Never been disappointed with Nosler partition bullets. Getting them there quicker and still holding good groups is a lively cricket in the hen yard excitement.
I have owned several 7 mm 08 have shop around 40 deer with it. Have done extensive testing. It will work with a 110 grain ttsx 130 spear 140 partition all the way up to 175 grain bullets is all in what you want and yes I've taken large pigs and huge whitetail bucks with 160 grain nosler partition and worked wonderful all the way out to 400 yd
I have a Tikka T3X Hunter in 7mm-08 , been shooting all Hornady ammo with the best results coming from the 150 grain ELDX . I’d love to get some NP 160 grains to hunt with. I don’t reload but I’ve been wanting to get into it , just don’t know what I’m doing. Thanks for sharing your experience though, I enjoy your content . It’s inspiring !
The 7mm-08 Tika or Weatherby Vanguard may be my retirement rifle. A 160 grain Partition is really not needed for deer hunting. Elk yes. 120gr or 140gr cup and core would work fine on whitetail deer. Good accuracy with the partition . I personally have not had a rifle yet that shot the partitions well.
Sometimes Partition bullets need a serious kick in the pants to shoot their best. The open base will obturate easier to fit the bore better. Same can be true of Swift A-Frame and even FMJs. People start out with lower charge weights (as they should), see only mediocre groups and get discouraged. If they continue working up, they often see accuracy improve. In the powder burn rate range for your cartridge, it often pays to select one of the faster powders to provide the extra bump, such as 4064/4895 in '06-based cases, 4350 in bigger mags and so on. Works for me! YMMV
@@shanerhodes925 I guess I’ve been lucky most all mine shoot them good. Sometimes I’ve had to play with powder or primer till I was ready to scream but in the end it was worth it. Best of luck to you.
I think you got it 160gr bullet. you're on it for Elk. I personally love the 7mm .284 bullets 7mm-08 , 280 Remington. I personally switch over to .308 in magnum, but that's because of different hunting environments. Here, shortly, I will be reloading 7mm Rem. Mag for my son-in-law 162 gr ELD-X and 165gr Sierra tipped game changer, we will see how they work. Great video, as always
I’m pretty much on the same train as some others here; I think you’ll find the little seven does better with the 120-140 range of bullet weights. While it’s perfectly fine to launch 160’s from the 7-08 I think you’ll find that they start to run out of gas between 200-400 yards, resulting in sub-par bullet performance on game in respects to mushrooming and penetration. I developed a safe load using the Nosler BT at just a hair over 3000 in the same rifle as yours. It’s straight up instant death at woods ranges and routinely does .7” groups. Every once in a while I can manage a .5” group. As a second choice, I’ve found the 130 Speer HotCor does well, albeit they don’t enjoy the same accuracy. Usually under an inch, which is still well within minute of deer. Still great data. I’d love to see if I could get a 120 TTSX faster than 3000 with Superformance.
Keep bumping those charges up until you see sign and then back off a grain. Hopefully, you are using large rifle magnum primers with the ball powder. Good luckand stay safe!!! 😉😉😉
Not sure LRMs are worth it on such small powder charges like you load up in a 51mm case. I've been shooting 60+ gr charges of 2000MR out of my 9.3x62 for a number of years just using large rifle, no issues on SD or ES, and very fast (for 9.3x62) of between 2400 and 2500 fps with 258 gr Hammers, and 286 gr Hornadys and Swifts. LRMs really start to shine in long cases with a lot of case capacity, like in my 404J, whether the powder is extruded or ball.
That's very impressive, especially since I'm getting 2915 with factory Federal Terminal Ascent 280AI in 2 rifles with 24" barrels. Those bullets are 155 grain. With respect to what bullet wt is seemingly recommended in the comments, the craze for many years is heavy bullets per caliber depending on type. If you watch the guys in NZ thinning the goat herds, the most common combo they have is a Tikka stainless 708 and 162 ELDM and ELDX. Absolutely nothing wrong with a 160 class bullet in 708. When I get to start on mine, the 162 will be my top end to try but I bought a ton of the Norma 160 Tipstrike bullets to load and I already know what they will do to a deer. Those will be tested first, then the 120 TTSX, then the 150 ELDX or 140 or 150 Nosler Ballistic Tips. Superformance has produced eye opening speeds and bughole groups in my 270s and 280AIs with light wt Barnes bullets. There's no need for a magnum primer with ball powder in a 708. But it certainly doesn't hurt to see what they will do. I've never found them necessary in cartridges holding 60 grains of powder or less. That said, I hunted Canada in Feb when it was -27 degrees. My wolf load was IMR4350, 215 magnum primer, 150 BVLD in a 270 Win. Specific to your 160 Partition load, as mentioned, seating depth can change things for better or worse. The tangent ogive is less influenced by seating depth and you'd have to make a substantial depth change to see very little effect in many cases. I'd recommend a component change first such as primers and/or brass. I had a 308 load that was as good as you can get with ES/SD but groups were as attractive as jock itch. I changed primers from 210 match to WLRs and, like magic, groups were bugholes with very slight increase in ES/SD which was irrelevant. When I get to testing 708 I'm hoping for success like you are seeing. Whatever shoots best is what I'll use as primary, whether is a 120 TTSX or a 160 Norma Tipstrike etc.
