Thread: 2206H or 2208 for 7mm08 ?

Hi everyone,
I am doing some reloading test loads and wonder what other people use or prefer for hunting loads.
The load is for a Tikka 595 in 7mm08, 16' barrel (suppressed) barrel twist 1:9. Projectiles Nosler 120grain BT,cases Winchester, standard Federal primers.
I used already Win748 (45.5grain) with ok results (3/4') but fairly slow (2820fps) and CFE223 powder (49.4grain)= 3000fps but groups around 1.5'.
What results do you get with similar set up and 2206H powder or 2208 powder or Win760?
The loads would mainly be for shooting goats to max. 350yards.

I also got some 130grain Speer SP Hot Cor projectiles to try..and BM2 as well as a small amount of H8208 powder.
Cheers for your help

I load for a couple of guys with 7mm08 and use AR 2208 . I use the 150 gr ELD X and have loaded up to 41 grs and got 2740 fps. With the lighter bullet you will get better speed and maybe good accuracy, only way to find out is load a few up and test them out.

2208 or RL27

2206h if you got it already, or 2208 if you got that. Several years ago i did ladders with a variety of powders in my hunting cals and found that instead of 3 powders i could use only one and that was 2206h.

Yeah 2208 is good powder don’t be afraid to load a little hotter than the book suggests if you’re confident spotting pressure signs
Adi data is pretty low for 260 remington with a 120gn only (useing this as an example) dont use this data in 7mm-08!!!
The adi website shows a max charge of 39gn
The newest nick Harvey manual shows 38gn max
Where as the older blue nick Harvey book from a fair few years back when they weren’t So worried about people being idiots shows 42gn max

If you’re new to reloading stick to data from the website!!!!

but if you have reasonable experience and are happy spotting pressure signs you can normally go a wee way above adi’s charges without issues as always take it easy and work up slowly

44-45 2208 with a 120 bt should see you right.

man this reloading stuff is fascinating and confusing.
Varget / adr 2208 in my 358 win under a 225gr GK lists a starting load of 45gr. Same case as the 7m08, heavier bullet, more bullet area to push on.
max load of 49gr for 2450.
I would have thought Varget /2208 would be too fast for the 7m08. but when I look at Hodgdon's data for 150 & 162 gr that's the fastest powder.
Zq.

For a 16inch barrel and 120Gr projectiles I would use 2206H, heavier use 2208

2208/vargent is a match for dupont imr 4064 which is mid range burn rate designed for 308/3006 capacity cases its certainly not fast.
With lighter bullets and especially low starting loads its not uncommon to get unburnt powder as pressure developed does not get high enough to give full burn.

I tried both 2206h and 2208 with my short barrelled 7 08 (16 inches). The 2206h was quicker but the 2208 was far more accurate. Final speed was 2880 fps with 45 grains of 2208 from memory. More than enough to shoot out to 400 yards.

I’m shooting Tikka T3 7-08 with 22” barrel using 41.5gr 2208 under Nosler 140grBT. Average MV of 2770fps. Consistently accurate out to 300m, around half MOA.

I’m thinking of loading up 2209 just to compare results, as an acquaintance is adamant 7-08 should be using 2209.
My only comparison to date is that 2209 shoots much better in my 6.5x55 than 2208. 2206H didn’t prove as good as 2208 in my 22-250 (surprisingly), and Benchmark 2 was no better either. 2208/Varget is great.

Another mate swears by Win760, which apparently achieves more velocity comparatively and think he said easier to load due to ball powder.

I suspect your set up is fine for the 595 18” and 120BTs. But perhaps just need to play with seating depth to get the best out of it. I’m never chasing more velocity above 2700mv in the bigger calibres as I reckon too many deer are lost by the bullet passing straight through too fast.
Good luck with it and have fun experimenting


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I load for 3 different Tikka 7mm08 2 are 20" and 1 was 17" I load either 120 or 140 Nosler B Tips between 45 and 47 grains of 2208 the 129 in the 20" are doing 3000fps and the 140 2830fps
In the 17" 140 at 2730fps all group under MOA at 100.

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I will never have 2 rifles in my safe of the same caliber and fu*k about with different loads with different powder. Managed to make a major error and put 3 grains too much of a faster burning powder in a 7mm08. In my mind I was still thinking I was using 2208 and I turned 42 grains into 45 of h335. I checked everything, or thought I had. Then the rifle got hot in a gun safe and then the ammo was hot. When I fired it the case failed and I wore the bolt shroud of a tikka as shrapnel as well as a heap of hot gas. Fucking hurt. But my toe hurt the most when the plastic mag slammed into my foot! Rooted rifle.

Moral of the story- be very very careful using fast burning powders. A small overload can be a major fuck up.

Have tried 120BT using 2208 flying at around 3200fps from memory (24" barrel) but when shooting goats for dog tucker had real trouble with them at close range blowning to peices on bigger billys so never persisted with them for deer hunting and when back to 140bt an 2208 at around 2850fps. One load that i did try and really liked for deer was 110gr barnes ttsx at about 3250fps using 2208, shot well and didnt need alot of hold over when shooting at the distances your talking, but unfortunatly they arnt the cheapest to use.

2208 All the way I’m mine. Standard tikka T3, doesn’t like 2209. 162 ELDM’s at 2500 fps with 15fps ES.
@717 yards
@600 odd. This group is not something I will be able to repeat consistently! Just a fluke really, but the load does shoot consistently under MOA at this distance... in good conditions.