7mm-08 ammo availability

Calibres, cartridges, ballistics tables and ammunition information.

7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by 308cool » 15 Dec 2016, 5:42 pm

Hi,
Looking at the 7mm-08, is ammo availability very much of an issue if reloading. Also is the cost of reloading for the 7mm-08 much more then a 308?
Cheers
- Browing X-Bolt .25-06 / Meopta Meopro 4-12x50
308cool
Private
Private
 
Posts: 74
New South Wales

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by duncan61 » 15 Dec 2016, 6:03 pm

Reloading cost is dependant on the projectiles you are going to use.PSP are usually cheaper than nylon tip or target bullets and good for hunting.
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by bladeracer » 15 Dec 2016, 6:25 pm

308cool wrote:Hi,
Looking at the 7mm-08, is ammo availability very much of an issue if reloading. Also is the cost of reloading for the 7mm-08 much more then a 308?
Cheers



Ammo availability isn't an issue with anything if you're reloading it.
I would expect .308 to cost more generally, the bullets are usually heavier and you'll be using probably 20% more powder to push bullets of similar weight. But, you might find some really cheap deals on bulk .308 bullets that you might not find in 7mm. You can probably buy some .308 brass cheaper than 7mm-08 as well, but if you're reloading that's not likely to be significant.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by 308cool » 16 Dec 2016, 9:12 am

Ok great, thanks a lot for the replies, much appreciated!
- Browing X-Bolt .25-06 / Meopta Meopro 4-12x50
308cool
Private
Private
 
Posts: 74
New South Wales

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by Cooper » 16 Dec 2016, 11:34 am

For factory ammo I've been buying Hornady white tail with the 139Sp interlock. For $35 per 20. Most Guns shops I've seen sell it closer to $40 per 20.

For reloading I run the Hornady SST 139gr which I get for $60 per 100 not much worse than .30cal projectile. I thought the .30 cal projectiles were meant to be more common and cheaper. But so far I haven't had a problem buying the 7mm .284 projectiles. Powder charge and primer cost pretty much the same as reloading 308.
Cooper
Sergeant
Sergeant
 
Posts: 539
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by bladeracer » 16 Dec 2016, 11:48 am

Cooper wrote:For factory ammo I've been buying Hornady white tail with the 139Sp interlock. For $35 per 20. Most Guns shops I've seen sell it closer to $40 per 20.

For reloading I run the Hornady SST 139gr which I get for $60 per 100 not much worse than .30cal projectile. I thought the .30 cal projectiles were meant to be more common and cheaper. But so far I haven't had a problem buying the 7mm .284 projectiles. Powder charge and primer cost pretty much the same as reloading 308.



Yep, I was surprised when I went looking and found 181 different 7mm bullets, not including a variety of moulds.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by Gwion » 16 Dec 2016, 1:04 pm

Not counting the brass (which isn't cheap), I load 162amax with AR2209 & CCI 200 primers for around $1 a round. 100 Norma cases cost around $160 (from memory). So far, they have been fired 3 times and I'm onto my 4th loading. Averaged over 10 firings it comes out to about $1.20 a round.

Ordering cases and bullets online and powder/primers at LGS makes shooting 7mm08 much more accessible for me. The only factory load I found locally cost $60 for 20!!!
User avatar
Gwion
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3978
-

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by Lorgar » 16 Dec 2016, 2:47 pm

I load 120gr and 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tips for my 7mm, there is almost always a few boxes on the shelf at my local store.

Powder availability is all the same.

I couldn't tell you regarding brass as I've never actually looked for 7mm cases. Before getting my 7mm-08 I was shooting a .308 which I didn't intent to use any more after getting the 7mm, so I necked down the hundreds of .308 cases I already had, and haven't bought new ones since.

Buy 7mm-08 brass if you can find it on the shelf, otherwise you can always buy .308 brass and neck it down easily enough.
Last edited by Lorgar on 18 Jan 2017, 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Lorgar
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2156
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by bladeracer » 16 Dec 2016, 3:39 pm

I'm shooting Sierra's 100gn HP for close range and subsonic and 120gn VMax for foxes.
I'm still trialing a variety of heavier bullets - 139gn and 162gn SST's, 162gn and 175gn ELD-X, 162gn ELD-M, Speer's 145gn and 160gn HotCor SP and a custom monolithic brass 148gn copy of the 162gn ELD-X, and a cast lead bullet for very cheap plinking.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by Mitch » 16 Dec 2016, 9:27 pm

Brass is cheap and plentiful

Reloads are cheap.

Projie ~60c
Primer 6c
Powder ~23c
Mitch
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 224
Queensland

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by 308cool » 16 Dec 2016, 11:34 pm

Too easy. Seems it should be just as easy as a 308 with a lot of variety. Thanks for all the helpful info everyone!!
- Browing X-Bolt .25-06 / Meopta Meopro 4-12x50
308cool
Private
Private
 
Posts: 74
New South Wales

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by duncan61 » 17 Dec 2016, 10:25 am

Enjoy 7mming I love my 7mm rem mag and use it all the time.I have done a small roo up close that stood up out of long grass with a 100gr hollow point and it has completely removed the head,Just a neck end left.The other guy with his .243 just went no way.I usually put the other guy on the shot but this was on my side and we were on a hill track with no way to turn around,Range about 30 metres.must have hit it a bit low
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by duncan61 » 17 Dec 2016, 10:36 am

stick some off these in your 08
7 MM/.284 CALIBER (.284) 100 GR. HP SIERRA 1895 you wont regret it
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by happyhunter » 17 Dec 2016, 10:28 pm

I was at the gun shop a few days ago and they had plenty of U.P brass in 7mm-08 but were all out of 308!
happyhunter
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1303
Other

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by WhelanLad » 17 Jan 2017, 7:09 pm

mate I'm using a Kimber 7mm08 and factory Ammo is over priced as it gets, however get on the reload bandwagon an its no different to any calibre/cartridge.

I use 7m08 stamped brass normally, but just loaded up cheap sierra 120s in NNY .308 brass... an 308 brass is aplenty!

great Calibre.
WhelanLad
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 37
Victoria

Re: 7mm-08 ammo availability

Post by Lorgar » 18 Jan 2017, 2:40 pm

happyhunter wrote:I was at the gun shop a few days ago and they had plenty of U.P brass in 7mm-08 but were all out of 308!


The "common" stuff isn't always so common when near everyone is after it ;)
User avatar
Lorgar
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2156
Victoria


Back to top
 
Return to Calibres, cartridges and ballistics