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7mm-08 powder choice with 162 eldm

Estes640

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Minuteman
Feb 13, 2017
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Bellevue, KY
I am trying to decide between starting with one 4064 and varget for the 162 eldm bullets. I can load long and I'm shooting out of a 25" tube. Let me know if anyone else runs this or the 162 amazon bullet. Trying to get an idea on powder.

Ryan
 
I have been using IMR 4350 behind the Amax since the 2013 panic. I have always wanted to give Varget a go since I have a bunch now, but have figured I would save that for whenever I get around to trying out the ELD's.
 
Running 40.9 gr varget with the 162 eldm in mine and best powder I have tried yet.
 

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If you're going to need velocity for shooting long range, then one of the 4350 powders (IMR is a bit faster the H4350) or RL17.
Varget and 4064 work but are slow.
 
dsnipe, what velocity are you seeing out of yours? Also,thanks for the info fdkay! I will see what I can find at my local shops.
 
Lots of data showing 7-08 and the Amax. I do not know the difference in the new bullet but have run the Amax with H4350 and Varget. 2.935 oal in Winchester case, 210m. It fits fine and I may re visit it.

 
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If you're going to need velocity for shooting long range, then one of the 4350 powders (IMR is a bit faster the H4350) or RL17.
Varget and 4064 work but are slow.

My experience with H4350 was counter as I couldn't seem to fit enough H4350 or IMR4451 in the case to match the velocity I was getting with Varget. Was also shooting a 25" barrel. I never tried RL17 though but saw lots of blazing velocity with it.

I had two nodes with varget. one around 40.5gr (2650-2675 fps) and one at 41.5-41.7 gr (2750-2775fps). The slower one held better es/sd's it seemed but both shot well.




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I've run varget, 4451 and rl16 in 7mm-08 Ackley pushing a 162 amax/eld with great results.

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44.0 gr IMR 4451 with 162ELD-M in my R700 7mm-08 is 0.2-0.4" 5 shot groups at 100 yds so consistent it gets boring. The bullet kicks ass in the wind too. I love it. Using CCI 200 primers and Norma brass by the way. 24" 9 twist bbl.


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20" 1:9
Tiger Shark suppressor (10")
Nosler brass
Fed 210 primer
39.8 gr H-Varget
2645 ave MV
ES 10

Kills steel, coyote, hogs, and deer equally well.
 
Mine is throated so that a 162 bearing surface is above the neck shoulder junction. 25" Rock barrel 45.4gr of H4350 yields 2700. If it wasn't throated out so far and I was trying to mag feed in a short action, I would use Varget. This gun was built on a long action for that very reason.
 
The load I just worked up is 36.5 gr of Varget, 162 ELD-M, bullet .015 off lands. I know it's slow, don't know how slow yet but during my load development it turned out a .343" (albeit, three-shot) group at 100 yards.

Edit: wanna try H4350 or RL-17 next, but MidwayUSA is backordered...

Edit 2: Averaging 2400 fps, but my SD is 13.7 so I'm alright with that, still wanna try other powders
 
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Not 162 ELDm but my 162 BTHP data is:

RL-17
42.0 grains = 2600 fps
44.0 grains = 2702 fps

Varget
39.0 grains = 2614 fps
41.0 grains = 2719 fps

Accuracy node for both powders was around 2650-2685.

Bartlien 1-9", 22" loaded to AICS mag length.


 
I've run varget, 4451 and rl16 in 7mm-08 Ackley pushing a 162 amax/eld with great results.

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What kind of velocity are you getting with the ackley? I see a 708 or 708ai in my future. Looks like a great round

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What kind of velocity are you getting with the ackley? I see a 708 or 708ai in my future. Looks like a great round

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Upper 2750-2800 with a all weather safe load in 24" barrels. It can go faster but might cause problems in rain and isn't worth the trouble in my opinion.
 
In my 7mm-08 I've used 46.2 grains H4350 @ 2.920" WW case Fed 210M primer for 2726 in a 26" barrel with the 162 grain A-max. I've also used 47.4 grains of RL-19 for 2742 FPS but accuracy was not as good as with the H4350 load.

These were compressed loads and work up from below.