7mm08 and Heavy Bullets

[Muir]

Sweet Rifle. Just finished a soldier's recount of the Boer war called "Commando" those Boers were tough boys.

Back to the topic of heavy bullets in the 7-08.....

I picked up my copy of "Pet Loads" by Ken Waters of "Handloader Magazine". In an article about 7mm-08 one of the first thing he addresses are "myths" about the 7-08 like that it isn't suitable for heavy bullets. He proceeds to test two different 7-08's, both with 24" tubes, that average 2600 fps with Sierra 175 grain SPs. Ran that through my soft ware and with a +1" zero at 100 yards it is 2.58" low at 200. Nothing "rainbow" about that. The best part is that one of his most accurate loads was... that 175 grain load. He did go on to say that twist rate was important. Remmy stuck with 9.25 inch twist which proved superior (for accuracy's sake) than a custom 1-10" twist barrel he tested. FYI

...Ok. Back to the cool rifles.~Muir

 

[Eyefor]

My Sierra 175gr's are pushed out of a 24 inch Savage barrel by 37gr of varget at 2570 fps (average) and are dead zero at 50 yards, 1.5" high at 100, 2" low at 200. Everything beyond that (or to be honest way below 200) doesn't get shot at with that round. The load is slightly over "recommended" maximum but no signs of pressure.

"Best" round is a flat out (3250fps) 100gr hollow points - better than the 140's the 7mm-08 was "designed for". When bored I can take crows & magpies to (measured) 300 yards - if I miss (which I do regularly at that range) it is my fault with over correction.

On a good day it will clover leaf the 100gr's at 200 yards and sub 1" the 140's. The 7mm-08 is a better calibre than I am a shot!

PS. Nice rifle.

 

[Eyefor]

PPS

I must add (before I get slapped down) that any "clover leafing" and "sub 1 inch" groups are ALWAYS off a benchrest / prime firm shooting position.

Adding shooting off the sticks, cold hands, rain, bloody trees in the way and sometimes a moving target detracts somewhat from the accuracy?

It is just nice to know what the rifle and round are capable of?

 

[mickthebrick]

If i'd known this would create such a furore I wouldn't have asked
175grns @2600fps and 2" low at 200yds would still sting you cant moan at that.
I might give it a go next time I go shopping.

Cheers
Mick

 

[The Farmer]

Can see a trip to Krank's coming on

 

[Muir]

Mick: The thing is that experimentation works. If the bullets don't work, mothball them and trade them off to someone else who wants to try them. I am from the States and granted, we have a lot easier access to components, but honestly; folks in the UK brain-work themselves into a standstill. Every bullet choice a referendum! Some of my best loads have come from a curiosity fueled hunch -or the desire to just try something different. So go out and try the darned things and let us know how they work. Good luck.~Muir

PS: A 175 grain 7mm at 2600 fps?? More than sting, my friend. If you PM me with an e-mail addy I'll send you the trajectory graphs and data.

 

[Eyefor]

Can see a trip to Krank's coming on

Then whilst you are there pick up a (box of 20) Prvi Partizans 'cos if your rifle likes them (some do, some don't) you wo'nt load as cheap as they are! Downside of your rifle not liking them is you end up with 20 PP cases (made by Lapua?) for reloading?

 

[Brithunter]

Then whilst you are there pick up a (box of 20) Prvi Partizans 'cos if your rifle likes them (some do, some don't) you wo'nt load as cheap as they are! Downside of your rifle not liking them is you end up with 20 PP cases (made by Lapua?) for reloading?

Ahhh interesting because in the new Norma catalogue I picked up at the Shooting Show Norma claim they make the brass for Lapua . On page 47 under the heading :-

Norma's OEM-customers it says

For many years, Norma has manufactured cases for a large number of ammunition makers around the world

Then there is 23 photos of case headstamps icluding FC, Geco, Lapua, MEN, RG (Radway green), RWS, Sako and Winchester. No mention of PP or NNY though .

Rather interesting I thought .

 

[flytie]

Oh and it's not Jim Corbets either as he had a .275 Rigby with a silver oval plate set into the butt that was awarded him for killing a man eating Lepoard.

From reading Corbetts omnibus I can tell you that the calibre of one of his rifles was indeed .275 (7x57) but was a William Evans, and in the Omnibus he gives an account of going to buy it.

ft

Edit, It was a Westley Richards, I just rang Gary and got him to look.

 

[Brithunter]

From reading Corbetts omnibus I can tell you that the calibre of one of his rifles was indeed .275 (7x57) but was a William Evans, and in the Omnibus he gives an account of going to buy it.

ft

Hmmm well the one book I read about Carpet Sahib as the Indians called him said about this one particular Presentation rifle and the silver oval was placed on the cheek piece so his cheek rested on it when he used the rifle ahh just did a little searching and found this:-

Corbett was armed with his favourite rifle, a .275 Rigby received as a gift for killing the Champawat man eater in 1907, from the Governor (of U.P), Sir John Hewett. He tried his luck in several areas in and around Rudraprayag. Still no success. Never in his life, Jim spent so much time and effort to bag a single animal. He realized that the man eating leopards were more cunning and elusive than the man eating tigers. Now, when the day finally came for him to abandon the hunt and return to Naini Tal, Corbett decided to try one more night to locate the leopard.

That is from :- The Man eating Leopard of Rudraprayag which is says was his second book. So it seems there is some confusion. I can only tell what I read and this quote is from the book .

 

[flytie]

Hmmm well the one book I read about Carpet Sahib as the Indians called him said about this one particular Presentation rifle and the silver oval was placed on the cheek piece so his cheek rested on it when he used the rifle ahh just did a little searching and found this:-



That is from :- The Man eating Leopard of Rudraprayag which is says was his second book. So it seems there is some confusion. I can only tell what I read and this quote is from the book .

Brithunter, if I have misquoted or got it completely wrong i will aplogise profusely, I did not mean to be rude! My copies of parts 1 and 2 of the omnibus are with my friend Gary at the moment, but it is not long since I found the quote about the .275 and a modified cordite .500 which he used for close quarter work at one point in his great career. I will try and get the book back tonight (book 1) and have a quick flick through.

ft

It was a Westley Richards .275 bought from Manton's in India (Calcutta I think), in the book I read. But he did use many different rifles.