Thread: 162 gr ELD-M for a Tikka T3X 7mm-08. help please..

First time reloading for 7mm08, have been trying to establish Max COAL or jam point I guess, for the ELD-M. didn't have the necessary bits and pieces for Overall length gauge. So just used the old case/ projectile/ and loctite method.. Ended up with a Max COAL of 2.952'.. or 75 mill, a bit shorter than what I was expecting.. Not sure I I got that right? Will obviously be retesting with all the tools tommorow..However if I am right, I will be loading my initial test rounds and I am not sure how far I should back off? my understanding is that the 7mm 08 needs a bit of bullet jump. knowing that there are of people on here that have done this already. I am hopeing someone can tell me how to best proceed .

It's not that the 7-08 likes some jump it's more don't load any bullets that are jammed into the lands I usually start and load mine at 20 thou off the lands no matter what caliber or bullet.
Also every brand and type of bullet is different so it's best to get a modified case and the gear to measure length of case to ojive.
Start from there to get your powder charged sorted then play with seating depth.
If using a Tikka t3 you will need to change the magazine and bolt stop as well.

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Or load to cannalure as factory rounds will be and see if it shoots without any further fluffing around... Or set up seating die using your existing load,theory being if projectiles is of similar shape,the die will enguage olgive at similar places eg where projectile is same....fatness,so will seat that,fatness to same depth.

ELDM has no canellure.

Set your seating die so that either:
Your bullet is 0.050" off the jam measurement you've taken, or
Maximum your mag will function with

Whichever is shorter.

After that, forget that your seating die is adjustable.

Shoot 10 rounds at a safe powder charge (get 8208) you expect will have the velocity you want. If it's precise enough for your needs , gives the velocity you need, and velocity indicates that pressure is in the range you should be in, you're done. A 1.5MOA 10rd group with a factory rifle is good.

I had mine set up at 74.95mm using 2208 powder.
Tikka with a long action boltstop and magazine.
Was doing 2530fps from the 18inch barrel.
But enough for 600meter kills on goats and fallow deer

Stop chasing the lands...

I'm running the 162gr Amax doing 2640fps at 2.905" in my T3 708 (converted to LA). From memory, it's about a 20 thou jump.

Absolutely devastating.

Haha I never chase the lands, doing my best to avoid them whist still having some case capacity

Got a M+ magazine which should hold it, I guess I will see about the bolt stop.

Yep sounds good, thank you

Roger, I have everything bar modified case, which I intend on making out of my brass.

Mine is 20 inch, but that's the kind of performance I am after

I was looking at 8208, had good no.s in some data sets, not so great in others.. I have 2208, 2209, 2206H, Staball, R16, IMR 4350 and superperformance in the cabinet. was planning on 2208

Thanks everyone, think I am good to go

2209 works well for me. Very accurate and low es.