@@Accuracy1st great comment, thanks! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. FYI, Reloading Weatherby sent several Gun tubers to the comment section to comment about 140 gr better than 160s. He’s trolling me as a joke. Some people legitimately feel that way, but most don’t really care about the weight. Some 160gr tipstrikes were sent to me to test (not by Norma). That will be coming up when I get a chance.
@@hopefulballistics ooooOOOOoooohhh. I didn't know he did that. 🤪 Well, tell your bullet fairy to send me some Norma bullets. 😁 I couldn't pass those up at the sale price. By the way, since TAC seems to be magic pixie dust in the 308 with 130 TTSX, do you think it would be a good choice in 708 with the 120 TTSX?
We usually use a 140gr bullet in nz, I use that for everything here from small game to red stags. Usually all inside 400 yards. In saying that ammo for it got hard to get if you ran factory ammo during covid and after, people were using all sorts of stuff here, but I always reload my own so wasn’t an issue for me.
Since you asked.....I think only accurate rifles are interesting. Been shooting a custom redesigned (sporterized lol) Swedish Model 96 Mauser in 6.5x55 since 2000 with a 1912 receiver date and it continues to shoot 3 touching at 100yds. Loves Nosler 140gr AB's.
At first I wasn't all that impressed with the channel but it has grown in me ! I tend to echo the thoughts of several other posters that the 160gr bullets are really on the heavy side for the little 7mm. The 280Remington and the 7mm Rem Mag really make those 160s shine. My "heavy weight" for the 7mm08 are some 154gr Hornady RN bullets that I'm developing loads for just for the fun of trying something new. I normally hunt in places where the average shot is less than 100 yards and a real stretch is a bit over 200yards so those old round nose bullets shouldn't be a handicap. Besides if I need to reach out for a whitetail I can pick up my 25/06 shooting a 100gr Nosler Partition at 3400fps. Anyway... I can see the value of shooting those 160gr Partitions if you don't have a larger rifle for elk. I have no doubt that your load could handle any elk alive within its range limitation. I don't know at what distance your loads drop below 1500ft lbs of energy or 1800fps, where the Partition quits expanding. I personally have only used the 7mm08 on 9 deer. In all instances but one the deer dropped in their tracks. All of them were shot with the 140Nosler Accubond and in all cases the bullets exited after doing substantial rage inside. My son chose the 7mm08 and because he started at a very young age I lowered recoil by going to the 120gr Barnes TTSX with which he has taken 5 or 6 deer. The results have all been dead deer but a short tracking job was needed on over half of them. Blood trails were easy to follow . Is the 7mm08 the only cartridge I wish to use from deer to elk? Absolutely not but it can do it with the proper bullet and solid bullet placement.
For hunting rifles I find myself looking for the longest I can go and still fit the magazine. You can do a lot of tuning before wanting to reach out to the lands and get longer than you can load. Play with the reloading software to see what powders may fit your combo of desired velocity and barrel length. My personal choice now is a Swift Scirroco 150 gr, tough yet expandable and decent B.C. which would negate that extra 10 grain of bullet. My personal preference of course. I always load for accuracy and load the 7/08 up and down and everything in between for load development. The efficiency of this chambering is awesome and it does seem to always like a 140gr projectile as an all around bullet. I could go on for hours and have pages of load development for 7/08. Best part is 7mm RM guys don’t like seeing the same on game results!! 😊
50.0 grains of superformance gave me an average of 2830 fps with 160 Nosler ballistic tips but the accuracy wasn’t the best at 1.5”. Now, 47.0 grains of staball 6.5 gave me 2750 fps and just under an inch with the same bullet. Hodgdon says 47.5 is max. Might play with seating depths a bit to see if they tighten up. Overall pretty impressed with this cartridge.
That's an awesome powder and that 7-08 is a good cartrige. I don't know how much I like 160g bullets in it though. I feel like 140s are better and more ideal for it
My thoughts are leaning towards 140 partition for 708. 160s are overload for 708. 160s are on heavy side for my 7 mag ....these would be elk loads. As deer loads i would drop back to 140 for all 7mm 08 or even lighter. 130 grain speer are what i am trying in my new rifle. Should hammer deer.
@@hopefulballistics I hear ya there. I just lean a bit toward lighter for caliber bullets when hunting. I only shoot 150s out of my 7 mag. Lazer flat and still kill most anything I hit thru lungs. But just my opinion.
I am completely opposite. I have no interest in anything under 160 gr in any 7mm. The 175 gr Partition over a stiff charge of RL22 for 2930 fps is my favorite "one rifle for everything" load in my 7mm Rem Mag. I run a 160 gr Accubond with Ramshot Magnum groups well at 3020 fps when I head to the eastern part of the state for pronghorn and muley. But that is just because my Rem M700 has a ridiculously slow 9.25 twist. When I get around to rebarreling it, I'll roll with an 8 twist, and that rifle will never see anything lighter than 180 gr.
