7-08 and the 162AMAX

[280Ackleyrized]

Going to give the AMAX a go in my Vanguard S2 in 7-08. Couple of questions. What kind of jump does this particular bullet like? Or whats a good starting point? Second, other than H4350, what other powders are you guys running with this combo? What velocities? Barrel in question is 24"

 

[uncleduke]

Try IMR 4007sc.

 

[Multitoes]

Hi,
I was pretty impressed with Varget when I tried it but did not shoot many rounds.
I intend to try imr 8208 xbr based on the data from Hodgdon ; also R-17 looks good based on limited rounds I have shot.
Sorry, I have not shot mine lately so no specifics.

 

[XTR]

You can get good velocity with H4350 w/o blowing primers. Varget will get pressure issues before you get the case full. You may also try N150 or N550, though it's my understanding that N550 like R17 is pretty temperature sensitive.

Unless you are shooting some kind of comps or long range target shooting, and especially for hunting I'd go with a 140gr bullet like the Accubond or the SGK. The 162s are very long and in order to be seated correctly in a 7-08 they should be seated well beyond mag length and they don't pay any substantial ballistic dividends until you get out past 600 yards, esp if you are pushing the 140s faster.

 

[280Ackleyrized]

The 162 is going to be for ringing steel out to 700 and the occasional long shot at WT. My goto hunting load is the 120NBT @3100. If i wanna crank up the 140NAB, theres a 280AI for that.

 

[SEB-USA]

The 162 has done great on every animal I have taken with it.

 

[XTR]

The 162 is going to be for ringing steel out to 700 and the occasional long shot at WT. My goto hunting load is the 120NBT @3100. If i wanna crank up the 140NAB, theres a 280AI for that.

I've played with the 162s in my 7-08 and I'm not going to buy any more of them. I didn't look too hard to compare pure target bullets as mine is for hunting (trued 700 action with a fluted Rock Creek #4 barrel), but on paper the 162s do provide a ballistic advantage over the 140NAB if you can get them up to speed, but to do that you need to seat them in the area of 3.0 and put a bunch of powder in the case, and unless you are shooting at an F class target I don't think you can see the difference in the field. For reference I'm pushing the 140s at ~2800FPS, I could probably get them to go faster but I really don't see the need, they reach out as far as I need to. For something that will be mag loaded in a short action the 162 will take up way too much case volume seated at 2.8 or so. My reamer is designed to allow me to seat the 162s out long if I want to, it means that the 140s jump, but they don't seem to mind, and the deer get dead at about the same speed. :

When I get time I'm going to experiment with a box of 140 SGKs. I've loaded a bunch up, but all my time these days is dedicated to F class shooting and I just don't have time to work on loads for another rifle.

 

[jfseaman]

Going to give the AMAX a go in my Vanguard S2 in 7-08. Couple of questions. What kind of jump does this particular bullet like? Or whats a good starting point? Second, other than H4350, what other powders are you guys running with this combo? What velocities? Barrel in question is 24"

The first thing I was concerned about was twist rate. The 7mm-08 has a very sensible 9.5.

I love Weatherbys (have 4) but they are made slow twist for fast FPS.

All my A-Max/V-Max loads like a .005 jump best.

 

[280Ackleyrized]

A 9 twist will stabilize the heavies quite well so the 9.5 should have no problem with the 162. I already know they will be loaded single feed. So no worries there. Never needed more than one shot to kill anything anyway. Just a bullet i want to tinker with. A chance to learn to shoot LR. Once i learn, ill build a Mashburn or a WSM and run the 160AB

 

[XTR]

If you are single feeding and can seat them out to about 3.0 OAL then you are in business.

I used H4350. If you are seating long you can start near the top of the load chart and work up, you should end up well beyond what the manuals show as max, at leas my Lyman 49th. The loads in the manual are based on seating it at 2.8 so you're clearing out a lot of case volume. As always, your gun may vary. At 3.0 I', still 0.010 off of the lands, if you get into the lands pressure builds rapidly. Use good reloading practices.

 

[280Ackleyrized]

As always. Loaded for two other 7-08s, a 7-08AI, and a 280AI over the years. Guess you could say im a 7mm slut. My next project will either be the 7 Mashburn Super or a 7mm short fat

 

[ebb]

I didn't like the 162 out of my gun, they didn't always make it to the target. 7mm 175 SMKs are tougher and don't go PUFF if you push the FPS.

 

[Fordnutter]

I had a long throated 7mm08 with a 24" 1-9" twist barrel. It shot the 162gr Amax accurately around 2,750fps with both H4350 & Reloader 17. It was a pretty stiff load though & only lapua brass gave resonable case life.
Interestingly enough it also shot 180gr VLD's at 2,650fps with the same powders for shits n giggles.

 

[Toolbreaker]

Hi 280. I just gave the 162's a go in my 24" 700 SPS last week. It seemed to like 'em, but I wasn't leaning on the velocity much, either...about 2600ish fps. This was off a bipod using IMR 4007SSC & jumping .010". I also tried H414 and Reloader 19, but this was the best of the 3. COAL was set at 2.955".