3000 FPS plus with 140 grain in the 7mm-08

[Ganderite]

make sure you shoot a 200 or 300 yard group with Load #5 and whatever else load you find. It looks like a winner for grouping.

 

[savagelh]

Interesting. I've been keeping an eye out for some of the staball for my 7-08. My chosen 140gr load is right at 2825fps and if I could boost that to even 2950 with decent accuracy I would be very happy.

 

[yodave]

well 2996 is max out of my barrel, I don't gain any more speed or pressure all the way up to 52.8 grains of powder, however my SD and ES start to get really bad with the addition of any amount of powder over 51.8 grains, at any rate I will take 2980 FPS with the 140 grain bullet anyday, now to find out where my accuracy node is by shooting some groups

 

[cbh560]

well 2996 is max out of my barrel, I don't gain any more speed or pressure all the way up to 52.8 grains of powder, however my SD and ES start to get really bad with the addition of any amount of powder over 51.8 grains, at any rate I will take 2980 FPS with the 140 grain bullet anyday, now to find out where my accuracy node is by shooting some groups

From your previous post, it sounds like you've gained 150+ fps, is that correct? What length barrel are you shooting?

I bought a pound yesterday and am hoping to try it out this weekend in my 7-08AI. Currently I've settled at 2920 fps with 44.6 gr varget from my 22" barrel. It was able to get up over 3000 fps, but pressure was showing and accuracy wasn't there. Now I'm really curious to see where the StaBall 6.5 puts me.

I've spent the last few evenings looking for info on loading this powder. It seems that the general internet consensus is that it needs to be loaded at 95% or more of case capacity before getting into the (reasonable) pressures that produce these improved velocities. However, it seems to be quite common that the pressure will start to build quite rapidly with small increases in charge weights when nearing case capacity and you need to be quite careful.

Additionally, there is limited user field testing of how temperature insensitive it really is, but so far it seems that its quite a bit better than other ball powders, but not nearly as good as some extruded powders like H4350 and Varget. Time will tell I guess.

 

[dan belisle]

I'll have to try this in my 7mm-08's. I can't safely get near that velocity. Can do it with the Ackley Improved version, but not the regulars. - dan

 

[jef612]

Charge 46.1 46.4 46.7 47.0 47.3 47.6 47.9 48.2 48.5 48.8
Shot 1 2661 2680 2669 2682 2746 2753 2791 2812 2826 2833
Shot 2 2650 2661 2687 2705 2735 2769 2780 2778 2839 2826
Shot 3 2629 2652 2651 2674 2705 2729 2782 2790 2811 2844
Shot 4 2631 2627 2667 2688 2706 2750 2791 2803 2798 2811
Shot 5 2610 2661 2678 2714 2708 2755 2798 2805 2808 2817

Mean 2,636 2,656 2,670 2,693 2,720 2,751 2,788 2,798 2,816 2,826
Median 2,631 2,661 2,669 2,688 2,708 2,753 2,791 2,803 2,811 2,826
Min 2,610 2,627 2,651 2,674 2,705 2,729 2,780 2,778 2,798 2,811
Max 2,661 2,680 2,687 2,714 2,746 2,769 2,798 2,812 2,839 2,844
- 1 SD 2,616 2,637 2,657 2,676 2,701 2,737 2,781 2,784 2,800 2,813
+ 1 SD 2,656 2,675 2,684 2,709 2,739 2,766 2,796 2,811 2,833 2,839
- 2 SD 2,597 2,618 2,644 2,660 2,682 2,722 2,774 2,771 2,784 2,800
+ 2 SD 2,676 2,695 2,697 2,726 2,758 2,780 2,803 2,825 2,849 2,852
Standard Dev. 19.8 19.3 13.4 16.5 19.1 14.4 7.4 13.5 16.1 13.0
Extreme Spread 51 53 36 40 41 40 18 34 41 33
Speed Incr (FPS) 17.10 18.20 24.80 29.30 34.20 23.20 14.00 14.30 9.80


Here was my development with a 140 Nosler BT, and a 22" Barrel, ambient temps of 16C
I stayed conservative as it was a new powder to me, but no pressure signs at all at 48.8 in mine
The ES and SD's were not great, but perhaps that would improve as the charge reaches max or near max pressures

