7mm-08 loads and ballistic tip bullets

[7mmfan]

I've got a problem child of a 7mm-08 (Remington 700 Mountain Rifle) that I've been trying to develop a consistent load for off and on for a few years now. I've gotten some good advice from a few members that have helped bring it into a zone accurate enough for hunting, but not to the potential I'm sure it has. So far I have floated the barrel, and I pay attention to the barrel heating and only shoot one shot per 10-15 minutes, and I also shoot off sand bags close to the action instead of out on the end of the stock.

So now that I've done about all I can do to the gun itself short of glass bedding the action, I'm working on the loads. Yesterday I found the lands. An average of 4 attempts came to 2.87" My magazine limits my OAL to 2.85, so I loaded them a hair shorter, 2.83 to make sure I don't have any issues with cycling rounds. I received some load data from a member a while back and his OAL was 2.75 - 2.76, specifically for Accubond or other ballistic tip bullets. I have read in other sources that some peoples best accuracy with these types of bullets comes with a seating depth of .1 from the lands, which is almost exactly what his loads were set for.

Does anyone else have any experience with seating depth for ballistic tip bullets in particular? I loaded two test batches last night, one batch at 2.83 and one batch at 2.76 to try and see which one performs better.

[Bill W]

I shot/shoot the 140 grain ballistic tips in my 7mm Mauser.   I don't know how small of a group you are trying to get but I think if I could get a full throttle load that grouped less than 1.5" at 100 yards I'd settle on that.   1.5MOA works at most distances.  Shooting small groups on paper is good but on game one needs a good blood trail.  That's why I elected for "full throttle".

What weight bullet and what size groups are you getting.  What's the issue you are trying to overcome?

[cooltimber]

middle screw make sure it's snug. glass bed the lug, free floating barrel . if that doesn't work better,put on a  weight to prevent barrel whip.

[7mmfan]

I'm not going down the road of glass bedding just yet, because I'm not comfortable doing it myself without seeing it done first, and I can't pay someone to do it for me. I believe the gun itself is pretty well dialed as far as floating barrel and snug screws, action etc... I'm really looking for input on what experience people have had specifically with loading tipped bullets and distance from lands, since it seems that some people have better accuracy seating them further from the lands than other bullet types.

Currently I'm getting about a 2-2.5" group at 100 yards. If i'm hunting blacktails, I have no issues with that, but I know the gun is capable of doing better, so I feel that it boils down to the loads and seating depth and finding a combo that works for this gun.

I'm just one of those guys that does better with a wealth of information/ideas that I can check off as I go, so the more input I get, the better overall picture I have in my mind of what I need to do.

[Wetwoodshunter]

I was struggling with one of my rifles and realized after 50 ish rounds my scope was slightly loose. This was quite aggravating. I'm new ish to reloading less than a year but I have found HPBT game kings love just about any gun I have loaded for I'm running 160's in both a 7 rem mag and 7-08 with good grouping.

When you do a progression how do you start? I do 4 rounds each with the books reccomended length and then change my powder load according to the book by 1/5 the difference between max and min loads. (5 evenly spaced loads between max and min) Hopefully one of these will group.

Now from my best grouping load I then change neck spacing using my most accurate powder load walking the bullet in closer to the lands. (Typically according to the book you use you have less than ideal fit because the specs are generic and should be able to be used in most guns, but you are making something specific for your gun)

For me to do a progression it takes a minimum of two range days. Hope this helps, like I said by no means I'm an expert but my gunsmith (Brad Elmer) taught me his reloading process and it works great.

[dog]

I use a moderate load of Varget pdr with a 120 gr ballistic tip in my old Sako 7mm08. It's proven over many years to be a tough, accurate and deadly combo. Seating depth can refine a load but not until you get close on powder charge. With a hunting rifle the magazine often limits how far out you can seat the bullet so I usually start at the max length that will go through the magazine easily. (or just touching the lands for rifles that have a lot of room in the magazines.) I then work on powder charge until it is a good as I can make it, that way you only have one direction to go with the bullet when messing with seating depth. (back into the case) Powder is the coarse adjustment, seating depth is the fine adjustment. Often when trying to shoot groups with light hunting rifles gun handling is the major impediment to being able to see the usually small differences that seating depth can make.

[7mmfan]

Starting with the charge and then working back with the seating depth is a good process, I suppose that's what I needed instead of trying to multi-task it.

I agree that the lightweight rifle is a challenge for me. My 7 mag is a tack driver but its a Ruger Mark II, heavy and solid. I'm learning how temperamental lighter weight guns can be. It has drastically helped my shooting in other areas though, by forcing me to pay attention to the small details.

I'll work on my loads until I find one that groups better than what I've got and then work back on the seating depth. Thanks guys. 

[Bob33]

I don't think a change in seating depth will get you from 2"+ to less than 1.5".

[7mmfan]

I'm also changing my load completely. New powder, new charge, etc... I just wanted peoples opinions on what seating depth they've used for ballistic tip bullets and if they've noticed a certain distance from the lands works best for them.

[Black Ghost]

I have had good luck with the Hornady SST, I dont have the seating depth handy at the moment.  But I believe it is set at the recommended seating depth from the Hornady book

[TVHunts]

Have you considered a different bullet or have you already tried different bullets? 

I am with you, 2- 2-1/2" groups are not acceptable and that rifle should do much better than that.

[Jason]

My load for my Ruger 7mm-08 with 140gr Accubonds or Ballistic Tips is 41gr Varget at 2.800". 1/2" groups all day long.
My buddy's gun also seems to really like that load with the same coal in his Remmy 700.

[7mmfan]

Have you considered a different bullet or have you already tried different bullets? 

I am with you, 2- 2-1/2" groups are not acceptable and that rifle should do much better than that.

I have not tried different bullets yet, just because I'm stubborn and I have lots of the 139 Hornady Interbonds laying around. I may try some Accubonds, or maybe even good old Interlocks or Partitions. I've also considered stepping up the bullet weight, but I'm going to stick with the 139/140 size for the time being and try to make it work.

[copasj]

One of the best shooting loads in my 7x57 Mauser jumps something close to .5 to the lands.  The bullet (120gr ttsx) is completely disengaged from the case before it gets to the rifling.  Berger bullets has a system where you are supposed to incrementally jump further and further until you get the best accuracy.  I think it walks you out to about .15" or so.

Powder can make a huge difference in accuracy as well.  If you haven't tried any other powders yet, do that first.  I know my 7x57 shoots 175gr RN well with H-4895, but sprays them all over the backstop with H-4831.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[jackmaster]

My daughter who shoots a ruger American 7mm-08 with the stock bushnell 3x9 that came with the rifle shoots Remington fusion 140 gr bullets at 100 to 200 yards and holds 3/4 in to 1 inch groups all day long, I can pick it up and do the same, that rifle loves that round and they are store bought 30 dollar a box bullets.. maybe the simple route is the easy route