7mm-08 and vihtavoury powders

Hunter 6.5

Well-Known Member
Can you share please your experience with any of these powders and bullets from 130 to 160 grains in 7mm-08? What velocity you're getting and what barrel length?
Thanks
 
150gr ELDx using N140 gave me a speed of 2745ft/s out of a 20" barrel
Thanks Colin, that's even more of what I expect. Do you notice any changes of poi (velocity) between hot summer days and cold winter with N140 ? I know we don't get significant temperature swings here in UK but just trying to get answers for all my concerns
 
Hi Colin,
Out of interest, what powder weight were you using to get 2745fps with the viht N140?

Just thinking of working up loads with the 3 powders I've got to see which works best.

Kyle
 
Hi there

140grn Nosler BT's, 41grn of N150, fire formed neck sized cases, CCI large rifle primers, 2565fps, 16" barrel.

I do love my 7mm08 such a lovely combination of shooting comfort and knock down.

Hope that helps

FN
 
Hi
Does anyone use N160 for a 7-08?
I have been given a full unused bottle of N160 and would love some data / experience of this powder. I have always used Varget.
Many thanks
Alan
 
Never used N160 in 7-08 although I have used a reloaded extensively for one for a long time. It’s a lot slower than Varget but could be used with heavier bullets as verified by the Vihtavouri reloading manual which is on line and would be the best place to look for data
 
Suspect 160 and 150 a tad slow, especially in shorter barrels, even with heavier bullets. N140, N135, N133, with the quicker powders for lighter - c.120gr
 
I used Varget for a very long time and now down to my last few runs I’ll be using it sparingly and probably in the 6mmbr. I did try N140 a few years ago but found it gave a sharp recoil impulse in comparison to the Varget. As such I’ll be trying N150 behind a Nosler 140gr NBT.
 
In my 19.5” barrel and 140gr bullets I found velocity disappointing with RL15, Varget and H4350. I moved to high energy Viht N550 and found the speed I wanted ie 2,800fps
Later on I moved to 120gr bullets and found N140 sufficient to get 2,800fps
Still later I moved to Virtus 120gr and ran out of N140. I now use BL -C(2) and a magnum primer for noticeably flatter shooting performance (I no longer chronograph)
Many powders work in the 7-08 but with that barrel length higher energy is required for decent velocity if my experience is representative
 
Here’s my load Data for RS52 and 149gn SST’s out of a 20” barrel, it comes with the usual caveats of use it at your own risk.
I’ve found that Rs52 gave great velocity with no signs of pressure. I didn’t shoot all of the top end loads as it became quite apparent that I wasn’t seeing any useful velocity improvement, so deduced that the powder was being burnt after the projectile had left the barrel.
I moved to RS52 because I couldn’t get the velocity I was looking for with n140. Or Varget either come to that.

LOAD DEVELOPMENT OCW POWDER TEST
Date: 9/02/2018
RIFLE:Sako 75
CALIBER:7mm-08
CASE:Hornady once fired
BULLET:Hornady SST 140gn
SEATING DEPTH:2.200
POWDER:RS 52
POWDER WEIGHTVELOCITY ACHEIVED
138.5
239
339.52766
439.82737
5402855
640.22855
740.42867
840.62879
940.82904
10412976
1141.22967
1241.42982
1341.62996
1441.83037
1542
1642.23058
1742.4
1842.6
1942.8
203051
1732914383342.png3
 
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