Thread: 7mm08 Speer 130 and 760

I have quite a bit of Belmont 760 and am running out of 2208. Kimber 7mm08 with 16in barrel.

I’m happy with my 120BT load but only have a few left so keen to try some of the 130 Speers (I have 100) next until I get some more BTs.

Anyone got a load with 760 and 130s? Most data seem to max at 46grns but Speer has max at 49grns?

I had tried up to 50grns with the 120s with no pressure signs but average velocity vs 45grns of 2208.

Thanks

Years ago I used 49 grn W760 just fine with the 130 grn Speer and 50 grn with 120 Sierra. W760 was the go to powder for 7-08.

Mine was made by Steve Blenkarne (sp?) and was one of the first 7-08 in the country. Have always had a 7-08 since the late 70's.

Greetings Forestry, Tahf and all,
I did some load development for the 7mm-08 in the early 1980's. The owner had been using W760 which was the go to powder for the cartridge in its early days. He was having trouble with fliers. I tried 47, 48 and 49 grains of W760 with 130 grain Speer projectiles but the problem persisted. The ocasional good group showed up but most approached or exceeded 2 MoA. I then tried Dupont IMR4064 and IMR4895 which both gave decent accuracy so we settled on IMR4064. I didn't have a chronograph in those days so the actual velocities were unknown and the charges were a grain or two above current maximums so won't be mentioned. AR2208 had not appeared on our shores at that stage but recent loading with it in the 7mm-08 gave excellent results.
If 760 is all you have then that is what you will need to use and 49 grains behind the 130 grain gave the best results in my limited test although two grains above current listed maximums. This was only one rifle so your results may differ. Best of luck.
Regards Grandpamac.

The latest W760 may not be the same as the older lots since it was combined to N414. I believe 760 was morthed into N414 not the other was round. There may now be differences old to new.
At any rate loading tables as always.

I wonder if the fliers were bad ignition? We're you using magnum primers?
Having said that I exclusively use W760 in my Swede Ackley with std primers. I have never had ignition issues and the Swede groups very well. One of the few rifles I run at max. Barnard action.

I used magnum primers with W760 in my loads. Nick Harvey said to

Originally Posted by Tahr

I used magnum primers with W760 in my loads. Nick Harvey said to

If he said so it must be right........

Thanks for the advice all

Originally Posted by zimmer

The latest W760 may not be the same as the older lots since it was combined to N414. I believe 760 was morthed into N414 not the other was round. There may now be differences old to new.
At any rate loading tables as always.

I wonder if the fliers were bad ignition? We're you using magnum primers?
Having said that I exclusively use W760 in my Swede Ackley with std primers. I have never had ignition issues and the Swede groups very well. One of the few rifles I run at max. Barnard action.

Greetings Zimmer and all,
I had recently wondered about which primer I had used but unfortunately my load data had gone with the rifle back to its owner. What I was left with were the targets. Handloading data for the 7mm-08 was in short supply in the early 1980's and my early handbooks did not even include the cartridge. I was pretty sure that there was an article in Handloader in 1980 and a quick seach found one by Bob Hagel and one by Ken Waters in July-August and November-December respectively. Neither had used Magnum primers for W760, both using Remington 9 1/2 primers. Ken tested 9 1/2 M primers with the 139 grain projectile and found a modest increase in velocity of 18 fps but no difference in pressure.
Both tested W760 and H414 with the same loads and generally got within a few feet per second. This suggests to me that even in 1980 H414 and W760 were the same powder. This may not have been true in the 1960's or early 1970's.
Bob also tested his loads in 18.5" and 24" barrels showing a difference of 100 to 150 fps.
At the start of his article said "The Remington 7mm-08 is one of the finest, most practical and usefull cartridges for the average hunter that it has been my good fortune to work with". Ken wrote this in late 1979 or early 1980 and was not a person that became breathless over the latest new thing but he sure got that right.
Regards Grandpamac.

@grandpamac I currently have around 1.5 lbs of W760 remaining from a ~ 4.5 lb lot that a mate gave me. It was originally bulk powder rehomed in ADI canisters. There's a chance it's quite old but how old??

I also have 8x 1 lb canisters of W760 circa mid 90s.

When I run out of my old powder I will carefully redevelop my load with abundance of caution ha ha. It currently is a HOT load.

For a double whammy I will also ween my Ackley Swede off moly. I'm totally over moly and from using it on 3 cartridges I now only have the Swede left.

My use of CCI Magnum primers in the Swede/W760 saw an increase of around 11 fps and a drop off in accuracy. I never experienced misfires and velocity ES and SD is very good, with BR-2s. Why change a succeful combination because books say I should? Loved your Ken Water's comment/findings.

What has been interesting is the barrel life appears to have been extended using the cooler flamed W760. Will know once it's toast but at my current rate of shooting that could be some time off.

Originally Posted by zimmer

@grandpamac I currently have around 1.5 lbs of W760 remaining from a ~ 4.5 lb lot that a mate gave me. It was originally bulk powder rehomed in ADI canisters. There's a chance it's quite old but how old??

I also have 8x 1 lb canisters of W760 circa mid 90s.

When I run out of my old powder I will carefully redevelop my load with abundance of caution ha ha. It currently is a HOT load.

For a double whammy I will also ween my Ackley Swede off moly. I'm totally over moly and from using it on 3 cartridges I now only have the Swede left.

My use of CCI Magnum primers in the Swede/W760 saw an increase of around 11 fps and a drop off in accuracy. I never experienced misfires and velocity ES and SD is very good, with BR-2s. Why change a succeful combination because books say I should? Loved your Ken Water's comment/findings.

What has been interesting is the barrel life appears to have been extended using the cooler flamed W760. Will know once it's toast but at my current rate of shooting that could be some time off.

Greetings again zimmer,
At the time I started out handloading, a bit after 1970, there were few that did it. After all .303 surplus ammo was so cheap. I started out loading my .303 rifles using AR2201 and Cyril Waterworth's load manual. After a change to the .308W I spotted an address for Handloader Magazine in the 1979 edition of Shooters Bible and subscribed. It was my mentor for many years and to an extent still is. I just hope that Handloader and Rifle don't go entirely digital until I have finished with them.
Regards Grandpamac.