Superformance seems to be really good in the 7mm08. I was using staball 6.5 and getting those kind of velocities. 165 sierra game changer at 2800-2850. 2850 was showing slight pressure so 2800 was probably ny limit. Either way im impressed
For me, 160 is too heavy for the lil 7/08. Ooh I know full well, it can shoot them and one could do well with them. But for me its doing everything one should ask with a 140/145g. The 7mag is my 160g launcher. I don't like pushing a cartridge for all its worth. Its hard on components. firearms and the shooter. If I feel I need "more" I gran a larger capacity cartridge. But good video presentation as always! ❤
I picked up a couple boxes of 160 gr speer grand slams on clearance a while back and the local store had a pound of superformce last week. Oh buddy if I get 2800 fps with my 708 I'm going after elk with it!
Great channel, new subscriber. a 3 shot group, though, isn't enough data to determine reliable SD and ES. It might be an accurate reflection, but the larger the sample size, the more reliable the statistical data are.
Impressive groups with the partitions. If I did not have the 150gr TTSX loads ready in my 7-08, I definitely would try the NP’s. So, I will try them in my 7SAUM. Thanks
I have had three 7mm-08. They all did not like the heavier bullets. All of them shot great with 120gr. The 100gr. shot great also, but it was the varmint bullet.
Okay... here is my real comment without the troll. I think you have some darn good potential with this load. Do you plan on messing with it more? While 1.5 inch groups aren't going to set the Internet on fire for precision. This is plenty accurate to take almost anything in North America out to 400 yards. Good stuff!
Used partition bullets back in the 1970s and 80s in 25-06 , 7mm rem mag, and 340 Weatherby mag. Excellent terminal performance but in my rifles not extremely tight groups. Could be better now days with more advanced precision manufacturing equipment. Accuracy was always adequate for big game hunting.
One thing that so many reloaders Miss is you should weigh each and every and then load almost all the same way you'll be surprised what variance there are
My question is how long are you seating the bullets out to get enough powder to push the long 160 Partitions 2800FPS and will the function properly? If you can, seat them a little deeper and give them a little more jump.
I keep seeing the flyers. Have you glass bedded the stock yet. I reload. When I see groups like that I float the barrel channel and add a little epoxy at the front of the action. Makes a world of deference.
I would personally play with seating depth, primers, or brass to try and tighten up the group size to an inch or less. Otherwise, excellent load that could take any game animal in North America imo with a well placed shot.
Maybe it's just me but couldn't get good groups with the Partitions on serveral rifles. I switched to Accubonds and they shoot great - less expensive too!
22” barrel on the Tikka? 2800fps. I think that’s remarkable!!! With 160s? Who needs a 7remMag? Curious? Wondering what kind of velocity you would get with 140 Barnes TTSX? Thank you for these productions. Enjoying very much.
Did I miss the OAL of your loads? I can only load 2.800 inches in my rifle. Boy that 2800 is great. I had 2700 which was a max load. Certainly good enough for my type of hunting (moose up to 250 eastern Canada.)
I love the 7-08, own 2 of them. But, the devil's advocate will remind me that 160 gr partitions moving around 2800 fps sounds a lot like performance I'd see with a 308 winchester pushing 150-165 gr pills (yes, long distance the 7-08 has a certain advantage). If the fun factor does it for you (as it does for me), shoot 7-08. If you're more practically minded (and don't reload, shoot game within 325 yards etc), the 308 is probably the ticket. But, yeah, that recipe with Partitions will put a hurt on most N American big game!
With the 162 amaxs I used Staball 6.5 and Superformance. It wasn’t close on velocity. Superformance was much faster. Staball 6.5 is a great powder though, which I’ll be going back to.
@hopefulballistics don't take my word for it. I'm just one reloader. I do like it meters nicely, but I just can't develop a load for spring bears and thinks it's going to run the same late November chasing mule deer.
Holy crap, trying to make an old man be a body builder with that 7-08 pushing 160. A 140 would be better for it… maybe a 120 at that. Although if you want to make a strong man out of it… 180 eld-m’s over staball 6.5 going 2722 fps out of a 22” barrel isn’t bad on a 7-08….
Good video! But I've got to say... if I had a 7mm-08 I would stick with a 140 gr bullet. 160 gr is the bullet a 280 AI should be shooting. It just doesn't seem right shooting a 160 gr bullet out of a little bitty 7mm-08. Oh I forgot to add.... #neveruseballpowder
I don't see any load data for super performance powder for the 7-08. The fastest I'm seeing for 162 gr bullet is just over 2700 fps. 2800 fps is extremely fast. I would like to actually see the you Chrono graph a 22lr round to see how accurate the Chrono is. And then see the velocity of your 7-08 loads. I think you're running right at the ragged edge or the Chrono isn't reading correctly. I've had ball powders that never show pressure signs until it had primer blown. That was due to temperature changes. If your actually getting those velocities safely you have just turned the 7mm08 into the new 280 Ackley. I'm just not buying it
Buy it, it’s true. Go to Hornady’s reloading manual 11th edition to 162 grain and see what powder is going 2800 FPS. I’ve tested this 3 times now. Twice with 162 Amaxs and now with 160 partitions. Why doubt me?
