manufacturers usually share the optimal torque settings for their products on their website; however, although you might be able to dig up the relative information for customized rifles on the ‘Net, you may have to find out the correct torque settings from your gunsmith. For example, for a Remington 700 with a synthetic stock and an aluminium, integral bedding (like the Remington Police), the torque settings for the three action screws are: 55-60 in/lbs for the front screw, 40-45 in/lbs for the central screw, and 22-24,5 in/lbs for the rear screw. You can try to find the best settings in the given range yourself; it could even improve your accuracy a little, but the process is also time (and ammo) consuming. The key point is to make sure you always apply the same amount of torque for a given range.
The screws must be tightened starting from the front and continuing to the central and then the rear screws. While you’re doing this, keep the rifle with the barrel pointed upward, allowing the action to seat in the position where it naturally would move during recoil.
When you select your torque wrench, pay attention that it must be graduated in [in/lbs] and not [ft/lbs], since ft/lbs will give you twelve times the torque force. You could also find the torque values and/or the torque wrench settings in Nm (Newton per meters). To convert [in/lbs] into [Nm], multiply the [in/lbs] value by 0.113. To convert [Nm] into [in/lbs], multiply the [Nm] value by 8.85.
Yes however with 308 bullets you'd normally use you might suffer terminal performance and have shots drill right through animals especially if substantial bone is missed.
Hence the suggestion of 30.30 projectiles that will still offer good terminal performance at below 'normal' 308 velocities. Also I did ask of the ranges you'd likely shoot and that also will impact on projectiles chosen and velocities required.
A Model 7 in 308 is not the nicest to benchrest with and that alone can effect target results.
Also some are tempted to remove the barrel channel 'speed hump' in an effort to float the Model 7.....a procedure that's foolhardy with such a light tube.
The 6mm Rem I have had this done when I got it and with some tire inner tube packers I reinstalled the ~7lb uplift pressure on the barrel......shoots much better but still not a tack driver.
In these pencil thin 18 1/2" barrels there's constraints on what's possible so don't try and reinvent the wheel, instead it's best to apply the KISS principle.
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