Whats wrong with the 7mm08?

[Fordnutter]

I haven't actually tried Varget yet - I opted for slower burning powders to help maximise velocity with the heavies. When I get some spare time I'll try this out & report back. So far H4831sc & Reloader 17 gave the best speeds but H4350 has been the most consistent for accuracy, pressure & extreme spreads. This is the powder that I've settled on for the moment. I've near matched the other powders speeds, accuracy is fantastic & ES spreads are consistently single digits. I can see why the round is so popular with the shilouette shooters. If the 7mm08 were allowed for FTR I bet there would be a huge move to this chambering - I certainly would be building a rifle 8)

 

[jimbires]

I didn't try varget either . I played with quickload and found RL17 to give the highest velocity and decided to try it . I like RL17 and I'll probably stick with it . my velocity E.S. is also good .

ford nutter , I didn't get to shoot anything with my 140 berger yet . I have a week of doe season coming in December that I hope to shoot one . Jim

 

[XTR]

Varget is supposed to have much better temperature stability than most other powders, and in my 308 it will produce sub .5 groups. I find that to be somewhat reassuring for a load that I know is hot when the ambient temperature gets above 90 It also shoots very well for me, off of a Harris bipod I recently burned up 15 leftover match rounds (Berger 185 BTs) at the 100 yd range and got a .34 and two .5 moa groups.



I'm sure that if the F-TR rules changed everyone on the line would be shooting something in .284. Hihg BCs rule at 1000 yds. The other side of that coin is that I'm happy with the caliber limitation, it keeps me out of the arms race, and all things considered a 308 is cheaper to shoot than just about anything other than a 22RF. It can make it hard to get and maintain a high classification.

 

[mattri]

Fordnutter, any new results to share? Also, I may have missed it but are you seating to mag length or beyond? Thanks, Matt.

 

[Fordnutter]

Sorry haven't had a whole lot to report as haven't been doing a whole lot of shooting lately. I'm off on our annual Wallaby shoot shortly so have settled on the 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 2,970fps with ADI2209 (H4350) powder for my varmint load in the mean time. Accuracy is impressive with this load routinely producing 1/2moa off harris bipod in the field & my jumper for the rear bag. Goes splat pretty good launching rabbits, Hares quite spectacularly too. I'm putting together a long range varmint / F class rifle on a Barnard P action, 32" trueflite barrel & will be chambered in 7mm something. I'm tempted to chamber it in 7mm08 to see what this round can do with longer barrel lengths. I don't think 2,900fps with a 162gr Amax or 2,800fps with 180gr Berger would be out of the question. My mates are chambering their new custom rifles in 284 Winchester so I might even join them yet.

 

[mattri]

Thanks for the information. You're shooting a 24" barrel, correct? What's your COL?

 

[Fordnutter]

Yip using a 1-9" twist 24" barrel on Rem Model 7. I don't have a loaded round on hand but by memory OAL is 3.1" so definately no magazine loading. The base of a 162gr Amax doesn't protrude past the neck & the 180grVLD base about the start of the shoulder taper. A 7mm08 AI would be an interesting project 8)

 

[ChrisNZ]

As an aside, the guy that just won the NZ NRA F-Class Nationals was shooting a 7/300 WSM pumping out 180 Hybrids at 3150. When the conditions went to pieces, his heavy gun was the telling difference over a 6.5x47 which had been doing extremely well with a far higher centre count. Proof there's no substitute for grunt in that game when it blows up (and Trentham showed its worst this year..)

Chris-NZ

 

[mattri]

Still re-reading this thread.

It sounds as though the target crowd favors the 6.5s or "reduced recoil and better ballistics" but as I look at recoil calculators the difference is negligible at best, and the 7mms don't do too bad in the wind.

I'm not a 7mm fan, or a 6.5 guy either. It just seems that the .284s are going to do a little better in the wind, and unless you're shooting ukds the drop is workable.

Have a single shot action that's ready for a new barrel. Most shots will be within 600 yards, but its a twitchy, chaotic 600 yards.

Looking at building a 7mm-08 with no mag restrictions, thoughts?

 

[Soonlobo]

Still re-reading this thread.

It sounds as though the target crowd favors the 6.5s or "reduced recoil and better ballistics" but as I look at recoil calculators the difference is negligible at best, and the 7mms don't do too bad in the wind.

I'm not a 7mm fan, or a 6.5 guy either. It just seems that the .284s are going to do a little better in the wind, and unless you're shooting ukds the drop is workable.

