Dilemma

[Gunner46]

I have everything on hand to start my winter dull-drums reloading project for my 1st ever upcoming Pronghorn/Mule Deer hunt this fall. I'll be using a Ruger 77 7mm/08 paddle boat, with a Leupold 3.5X10X40 CDS.

I have 120 TSX, 140 Accubonds, and 150 BT's bullets. IMR 4064, RL-15, and Varget powders. The 150'd have been my go-to for eastern whitetails for almost 15yrs now, but is no distance demon. 40.5gtns of RL-15 @ 2650 fps. Hopefully with different powders I might get another 75 fps out of it, but no pipedreams.

Here's the dilemma. I can't afford to spend any more $$ than I already have for components, but I won't have enough brass to load my customary 15 rnds per powder/bullet. (5 rnds of each test load, with .5 grn increments)

So....do I cut it back to just 3 rnds each, skip one of the .5 grn increments, or drop a powder? Varget IS going to be one of them.

I travel A LOT for work, so I'd really like to get the initial trials over in one trip to the range. It's a 1 1/2 drive to get there, but I can make a day of it.

Suggestions?

Gunner

 

[FOTIS]

Find an accurate load from 2800 -3000 fps with the 120 BT or the 120 TTSX and you're done.

Yes the 120 BT will handle mulies nicely! In fact I have seen it take elk (bulls) from the 7mm-08. Do not stress.

Oh and varget or H4350 is your huckleberry!

 

[DrMike]

You can learn a lot with three rounds. I would be quite content tagging mule deer with the 120 grain BT. It will serve you well.

 

[Wyo7200]

How far away are you thinking of needing to be able to shoot? I'm just asking because I think their is a slight misconception about hunting out west (if that is where you are going) that involves needing to shoot out to 600-1200 yards or else you're eating tag soup. If you do it right by using the landscape and weather to your advantage, you can stalk up on dimwitted muleys or wait out for the habitual pronghorn from a reasonable distance of under 200-300 yards. I don't know all of the puzzle pieces so my opinion may not be valid in your situation and circumstances. I'm just thinking that you may be set with your 150gr load.

If materials are a concern, post your cases H2o capacity, desired OAL, and barrel length. Maybe we could give you a dialed in charge to match an optimal barrel time node.

 

[Silentstalker]

I agree with the others. In my Wifes 7mm-08, we load the 120 gr. BT using varget. That thing is a tack driver and will cleanly kill any mule deer or antelope she shoots at. Save your other bullets and powder! If you truly only want to use what you have, load up those accubonds with varget. They will shoot great too. I would worry the TSX may be too stout for the antelope and may not expand much?? Others can speak more to that.

Good luck and enjoy your hunt!

 

[salmonchaser]

Gunner
7200 makes a good point on the whole distance thing. I've killed an awful lot of mule deer since my first back in 1967. Only a hand full were over 300, most were well under. You will be fine with the 7/08. 120 to 140 work well.

 

[Vince]

You can learn a lot with three rounds. I would be quite content tagging mule deer with the 120 grain BT. It will serve you well.

I agree.
I do my load work up using three round per charge. Then I select the best from that and fine tune the charge in smaller increments. After that I adjust the seating depth.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMike]

Half grain increments is a bit fine. Obviously, it works. However, it isn't necessary. A half grain increment is a 1% change in charge weight. For initial assessments, a 2% or even a 3% differential will give you the data you need. Ergo, one to one and a half grain differentials will suffice for a work-up.

 

[SJB358]

Half grain increments is a bit fine. Obviously, it works. However, it isn't necessary. A half grain increment is a 1% change in charge weight. For initial assessments, a 2% or even a 3% differential will give you the data you need. Ergo, one to one and a half grain differentials will suffice for a work-up.

Great advice. I will use bigger increments at first to see where I am at speed wise. I won't mess around with a load that I think is too slow for what I am using.

Once you find a charge you like, sometimes I'll split it up in .5 grain increments. Once I have found that powder charge I like, I will tweak bullet seating depth as needed.