Perhaps I should go back to the drawing board and stuff some more powder in there

 

[cbh560]

Charge 46.1 46.4 46.7 47.0 47.3 47.6 47.9 48.2 48.5 48.8
Shot 1 2661 2680 2669 2682 2746 2753 2791 2812 2826 2833
Shot 2 2650 2661 2687 2705 2735 2769 2780 2778 2839 2826
Shot 3 2629 2652 2651 2674 2705 2729 2782 2790 2811 2844
Shot 4 2631 2627 2667 2688 2706 2750 2791 2803 2798 2811
Shot 5 2610 2661 2678 2714 2708 2755 2798 2805 2808 2817

Mean 2,636 2,656 2,670 2,693 2,720 2,751 2,788 2,798 2,816 2,826
Median 2,631 2,661 2,669 2,688 2,708 2,753 2,791 2,803 2,811 2,826
Min 2,610 2,627 2,651 2,674 2,705 2,729 2,780 2,778 2,798 2,811
Max 2,661 2,680 2,687 2,714 2,746 2,769 2,798 2,812 2,839 2,844
- 1 SD 2,616 2,637 2,657 2,676 2,701 2,737 2,781 2,784 2,800 2,813
+ 1 SD 2,656 2,675 2,684 2,709 2,739 2,766 2,796 2,811 2,833 2,839
- 2 SD 2,597 2,618 2,644 2,660 2,682 2,722 2,774 2,771 2,784 2,800
+ 2 SD 2,676 2,695 2,697 2,726 2,758 2,780 2,803 2,825 2,849 2,852
Standard Dev. 19.8 19.3 13.4 16.5 19.1 14.4 7.4 13.5 16.1 13.0
Extreme Spread 51 53 36 40 41 40 18 34 41 33
Speed Incr (FPS) 17.10 18.20 24.80 29.30 34.20 23.20 14.00 14.30 9.80


Here was my development with a 140 Nosler BT, and a 22" Barrel, ambient temps of 16C
I stayed conservative as it was a new powder to me, but no pressure signs at all at 48.8 in mine
The ES and SD's were not great, but perhaps that would improve as the charge reaches max or near max pressures

Perhaps I should go back to the drawing board and stuff some more powder in there

Thanks for this. Take this for what its worth...there seem to be a lot of people on the internet who have loaded their 7-08 up to ~51-52 gr of Staball with the 140's before they were seeing pressure signs on the brass. If you didn't see any signs at all, I would try going up in charge weight a bit more. It seems the real results happen when you start filling up those last few percentage points of case capacity.

To be clear, I have not tried this myself (I intend to soon), it is just what I've read. If it were me, I would load up in .2gr increments from 48.8 and see what you get. Proceed at your own risk, but hopefully with good results.

 

[Astute Observer]

So - 47.9 grains gave a std dev of 7.4 fps? At a mean velocity of 2,788 - only 38fps slower than your fastest load?

Sounds like a good node to me.

Agree that you could try larger loads. I'd also try refining around 47.9... Say try loads at 47.7, 47.8, 48.0, 48.1, and see if anything improves there. Personally I place a higher priority on SD than absolute velocity - Yeah you'll have worse drop and wind performance with a slower projectile, but you can compensate for drop with your elevation knob, and compensate for wind with experience... But there's no way to compensate for variations in velocity.

 

[cbh560]

I got out and did some shooting with my 22" barreled 7-08 AI today. I had loaded 2 shots at each charge weight using Staball 6.5 and 140 gr Nosler BT seated to mag length. I was mostly looking for velocity nodes and attainable velocities while watching for pressure signs. Results as follows:

Load # - Charge - Velocity 1, velocity 2

#1 - 47.5 gr - 2795, 2841
#2 - 48.0 gr - 2788, 2834
#3 - 48.5 gr - 2893, 2860
#4 - 49.0 gr - 2910, 2900
#5 - 49.3 gr - 2952, 2933
#6 - 49.6 gr - 2992, 2936
#7 - 49.9 gr - 2979, 3001
#8 - 50.2 gr - 2998, 3001
#9 - 50.5 gr - 3051, 3011
#10 - 50.8 gr - 3061, 3070
#11 - 51.1 gr - 3070, 3077
#12 - 51.4 gr - 3113, 3106

