Low recoil youth load f 7mm-08 150 grain accubond long range

teeter

Beginner
Nov 6, 2016
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I am looking for a good accurate 7mm-08 reduced/low recoil load for a friends 8 year old. I think the 150 AccuBond long range would be good because of the low expansion velocity. Please help with a good load. Thank you.
 
Get some H4895 and visit Hodgdon's reloading data online for reduced recoil loads.

I did so for my daughter and have her shooting a 7mmWSM happily. She killed her 2nd deer, first buck, with that load/rifle.

She killed her first with a 257 Roberts loaded with a reduced charge as well.

I am a firm believer in it.
 
Welcome aboard, teeter; good to have you joining us. Tom gave you the straight skinny--great advice.
 
I have a very fussy CVA single-shot 708. Unless I run ammo down around 3030 type pressures I get vertical stringing because it's a break open Action. I'm Runnin 37 grains of Varget under the 160 ab for a speed of 2330 out of my 20 inch barrel... even at this low pressure it burns nice and clean and gives me consistent readings over the chronograph and it's pretty darn accurate.
I would think the same load would work on your 150 just fine.
 
teeter":1tb2b18y said:
Thanks a bunch. What grain bullet?

I'm using a 120BT for her, but visit the site. You can use any bullet you want.

You simply find a published max charge of H4895 for your chosen bullet and the site will give you the percent reduction you can use for your absolute minimum charge. It's a percentage.

The resulting minimums in my experience have been pipsqueak loads. My daughter has handled charges about halfway from the calculated minimum to full max and done so very well.
 
H or IMR4895 is your huckleberry. It works well in quite a few cartridges I've tried.

That 150 ABLR should work well at those speeds too.
 
I used the 120 BT with a 7mm-08 for my son on his first deer hunt. I used the reduced recoil data from Hodgdon's website. I didn't exceed the minimum load (60%, I think) and the recoil was next to nothing.
One shot, pass through double lung on a buck at 175 yards.



P
 
A 7mm 120 Gr BT has a very good reputation around here, from what I've seen. Like a dummy, sold my 7mm-08. Never used it on game but it was stupid proof accurate. CL
 
Hodgdon Powder Company developed the following reduced loads for use on deer and similarly sized game animals. The bullets chosen were originally designed for single shot pistols and their lower velocities. These rifle loads have been developed to closely approximate those pistol velocities, resulting in similar performance on game animals. Thus, producing loads effective to 200 yards with minimal recoil.
H4895 powder was chosen because it is the slowest burning propellant that ignites uniformly in reduced charges. For years H4895 has been the top choice of cast bullet shooters. For this type of shooting, loads are reduced even more than the hunting loads listed here. To create this type of target and plinking loads, we recommend our 60% rule with H4895: Refer to our latest reloading manual or the Reloading Data Center found on this website; take the maximum H4895 charge listed for any given cartridge and multiply it by 60%. The shooter can create a 1500 to 2100 f/s load, depending on the bullet weight shown. This works ONLY where H4895 is listed. DO NOT use H4895 in a cartridge where it has not been shown.
Call Hodgdon Powder Company if additional information is needed. Loads may be adjusted up or down to achieve best accuracy. However, DO NOT reduce by more than an additional 10%.
 
That long 150 ABLR will hold its speed better for the occasional 200-250yd shot, even in a light load.
 
preacher":xn9a2imt said:
That long 150 ABLR will hold its speed better for the occasional 200-250yd shot, even in a light load.

True enough. It depends on the young person and recoil sensitivity, as well as the intended game. That 150 ABLR will generate noticeably more felt recoil than some of the combos with 120 gr. bullets for example. I'm not aware of any charts that show felt or free recoil in a certain poundage rifle, there may be some out there somewhere! Add in stock design, recoil pads, etc. as other variables. We all have stories about one guy's .308 kicking much harder than his friend's, for example :grin:

Kudos to all who contribute to helping youngsters find the joy we do in shooting and hunting!
EE2
 
There is an online calculator out there anyway. It shows recoil impulse time, velocity, and recoil energy for rounds and rifle weights input.
The 7mm-08 w/120 gr. bullet at 2600 fps = 10.75 lb. of energy
.308 w/150 gr. ABLR at 2500 fps = 14.93 lb. of energy
.308 w/150 gr. ABLR at 2900 fps = 18.81 lb. of energy (usual max velocity load)

The 150 ABLR crosses the 1200 ft/lb striking energy threshhold at about 275 yds.
The 120 BT crosses the same at about 190 yards.

Hodgdon doesn't list loads for .308 cal. for youth with larger than 135 gr. bullets. The max youth load for the 135 grainers goes 2500 fps, regardless of caliber. That one has about 13 lbs. of recoil energy.

You'd have to load the .308 150 ABLR down to 2300 fps to get down to that 13 lbs. of recoil energy Hodgdon max's at. Then the striking energy threshhold for 1200 ft/lbs. goes to 200 yards. Not much difference between the two then, if you want to minimize actual recoil. At that level, the 7mm-08 still has 2.25 lbs. less actual recoil energy, and 10 yards less range :) :grin: Now my head hurts! Hope this twisted logic makes sense.
EE2
 
quickload will estimate recoil . just plug your load data in and get the recoil generated . yes , lighter bullets will give lower recoil . rifle fit has a lot to do with felt recoil .

in Denise's 7mm-08 , I'm using a 120 grain b-tip , 39.0 grains H4895 , cci 200 primer , rem brass . quickload velocity is supposed to be 2716 FPS . this load gives 9.6 ft lbs of recoil with an 8 pound total weight rifle .

I played with quickload to get close to the same recoil of a max load 243 using 100 gr bullets , 8 pound total weight rifle gives 10.16 ft lbs recoil . so my 7-08 load is about a half a pound LESS recoil than a max 243 using 100 gr bullets .
 
Same bullet and 40.0gr of H4895 gives about 2350 in my daughter's 7mmWSM.

QL estimated it around 7-8lbs of recoil. I think I can move it up a bit for her next year with some range time.
 
I've been loading 120 Ballistic Tips and 125 Partitions with the 34 grain charge of H4895 in my little 6.5 Swede. Those two shoot to the same POI at 100. Dewey was nice enough to send me a bunch of 129 ABLRs. Might have to load a couple up over the same charge. Speeds with the 120 and 125 are running right at 2500. Recoil feels very light. I'd think those ABLRs should act really well at those speeds.
 
I should have joined this forum a long time ago. Thanks everyone for the input.
 
For an 8 yr old I'd look at 120 gr bullets too. At lower velocity those traditional cup and core bullets should work just fine. I developed reduced 125 gr loads for my 308 and they are very easy to shoot and quite accurate.
 
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