Seems like Varget and 120's will work excellent for you.. Should be able to get plenty of speed from them. RL15 is great as well.

 

[DrMike]

Fine changes in charge weight should be reserved for the final tweaking.

 

[preacher]

Just use your favorite 150 load of the past 15yrs! spend your time at the range getting your CDS dialed in right and you are set! Make sure you have the little set screws tightened properly and take a couple extra allen wrenches with you. I have even put a small amount of lock-tite on the set screws of one I had for a 300 RUM. If you don't have a good range finder, borrow one or sell something and get one...just one that goes to 500 is plenty and small enough to put in a shirt pocket. The wind will be your biggest booger out in the prairie! I took a Mod 700 Mountain Rifle ( 280AI, I only gained 50 fps in its 22" bbl) and a 3x9 Leupold Compact scope, back in '93 to Laramie for a combo hunt. Up in the foothills for the muleys, it was just fine. Out on the short grass prairie, that wind not only blew my bullets off target ( once almost 6 ft!) out around 300 but it blew "me and my rifle" around! I couldn't get prone for the cactus/terrain features, so shot from the sit ( a very good position normally for me) off cross sticks. It was very hard to get still! I missed several that day! That afternoon I ended up killing a nice pronger buck that was chasing a doe. I could see them running all over the place, so slipped up to a snow fence ( off a ranch road, not highway) got wrapped up tight in the fence and missed him running at 100 ( they are fast) He put on the afterburners but ran straight away at a slight angle, I popped him 250 in the left flank and bullet went up into neck/shoulder. I was also using the 150BT. My point is I too agree, "hunt" and get set up on the antelope, they move around all day and if you miss ( hopefully clean) you will get another shot later in the day! I have later on shot several antelope does here in Utah . The wind eat me up one two of them and I caught a no wind situation on five of them, from several different rifles/calibers from 300WM to a couple of wildcats ( 6mm/284 and 6.5/284) from 75yds to 350yds. If you use a bipod set up, be sure you zero the rifle with it from hunting positions. ( I prefer cross sticks, either home made or store bought. Some love antelope meat, some hate it ( I haven't figured out how to cook the wild gamey taste out yet! ha) Have a ball dude!

 

[SJB358]

Jim brings up a great point. A Nosler 150 BT is very good in my boys 7x57..

 

[Wyo7200]

It's so weird seeing your hometown being talked about.

Don't forget to tape your muzzle.

 

[wildgene]

I have everything on hand to start my winter dull-drums reloading project for my 1st ever upcoming Pronghorn/Mule Deer hunt this fall. I'll be using a Ruger 77 7mm/08 paddle boat, with a Leupold 3.5X10X40 CDS.

I have 120 TSX, 140 Accubonds, and 150 BT's bullets. IMR 4064, RL-15, and Varget powders. The 150'd have been my go-to for eastern whitetails for almost 15yrs now, but is no distance demon. 40.5gtns of RL-15 @ 2650 fps. Hopefully with different powders I might get another 75 fps out of it, but no pipedreams.

I'd start w/ your 40.5gr. loads, try 41.0grs & 41.5grs (max load/ Nosler#7) to see if they still shoot acceptably, should give you about 100fps. more.
400yd. ballistics Vel/energy/drop/drift using a 200yd. "zero"
150gr. NBT@2750// 2097/1464/22"/11"
140gr. NAB@2800// 2130/1410/22"/11"
120gr. TSX*@3100// 2134/1215/19"/14" ( * a TTXS w/ give you slightly improved ballistics)

Here's the dilemma. I can't afford to spend any more $$ than I already have for components, but I won't have enough brass to load my customary 15 rnds per powder/bullet. (5 rnds of each test load, with .5 grn increments)

So....do I cut it back to just 3 rnds each, skip one of the .5 grn increments, or drop a powder? Varget IS going to be one of them.

I travel A LOT for work, so I'd really like to get the initial trials over in one trip to the range. It's a 1 1/2 drive to get there, but I can make a day of it.

Suggestions?

Gunner