7mm-08 Rem. 150gr. SMK Which Powder?!

FiveInADime · October 16, 2012, 04:30 PM

I am going to start my accuracy quest with the 150gr. Sierra Matchking for my 7mm-08. 22" barrel, 1:9.5" twist.

Looks like the usual suspects are oft reccomended for 7mm-08 but I can't find anything on the net specifically reccomending powder to use behind the 150gr.SMK.

Here's what I'm thinking in order of which looks the best so far:

Reloader 17 - too slow?
IMR4350 - too slow?
IMR4064
Varget

Someone mentioned to me that with the 22" barrel that the quicker powders may be more efficient. I found the most accurate loads in my 22" .243Win with H4350 even though it may not be burning up all the powder. What do you guys think?

mooman · October 16, 2012, 04:43 PM

My Sako Forrester in 7-08 loves Varget but I shoot a 145 grain Speer Grand Slam bullet. Very accurate.

jimbob86 · October 16, 2012, 04:44 PM

A moderate load of the 4064 worked really well in my Frontier (16.5" barrel) for a kid-friendly deer load ..... I would guess you would want something a bit stouter, so a slower powder would be in order......

Doyle · October 16, 2012, 07:30 PM

RL-17 tends to work really well (at least according to Quickload) with shorter barrels and bullets that are on the heavy end of the spectrum for that caliber. Works great in my .260 with 18" bbl and 140 grn bullets.

FiveInADime · October 16, 2012, 11:55 PM

Thanks guys. I will probably pick up some RL17 first and try that out. If that doesnt pan out I will try 4064/Varget.

tobnpr · October 17, 2012, 05:38 PM

H4350...
At least, that's what my 20" barreled Savage liked with the 150 SMK.

Just put on the new barrel with faster twist (for 162 grain) so we'll see if a change is needed.

FiveInADime · October 17, 2012, 05:55 PM

H4350 is the powder I always have on hand. It gives me a lot of muzzle blast in my .243 but it is most accurate with all the bullets I use.

Did you try shooting the 162 (A-MAX?) in your rifle before swapping barrels? I was curious to see if the 1:9.5 would be fast enough for the 168 SMK, 168 VLD, A-MAX, etc.

Peter M. Eick · October 18, 2012, 06:50 AM

Just as a comment, I found my Rem 700 7-08 does not group well with anything over a 139 grn bullet. 150's/168's are almost shotgun patterns at 100 yrds, yet 120's are under an inch for a 5 shot group.

Keep in mind your quest may be limited by your hardware.

FiveInADime · October 18, 2012, 12:27 PM

Peter,

I have already shot 140gr. Nosler BT factory loads in this rifle and they did pretty well. No telling whether or not it will shoot the heavier bullets, but many on the Marlin forums have said that their rifle likes the heavy bullets. Maybe your rifle had a slower twist than 1:9.5"? I know some of them come with 1:11" twists.

Peter M. Eick · October 18, 2012, 03:35 PM

Probably it has a too slow twist. I figured it is fine with up to 139's why mess with it?

I have other guns for the 150+ range so I just don't use the 7-08 for them.

tobnpr · October 18, 2012, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Did you try shooting the 162 (A-MAX?) in your rifle before swapping barrels?

Nope... the factory barrel was a 10.5 twist, so I didn't try.
New barrel is a 9.5, shouldn't be a problem (so I'm told)...the boolits just arrived, so the Crony and the loads will be hitting the range next week.

The 150 SMK shot great at 600... even with the 20" factory barrel I was getting 2600 at the most accurate load. Pushed it faster without pressure issues, but groups weren't as tight.

The 162 AMax is to get that extra 400 yards...

The 7-08 is a very capable long range round...not as impressive as the .260 and it's ballistic twins, but it's no slouch.

Now, the fun of starting over

FiveInADime · October 19, 2012, 02:24 PM

I have been having a hard time finding brass that isn't Nosler Custom or Norma to start working on these loads. $1 a case is not what I want right now. I found a super-secret place that has a cache of Remington Brass and I picked up 40 pieces to start off with. Good thing is they have them loose so I can sort through and pick out the crap cases but they are a little pricey for R-P brass (of course I would be to if I was the only one that had it).

