7mm-08 reloading question

[BULLET 05]

Going to help a buddy reload for a new Sako 7mm 08. It has a 9.5 twist barrel 22 7/8” long. Just curious if some of you guys have a good deer bullet and powder for this gun and twist barrel? Thanks

 

[waverly]

Mine is 10 twist. 42 grns.. Varget, Hornady 139 btsp 22 inch barrel. I’ve shot this load for decades. I’ve also shot the same load with 140 Accubonds, and can’t tell much difference.

Waverly

 

[ChrisNZ]

or even 139 SSTs if you don't mind the hand grenade effect. DRT usually but you can lose a fair bit of meat at times.

 

[std7mag]

Powders from Varget through the 4350s work well in the 7mm-08.
For lighter recoil the 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip is hard to beat.
The sweet spot seems to be the 140gr class bullets.
The 139gr Hornady SST, 140gr Berger VLD, 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip do well on deer, with some caveat.
Don't shoot the shoulders with the Berger VLD!

For mono bullets i'd look at Hammer and Cutting Edge.

 

[JLT]

The 139 Hornady BTSP and H414/W760 has been my deer recipe for many years in the 7mm-08. Shoots way better than minute-of-whitetail and the bullet is a reliable performer.

 

[7887mm08]

I have been using the hornady 139 soft point since 1984.
3 different firearms, same load using varget in each.

 

[kyreloader]

120g Nosler Ballistic Tips
Fed 210M primer
Winchester cases
8208XBR 42.8g
2.800 OAL
OCW load

 

[AckleymanII]

130g Speer btsp
130g speer Hot core flat base

42.0g of IMR 4895
Rem brass
Rem 9 1/2
3000 fps
Touch the lands or close to it if possible
Small clover leaf touching bullet holes....wet dream deer killing...hot core for hogs...

Deer flop, near and far....many, many converts from other calibers and other bullets!

 

[sep]

140 grain Accubond fueled by Rl16. Excellent velocity and accuracy.

 

[Murray Brook]

The 145 gr Speer SBT is an inexpensive good bullet for deer sized game out to appx 500 yds. Works great with WW 760 or H-100V in the 7/08. Should be able to push it to around 2900 ft/sec

 

[cjames]

I load 140 Partitions and 41 or 42 Grns of Varget (can't remember off the top of my head). I load Partitions for the hog factor. If it wasn't for hogs and how thick it is where we hunt I probably wouldn't shoot Partitions. I also have a Leupold scope with a B&C Reticle and that loads hits almost perfect with the hash marks on the scope. This combo has worked great for me when I hunt with this rifle.

 

[Ramjet]

I am using the Speer 130 gr and 145 gr boat tail soft points in my 708 with excellent results. If you are only going for deer the 130gr is outstanding on whitetails . When I think I am going to encounter Feral Pigs I carry the 145's . I use H4895 and standard LR Primers. I have used N203B/reloader 15 with the 130 gr bullets with good results as well.

 

[WEL]

The 120 Ballistic tip has a thick jacket and performs well on deer sized game. The story goes that Nosler beefed up the bullet to knock over the rams on the silhouette course of fire at distance.

 

[Cloudchaser]

I get great accuracy with Rx15 and 140 grain accubonds....also IMR4350 loading 46-47 grains with the same accubonds.

 

[TGP]

140 grain Ballistic Tips and Varget has been my go to deer load for years

 

[misser]

i have 5 different 708 they all like something different . the #5 i dont now what it likes yet yes i could hit a deer with it but lighting match's is going to take some do'en

 

[cjames]

i have 5 different 708 they all like something different . the #5 i dont now what it likes yet yes i could hit a deer with it but lighting match's is going to take some do'en

I have two 7mm-08's. Same thing. One will shoot Varget and not 4350. The other won't shoot Varget and shoots 4350. You hope they will shoot the same thing to simplify things, but NOOO. I also have two 270's same thing with them. One shoots 4831 and he other one shoots 4350. Rifles are like women, none of them are the same.

 

[fireman13]

Going to help a buddy reload for a new Sako 7mm 08. It has a 9.5 twist barrel 22 7/8” long. Just curious if some of you guys have a good deer bullet and powder for this gun and twist barrel? Thanks

I have three 7mm-08s, X bolt, a bolt and Rem 700 all with 22"-24" barrels and 9.5 twists. We love the 140 and 150 Barnes TSX and TTSX for ranges out to 350 yards. Brownings group 1/2 MOA and Rem =1 MOA with 2-3 whitetails killed annually for the last 10 years. The shots all exit and most are through ribs. Most consistent powder I have found is H380 generating about 2650 fps at below book max. I see flattened CCI LR primers but no real signs of high pressure. I am working with 140gr Absolute hammers and IMR4895 now, to get a little longer reach for Montana Muleys, but might have to rely on my 7mm Mag for the longer stuff as velocity and energy get a little light for big Muleys beyond 350. I have also had great results from IMR 4350 and Varget, but found best nodes for all three guns with H380. I love the way the Ball powders meter, but supposedly a little temp sensitive. Speer 145s also work well out of the X Bolt with IMR 4895 at about 85% of Hodgden book max. I am still testing seating depth with these for groups now, but looking good so far. Good Shooting!!

 

[DCC]

120 GR Nosler Ballistic Tip and Varget.

 

[dryhumor]

I received a box of Sierra TGKs the other week, 150 gr. H4350 is working really well. IMR4064 and Big Game work well with 140gr, and 145 Speers. Have used 4064 with 120 TTSX, not bad, but needs more work on my end.