Anyone tried the Berger 168 Grain Hunter bullet for 7mm-08? I did my best to search the forum and did not come up with a lot of results. My wife currently shoots 140 grain bullets for her 7mm-08 but we are having trouble finding them for sale. In checking reloading manuals it looks as if the 168 gr may be on the heavier end for 7mm-08 but there is still data for it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Berger 168 gr for 7mm-08?
- Thread starter MattM
- Start date
You may not find much load data on the heavier bullets for the 7-08 buy many use them. I believe some here on this forum even compete with the heavies in a 7-08. I've read where some are running the 180s. I don't have specific data but I'd say running the Berger 168s with H4350 you'd easily be in the 2700s. Running RL17 and the 2800s is realistic. This all being with an OAL of 2.875 or less. I had a 26" barreled .308 and ran 168s at 2880. Given its the same case and bullet weight but a .308, I think the numbers would be very close. Not sure what range your shots are while hunting but the 160 Nosler Partitions are very accurate bullets. Provided range is 500 yards or less, that's a very good option. Underwood makes a good 140 Accubond loaded 7-08 cartridge. They are out of stock as most are. Put your name on the notify me list and you'll get notification when it's in stock. Underwood has been restocking pretty regularly. It's good ammunition.
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H414 will get you there too. I had a good load with RL 17 that ran 2880 but I had a modified mag box that allowed 3.050" oal.
Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
I have a lighter weight Remington 700 chambered in 7-08AI that we run the 168s and 140s in. I believe I have a Kreiger 1:9 twist and it handles both very well. Shooting off a hunting pack with the Leopold 4.5-14, my daughter can keep three shots inside of 5” at 600 yards and can keep them within 2” at 300 yards.
I have found VarGet does about as well as anything. H4350 is accurate as well. We have tried a host of powders in those burn ranges, I will check my data in a bit to see if I left something out that you might find useful.
CW
Edit
In checking my load data, we loaded 46.3gr of H4350 behind a 168 VLD in this 7-08 AI, that gave us an average muzzle velocity of 2659. We did get another 150 fps faster, but the accuracy was not there. BTW, we tried to make the 150 LRAB shoot, it was a complete waste of good powder and primers.
The 140’s we shoot with VarGet.
CW
I have found VarGet does about as well as anything. H4350 is accurate as well. We have tried a host of powders in those burn ranges, I will check my data in a bit to see if I left something out that you might find useful.
CW
Edit
In checking my load data, we loaded 46.3gr of H4350 behind a 168 VLD in this 7-08 AI, that gave us an average muzzle velocity of 2659. We did get another 150 fps faster, but the accuracy was not there. BTW, we tried to make the 150 LRAB shoot, it was a complete waste of good powder and primers.
The 140’s we shoot with VarGet.
CW
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Yep the LRABs seem to be very unreliable accuracy wise in my experience also.
I'm same with 150gr ABLR in my 280AI and 284.
I see you live in Co. If it's any help I purchased 2 boxes Berger 7mm 140gr Hunter VLD. I shot 20 from one box other box unopened. Didn't work for me. I'll sell them for what I paid if that helps?
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Anyone try the 168g 7mm Classic Hunter in any caliber? I have had great luck with the 175g LRAB... in three rifles, 280 AI and 7 mags, 9 twists.
I did try the 168gr VLD with RL19 in my Stevens 200. Round count on the barrel was way up there, (approx 6,000) so throat was long.
Kicked like a mule in an 8lb rifle! Accuracy wise decent.
The 160gr Sierra HPBT GameKing actually grouped better.
If your gonna try it, i'd suggest throating your chamber to seat the bullet out of the powder charge.
Kicked like a mule in an 8lb rifle! Accuracy wise decent.
The 160gr Sierra HPBT GameKing actually grouped better.
If your gonna try it, i'd suggest throating your chamber to seat the bullet out of the powder charge.
centerlineseal
Gold $$ Contributor
In a 700 Rem VLS, 24" barrel and using 47.2 gr H4350 and a CCI BR-2 primer, we were able to get consistent 1/2" to 3/4" groups at 2,775 fps with an SD of 12.0 using the Berger 168 VLD Hunt. We did not do a bullet seating test to attempt to shoot better groups.
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