7mm-08 Handgun load

[uncyboo]

I have had a Lone Eagle single shot 7mm-08 handgun for several years. It has a 15" barrel with a brake. The last time I loaded for it was in the mid-90's and can't find my records. I do know that I used a 120 grn. bullet being made at the time (Hornady, I think) specifically designed for single shot handguns. They were supposed to to perform better than the regular rifle bullets at the slightly slower velocities produced by the shorter barrels. They must not have been very popular, as I don't see them listed any more.

These loads were very accurate in this pistol, but have no idea which powder or charge I used. So I get to start all over. Does anyone have a good starting point for short barrel loads? This will be used for deer and antelope.

 

[Unclenick]

That bullet was the #2811. They don't catalog it anymore. I don't see a .284 pistol bullet listed by any of the usual suspects. I think handgun hunting has moved itself toward the big bore revolver rounds. However, it's also the case that a lot of bullet design improvement has occurred over the last two decades, so you might call the makers with your achieved muzzle velocities and ask what bullet they make that they believe would expand well at different ranges, starting out at your muzzle velocities? The Nosler Ballistic Tip, for example, is often criticized for opening too easily. It might me just what you need, if you gun shoots them well?

It looks to me from QuickLOAD that you can still get to the 2500-2700 fps range pretty easily depending on powder choice. Unfortunately, as you go up in muzzle velocity with slower powders, your muzzle pressures and recoil and brake blast get higher. I think a more reasonable approach for best accuracy is going to be to use a powder that is ordinarily considered a bit fast for your chambering, but which will produce an acceptable velocity and not overdo recoil.

Two candidates come to mind. One is good old IMR 4198, which, in a maximum load of around 36 grains, appears to fill the case about 85% and to be able to get you to 2550-2600 fps with muzzle pressures 20% below what IMR 4895 would produce, which will cut recoil and brake blast. A newer powder is Reloader 10X. It is just a bit slower than 4198, but it would fill the case almost 90% at maximum of about 39 grains and still produce lower muzzle pressures than 4895. It would add about 90 fps to velocity.

Those loads are not case or primer specific, so you would want to knock them down a full 10% and work up toward them.

 

[Shorthair]

I might suggest AA 2015BR, a relatively fast burning rifle powder that I use in my 18.5 inch barrelled 7mm-08 Remington Model 7. I went to that powder and the muzzle flash is considerably less than slower burning powders. It shoots 140 grain Ballistic Tips into one-hole three shot groups at 100 yards, may be the most accurate combination I shoot.

 

[uncyboo]

The Nosler Ballistic Tip, for example, is often criticized for opening too easily. It might me just what you need, if you gun shoots them well

This was already rolling around in my head.

A newer powder is Reloader 10X.

Have been curious about this one, as i see it gets used alot in the 204 Ruger, which I am starting to load for.

I think a more reasonable approach for best accuracy is going to be to use a powder that is ordinarily considered a bit fast for your chambering,

I'm thinking this is the approach I took last time, I just can't remeber what powder I used, and can't find my records on this paricualr load.

I might suggest AA 2015BR, a relatively fast burning rifle powder that I use in my 18.5 inch barrelled 7mm-08 Remington Model 7. I went to that powder and the muzzle flash is considerably less than slower burning powders.

Thanks for that. I'm thinking something along these lines.