@@hopefulballistics As the old saying goes trust but verify. A lot of people on UA-cam fudge the truth for likes = monetary gains. It's hard to trust someone that won't state their load data or show the actual Chronograph read out. Sorry no offense that's just the way it is.
@@jasonrottlaender1721 UA-camrs usually don't share load data for liability reasons. Just because it doesn't have pressure in my rifle doesn't mean it works in every other rifle.
So with that statement I'm just going to automatically assume you're pushing the pressure limits to gain that velocity. Not very wise if that's the case. I don't see a difference between telling someone what your load data is and showing your velocity is pushing the limits. Either way you can't control what someone else does. Hence disclaimers don't try this at home ECT.
Once again, you are going over SAAMI pressures. The velocity is proof of that. Check out Nosler's online loading data. Also, the 160gr is a tad too heavy for the little 7mm-08. Stick with a 150, and you will actually be doing better. It's not always about how hard you can push them, you should be loading for both accuracy and velocity. When you find a happy medium, then you are doing something. Use Hunter powder, you'll get much better accuracy. As an example: In my Tikka, it averages 3/4" 5 shot groups at 100 yards, and .7 moa at 400 yards. You need to learn to keep an eye on velocities. That is the best way to know you are going over SAAMI pressures. Eventually you will run into major problems.
Max pressure for 7mm-08 is 61,000. Am I going over that, probably. Is it in an unsafe range. I don’t think so. 65,000 is fine for reloading. Good velocity doesn’t mean high pressure. Usually a spike in velocity does accompanied by other signs. None of which were present. My load was right around max for the 162 amax. It shouldn’t be much different for this bullet. Hornadys 11th edition shows 2800 for 162s in 7mm-08, Nosler shows 2780 for this exact bullet, just not superformance powder. All my info was put into a program which estimated my psi was 66,000. Yes that’s slightly over, but it was 75 degrees and humid out. I get your thinking I’m being unsafe or don’t know what I’m doing, but you’re wrong.
Never been disappointed with Nosler partition bullets. Getting them there quicker and still holding good groups is a lively cricket in the hen yard excitement.
Right on, thanks
I would work on seating depth, might tighten the groups up a little more.
Probably right
Same recommendation. About ten thousandth increments and see if it likes more jump.
7mm-08 was my metallic silhouette rifle for years. Well done!
Awesome, thanks
I have owned several 7 mm 08 have shop around 40 deer with it. Have done extensive testing. It will work with a 110 grain ttsx 130 spear 140 partition all the way up to 175 grain bullets is all in what you want and yes I've taken large pigs and huge whitetail bucks with 160 grain nosler partition and worked wonderful all the way out to 400 yd
Awesome, thanks for sharing that. What’s your favorite load for 7mm-08?
Loved it 2800 with partition works for me!!
Me too, thanks!
I have a Tikka T3X Hunter in 7mm-08 , been shooting all Hornady ammo with the best results coming from the 150 grain ELDX .
I’d love to get some NP 160 grains to hunt with. I don’t reload but I’ve been wanting to get into it , just don’t know what I’m doing.
Thanks for sharing your experience though, I enjoy your content . It’s inspiring !
I appreciate that, thanks for watching and commenting!
That's pretty impressive for the 7mm-08. I'd try playing with seating depth to tighten those groups
I think I will
The 7mm-08 Tika or Weatherby Vanguard may be my retirement rifle. A 160 grain Partition is really not needed for deer hunting. Elk yes. 120gr or 140gr cup and core would work fine on whitetail deer. Good accuracy with the partition . I personally have not had a rifle yet that shot the partitions well.
Sometimes Partition bullets need a serious kick in the pants to shoot their best. The open base will obturate easier to fit the bore better. Same can be true of Swift A-Frame and even FMJs. People start out with lower charge weights (as they should), see only mediocre groups and get discouraged. If they continue working up, they often see accuracy improve. In the powder burn rate range for your cartridge, it often pays to select one of the faster powders to provide the extra bump, such as 4064/4895 in '06-based cases, 4350 in bigger mags and so on. Works for me! YMMV
140 partitions shoot 5/8 to 3/4 all day with reloads. Very nice retirement present
I have had a couple 300 win mags that shot 180 partitions really well. But most of the time they are hunting accurate and that's about it.
@@shanerhodes925 I guess I’ve been lucky most all mine shoot them good. Sometimes I’ve had to play with powder or primer till I was ready to scream but in the end it was worth it. Best of luck to you.
I like the 160 in a round like this for semi bush scenarios. Hits like a hammer where the smaller bullets go fast and punch through.
Another great video thank you. I got some of those bullets and powder. I might have to try that in mine.
Right on, I appreciate it!
I think you got it 160gr bullet. you're on it for Elk. I personally love the 7mm .284 bullets 7mm-08 , 280 Remington. I personally switch over to .308 in magnum, but that's because of different hunting environments.
