Mod 7 7mm08 Deer Hunting Load Recommendations

[Bully]

Hi all.

I purchased a Remington Mod. 7 in 7mm08. The barrel is a 20" (I think) and will be losing a bit as it's threaded and I want to cut the threads off and re-crown.
I am going to run the 150gn Berger Classic Hunter bullets and have H4350, Varget, and CFE 223 available.
I looking to find a suitable load with any one of these powders. Rifle will be for woods hunting whitetail in the northeast. Longest shot will be 200 but in all honesty, 100 is probably about as far as I would want to go.
Thanks a bunch for any help in advance

 

[bobm]

All three of your propellants are suitable in the 7-08. Only working up loads will determine which is best in your 20" "Seven" My order of testing would begin with Varget. The Hodgdon website lists many choices for 150 gr. bullets.

Take Aim at Rifle Reloading Data | Hodgdon Reloading

Find what you need in four easy steps. Select your cartridge type from the drop-down list. Then select your bullet weight, powder manufacturer and powder type. If you're unsure, or just want options, check as many boxes as you'd like. Click "Get Data" to view results.

www.hodgdonreloading.com

 

[BCBRAD]

A 150 ELD-X , 44gns H-4350, Lapua brass begets 2608 ft/s from my 20" bbl Steyr. A 150 gn Accubond will do the same , but you don't need a premium at those velocities.

 

[Murray Brook]

For the ranges and game mentioned the inexpensive 145 gr Speer SBT is a good choice. All 3 powders you mentioned would be good as well as WW760, H-100V and StaBall 6.5. JMO

 

[Bully]

Thanks all.
The Berger’s got the nod because... they were in stock.
2 boxes of 100 should last me the rest of my life.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Try some Staball 65 Win,. Powder ! It, Meters Perfectly and fairly, Temp "insensitive" !
My son's Tikka T-3, 7mm-08 loves it with, 150 ELD-X's !
Hogdon reloading data,.. has loads ! Your H-4350 with, 43 to 44 grains should work fine !
I'd say NO to, the other 2 Powders !

 

[kyreloader]

120g Nosler BT would get my vote. Great deer bullet for 7-08.

 

[wkdickinson]

I hunted with a Rem 700 Mountain Rifle in 7mm-08 for many years, killed many, many deer with it. I gave it to my son for his 16th birthday. He is now 35 and uses it exclusively for his deer rifle and has also killed many deer. We both have used the same load, 160gr Sierra Game King hollow point boat tails, with Varget (don't remember the charge weight). I know 160gr is heavy for a 7mm-08. I personally never had a one of those bullets exit a deer, but 95% of them died right where they were shot, the rest might have gone 10 yards.

 

[bobm]

Try some Staball 65 Win,. Powder ! It, Meters Perfectly and fairly, Temp "insensitive" !
My son's Tikka T-3, 7mm-08 loves it with, 150 ELD-X's !
Hogdon reloading data,.. has loads ! Your H-4350 with, 43 to 44 grains should work fine !
I'd say NO to, the other 2 Powders !

No to Varget...Why? He has it available, has plenty of bullets to mess with. Try them both.

I am with you, Murray. Put a decent bullet in the boiler room. Done.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

We shot the 4350 "Burn Rate Powders" BEST and got top Velocities in, my son's 7 mm-08 !
H-4350, RL-17, But,.. Staball 65,.. outperformed them, all !
Always felt that, Varget was best, in a smaller .22 cart. varmint cal !
OK, so I missed one, on the "test",.. my bad,..LOL !

 

[Bully]

Finding any supplies locally is a challenge. StaBall especially so. When I called one LGS, the guy was like "What powder and by who?"
I only got the H4350 because a buddy wanted to pad his order and share the hazmat/shipping charges. Otherwise I would be trying Varget and nothing more.

 

[Brown274]

My deer tree rifle is a 7-08. I use Varget, CCI, Sierra 140g Pro-Hunter, and Starling brass.

 

[cjames]

A good 140 Gr bullet and 4350 or Varget for deer. Which ever powder you can get your hands on and your rifle likes best. I’ve also seen good results with IMR 4064. I shoot a 140 Partition due to the hog factor. Due to how thick it is where I hunt and we like to get exits on the hogs and hope for a blood trail if they do happen to run.

 

[std7mag]

Personally, with the 150gr Berger, i'd go with the H4350. Varget after that.
CFE223 to fertilize the lawn.

 

[Bully]

CFE223 to fertilize the lawn.

That’s funny!

 

[billshehane]

My 20" barrel Mod. 7 7-08 does very well with Varget and the TTSX 120gn. Barnes. No tracking needed ( too old ) and has worked out to 300yds. just fine on deer.

 

[std7mag]

Sorry....
Kind of.

CFE223 was the single worst powder for me in 7mm-08, 7mm-08AI.
Couldn't get it to settle down.

If you use it, don't do load development now!
Wait till July, or August.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

The Berger 150 ch is a very easy bullet to work up loads for. Only down side is it is designed for about 15 inches of penetration. With your shorter barrel 7-08 maybe you will see slightly less expansion/ deeper wound channel. I used that bullet out of my 7saum on a cow elk about 140 yards this fall, through the heart didn't make it to the ribs on opposite side.

 

[Coonman300]

I Have a Ruger compact youth model in 7-08...short barrel but not sure of the length. I’ve not loaded the Berger bullets but the following is my best load with it using 140 gr Nosler Partitions. We’ve killed a lot of deer with it. I use this gun every time I take kids hunting. I feel more confident that if they get to excited and make a poor shot at least I know the bullet will perform well. Hammers the deer.

 

[Chuckhunter]

Have used 140 Sierra Spbt for years with 43.0 Gr's of IMR-4064, never saw a reason to change,, never lost a deer with this load.