Loads started becoming compressed at around 50 gr charge, however, I was not using a drop tube and likely would have been better if I did. There was very little signs of pressure on the brass for all charge weights with the exception of very slight primer flattening starting around load #6-7 and one very very slight extractor mark on the second shot of load #12 (an astute inspector would notice a very light extractor mark on the second shot of load #9 which was from some previous load testing that got a wee bit hot). I am going to do a little more exploring around 49.9 - 50.4 gr and 50.8 - 51.1 gr.

Brass in the photo are loads:

#1 #6 #11
#2 #7 #12
#3 #8
#4 #9
#5 #10

Based on these results I would say it is definitely plausible that a 7-08 could reach 3100 fps using Staball 6.5 and a regular 24" or longer barrel. If this powder proves to be as stable as claimed, hopefully it might be a winnner.

 

[Astute Observer]

#8 - 50.2 gr - 2998, 3001

I know it's only two rounds, but that's a nice tight variance.

 

[cbh560]

I know it's only two rounds, but that's a nice tight variance.

Agreed, I'm definitely going to be exploring that further.

 

[Buckmastr]

Reloader 17 with 140 Sierras going 3100 fps


Reloader 17 with 120 Sierras going 3300 fps

 

[cbh560]

Reloader 17 with 140 Sierras going 3100 fps


Reloader 17 with 120 Sierras going 3300 fps

Nice velocities! What length of barrel are you shooting? Any insights on how stable RL17 is in temperature swings? My deer hunting in SK has occurred anywhere between 15C and -40C.

 

[Buckmastr]

Nice velocities! What length of barrel are you shooting? Any insights on how stable RL17 is in temperature swings? My deer hunting in SK has occurred anywhere between 15C and -40C.

24" Remington SPS barrel. I haven't done any specific temperature tests at -40 but the velocity difference between 0 and 20 deg C were unnoticed. Usually these loads/powders running redline will get spicy at high temperatures which for me is in this sesason. And all seems fine.

 

[remington jim]

I just got a New Tikka T3X SS SuperLite 7-08 and I will be trying Stabil in mine ! RL17 also will get a Test out ! RJ

 

[pistolero_libre]

Dumb question here... My Sako seems to have a long chamber throat and short magazine which limits OAL. Is this a common situation with 7mm-08 production bolt action rifles, or unique to the Sako?

I've had fantastic terminal performance with 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets on whitetails. I haven't gone anywhere near "wild" with my loads, sticking with H-380 to ensure relatively flat pressure vs. temperature performance. In one hunting day here in Ontario one might see temperatures ranging from below freezing to +20C, hence the concern about consistent results over temperature.

 

[cbh560]

Dumb question here... My Sako seems to have a long chamber throat and short magazine which limits OAL. Is this a common situation with 7mm-08 production bolt action rifles, or unique to the Sako?

I've had fantastic terminal performance with 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets on whitetails. I haven't gone anywhere near "wild" with my loads, sticking with H-380 to ensure relatively flat pressure vs. temperature performance. In one hunting day here in Ontario one might see temperatures ranging from below freezing to +20C, hence the concern about consistent results over temperature.

I dont think your situation is unique to your Sako. There are a multitude of bullet weights available in 7mm, up to 180 gr. To be able to load a bullet that long without having half of it below the shoulder/neck junction requires a long throat. It seems few manufactures ever make a magazine long enough to accommodate this though

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Just checked my old data.

I was as high as 3030 ft/sec with 139SST . I have been further but thats all I have documented.It was W760 powder

 

[todbartell]

Not much can better a 7-08 pushing warp speeds. Unless you overload a larger cartridge I guess

 

[deertroy]

I'm waiting for my Cooper M54 in 7mm-08 to get rebarreled (Benchmark). Looking forward to trying StaBall in it. I've played with it a little in my 6mm Rem but ES has been worse than all other powders tried.