7mm-08 120gr BT Loads

[MarkUtah]

I picked up a 7-08 in a Savage youth rifle last year for my wife and she has been shooting the factory 140 grain bullets out of it so far. She likes the gun although she says that it kicks alittle bit too hard. I want to start reloading some amo for her know and wondering what you thoughts were on the 120 gr Ballistic tip bullet and what are some good powders to start with.

Mark

 

[FOTIS]

Try varget with the 120 BT. In my boy's 7mm-08 Savage, I used the 120 bt it shot under 1 " at 100 yards while doing 3100 fps. Took antelope from 75 yards to 332! Very nice never recovered a slug.

Do a search here because this has been discussed before and there were a lot of contributors.

 

[JD338]

MarkUtah

Welcome to the forum.

The 120 gr BT is a very robust bullet and will work very well in your 7mm-08 for deer and speed goats.
Take a look at Varget and IMR4350 powders.

JD338

 

[Powerstroke]

Mark,

+1 & 2 with JD & POP on this one. The 120gr B-tip will do what you want it to. I've taken several elk with this combo and IMR-4350. I took POP's advice and tried some Varget over the weekend. ( sorry, wife shot the 5 I loaded at several different targets, but all 5 would have been aprox .750 I'm guessing )
Here's my go to load

 

[JD338]

Powerstroke

Nicely done! Looks like a shooter. :wink:

JD338

 

[MDP]

I found that the faster burning powders such as Varget, W748, and even IMR 4350 did not work well in my Savage 7mm-08 gun. I worked with IMR 4831 and found two loads that worked very well. Win brass, CCI Mag primer, 120 BT(.020 off lands/grooves), 45gr IMR 4831 with no pressure problems. Also had good results with Win brass, CCI Mag primers, 120gr TSX( .020 off lands/grooves), 46gr IMR 4831. Both loads produced 5/8 inch groups @100yds.

 

[FOTIS]

Mark,

+1 & 2 with JD & POP on this one. The 120gr B-tip will do what you want it to. I've taken several elk with this combo and IMR-4350. I took POP's advice and tried some Varget over the weekend. ( sorry, wife shot the 5 I loaded at several different targets, but all 5 would have been aprox .750 I'm guessing )
Here's my go to load

Velocity?

 

[Powerstroke]

POP,

Is that a poke in the ribs for me to go buy a chrony? I love my -08 so much I hardly ever take it anywhere other than the range anymore. I wish my wife would start using it, but the Varmiter is too heavy for her.
Maybe Santa will add a Chrony to my collection .......

 

[JD338]

Powerstroke

You will wonder how you ever got by once you start using a chronograph!

JD338

 

[Powerstroke]

JD,

I'm really starting to realize that especailly with the .300RUM.

35 Rounds off the bench yesterday of assorted new combos, mostly trying to get the Viht N-165 to shoot. I'm having a hard time finding info
with that combo.

 

[JD338]

and the chronofraph will tell you everything you need to know. :wink:

Let us know what Santa brings you.

JD338

 

[rick smith]

Powerstroke, 90grs of RL 22 behind a 165gr bullet, Fed 215M primer for almost 3500fps in the 300RUM and small clusters at 100yds.Rick.

 

[Powerstroke]

rick,

Thank you, I'll give it a try ! RL-22 I have, but didn't try this last time out.
25, Retumbo, and N-165
180 B-tips and N-165 was about an inch or so.
They all shot close to the same with Retumbo being the best of the 165 B-tips I shot.