Here, shortly, I will be reloading 7mm Rem. Mag for my son-in-law 162 gr ELD-X and 165gr Sierra tipped game changer, we will see how they work.
Great video, as always
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Pretty good stuff. I think that’s good groups for those projectiles. Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
I’m pretty much on the same train as some others here; I think you’ll find the little seven does better with the 120-140 range of bullet weights. While it’s perfectly fine to launch 160’s from the 7-08 I think you’ll find that they start to run out of gas between 200-400 yards, resulting in sub-par bullet performance on game in respects to mushrooming and penetration. I developed a safe load using the Nosler BT at just a hair over 3000 in the same rifle as yours. It’s straight up instant death at woods ranges and routinely does .7” groups. Every once in a while I can manage a .5” group. As a second choice, I’ve found the 130 Speer HotCor does well, albeit they don’t enjoy the same accuracy. Usually under an inch, which is still well within minute of deer. Still great data. I’d love to see if I could get a 120 TTSX faster than 3000 with Superformance.
Watch my video from yesterday. 120 TTSX at 3200 fps.
Keep bumping those charges up until you see sign and then back off a grain. Hopefully, you are using large rifle magnum primers with the ball powder. Good luckand stay safe!!! 😉😉😉
Thanks for watching!
Not sure LRMs are worth it on such small powder charges like you load up in a 51mm case. I've been shooting 60+ gr charges of 2000MR out of my 9.3x62 for a number of years just using large rifle, no issues on SD or ES, and very fast (for 9.3x62) of between 2400 and 2500 fps with 258 gr Hammers, and 286 gr Hornadys and Swifts. LRMs really start to shine in long cases with a lot of case capacity, like in my 404J, whether the powder is extruded or ball.
That's very impressive, especially since I'm getting 2915 with factory Federal Terminal Ascent 280AI in 2 rifles with 24" barrels. Those bullets are 155 grain. With respect to what bullet wt is seemingly recommended in the comments, the craze for many years is heavy bullets per caliber depending on type. If you watch the guys in NZ thinning the goat herds, the most common combo they have is a Tikka stainless 708 and 162 ELDM and ELDX. Absolutely nothing wrong with a 160 class bullet in 708. When I get to start on mine, the 162 will be my top end to try but I bought a ton of the Norma 160 Tipstrike bullets to load and I already know what they will do to a deer. Those will be tested first, then the 120 TTSX, then the 150 ELDX or 140 or 150 Nosler Ballistic Tips.
Superformance has produced eye opening speeds and bughole groups in my 270s and 280AIs with light wt Barnes bullets. There's no need for a magnum primer with ball powder in a 708. But it certainly doesn't hurt to see what they will do. I've never found them necessary in cartridges holding 60 grains of powder or less. That said, I hunted Canada in Feb when it was -27 degrees. My wolf load was IMR4350, 215 magnum primer, 150 BVLD in a 270 Win.
Specific to your 160 Partition load, as mentioned, seating depth can change things for better or worse. The tangent ogive is less influenced by seating depth and you'd have to make a substantial depth change to see very little effect in many cases. I'd recommend a component change first such as primers and/or brass. I had a 308 load that was as good as you can get with ES/SD but groups were as attractive as jock itch. I changed primers from 210 match to WLRs and, like magic, groups were bugholes with very slight increase in ES/SD which was irrelevant.
When I get to testing 708 I'm hoping for success like you are seeing. Whatever shoots best is what I'll use as primary, whether is a 120 TTSX or a 160 Norma Tipstrike etc.
@@Accuracy1st great comment, thanks! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. FYI, Reloading Weatherby sent several Gun tubers to the comment section to comment about 140 gr better than 160s. He’s trolling me as a joke. Some people legitimately feel that way, but most don’t really care about the weight. Some 160gr tipstrikes were sent to me to test (not by Norma). That will be coming up when I get a chance.
@@hopefulballistics ooooOOOOoooohhh. I didn't know he did that. 🤪
Well, tell your bullet fairy to send me some Norma bullets. 😁 I couldn't pass those up at the sale price. By the way, since TAC seems to be magic pixie dust in the 308 with 130 TTSX, do you think it would be a good choice in 708 with the 120 TTSX?
@@Accuracy1st I bet it would be, but I haven’t tried it yet
We usually use a 140gr bullet in nz, I use that for everything here from small game to red stags. Usually all inside 400 yards. In saying that ammo for it got hard to get if you ran factory ammo during covid and after, people were using all sorts of stuff here, but I always reload my own so wasn’t an issue for me.
Since you asked.....I think only accurate rifles are interesting. Been shooting a custom redesigned (sporterized lol) Swedish Model 96 Mauser in 6.5x55 since 2000 with a 1912 receiver date and it continues to shoot 3 touching at 100yds. Loves Nosler 140gr AB's.
Thanks for watching
Might try stayball 6.5 powder, I had a few issues with superformance sensitive to temp.
Thanks
Very nice... glad to see it 😊
Thanks!
