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Might need to build a Remage in SAW III went with the 7 SAW Type 2 reamer for the 162 eld-m. Bartlein #3 contour 9tw. 22in finished length. 2850 FPS with Varget which is pretty good considering my buddies 26in 6.5-7 PRC does 3050 with the 162s.
Killed 2 bucks in my first season with it with the 162. Both time DRT.
This year I want to try the Barnes LRX 145 since it’ll be mostly short range hunting and at that distance the 162 will blow up/fragment and make a bit of a mess.
Yep... Been shooting it since 2000 when I got my first one. Currently have 2 of them. A Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 20" carbon fiber 7mm-08 with a 1:9 twist, and an old 2000 model Ruger M77 MKII AW/SS Mountain Rifle 20" 7mm-08 with a 9.5 twist barrel.Previously bought a 28" 1-9 to shoot 162gr eld with Alpha brass and Shooters World Long rifle.
Who's all shooting 7mm 08 ? Im seeing very goodluck with WTO SAW II and the 162gr eld.
Yep... Been shooting it since 2000 when I got my first one. Currently have 2 of them. A Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 20" carbon fiber 7mm-08 with a 1:9 twist, and an old 2000 model Ruger M77 MKII AW/SS Mountain Rifle 20" 7mm-08 with a 9.5 twist barrel.
In the old Ruger I'm still shooting Nosler 140 BT's because it's a close-range rifle, and I won't be using it for anything more than 300 yard deer hunting, even though it's capable of much farther than that. The factory Nosler 140 BT ammo shoots really well in it, and are right at 2,700 FPS MV, and I have several boxes still in the safe, so no need to reload for it right now. It shoots about 1 MOA, so more than capable at 200-300 yards for deer.
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I shoot Berger 175 Elite Hunters in the CA Ridgeline FFT and it shoots 1/3 to 1/4 MOA average. They're not fast (2,400 FPS MV) but it holds enough velocity and energy to take deer sized game at 1,000 yards.
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Who cambered your barrel ?7SAW with the II reamer here. love it.
WTO. 27" benchmark heavy varmint. 8 twistWho cambered your barrel ?
Gotcha i did a 1-8 22xc very similar to the 22lrvWTO. 27" benchmark heavy varmint. 8 twist
they did a 22LRV for me too
Try a 160 NAB or 168 NAB-LR, they typically do pretty good for me in the rifle that I shoot them in seated about .020" off the lands.Yep, but this one is refusing to shoot 162 A-max with a new 8.7 Bartlien. It loves the 150 smk and I am about to try the 150 eld-x. I was almost out of my old stockpile of Amax anyway.
Hey what powder did you use or do you have a pet chargeYes. Always a temptation to abandon for the newer cartridges but the cartridge has been just so steadfast reliable i can’t help have a soft spot for it.
The 150eld’s have been really great and almost seemed to have been designed with the 7mm-08 in mind.
When i had the longer barrel 7mm-08 before this it was just slick with the 162’s going right where you wanted them. I regretted selling it shortly there after and came right back to it albeit with a shorter barrel.
If you want hard-hitting, the Berger 175 Elites are stomping out of my 20" Ridgeline FFT 7mm-08 with StaBall 6.5 powder in Nosler brass with CCI 200 primers. I checked with my new Garmin XERO C1 chrono this past weekend, and they were leaving the muzzle at an average of 2,636 FPS (which is about 20 FPS faster than my Bulletseeker chrono was reading). Sadly, I feel more confident in the $600 Garmin's accruacy than I do the $1,100 Bulletseeker radar, just because of how finicky the BSm4 is, and the Garmin never missed a single shot and was extremely consistent from shot-to-shot.That’s a sweet rig! I’m thinking about cutting mine down to 18” so it’s not so long with a suppressor. I’m just not sure where to start with hand loads
If you have a 1:9 or faster twist, you can shoot the 175’s no problem.I was not sure that I could get that heavy but I will check that out Thanks and I will report back
If you ever re-barrel, it would be worth it to run a 1:8 twist to take advantage of the 180 eldms. With Staball 6.5, I’m running them a touch over 2600 out of a 22” barrel. Where I hunt, I keep 1500 ftlbs to around 750 yards, and an optimal impact velocity from basically muzzle to 900 yards.
What‘s your velocity at 900 yards?
Looks like the load drops below 1800 fps at 800 yards.
But that’s at sea level.
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Nice work up! Thanks for guidance.708-708AI chambered by PVA, self built
Benchmark 26" Sendero cut rifled 1/9T:
162gr ELDM 2.880" COAL
Lapua Brass
215M primer
708 version:
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At what point does a 7mm-08 morph into a .280 Rem?
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Guess it depends on what aspects you look at.At what point does a 7mm-08 morph into a .280 Rem?
