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7mm-08 Brass

I picked up a box of 308 Lapua brass for my 7mm-08 which I thought used the large primers. What I discovered I have is small primer Palma brass. Has anyone used this for their 7-08? If so, can you tell me which primer you used and did you have to adjust your powder charge? I have been using CCI 400 & Rem 9 1/2 primers behind 42.0grs of IMR 4320 and a 120gr Sie SP using necked down ADI brass. I am looking to try 41.5gr of IMR 4166 with the 120's in the Lapua brass. Thanks in advance for your help.

Ron
 
Ron ....you will be very happy ....I used lapua 308 palma brass in my 7-08 for a few years now .... I shot f-class open with my 7-08 and never had a problem with the brass.
 
Hey Ron, I could use some of that brass if you want to swap (some/all). I have sealed boxes of Lapua LR.

Jim
 
I use that brass in my 7mm08AI. Its the best stuff you will use. It handles pressure awesomely and should last several loads. I have some that have gone 15 reloads in my 7mm08AI and still tight pockets. Dont trade it whatever you do. People want it as they know how good it is.
 
What size flash hole is in the Lapua .308 small primer brass? About 20 years ago, I tried almost every primer available in Rem. .308 small primer brass, necked down to 7-08, and had many "hang fires". Never got it to work well. Appreciate any comments.
 
'Palma' brass has the 1.5mm dia. flash-hole as per 220 Russian / PPCs; the BRs; 6.5X47 Lapua.

'Things' (powders and primers) seem to have changed over the last 30 or so years from when many handloaders experimented with Remington 308 Win UBBR cases in as made .308 form rather than smaller reformed designs such as the BR. As it was the US Palma teams which initially requested Lapua to make up some lots of experimental small primer / small dia. flash-hole cases, subsequently adopting the type as the norm for Palma ammunition, this subject was covered in considerable depth, several topic threads / many pages / some thousands of words, on the US Rifle Teams Long-Range Forum. Despite everything the Palma team captain said about the success of the trials with the then experimental cases, right down to placing small-primer ammunition in a domestic fridge overnight and taking it to the range in an insulated container to shoot chilled, many forum members were adamant this was a bad move that would end in tears based on their 1980s/90s experiences that only saw the genre work reliably if the flash-hole was reamed out to the standard 2mm / 0.080".

At some point or other, Palma brass loads are affected by low temperatures - hence Lapua saying officially in its product description that it is unsuitable for hunting use. My own tests (in 308 Win) when these cases first went on general sale were to see if they worked for UK FTR and TR shooters as we shoot all year round in our chilly but temperate islands and much winter season use will see ambient temperatures a little above freezing, typically 4-10 degrees C (40-50F), but potentially on the freezing level, if rarely below during daytime. Viht N140 and N550 loads seemed to be adversely affected at and below 4-deg C, but H4895, VarGet, Viht N150 not at all at this temperature level. Surprisingly, given the received wisdom that ball powders are hard to ignite, H414 performed superbly with the 185gn Juggernaut even at temperatures well below 10 C / 50 F.

I recently necked a box down to 7mm-08. Our Kiwi and Aussie friends have used necked-down Palma brass for hot 6mm, 260 Rem, and 7-08 loads long before anybody else with reported excellent results - but they don't get many frosty days 'Down Under'. So far, I've only had time to try a single loading, 162gn Hornady A-Max, IMR-4007ssc, and CCI-BR4 against the same in prepped / batched Winchester brass with the F210M and got identical 100 yard (OK but not outstanding) groups. I haven't had the chance to chronograph the small primer based loads as a comparison. I've changed my powder choices anyway for 7-08 from my initial thoughts and will move to slower burners, so the brass comparison will become more meaningful at that stage, especially as our Lapua / Viht importer has only recently received supplies of new Lapua large primer 7mm-08 cases allowing a closer comparison.
 
Its the 62 thou flash hole, same as 6BR and PPC brass. I use CCI450 Primers and works great. Have gotten a few cases not fire while fireforming but that was due to not enough neck tension.

Ive used this brass in 308 and 7mm08AI but lowest temp has been around 10 deg C. I know several people who use this brass in 260AI, and 243AI. Im going to do a 6.5 Creedmoor using Palma brass aswell. But need to get a barrel first.
 
PS when I said in my earlier post that I got the same group sizes with Win / Lapua Palma with one 7mm-08 combination, that was not with the same charge weights, the Lapua 'sweet spot' being a half-grain higher than the large primer combination. That ties in with 308 experience where the small primer brass needs 0.4-0.5gn more powder to give the same pressures and velocities.
 
Interesting. I've been wanting to play with this 7-08AI If I ever get a chance. One of the things I wanted to try first was a small magnum primer behind some varget with these 155 BCB's.

If anybody wants to trade out some SR for LR, I'm looking for 20 to 50 cases and will add some to sweetin the deal.

Jim
 
Jim,

Whats the 155gr BCB bullet?

I reckon its a great lil cartridge, and accurate to boot. Case life with palma brass is exceptional aswell. It may not do the MV of the 284 with 180gr but its only 50fps off it and thats not much really and you get better case life to boot.
 
At 2720fps the 7-08AI is very good with the 180gr pills when the Palma brass is used. I have been using AR2213c (H4831) but have just started testing AR2209 (H4350) which is less bulky and much higher velocities have been possible with no apparent pressure signs.
Very good results should also be possible with the straight 7-08.
Steve
 

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