7mm Rem Mag - Brass Recommendations

[JLT]

I have a Remington 700 action with a magnum bolt face sitting around the shop and I figured it's about time I add a 7mm Rem Mag to the gun safe. This one's going to be a hunting rig.

I have no previous experience with the 7mm Rem Mag other than working on a few or twenty and I would appreciate the benefit of your collective experience with regard to brass - what's good, what's great, what's OK in a pinch, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Steve Ladino]

Since I don't shoot my 7mm mag often I purchased some Federal Factory ammo at Wall Mart three years ago and have reloaded it about five times with 168's and R-19 for 2995 FPS...still good. As to my 300 Wthby. Mag. Ive been reloading the same Rem. brass since I bought it new...still good, no neck splits or separations, primer pockets still tight.

 

[MrMajestic]

I've had good success with Norma. I'm pretty sure RWS makes it and should be the toughest.If you don't size down by the base with Larry's collet die sizing may limit your reloads not primer pockets. JMHO

 

[th82457]

Norma 1st, Federal 2nd. Shot one for about 20 years, those were best for consistency .

 

[jepp2]

I'm sure you know this, but set your sizing die to head space off the shoulder not the belt. I find the brass datum to case head will grow 0.015"+ on the first firing. If you head space off the belt, you are going to have problems.

 

[Gb300wm]

I'm probably the oddball here, but I like Winchester 7 rm brass. I anneal it for more consistent neck tension. Barnes 145lrx and rl22 is the ticket for me.

 

[Zero333]

From what out there right now, Norma is #1, then Federal.

 

[200plus]

I run Norma brass here great stuff.

 

[JLT]

I'm sure you know this, but set your sizing die to head space off the shoulder not the belt. I find the brass datum to case head will grow 0.015"+ on the first firing. If you head space off the belt, you are going to have problems.

Thanks for the reminder. The belt is really superfluous on the 'legacy' magnums with the possible exception of the H&H cases. Plenty of shoulder area on the 7 RM and it would be a shame to waste it . . .

 

[JLT]

It looks like the consensus is Norma and Federal on top. Norma brass is in reasonable supply but Federal (and Remington) seem to be dry wells at this time. Looks like I'm going to start with Norma. I wonder how much H870 I can stuff in the case . . .

Thanks very much, folks. I appreciate the advice.

 

[RonAKA]

I have loaded my .264 WM guns for about 50 years now, and almost all of the brass is necked down 7mm RM due to availability issues with the .264 Headstamped stuff. Brands used have been Winchester, Remington Peters, Federal, Dominion, and Gevelot (French?). The only brass that I have reasonably accurate history on is the Winchester. I actually got about 20 reloads without annealing from the Winchester. I have one piece of that brass left that would be about 50 years old now. I guess I should anneal it and go for another 20 firings!

This said, I cannot really recommend any of those brands over the other, other than Winchester sure seems to hang in there. These are hunting rifles so I have not taken accurate measurements of them, and have just run them through a FL die. Surprisingly I have not experienced one of the dreaded case head separations. All failed brass has been from neck cracking -- the price of not annealing!

I recently decided to clean up my mess of brass and bought a new lot with the proper .264 WM headstamp. Surprisingly the local gun store had a choice of Norma, Winchester, and Hornady. Norma was most expensive and Winchester the least. I selected the Hornady to give it a try. One of the reasons I picked Hornady was that it is the clear second choice of the top PRS shooters. Lapua is the first choice, but Hornady is second, especially in the cartridges that Lapua does not supply. Here is a graph showing the results of the brass choice survey. They are all shooting mostly 6x47's and 6.5 Creedmoor's, and not belted magnums of course.

 

[rudysts]

Nosler brass kind of pricey but I have gotten over 12 firings on them with my 7RM with 180 Bergers 3020 fps

 

[timeout]

Has anyone put Prvi to the test? Bought 7 RM for my son-in-law awhile back and that was all I could find. This is just a hunting rifle so probably won't be reloaded numerous times.

 

[200plus]

JLT I have some once fired FC brass. And with keeping in the season if you would pay shipping they are yours. I don't know how many I have.

 

[wapiti25]

I have been shooting the Rem 7 mag since 1971 for hunting. I used and like Winchester brass as my first choice. I have heard that the RWS is like the Laupa in brass quality, No Lapua brass in 7mm mag. RWS brass is hard to find. GunWerks uses Winchester brass in their long range ammo. I have tried most including Norma and like Winchester best for me. I shoot my ammo "Hot" with 160 class bullets at over 3000 ft/sec. I'm shooting Berger 168's with my current gun, I love the way bergers put the animals on the ground including elk and Moose.

 

[J P Brown]

I hear Winchester is OK. But I use and like hornady.

 

[JLT]

JLT I have some once fired FC brass. And with keeping in the season if you would pay shipping they are yours. I don't know how many I have.

200plus,

Thank you very much for bolstering my faith in human nature. I appreciate your generous offer and I'd be happy to reciprocate. I have several kinds of brass in ample quantities - more than I can expect to use unless I live another 120 years or so. Please PM me at your convenience if there's anything you're looking for or would like to add to your inventory.

 

[sbhooper]

My two 7 mags are both 1/2 moa rifles and find that Remington brass is just fine.

 

[200plus]

Sir I shipped your brass today. I hope you get lots of use out of it.

 

[Shaggy357]

My rifle likes the Remington 175gr load so I purchased several boxes each time they went on sale after I got it. They have been reloaded several times and I have had good luck with them. I do have some odd numbers (less than 100 ea.) of Winchester, FC, etc and they are loaded for fun plinking loads. Serious loads go in the RP. Have not gone to the expensive stuff because this is my hunting gun. If I eject a case for a follow-up shot, I do not want to have visions of $$ floating thru my head wondering where that piece of brass went. Nothing worse than an old dude crawling around on his hands and knees digging around in the forest floor while blubbering about a lost piece of brass.....

Partitions and R22 is a hard combination to beat for a big game hunting load.

Steve