Have a single shot action that's ready for a new barrel. Most shots will be within 600 yards, but its a twitchy, chaotic 600 yards.

Looking at building a 7mm-08 with no mag restrictions, thoughts?

I saw this old thread and since I just built a Remington 700 7mm-08 thought I would respond.

I think the 7mm-08 is a very good but maybe not great choice for target shooting and hunting out to 600 yards. It's easy to see why so many competitors prefer the 6.5's over the 7mm-08 but you could choose worse.

The AMAX 162 looks to be the best bullet choice for target shooting the Rem 700 out to 600. Varget has been my go-to powder and I am about to test others, but the Varget will be tough to beat.

The load is 40.5 grs Varget with Lapua 7mm-08 seated at 2.960" 26" varmint barrel. Shot this group at 200 yards in 98 degree heat last week when I re-zeroed the rifle after the new load. First shot was high next six after scope adjustment.



I think the 7mm-08 is a very good choice out to 600 yards.

 

[Quickoz]

I run a 7mm08AI for 300-1000yd F-Class. Its only 40fps behind normal 284 loads. I dont see any disadvantage when you take into account barrel life, case life, powder used, and wind drift. Stuff all in it.

Ford Nutter, where in AU are you mate?

 

[Soonlobo]

Ran IMR 8208 XBR with 162 gr AMAX's through the Rem 700 7mm-08 today at 200 yards with excellent results. Seven rounds less than 1 MOA with a three-round cloverleaf.

The IMR 8208 looks to be even better than Varget with my 7-08.

 

[Barlow]

What would be wrong with a 7x57 Mauser? Barlow

 

[normmatzen]

I built a hunting rifle around a VZ-24 action with a WWII 7X57 large ring barrel cut down to 24"

I have been shooting both A-MAX 162 gr and 140 gr TTSX. Turns out the TTSX must be seated toan AOL of 2.95 or so and they shoot lightas out with the barrel as old as I am!

The A-MAX is equally accurate, but I shot a small black tail and a small pig within 30 minutes and both animals had 7mm entrance holes and fist size exit holes with a lot of damaged meat. A-MAX are single shot killers, but small, light skined animals need less expansion. That's why I started using 140 gr TTSX.

I have been loading with RL-17 and running 2650 for the A-MAX and 2750 for the TTSX.

 

[Soonlobo]

I built a hunting rifle around a VZ-24 action with a WWII 7X57 large ring barrel cut down to 24"

I have been shooting both A-MAX 162 gr and 140 gr TTSX. Turns out the TTSX must be seated toan AOL of 2.95 or so and they shoot lightas out with the barrel as old as I am!

The A-MAX is equally accurate, but I shot a small black tail and a small pig within 30 minutes and both animals had 7mm entrance holes and fist size exit holes with a lot of damaged meat. A-MAX are single shot killers, but small, light skined animals need less expansion. That's why I started using 140 gr TTSX.

I have been loading with RL-17 and running 2650 for the A-MAX and 2750 for the TTSX.

I inherited my dad's Spanish 7x57 Mauser.

Through blind luck a buddy found that IMR 3031 was basically the same powder the Germans used when developing loads for the old Mausers. Turns out IMR 3031 and round nosed 175 gr bullets pair up to make a great load for the old 7x57's.

 

[Phil McGrath]

The load is 40.5 grs Varget with Lapua 7mm-08 seated at 2.960" 26" varmint barrel. Shot this group at 200 yards in 98 degree heat last week when I re-zeroed the rifle after the new load. First shot was high next six after scope adjustment.



I think the 7mm-08 is a very good choice out to 600 yards.

What was the Lapua's bullet weight? and did you chrono it?

 

[Phil McGrath]

Ran IMR 8208 XBR with 162 gr AMAX's through the Rem 700 7mm-08 today at 200 yards with excellent results. Seven rounds less than 1 MOA with a three-round cloverleaf.

The IMR 8208 looks to be even better than Varget with my 7-08.

How much IMR-8208? what was the velocity?

 

[Soonlobo]

Bullet was 162 AMAX with Lapua brass. 39.8 grains of IMR 8208, a pretty hot load, would start below and work up. No crony, velocity should be around 2650 fps.

I've since found a more accurate load, Berger 140 gr VLD Hunting seated at 2.84" with 41.8 grains Varget. 1 1/8" group of 9 rounds at 200 yards. The grouping had 3 rounds close to the middle of the X with three other groups of two bracketing the middle group. Velocity should be around 2800 fps. I shoot at 200, 300, and 600 yards, this will probably be my go-to load.

 

[Phil McGrath]

Thanks.