Doyle · October 19, 2012, 02:57 PM

There is a guy over on Gunbroker that is selling RP headstamp fired brass for $12.49 plus shipping per lot of 50. I bought some (may have been this guy or it may have been somebody else that was selling for the same price) and mine were all decent.

FiveInADime · October 19, 2012, 04:45 PM

Sweet, thanks for the tip.

joneb · October 20, 2012, 12:52 AM

The powders burn rate is very important.

October 16, 2012, 04:30 PM	#1
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	7mm-08 Rem. 150gr. SMK Which Powder?! I am going to start my accuracy quest with the 150gr. Sierra Matchking for my 7mm-08. 22" barrel, 1:9.5" twist. Looks like the usual suspects are oft reccomended for 7mm-08 but I can't find anything on the net specifically reccomending powder to use behind the 150gr.SMK. Here's what I'm thinking in order of which looks the best so far: Reloader 17 - too slow? IMR4350 - too slow? IMR4064 Varget Someone mentioned to me that with the 22" barrel that the quicker powders may be more efficient. I found the most accurate loads in my 22" .243Win with H4350 even though it may not be burning up all the powder. What do you guys think?

October 16, 2012, 04:43 PM	#2
mooman Member Join Date: February 8, 2007 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 16	Varget My Sako Forrester in 7-08 loves Varget but I shoot a 145 grain Speer Grand Slam bullet. Very accurate.

October 18, 2012, 06:50 AM	#8
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Just as a comment, I found my Rem 700 7-08 does not group well with anything over a 139 grn bullet. 150's/168's are almost shotgun patterns at 100 yrds, yet 120's are under an inch for a 5 shot group. Keep in mind your quest may be limited by your hardware. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

October 18, 2012, 03:35 PM	#10
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Probably it has a too slow twist. I figured it is fine with up to 139's why mess with it? I have other guns for the 150+ range so I just don't use the 7-08 for them. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

October 16, 2012, 04:44 PM	#3
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	A moderate load of the 4064 worked really well in my Frontier (16.5" barrel) for a kid-friendly deer load ..... I would guess you would want something a bit stouter, so a slower powder would be in order......

October 16, 2012, 07:30 PM	#4
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	RL-17 tends to work really well (at least according to Quickload) with shorter barrels and bullets that are on the heavy end of the spectrum for that caliber. Works great in my .260 with 18" bbl and 140 grn bullets.

October 16, 2012, 11:55 PM	#5
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	Thanks guys. I will probably pick up some RL17 first and try that out. If that doesnt pan out I will try 4064/Varget.

October 17, 2012, 05:38 PM	#6
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	H4350... At least, that's what my 20" barreled Savage liked with the 150 SMK. Just put on the new barrel with faster twist (for 162 grain) so we'll see if a change is needed.

October 17, 2012, 05:55 PM	#7
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	H4350 is the powder I always have on hand. It gives me a lot of muzzle blast in my .243 but it is most accurate with all the bullets I use. Did you try shooting the 162 (A-MAX?) in your rifle before swapping barrels? I was curious to see if the 1:9.5 would be fast enough for the 168 SMK, 168 VLD, A-MAX, etc.

October 18, 2012, 12:27 PM	#9
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	Peter, I have already shot 140gr. Nosler BT factory loads in this rifle and they did pretty well. No telling whether or not it will shoot the heavier bullets, but many on the Marlin forums have said that their rifle likes the heavy bullets. Maybe your rifle had a slower twist than 1:9.5"? I know some of them come with 1:11" twists.

October 19, 2012, 02:24 PM	#12
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	I have been having a hard time finding brass that isn't Nosler Custom or Norma to start working on these loads. $1 a case is not what I want right now. I found a super-secret place that has a cache of Remington Brass and I picked up 40 pieces to start off with. Good thing is they have them loose so I can sort through and pick out the crap cases but they are a little pricey for R-P brass (of course I would be to if I was the only one that had it).

October 19, 2012, 02:57 PM	#13
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	There is a guy over on Gunbroker that is selling RP headstamp fired brass for $12.49 plus shipping per lot of 50. I bought some (may have been this guy or it may have been somebody else that was selling for the same price) and mine were all decent.

October 19, 2012, 04:45 PM	#14
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	Sweet, thanks for the tip.

October 20, 2012, 12:52 AM	#15
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	The powders burn rate is very important.