Need a hunting load for my 7mm08

[DanWalker]

Hi guys,
I haven't had a lot of time to play with my 7mm group buy mould yet, but once I finish filling my antelope tags and my deer tags I'll have a little time to tinker before coyote hunting and ice fishing consume the rest of my year.
I'd like to push this bullet to as high a velocity as is possible while maintaing decent accuracy .
I think if i get my alloy and hardness correct I should get good terminal performance out of this boolit. My problem is a distinct lack of loading data for the powders I have on hand.
Currently on my shelf I have:
Unique
2400
Red Dot
Varget
H322
IMR4064
Any suggestions?
Anyone else playing with this boolit in a 7mm08?
How fast do you guys think I can realistically expect to push this boolit when cast from an alloy suitable for hunting?

[scrapcan]

DanWalker,

Where are you located in our fair state (Casper Area?)? Where are you shooting at, Range or Public Land? Not many of us on here, but not many people in the state either. (thanks for your service to the rest of us by the way). What agency did you work for as a biologist?

AS for the 7mm-08 loadings you might look at www.castpics.net in the data section. Not data for the 7mm-08 but you can sure look at the 7X57 data for ideas. Also do a search for 7mm-06 or 7mm or BoomBoom. I think there are some good posts in a couple of those threads.

And then read Oldfellers thread on the savage/stevens 7mm-08 under special projects.

I think this would be a fun cartridge to get to work with, but I am becoming really fond of the 7mm family.

Take care.

jeremy

[DanWalker]

DanWalker,

Where are you located in our fair state (Casper Area?)? Where are you shooting at, Range or Public Land? Not many of us on here, but not many people in the state either. (thanks for your service to the rest of us by the way). What agency did you work for as a biologist?

AS for the 7mm-08 loadings you might look at www.castpics.net in the data section. Not data for the 7mm-08 but you can sure look at the 7X57 data for ideas. Also do a search for 7mm-06 or 7mm or BoomBoom. I think there are some good posts in a couple of those threads.

And then read Oldfellers thread on the savage/stevens 7mm-08 under special projects.

I think this would be a fun cartridge to get to work with, but I am becoming really fond of the 7mm family.

Take care.

jeremy

Jeremy, I live in casper.
I usually go to coal mtn to shoot, but some times go to stuckenhoffs
As far as my service goes, I felt a calling, and wanted to see if I could be one of the best. By the grace of God I was able to enter their ranks and give 10 years of service before moving on to other things.
I worked for a couple nonprofit organizations as a biologist, including a dream job hunting and trapping feral hogs on an island in the pacific ocean.
I also worked for WY G&F at the hatchery for a few months. Ultimately I got tired of living like a nomad and not knowing where my next paycheck was coming from.
I settled down to "normal" jobs 3 years ago.
As for the 7mm08, I really dote on it now. I fell into the "you need a huge magnum to hunt the west" trap initially, and wound up with a rotten flinch for my trouble. I dumped my shoulder beater in favor of the 7mm08 in a lightweight mountain rifle. This little cartridge continues to impress me with it's understated perfection. It shoots VERY accurately. Blast and recoil are negligible, and the terminal effect seems way out of proportion to the mild shooting characteristics.
Anyhow, If you're in the neighborhood, let me know. I'm always looking for fun people to shoot with and hang out with.
Thanks,
Dan

[Buckshot]

...............I have no experience with the 7-08 but lots with the 7x57. I'm sure they share the same twist and I've found the 7's to be very responsive to cast boolit's. I believe Starmetal has a 7-08. You might PM him for some cast data.

...............Buckshot

[frank505]

Wifes 7mm 08 likes the Saeco 145 grain , Saeco 140 flat nose and the Lyman 287346 all shot with 25 grains of 5744. Tuesday she was dinging an eight inch plate at 150 yards from sitting with the cast loads holding center. Same hold works for her big game load, 154 Hornady and 40 grains of Re 15.

[scrapcan]

Dan,

Good to hear Wyoming is treating you well. I too have been down the Nomad trail, there is money to be made but it comes with a price also. I get to Casper once in a while (quite often for work, but firearms are against the state regs). I was actually at Speas Hatchery early this summer looking at the new well that was drilled. Our division was concerned about effects upon the big spring from the pumped well.

Send me a PM and I will get in touch. Same goes if you are in Cheyenne Area. There are a few others on the board that are in the general casper area and on member that posts frequently from the Buffalo area (not far in western states terms). I see Frank505 is in Cody, another fine place to visit, spent thanks giving there with my wife last year and I was there earlier this summer looking at a subdivision that has a water supply from a small spring. Also some good people in Gillette (spend a lot of time there with my job) and Hulette, If you are going to be in their area let me know and I will get you in touch.

Actually I have seen all the state except Evanston this summer. Sometimes I think it woudl be nice to have an area where people from the different areas could build a community. I see there is one going right on now for NM (lived in the Four Corners for about a year and half, it was a good place economy just took a down turn).

Someday we should try to get a state get together going, maybe a shoot in the style of the burrito match that Buckshot puts on. I would be up for a few hour drive to eat lunch and shoot (bullets and the breeze).

And now back on topic, also very interested in your success with the 7mm bore. As said earlier I am becoming quite a fan.

Jeremy