At first I wasn't all that impressed with the channel but it has grown in me ! I tend to echo the thoughts of several other posters that the 160gr bullets are really on the heavy side for the little 7mm. The 280Remington and the 7mm Rem Mag really make those 160s shine. My "heavy weight" for the 7mm08 are some 154gr Hornady RN bullets that I'm developing loads for just for the fun of trying something new. I normally hunt in places where the average shot is less than 100 yards and a real stretch is a bit over 200yards so those old round nose bullets shouldn't be a handicap. Besides if I need to reach out for a whitetail I can pick up my 25/06 shooting a 100gr Nosler Partition at 3400fps.
Anyway... I can see the value of shooting those 160gr Partitions if you don't have a larger rifle for elk. I have no doubt that your load could handle any elk alive within its range limitation. I don't know at what distance your loads drop below 1500ft lbs of energy or 1800fps, where the Partition quits expanding.
I personally have only used the 7mm08 on 9 deer. In all instances but one the deer dropped in their tracks. All of them were shot with the 140Nosler Accubond and in all cases the bullets exited after doing substantial rage inside.
My son chose the 7mm08 and because he started at a very young age I lowered recoil by going to the 120gr Barnes TTSX with which he has taken 5 or 6 deer. The results have all been dead deer but a short tracking job was needed on over half of them. Blood trails were easy to follow .
Is the 7mm08 the only cartridge I wish to use from deer to elk? Absolutely not but it can do it with the proper bullet and solid bullet placement.
@@TravisRobinson-hz6wm great comment, I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Very interesting...
Glad you think so!
For hunting rifles I find myself looking for the longest I can go and still fit the magazine. You can do a lot of tuning before wanting to reach out to the lands and get longer than you can load. Play with the reloading software to see what powders may fit your combo of desired velocity and barrel length.
My personal choice now is a Swift Scirroco 150 gr, tough yet expandable and decent B.C. which would negate that extra 10 grain of bullet. My personal preference of course.
I always load for accuracy and load the 7/08 up and down and everything in between for load development.
The efficiency of this chambering is awesome and it does seem to always like a 140gr projectile as an all around bullet.
I could go on for hours and have pages of load development for 7/08.
Best part is 7mm RM guys don’t like seeing the same on game results!! 😊
Great comment, thanks
50.0 grains of superformance gave me an average of 2830 fps with 160 Nosler ballistic tips but the accuracy wasn’t the best at 1.5”. Now, 47.0 grains of staball 6.5 gave me 2750 fps and just under an inch with the same bullet. Hodgdon says 47.5 is max. Might play with seating depths a bit to see if they tighten up. Overall pretty impressed with this cartridge.
@@dyouden me too, thanks
Awesome thank you
Thank you!
That's an awesome powder and that 7-08 is a good cartrige. I don't know how much I like 160g bullets in it though. I feel like 140s are better and more ideal for it
@@Jay_guy712 I like testing all weights.
My thoughts are leaning towards 140 partition for 708. 160s are overload for 708. 160s are on heavy side for my 7 mag ....these would be elk loads. As deer loads i would drop back to 140 for all 7mm 08 or even lighter. 130 grain speer are what i am trying in my new rifle. Should hammer deer.
This would be an all around multi game species load.
@@hopefulballistics I hear ya there. I just lean a bit toward lighter for caliber bullets when hunting. I only shoot 150s out of my 7 mag. Lazer flat and still kill most anything I hit thru lungs. But just my opinion.
I am completely opposite. I have no interest in anything under 160 gr in any 7mm. The 175 gr Partition over a stiff charge of RL22 for 2930 fps is my favorite "one rifle for everything" load in my 7mm Rem Mag. I run a 160 gr Accubond with Ramshot Magnum groups well at 3020 fps when I head to the eastern part of the state for pronghorn and muley. But that is just because my Rem M700 has a ridiculously slow 9.25 twist. When I get around to rebarreling it, I'll roll with an 8 twist, and that rifle will never see anything lighter than 180 gr.
Superformance seems to be really good in the 7mm08. I was using staball 6.5 and getting those kind of velocities. 165 sierra game changer at 2800-2850. 2850 was showing slight pressure so 2800 was probably ny limit. Either way im impressed
@@Rushshooting67913 thanks, I appreciate it.
For me, 160 is too heavy for the lil 7/08. Ooh I know full well, it can shoot them and one could do well with them. But for me its doing everything one should ask with a 140/145g.
The 7mag is my 160g launcher.
I don't like pushing a cartridge for all its worth. Its hard on components. firearms and the shooter. If I feel I need "more" I gran a larger capacity cartridge.
But good video presentation as always! ❤
I appreciate it. I like to test all bullet weights. I also like to test the potential of the cartridge.
Picked up a Tikka T3x Lite in 7mm-08. Groups great with the 150gr ELD-X.
Awesome!
I have heard that powder is very temperature sensitive.
Could be. I guess I’ll find out.
I picked up a couple boxes of 160 gr speer grand slams on clearance a while back and the local store had a pound of superformce last week. Oh buddy if I get 2800 fps with my 708 I'm going after elk with it!
Use Hornady’s 11th edition info with Superformance. Obviously start a couple grains under max and work your way towards max.
So awesome
Thanks!
That gun should shoot better than 1 1/2 inch groups. Thanks for sharing.
