7mm-08 = any light recoil recipes for deer & antelope

[gdog]

I just bought my son 13 (very small) a Browning Micro Midas X bolt in 7mm-08. Looking to work up a good lighter recoil load for deer & antelope, which we hope to get out and test on some coyotes.

7mm-08 brass....decent brass out there...or better off making some up from 308 brass?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[RELH]

I would buy the 7mm-08 brass from Midway or another seller and you will not have to worry about the neck being to thick from sizing down 308 brass. It is not that common of a caliber and you should be able to find brass.

I gave my small size grandson a youth size 7mm-08 and used 140 gr. Sierra bullets and loaded them down to 2500 fps using H-4895 powder. Using that powder at the max load of over 2700 fps gave me a 3 shot 1/2 inch group at 100 yards. The reduced load shot groups just a shade over 1 inch.

Using Sierra or Remington Core-lokt 140 gr. bullets loaded down to 2400-2500 fps should give him a light recoil load. You can also go down to 2300 fps and those bullets still should expand on deer size game out to 200 yards with no problem. You can check the Hogdon reloading web site for different powders and loads for that caliber and you should come up with a good one.
I do not have my load book in front of me, but I think I used 38 gr. of H-4895 for the 2500 fps load. The max load of over 2700 fps was 41 gr. H-4895 with a Sierra 140 gr. Pro-Hunter bullet. I forgot what the COL was for the loaded round, just use the one given in the load manuel for a starting load.

RLH

 

[gdog]

Thanks for the reply. Midway is all out of brass for the 7mm-08.

 

[waspocrew]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-13 AT 11:08AM (MST)[p]You may have to find factory loads, use them to break the rifle in and then load your own from there.

 

[gdog]

Found a local guy who has 100 rounds of once fired factory Federal brass that I'm grabbing. Ordering dies and other stuff.

Just need to figure out a scope for the rifle now....

Thanks!

 

[peez3006]

I've been loading the 120 grain Barnes TTSXs in my kids rifle. With a near max load of IMR 4895. Its a soft shooting accurate round. I just sized some 308 brass, to load some cheap practice rounds with sierra 120s. I havn't tried them out yet, though.

Don P

 

[Silentstalker]

Bought my brass at Cabelas. Seems to work just fine. Also, 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips shoot like darts and the recoil is not that bad. Good luck! I am growing to love that caliber!

 

[ColoradoRam]

My wife, son and niece all shoot the 7-08. It's very popular in my neck of the woods. Brass can be found anywhere I've ever gone. We all load 140 Accubonds and RL 19 powder. Have taken elk, deer, bear and antelope. I plan on using it for my antelope hunt this fall. Fun to shoot.

 

[gdog]

Have never shot this round. My son shoots his 20ga shotgun without any issues at all.

Should I even mess with reduced loads?

 

[RELH]

I would start him out with the reduced loads just to make sure he does not develope a flinch. Shooting 10-20 rounds at a sitting could wear on him if full power.

RELH

 

[ColoradoRam]

I agree with RELH. Does your son have any experience with a 257 or 25-06? If comfortable with them he's probably ready to move up. Try a PAST shoulder pad and double hearing protection.

 

[gdog]

Here's some reduced load info from Hodgdon:

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

 

[CHWino_1]

+1 on the 120 grain ballistic tips. I shoot 48 grains of H 414 and recoil is light and the load shoots well. Can't say enough about the 7-08 for deer and pigs.

 

[Fire_Hawk]

I have used RP brass in my 7mm-08. I have not had to throw away a single piece that I recall yet. I have loaded about 5-6 times so far. I have had to trim it a time or two and I also removed the flash hole burrs with a Sinclair deburring tool.

Several years ago though, I decided that I needed "better brass" and bought one box of 100 Lapua .308 brass. I will say that it is really good brass (and I don't have to "deburr" the flash hole). I neck it down easily and I have not had to trim any of it yet in about 3 loadings.

As for reloads, I think that you will find the 140 Ballistic Tips, 139 Hornady SP, 140 Sierra Game King and 140 Nosler Accubonds to be very accurate. Varget is a terrific powder as is IMR 4064 and RL15.

I also loaded up some 100 grain Hornady bullets for fun and they shot well with IMR 4064.

If your son is shooting the 20 gauge well, he shouldn't have any problems shooting the 7mm-08 with hunting loads. As others have suggested, you should have good hearing protection and definitely use a PAST recoil shield if he will spend very much time behind it at the range.

My 13 year old son shoots my 7mm-08 with Max charges and isn't bothered by the recoil at all. He is pretty small and weighs about 80 lbs. He also shoots a 20 gauge, my 12 gauge on occasion and didn't seem to be bothered in the least shooting my 7mm Rem Mag. My point is, he started shooting a 20 gauge and a .22 and has never had any real recoil sensitivity to shooting the larger guns. Your son will likely be the same way.

 

[Whiterock]

I load 60% of the max load of H4895 and 120 grain bullet. Nice soft recoil with good accuracy.

 

[sambo3006]

I'm shooting 40 grains of IMR 3031 and the 120 gr TTSX. Very little recoil and superbly accurate. You could substitute the 120 gr ballistic tip as well.


NRA Life Member

Leftys are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!

 

[gdog]

How slow can you run those TTSX bullets and still get them to open up? I got some Nosler BT 120gr and Barnes TTSX 120 to try.

With a reduced load, not sure they be pushing that TTSX fast enough for it to open(?)

 

[RELH]

That is one reason I suggested Sierra bullets or even Remington Core-lokts. Even the Nosler Partition will open up at reduced velocity. Most of the heavy jacket or pure copper premium bullets may not open up unless you hit heavy bone when you reduce the velocity enough.

On a lung or heart shot they may zip right though and not create to much damage.

RELH

 

[gdog]

Thanks for all the info. RELH...those reduced loads are the ticket and we'll be bumping those up more then likely for next fall as he has no issues shooting this 7mm-08 what so ever. This is going to be a fun rifle. Hopefully we'll get some practice on some coyotes in the very near future.

Thanks again!