7mm-08 powder choice

NayNay · #1 04-21-2011, 10:35 AM

Hi all. I'm pretty new to reloading so bare with me lol. I am trying to find a load for my 7mm-08 and my first try was 41gr of BLC-2 powder pushing a 139gr hornaday bullet. I don't think my gun likes this load because I can't seem to group smaller than 6"-8". So my question is, is BLC-2 powder the right place to be starting from? I've been reading a little about fast and slow burning powders but i'm pretty lost and i'm not sure where BLC-2 falls in that scale. The rifle that i'm using is a remington model 700sps dm. Another thing, the barrel is contacting the stock on the last 1" of the stock. I've also ordered 120gr bullets if whole sale sports can ever get them to me. Thanks in advance guys.

Rackmastr · #2 04-21-2011, 10:52 AM

6-8" groups? Yikes....what kind of accuracy have you got out of this rifle in the past?

Mad_Mikee · #3 04-21-2011, 11:02 AM

I use 140gr. Accubonds and Varget in my 7-08.

fish_e_o · #4 04-21-2011, 11:03 AM

varget would be my first stop

NayNay · #5 04-21-2011, 11:03 AM

Its a new rifle. But just to add i'm not the best shooter, the smallest groups I usually shoot are base ball sized. But these groups are about double the size that i've shot from other rifles. So its not just the gun.

fish_e_o · #6 04-21-2011, 11:07 AM

are you shooting from a rest?

Rackmastr · #7 04-21-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NayNay

Its a new rifle. But just to add i'm not the best shooter, the smallest groups I usually shoot are base ball sized. But these groups are about double the size that i've shot from other rifles. So its not just the gun.

Hard to say that without knowing how the rifle shoots other loads. Either way it sounds like shooting technique would be a good place to start if you're not a very good shooter as you point out.

Varget is a good powder to start with, H4350 has worked well for me, and some of the RL powders work very well with the 7-08

hardy · #8 04-21-2011, 11:12 AM

RL-15, Varget, IMR4064 should all give you great results. These work great in my 7mm-08, varget has given me the best groups so far but I am shooting 168gr matchkings.

NayNay · #9 04-21-2011, 11:19 AM

Yes I am shooting off a rest. I think I will let someone else who is a better shooter than me give the rifle a try just to confirm. I'm going out to buy some Varget right now, everyone seems to get good results from it. Thx guys!

Rackmastr · #10 04-21-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NayNay

Yes I am shooting off a rest. I think I will let someone else who is a better shooter than me give the rifle a try just to confirm. I'm going out to buy some Varget right now, everyone seems to get good results from it. Thx guys!

Rather than getting someone else to shoot it, work on your own shooting skills. Is the trigger tuned properly? Scope mounted properly?

I'd personally spend more time on the basics than buying more and more powder and shooting aimlessly.

simmered · #11 04-21-2011, 02:00 PM

I just loaded some barnes ttsx 150grn with h380. 1" group. So far that's the best I've got. Let me know how that varget works.

fish_e_o · #12 04-21-2011, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NayNay

Yes I am shooting off a rest. I think I will let someone else who is a better shooter than me give the rifle a try just to confirm. I'm going out to buy some Varget right now, everyone seems to get good results from it. Thx guys!

you need to get yourself a 22 a brick of ammo and practice non stop until you've got it going on then you'll good to go.

Dean2 · #13 04-21-2011, 05:25 PM

NayNay

I am NOT being a smart aleck, but if your normal groups are baseball size, 3-5", then there is no way you can judge handloads. As said get 5000 22 LR and shoot till you can get groups of one ragged hole at 50 yards. Then start working on your centre fire 100 yard groups. Until you perfect your shooting technique handloading is pretty iffy. If you can find a club to join that has some coaching, like the Calgary Rifle and Pistol club, that will rapidly accerate the development of your shooting skills.

Best of luck andget out nad practice.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · #14 04-21-2011, 06:52 PM

it may not be your shooting skills

have you tried any other loads?

have you tried a variety of factory loads so you have a baseline?

a good rest on a solid shooting platform is a necessary thing.

then read up on how to evaluate a load.

some on here use a "Ladder" loading.

I like to shoot, so I use 3 shot groups in my load development

gitrdun · #15 04-21-2011, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

NayNay

I am NOT being a smart aleck, but if your normal groups are baseball size, 3-5", then there is no way you can judge handloads. As said get 5000 22 LR and shoot till you can get groups of one ragged hole at 50 yards. Then start working on your centre fire 100 yard groups. Until you perfect your shooting technique handloading is pretty iffy. If you can find a club to join that has some coaching, like the Calgary Rifle and Pistol club, that will rapidly accerate the development of your shooting skills.

Best of luck andget out nad practice.

I couldn't agree more. And a fellow who comes out so honestly about his shooting skills is likely to have no problem finding someone to help him out.

boomstick · #16 04-23-2011, 12:55 PM

i to have a rem 700 spsdm in 7-08 some loads it likes some it dont, currantly i,m loading 139 hornadys or 140 searras with imr4064, it likes these but it takes trial and error to find what you,re gun likes to eat.always consult the load manuels and never go over max load. start with middle of the road loads and work up. hope this helps you .

NayNay · #17 04-25-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

NayNay

I am NOT being a smart aleck, but if your normal groups are baseball size, 3-5", then there is no way you can judge handloads. As said get 5000 22 LR and shoot till you can get groups of one ragged hole at 50 yards. Then start working on your centre fire 100 yard groups. Until you perfect your shooting technique handloading is pretty iffy. If you can find a club to join that has some coaching, like the Calgary Rifle and Pistol club, that will rapidly accerate the development of your shooting skills.

Best of luck andget out nad practice.

Does anyone know if there is a shooting club in Red Deer?

Cowtown guy · #18 04-25-2011, 12:04 PM

Try Varget, IMR 4064 or IMR 4350.

7mm08 · #19 04-25-2011, 08:07 PM

I got good results with Varget. But my best load...and the one I currently shoot is loaded with a 140gr Triple Shock over 46gr of H414. !00 yard, 5 shot groups measuring .8 of an inch is the average. Maybe if I didnt shake so much, or had better trigger control I could do better...but I cant complain.