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Every 708/708AI load I’ve tried with StaBall 6.5 has pressured out before desired/book velocity compared to W760, RL17, H100V.IMO, basically as soon as you start using Staball 6.5
Every 708/708AI load I’ve tried with StaBall 6.5 has pressured out before desired/book velocity compared to W760, RL17, H100V.
243/.243AI too.
What brass and powder are you using to do that with a 22”. Nice rifle BTW.My first ever custom was a 22” 7mm-08 with a 7tw Bart. Running 162eldms at 2740fps - love it. I’ve owned it for over a decade now, wouldn’t change a thing.
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Alpha munitions has been excellent so far. You just have to keep an eye on velocity, because it will handle some pretty spicy loads and not show it.What is the better 7mm-08 brass that’s available?
My experience, as well. I gained over 200 FPS MV when swapping from Varget to StaBall 6.5 with all else being the exact same.IMO, basically as soon as you start using Staball 6.5
I wish they would make a run of SRP 7mm-08 brass. I'd much prefer the extra strength when running the high pressures of the StaBall 6.5. While it didn't show any extreme pressure signs, it did cause some primer pockets to loosen up quickly on some brass that I'd already put 3-4 firings on and done load workup with (so they have been pushed to max several times testing different powders and bullets). Now that I have my load data, the next batch of new Nosler brass I can see how many loadings the StaBall 6.5 will allow when I keep it 0.5 grain under max.Alpha munitions has been excellent so far. You just have to keep an eye on velocity, because it will handle some pretty spicy loads and not show it.
I honestly don’t think the srp brass is necessary. I’ve had soon irresponsibly hot loads (162’s at 2880 from a 20” barrel, in a ladder, I don’t run them that hot) in my lrp alpha brass and nothing has loosened up yet. I’m only a few firings in, but that still probably would have gone in the trash if it’d been anyone else’s brass.I wish they would make a run of SRP 7mm-08 brass. I'd much prefer the extra strength when running the high pressures of the StaBall 6.5. While it didn't show any extreme pressure signs, it did cause some primer pockets to loosen up quickly on some brass that I'd already put 3-4 firings on and done load workup with (so they have been pushed to max several times testing different powders and bullets). Now that I have my load data, the next batch of new Nosler brass I can see how many loadings the StaBall 6.5 will allow when I keep it 0.5 grain under max.
I've been interested in trying the Alpha brass. I might order a box or 2 just to see how well it will last compared to the Nosler.I honestly don’t think the srp brass is necessary. I’ve had soon irresponsibly hot loads (162’s at 2880 from a 20” barrel, in a ladder, I don’t run them that hot) in my lrp alpha brass and nothing has loosened up yet. I’m only a few firings in, but that still probably would have gone in the trash if it’d been anyone else’s brass.
Plus the large primers are nice insurance running ball powders in cold weather.
What brass and powder are you using to do that with a 22”. Nice rifle BTW.
So far so good for me, but I haven't had a chance to test it in really cold weather yet. I developed the load when it was about 95ºF outside, so I figured if it wasn't overpressure in the heat, it should be fine in the winter. It was 70's last Saturday, and it still shot good, but that's the largest temp swing I've tried. I will keep testing through the winter as the temps drop outside.I know the name implies it but is Staball as temperature stable as Varget?
Not sureAt what point does a 7mm-08 morph into a .280 Rem?
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I developed a load in the winter and shot it through the summer with no issues (in Phoenix this is no small feet) and no real anomalies hitting steel at range. I have the velocity change set to .5-.7 fps/degree, which basically puts it somewhere between Varget/h4350 and traditional ball powders.I know the name implies it but is Staball as temperature stable as Varget?
It's WAY slower than both Varget, and slower than H4350. It actually ranks right above Reloder 19 on the burn rate chart.I developed a load in the winter and shot it through the summer with no issues (in Phoenix this is no small feet) and no real anomalies hitting steel at range. I have the velocity change set to .5-.7 fps/degree, which basically puts it somewhere between Varget/h4350 and traditional ball powders.
I haven’t done any formal tests yet, but as long as what I’m doing is working, then I won’t worry about it.
The only reason I playing with the 7mm-08 is that it has been my favorite hunting gun I own and they discontinued the factory rounds she loved. I also want to run it suppressed and right now it’s a 22” barrel and while that’s great for plains antelope, it’s not something I can put on my pack and walk through the mountains. So I would like to cut it down to 18” and shoot hand loads that are not as expensive.The point I’m trying to make, and doing a poor job of, is if you want to hot rod a 7mm-08, why don’t you just buy a 280 Rem? And I get the LA vs SA argument, but it doesn’t resonate, given that we’re talking about less than half an inch in difference.
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