It’s brand new, it might get better as it breaks in.
Nice
Thanks!
Great channel, new subscriber. a 3 shot group, though, isn't enough data to determine reliable SD and ES. It might be an accurate reflection, but the larger the sample size, the more reliable the statistical data are.
Thanks for watching
Impressive groups with the partitions. If I did not have the 150gr TTSX loads ready in my 7-08, I definitely would try the NP’s. So, I will try them in my 7SAUM. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
I have had three 7mm-08. They all did not like the heavier bullets. All of them shot great with 120gr. The 100gr. shot great also, but it was the varmint bullet.
I appreciate it
140gr. core lokts is all I need for hunting the logging slashes . I care more about groupings. But interesting
Thanks for watching
Okay... here is my real comment without the troll. I think you have some darn good potential with this load. Do you plan on messing with it more? While 1.5 inch groups aren't going to set the Internet on fire for precision. This is plenty accurate to take almost anything in North America out to 400 yards. Good stuff!
Thanks! I think seating depth testing is warranted.
Used partition bullets back in the 1970s and 80s in 25-06 , 7mm rem mag, and 340 Weatherby mag. Excellent terminal performance but in my rifles not extremely tight groups. Could be better now days with more advanced precision manufacturing equipment. Accuracy was always adequate for big game hunting.
I appreciate the comment
Nice makes me wonder if the ackley is needed lol. Will still have it but who knows.
@@shanerhodes925 I appreciate it. 7mm-08 Ackley? Or 280 Ackley?
One thing that so many reloaders Miss is you should weigh each and every and then load almost all the same way you'll be surprised what variance there are
My question is how long are you seating the bullets out to get enough powder to push the long 160 Partitions 2800FPS and will the function properly? If you can, seat them a little deeper and give them a little more jump.
It’s not heavy compressed, maybe bullet is slightly touching powder. 2.315 to ogive. I don’t measure to bullet tip but probably over 2.9”.
I keep seeing the flyers. Have you glass bedded the stock yet. I reload. When I see groups like that I float the barrel channel and add a little epoxy at the front of the action. Makes a world of deference.
I haven’t bedded it
🇺🇸🤘🏼💥💥🤘🏼🇺🇸. Old school Standard!
Yep!
Im running 120 Barnes ttsx with 6.5 stayball at just at 3000fps it's a lightning bolt on deer.
Awesome! Have you seen my video from yesterday?
I would personally play with seating depth, primers, or brass to try and tighten up the group size to an inch or less. Otherwise, excellent load that could take any game animal in North America imo with a well placed shot.
I think I will do that
Maybe it's just me but couldn't get good groups with the Partitions on serveral rifles. I switched to Accubonds and they shoot great - less expensive too!
I appreciate the comment
160gr for 7mm-08? You'll penetrate more with the 120gr ttsx!
Godspeed and good hunting my friend.
Thanks!
I think you should hold down the forend of your rifle before you shoot. Might tighten your groups up
I’ve never shot Nosler partition, but I’ve read they can be tricky to get accurate.
Seems to be the case.
@@hopefulballistics I would consider accubond.
@@mr.mr.3301 coming this week
Are you using a magnum primer? I have been using fed215s with all ball powders in the 7mm08.
Standard LR primers
@@hopefulballistics try a magnum primer. Might be a bit better.
22” barrel on the Tikka?
2800fps. I think that’s remarkable!!! With 160s?
Who needs a 7remMag?
Curious? Wondering what kind of velocity you would get with 140 Barnes TTSX?
Thank you for these productions. Enjoying very much.
22.4”. I appreciate it, thanks. Stay tuned for 139 LRX video.
Did I miss the OAL of your loads? I can only load 2.800 inches in my rifle. Boy that 2800 is great. I had 2700 which was a max load. Certainly good enough for my type of hunting (moose up to 250 eastern Canada.)
2.315 base to ogive. I don’t have a coal, but I’d say it’s over 2.9.
@@hopefulballistics I never could have reached 2800 with the powder I was using. It was even a little compressed. Were your loads compressed any?
@@denisleblanc4506 maybe a very slight compression, but I don’t think much at all.
@@hopefulballistics Thanks
How is TAC in 7mm-08?
I haven’t tried it yet.
A 160 gr in 7mm-08? You should probably try a 140 gr instead. #270Winisstillbetter
I have been using 162 interlocks they thump deer and drop them. I have mine going like 2500fps
Cool, thanks
You can get more but it comes at the cost of powder and recoil.
Are you referring to velocity?
Magnums and even 280 ai go faster but there’s a cost.
@@christopherhiher5783 gotcha, agreed
And also what powder u r using to get 2800 fps and barrel lenght
Superformance 22.4”
When the sd,s are good. And the groups are so so.I would "change the Seating depth.
@@joelclark2130 I agree
What's the load data on that? And how many yeards are you sighting in at?
Email me for specific load data. 100 yds.
My wife kills with 140 partitions or Accubonds. Blacktail deer, Roosevelt elk
Nice!
