Which bullet would you pick? - Results from this morning's range session with bullet sample packs.

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A few weeks ago, I ordered about 7 sample packs of various bullets for my 7mm-08. I believe this rifle has potential if I can just find the bullet and load that it likes, but it's been a little frustrating to get there. Similar to other pencil-barreled rifles I've owned - I feel a bit like I'm chasing my tail at the range a lot of days.

Today I got to the range early while it was still cool, and then started working through these loads. After the first shot, I waited 4 minutes between shots for the barrel to cool, and 10 minutes between loads while I went to the target to circle the group and number the holes according to shot order.

All the 139/140 class bullets were shot over 41 grains of IMR 8208 XBR

The 150 ELD-X's were loaded over 40.5 grains

The 154 Interbonds and 162 SST's were loaded over 40 grains

All rounds were seated at 2.80" overall length.

Bullets tested were:

139 BTSP Interlock
140 Accubond
140 E-tip
140 Partition
140 TSX (not TTSX)
140 Gameking

150 ELD-X

154 Interbond

162 SST

Here are the groups. If you look closely, you can see the order the rounds were shot in.
Also attached are the loads and velocities according to my inexpensive chrono.

Here's the question - What would you do next?

Thanks.

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LightFoot

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Assuming that is 100 yds, I would not be happy. Have you tried a factory load? What are the rifle, scope and mounts?

None of those are acceptable if the rifle, scope, and mounts are working correctly. I would also check the scope and mounts. I had a base screw back out one time and I almost sold an otherwise great rifle.

I would try Hornady Precision Hunter and Federal Premium factory loads. See if that works. Maybe your gun will like one of those.

Also, I don't think 4 minutes is enough for cooling.



>>>----JAKE----->
 
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Have you tried 120 class bullets? That barrel doesn’t seem to love the heavies or it needs a different powder/primer combo. It’s better to let the rifle choose the bullet than force a weight range. The Accubond and interlock look like they have potential to tighten up. That is ALOT of shots so are you confident in your shooting abilities and focus to execute that many shots with a high level of accuracy? Seating depth is another thing to consider. Seating deeper assuming you are at max mag length 0.02” increments for 0.1” will shot ideal length or really close. I use 3 shots for this
 
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E tip load is pretty tight with the one exception. Given that on a macro look at things your groups are kinda round. I’d start at the barrel channel and work my way through the bedding, action screws, rings and bases. That’s an hour door to door, if you will, from the safe.
pencil thin bbl. in a 300 yard or so hunting rifle, I’d just shoot three shot groups waiting several minutes between shots, not groups.
One box of premium factory ammo could tell you a lot.
What rifle, scope rings and bases are you using?
 
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None of those would lead me to quit chasing better. I generally start with factory ammo to get a base line (usually blue box federal).
 
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Man I’ve had a couple guns like that... agree with one of the previous posts on trying another weight class. I had one gun I was about to give up on and went about 30 grains lighter on the bullet and the groups closed right up. Maybe give the 120 gr SST a shot. My 25-06 loves the 117s. 1:12 twist pretty fast round.
 
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Newtosavage
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In regards to going lighter, the 120 ttsx with R15 works well in our 7/08.
This gun shoots 120 TSX's very well. That bullet is my baseline for this rifle, and what I hunted with last year. This gun also shoots 120 TTSX's like absolute crap. I've run through two boxes of 50 trying to get that bullet to work, and I basically wasted the $35 on the second box as it was no better than the first, regardless of what I tried.

I have some 120 Sierra Pro Hunters, but I was really hoping to find something in the 140 class, or heavier, in case I wanted to chase elk with this rifle someday.

I agree the E-tips show promise. Can't explain that one round, but I'm happy with the other four shots.

The 139 Interlocks are a real puzzle. Some days they shoot real tight (like cloverleaf )and others they shoot 2" groups. I wanted them to work because I like those bullets as an easily available, low cost option, but once my current box runs out, I'm moving on.
 
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Newtosavage
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I'd be shopping for a new barrel.
Thats one of the reasons I started this thread, because I'm considering it. At this pace, I'm going to spend as much on reloading components as I would have on a new barrel. LOL

It's just tough to fork over $500 or so for a new barrel when you really just need that "one" good load.
 
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Newtosavage
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In response to the scope/mounts/action screws, etc. questions...

