Update:
It's a .338 Fed now, just as it was always meant to be.
Weather reports proclaimed a mild day in the low 60's and light wind due north. Perfect.
WRONG
I hit the range at 10 AM, blustery, swirling 10-20mph winds, at it was around the low 40's.
Still..... took a few shots with some...
I'm going back FOTIS on a pronghorn. Definitely not all that unusual, but trying to get a Good'un on a DYI/ Public Land hunt is more than an acceptable challenge for any hunter/tress regardless of where you have ever hunted prior !
You'll know when you've done very well if the locals stop to...
I question as to why you feel the necessity to try using a heavy weight (for cartridge) in the 7mm/08.
High BC ? Greater possible down range KE? Wind Drift? What ?
And what are you shooting at? Steel, game, cardboard commies?
The 140 AB/BT, or even the150 ABLR, squeak out about the most...
Actually, I've found it to be a pretty simple process. Just get on a couple forums and ask. You'll get a dozen "most" accurate loads, but in time it's easy to see which are consistent across the board, as apposed to just someones personal favorite.
The suggestions will not nail it down to...
Yeah, sometimes it's like Christmas when you open a box from SPS. Never know exactly what your going to get ! Red tip, Silver tip, banded.....it's still the same BT/AB/PT advertised bullet, just a cosmetic glitch. That's why we're paying 50 cents to the dollar. They've all shot the same for me.
Finally, Finally got to get out to the range and take the 1st shots with the RA re-bore. I was actually expecting it to thump the old shoulder with a bit more authority, but it was a pleasant surprise to find the recoil was easy-peasy.
Ran some Fed Fusion 200's and 45.0gr of RL-15 w/ 200gr...
Not having stated your barrel length...2897 fps is a screaming 150gr bullet out of a 7/08, and I personally don't like the look of those primers. Just my $0.02, but it looks like you're on/over the edge.
How about this? On your way to NZ take a stop in Hawaii. You can get your Axis deer and Mouflon (Spanish goat and boar too), then scoot down to NZ and grab your Fallow and Red stag !
I'm thinking a .338 something. You have the magazine length to play around a little. Maybe something like a 338X57 Improved, or a 338/284.
Should be able to launch a 160gr Barnes at 3000fps+ without a gliche, or a 225gr well over 2500fps.
I wish I could show a recovered bullet, but they have all decided to just keep going 'that a'way'. No place to put one thru the jugs either. Sucks living in a Metro area. Takes me 1 1/2 hrs. just to get to a range.
It worked Great on the pigs, but actually I think it's a bit stout for...
Not much going on for 7mm tests, so I thought I'd show one of the loads I've used for many, many moons. It's given me about a dozen 100% 1st shot kills on whitetails & pigs.
Ruger MKII, 7mm/08
150gr Ballistic Tip
WLR primer
R-P once fired brass
2.800 OAl
40.5gr RL-15
+/- 2650 fps. (YMMV)
Looks like I can draw a tag this year, and the stats also look pretty good. Anybody hunted the area? Just looking for some pro/con, not a specific area to hunt, that would spoil half the fun of going.
Same political crap in Ohio. You can use a 50/110 straight wall to blow a hole that will take down any elephant, mastodon, or T-Rex that ever walked the face of the earth.....but God Forbid anyone use a 30/30, 250 savage, or a 35 Rem !
Idiots.
Some years ago I was at the range, outside Phoenix, getting my brain thoroughly rattled, doing some test loads out of my 338 Win Mag, when the guy next to me approached during a lull in the action and asked if I'd spot for him. Seems he was having a problem sighting in his 22/250.
He's hitting...
I couldn't even find them on Ammo Seek. BT's and E-Tips just went up on SPS today. Ammo Seek has multiple listing for PT's.
Otherwise, you're in the waiting game.