I love the 7-08, own 2 of them. But, the devil's advocate will remind me that 160 gr partitions moving around 2800 fps sounds a lot like performance I'd see with a 308 winchester pushing 150-165 gr pills (yes, long distance the 7-08 has a certain advantage). If the fun factor does it for you (as it does for me), shoot 7-08. If you're more practically minded (and don't reload, shoot game within 325 yards etc), the 308 is probably the ticket. But, yeah, that recipe with Partitions will put a hurt on most N American big game!
I love both cartridges.
🤠 IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, YOU MAY WANT TO GIVE staBALL 6.5 A TRY, AS IT WILL ALSO GIVE YOU OVER 2,800 FT/S WITH THAT 160 GRAIN NOSLER PARTITION! 🥳
With the 162 amaxs I used Staball 6.5 and Superformance. It wasn’t close on velocity. Superformance was much faster. Staball 6.5 is a great powder though, which I’ll be going back to.
@@hopefulballistics Good To Know, If I End Up Getting a 7mm-08! It's on My Short List of Cartridges to Purchase! 🤑
I've found superformance to be extremely temp sensitive.
Interesting, thanks
@hopefulballistics don't take my word for it. I'm just one reloader. I do like it meters nicely, but I just can't develop a load for spring bears and thinks it's going to run the same late November chasing mule deer.
I wouldn't be happy with an inch and a half group but maybe that's just me
I’ll probably do seating depth testing.
If you have deep pockets, RE17 has outperformed superformance for me. RE17 is not very temp stable though.
@@wesleyturner1979 thanks!
Holy crap, trying to make an old man be a body builder with that 7-08 pushing 160. A 140 would be better for it… maybe a 120 at that. Although if you want to make a strong man out of it… 180 eld-m’s over staball 6.5 going 2722 fps out of a 22” barrel isn’t bad on a 7-08….
Yep that’s pretty good
Good video! But I've got to say... if I had a 7mm-08 I would stick with a 140 gr bullet. 160 gr is the bullet a 280 AI should be shooting. It just doesn't seem right shooting a 160 gr bullet out of a little bitty 7mm-08. Oh I forgot to add.... #neveruseballpowder
You jerk, lol.
You should really be shooting a 140 gr in a 7mm-08 and not a 160 gr
Thanks Reloading Weatherby, I mean Big Timber.
I don't see any load data for super performance powder for the 7-08. The fastest I'm seeing for 162 gr bullet is just over 2700 fps. 2800 fps is extremely fast.
I would like to actually see the you Chrono graph a 22lr round to see how accurate the Chrono is.
And then see the velocity of your 7-08 loads. I think you're running right at the ragged edge or the Chrono isn't reading correctly. I've had ball powders that never show pressure signs until it had primer blown. That was due to temperature changes.
If your actually getting those velocities safely you have just turned the 7mm08 into the new 280 Ackley.
I'm just not buying it
Buy it, it’s true. Go to Hornady’s reloading manual 11th edition to 162 grain and see what powder is going 2800 FPS. I’ve tested this 3 times now. Twice with 162 Amaxs and now with 160 partitions. Why doubt me?
@@hopefulballistics
As the old saying goes trust but verify. A lot of people on UA-cam fudge the truth for likes = monetary gains.
It's hard to trust someone that won't state their load data or show the actual Chronograph read out. Sorry no offense that's just the way it is.
@@jasonrottlaender1721 UA-camrs usually don't share load data for liability reasons. Just because it doesn't have pressure in my rifle doesn't mean it works in every other rifle.
So with that statement I'm just going to automatically assume you're pushing the pressure limits to gain that velocity. Not very wise if that's the case. I don't see a difference between telling someone what your load data is and showing your velocity is pushing the limits. Either way you can't control what someone else does. Hence disclaimers don't try this at home ECT.
@jasonrottlaender1721 I always stay within reloading book recommendations. But as I said every gun is different.
Once again, you are going over SAAMI pressures. The velocity is proof of that. Check out Nosler's online loading data. Also, the 160gr is a tad too heavy for the little 7mm-08. Stick with a 150, and you will actually be doing better. It's not always about how hard you can push them, you should be loading for both accuracy and velocity. When you find a happy medium, then you are doing something. Use Hunter powder, you'll get much better accuracy. As an example: In my Tikka, it averages 3/4" 5 shot groups at 100 yards, and .7 moa at 400 yards. You need to learn to keep an eye on velocities. That is the best way to know you are going over SAAMI pressures. Eventually you will run into major problems.
Max pressure for 7mm-08 is 61,000. Am I going over that, probably. Is it in an unsafe range. I don’t think so. 65,000 is fine for reloading. Good velocity doesn’t mean high pressure. Usually a spike in velocity does accompanied by other signs. None of which were present. My load was right around max for the 162 amax. It shouldn’t be much different for this bullet. Hornadys 11th edition shows 2800 for 162s in 7mm-08, Nosler shows 2780 for this exact bullet, just not superformance powder. All my info was put into a program which estimated my psi was 66,000. Yes that’s slightly over, but it was 75 degrees and humid out. I get your thinking I’m being unsafe or don’t know what I’m doing, but you’re wrong.