7mm-08 and 145 Barnes LRX

[NapalmCheese]

Anyone play around with this? Load data is hard to come by for this specific load and, thus far, I've never tried to build a load without data for the specific components I'm using.

The 145 LRX is LONG, longer than a 168 Bergrer. If I were to try putting something together my first thought would be to start with starting loads for 168 grain, knowing that the case volume will be more similar with that than it would be with a 140 grain bullet.

I'm in no hurry to put something together with these bullets, I'll pick up some 120 or 140 grain TSXs for which I have data, but it would be nice to put something together one of these days with the LRX (since I have them).

[ElvenSoul]

Interested in learning more

[devster55]

I have loaded them for my 7mm rem mag but not 7-08

[NapalmCheese]

I have loaded them for my 7mm rem mag but not 7-08

I'm thinking they are better used in that application given case capacities. Also, given that most of my game is shot within 250 yards buying them in the first place was a bit of a mistake (I hadn't noticed how long they were) as a standard TSX or TTSX would be just fine. But hey, I've got them, if I can find a load I'll load them, if not maybe I can trade them for something more useful to me.

Or I can just look at them, they're sleek and racy!

[devster55]

They are very long but seem to shoot well. I would take them off of your hands. I do have some barnes traditional 130gr bullets and some nosler 120's but neither are lead free.

[Divernhunter]

I use the 110gr TTSX in the 7-08 and get speeds which will give me good expansion. The 110gr barnes acts like a 143gr lead core bullet. I used 140gr partitions in my 7Rem Mag to great effect.

My load 49.5grs RL15---3329FPS -- SD5 --Mag primer---Super accurate---Rifle is Tikka T-3 Lite

For me the 140gr Barnes are too heavy for good expansion.

[NapalmCheese]

They are very long but seem to shoot well. I would take them off of your hands. I do have some barnes traditional 130gr bullets and some nosler 120's but neither are lead free.

I'll keep it in mind, I actually find myself in San Andreas a fair amount (for someone that lives 3 hours away).

[NapalmCheese]

I use the 110gr TTSX in the 7-08 and get speeds which will give me good expansion. The 110gr barnes acts like a 143gr lead core bullet. I used 140gr partitions in my 7Rem Mag to great effect.

My load 49.5grs RL15---3329FPS -- SD5 --Mag primer---Super accurate---Rifle is Tikka T-3 Lite

For me the 140gr Barnes are too heavy for good expansion.

That's cooking right along!
That's a nice load running it through JBM. Point blank to just about 300 yards and moving at 2400 FPS when it gets there.

[highpower790]

Based on 308 data I would start at 40gr of Varget or IMR4895.

[NapalmCheese]

So yeah, this is a plenty old thread but I don't get out to do much load development.

I only loaded up 5 rounds of the LRX to pressure test and run a little mini ladder with Varget.
Velocities were from 2549 - 2713 with 38 - 41.2 grains of Varget. Once I got above 40.4 grains I started seeing shiny ejector marks on the case, similar to when I shoot factory Hornady Superformance rounds.

I think I'll load up a few more in the 39 - 40.2 area with Varget and try another batch with H-4350.

I shot a box of the 110 TTSX at decent but not smoking hot speeds
3200 fps with 53 grains of H-380
3100 fps with 47 grains of Varget
Shot some with H-4350 but that was pretty well pointless and slow. I should have figured that from the outset and just kept those bullets.

None of the 110s shot terribly well for me, but I didn't completely decopper the barrel before I started out. Next time. Also there's some reloader locally available so I'll have to give that a go with the 110s.

This was all out of a Tikka T3 lite.

So, there ya go. I'll keep playing around with the 110s and the 145s cuz why not right? I'll probably update this thread in another year when I finally get around doing more testing...

[Fordtrucks]

If ur looking for smoke, I would give CFE 223 a try. It's been magic in my 7mm-08 with 120grn xbullets, tsx, and noslers, just saying.

Around 3400-3500fps in my rig. Procede with caution, but data is available on Hogdon site. Thier numbers have been way lower than what I've chronoed.

[Divernhunter]

Mine are out of a Tikka T-3 Lite also. The RL15 load was the fastest by far and from the Barnes data or from the Hodgdon website for THAT barnes bullet. They shoot into one little hole when I do my part. You must have the barrel super clean to start with barnes bullets. The 145gr are too heavy in the 7mm-08 for me. Cannot get enough FPS with them for reliable terminal performance
Be sure to give them plenty of jump to the rifling for best accuracy. I know this goes against normal thinking but it is what they need. It also helps keep pressures down.

If you want data with different powders PM me.

[NapalmCheese]

Mine are out of a Tikka T-3 Lite also. The RL15 load was the fastest by far and from the Barnes data or from the Hodgdon website for THAT barnes bullet. They shoot into one little hole when I do my part. You must have the barrel super clean to start with barnes bullets. The 145gr are too heavy in the 7mm-08 for me. Cannot get enough FPS with them for reliable terminal performance
Be sure to give them plenty of jump to the rifling for best accuracy. I know this goes against normal thinking but it is what they need. It also helps keep pressures down.

If you want data with different powders PM me.

You sent me some data last December, that's what I based my Varget and H-380 loads but I couldn't find any RL-15 at the time. My LGS has a good supply of Reloader now so I'll give it a shot. Have you been continuing with other powders with the 110 ttsx?

I emailed a Barnes rep and asked about the 145 in 7mm-08. The rep said they designed the LRX to have a wider velocity window. My only very unscientific results were that I recovered a 145 LRX and a couple of 110 TTSX from the berm behind the target (target was at 200 yards, berm 215 or so). Both rounds had really similar expansion, both had 4 petals, and both expanded down to the bottom of the cavity, though the 110s had a little more 'pucker' to them than the 145. Again, this is in dirt, so I suppose that doesn't mean a whole lot.

Inside of 500 yards the 145 has about 100 ft/lbs on the 110, I don't think it's a big deal and I don't shoot things that far out anyway.

The two on the left are 110 TTSX and the one on the right is a 145 LRX recovered from the berm behind my target.

[Divernhunter]

I have been working on other cartridges. I stopped with the 7mm-08 because I got the most speed and basically a one hole group with the R-15. Why do more testing and with expensive bullets? At least that was my thoughts at this time.