I have run checks on all those things multiple times. The stock is epoxy bedded to this action and has aluminum pillars. I'm using Talley rings and I've checked the scope on other rifles and other scopes on this rifle.

I'm pretty sure it's the barrel. I'm considering buying a replacement barrel because this is my favorite stock and action of all the many I've owned.
 
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That SST spins great at high speeds and I’ve crushed at least a dozen animals up to 350ish yards with a 117 gr bullet. Hornady is cheap so don’t skimp on that! Good luck, I’ve got a similar conundrum with a 7 mm mag that I inherited.
 
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That SST spins great at high speeds and I’ve crushed at least a dozen animals up to 350ish yards with a 117 gr bullet. Hornady is cheap so don’t skimp on that! Good luck, I’ve got a similar conundrum with a 7 mm mag that I inherited.
I've had outstanding luck with SST's as a whitetail, hog and mule deer bullet. I tried the 139 SST's out of this rifle, and it's the first rifle I owned that didn't shoot SST's very well.

The 154 Interbonds show promise. Sometimes the 1st shot on a new bullet can be a flier. The next three ( I only loaded four of those) were within an inch however. I'm going to try those again.
 
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That powder is on the fast side for all of those bullets. Jump to a powder that's on the slower side of the spectrum and you'll have better results.
That said, accurate rifle/mount/optic systems shouldn't struggle that badly. If the switch to a more appropriate powder doesn't bring things together, something needs to be scrapped.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
 
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Newtosavage
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That powder is on the fast side for all of those bullets. Jump to a powder that's on the slower side of the spectrum and you'll have better results.
That said, accurate rifle/mount/optic systems shouldn't struggle that badly. If the switch to a more appropriate powder doesn't bring things together, something needs to be scrapped.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
Actually, I've had great results from 8208 out of multiple 7mm-08's for years now. It's listed as the highest velocity powder on the Hodgdon website for 162 class bullets, and it's performed exceptionally well for me. Have you tried it?

btw, before I found 8208, I tried RL-15, RL-17, RL-19, Varget, H4350, Big Game, H4895 and probably a few others I can't recall off the top of my head. It's not the powder that's the problem.

do you have experience with pencil-thin (#1 contour) barrels? I've owned three now and they have all done this. You have to find the right load or you will just assume they are not accurate barrels.
 

Mosby

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With thin barrels, I stick to 3 shot groups when working up loads and I make decisions off of that. I also wait a few minutes in between shots to keep the barrel heat reasonable and I use wind flags to try to shoot in similar conditions. My 7-08 has a 1.5 x 5 scope, so when I have a flyer it is normally because of the scope magnification and my hold. My most accurate rifles also have scopes with the highest magnification, because it easier for me to see the target and to have a consistent hold for groups.

I would put a higher magnification scope on the rifle for the range and go to 3 shot groups to see if the groups tighten. I would narrow it down to the the E tips and Interbonds. Their groups aren't bad when you eliminate the flyer. That should provide you with a better idea of the inherent accuracy of the rifle with those bullets.
 
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Newtosavage
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I was using a 6x scope at 100 yards. There was no wind. And I waited on average, 4 minutes between shots. Not really sure what else I can do. It was as fair a test as I can conduct, and took over 3 hours to complete.

At this point, I am pretty sure I've spent about $250 on bullets for this rifle. So far, the 120 TSX's are the only ones I'd consider to be consistent 1" loads. The E-tips show promise and I'm going to order a couple more sample packs of those. I think the 154 Interbonds show promise too, because it's not uncommon to me, for the first shot with a different bullet, to impact outside of the group. I have seen that quite a bit in my reloading. The last three were within an inch, and that's a good bullet for things larger than deer.
 
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Newtosavage
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I've ordered two more sample packs of 140 E-tips and 154 Interbonds (I have a bunch of 139 Interlocks still). If I don't see what I want from either of those, then I think I'm going to put a new barrel on this rifle. Probably a Howa pre-fit, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
 

Wapiti1

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I think you need to pick one bullet, one powder, and one primer to work with. Start 5 grains under, and work up in 1 grain increments.

If you are way off the node at that velocity and powder burn rate, you aren't going to find a magic bullet that makes that load work.

I choose my bullet, then work up the load. Not the other way around. Once I find the right velocity, I can interchange bullets of the same weight pretty reliably as long as I load them to similar velocity with the same powder.

Jeremy
 
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