Need help. 7rem mag loads

[krhuntin]

Hey all, have a new tikka t3 lite in 7 rem mag. Using 162 eldm and staball HD powder. Worked up all the way to 75.5 grains (I know this is over max but no pressure signs whatsoever). My best group was 1.45”. Never had a tikka shoot such open groups like that. The barrel only has 30 rounds through it. Any suggestions? My OACL was 3.300 to just barely fit in the magazine as that is what the eldm like in all my other calibers. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[ExPiney]

Try a different powder. 162 eldm bullets are typically easy to load for, and tikkas are almost always accurate & easy to load for. I think your next easiest experiment is powder. I've had best results in 7 mag with powders in the reloder 22 & 23 range. Staball HD is a fair bit slower burning. Just my 2 cents based on my experience. Good luck.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have used 4831sc in a couple 7rem with similar weight bullets. Not quite the velocity but moa accuracy.

 

[Kurz]

have a new tikka t3 lite in 7 rem mag. Using 162 eldm and staball HD powder. Worked up all the way to 75.5 grains (I know this is over max but no pressure signs whatsoever). My best group was 1.45”. Never had a tikka shoot such open groups like that. The barrel only has 30 rounds through it. Any suggestions? My OACL was 3.300 to just barely fit in the magazine as that is what the eldm like in all my other calibers.

Personally, I use:

Ramshot Magnum (cool burning)

Hodgdon H4831

IMR-7828

This is using the Hornady 162 gr. AMAX (very similar)

Enjoy the process!

 

[krhuntin]

Personally, I use:

Ramshot Magnum (cool burning)

Hodgdon H4831

IMR-7828

This is using the Hornady 162 gr. AMAX (very similar)

Enjoy the process!

Thank you. In the 25 years of reloading I have never had such a stubborn rifle. I have now tried retumbo, staball HD, imr 4350, and H4350. On to try H1000. If that doesn’t work I may take the barrel off and do some inspecting and rebarrel.

 

[SKWERLZ]

Thank you. In the 25 years of reloading I have never had such a stubborn rifle. I have now tried retumbo, staball HD, imr 4350, and H4350. On to try H1000. If that doesn’t work I may take the barrel off and do some inspecting and rebarrel.

You’re trying powders on both sides of what I feel is optimal for that combination
I’d really look at H4831ssc, N165, R23 and 7828sc.
All well known performers for light bullets in moderate volume case 7mm magnums

 

[martyj]

I just loaded up a bunch of 162 for Mark X using H4831sc and it shot really well

 

[46and2]

You’re trying powders on both sides of what I feel is optimal for that combination
I’d really look at H4831ssc, N165, R23 and 7828sc.
All well known performers for light bullets in moderate volume case 7mm magnums

My last 7mag with 162gr shot awesome with RL23, H1000 or 7828 at 3000fps. That seemed to be the velocity the 162gr Amax (162eld) loved.

 

[searcher]

Try a different powder. 162 eldm bullets are typically easy to load for, and tikkas are almost always accurate & easy to load for. I think your next easiest experiment is powder. I've had best results in 7 mag with powders in the reloder 22 & 23 range. Staball HD is a fair bit slower burning. Just my 2 cents based on my experience. Good luck.

I second the Reloader 22.

 

[rickhirsch]

why shoot Hornady bullets at all . if that's all you can get shoot them . i've shot a half dozen deer or
so with the enterlock work good and still do a good job its a good killing bullet . I've shot the 7 mm rem.
mag for 40 years killed a lot deer with it . I don't shoot pass 500 yds so the big long bullets I don't
need them . I've used 120grs. to 175grs. they all work. but the 140's are great for accuracy and
kill like lightening . Seirra and Nosler are hard to beat . all my long bubby's tell I'm crazy for going
that light . but I out shoot them to 600yds buy a bunch . powder imr 4831 s/c or R26 if can find it .
try a mandrel to expand your necks with a little graphite or molly will help accuracy .
most tikka I've worked with shoot moa with box ammo . you just have to work it . old Rick

 

[Bugs]

I've owned and shot a few 7mm Rem Mag rifles, mostly with 140-ish grain bullets and seemed to always go back to 4831

 

[Bill Norris]

From past experience with the REM 700 7 Rem Mag. IMR-4831 and RL-22 were the best performers with the 140 to 162 gr. class bullets.

 

[30378]

69.0gr of RL-25 with Berger 168 VLDs and CCI-250s have been magic in my 7 Mag.

 

[krhuntin]

why shoot Hornady bullets at all . if that's all you can get shoot them . i've shot a half dozen deer or
so with the enterlock work good and still do a good job its a good killing bullet . I've shot the 7 mm rem.
mag for 40 years killed a lot deer with it . I don't shoot pass 500 yds so the big long bullets I don't
need them . I've used 120grs. to 175grs. they all work. but the 140's are great for accuracy and
kill like lightening . Seirra and Nosler are hard to beat . all my long bubby's tell I'm crazy for going
that light . but I out shoot them to 600yds buy a bunch . powder imr 4831 s/c or R26 if can find it .
try a mandrel to expand your necks with a little graphite or molly will help accuracy .
most tikka I've worked with shoot moa with box ammo . you just have to work it . old Rick

It is slim pickens around here so at this point, this is what i can find. So thats why i am choosing them....for now.

 

[krhuntin]

I just loaded up a bunch of 162 for Mark X using H4831sc and it shot really well

Mind sharing your load?

 

[rickhirsch]

Mind sharing your load?

with imr 4831 where running little hot 67.grs on a 140gr. Seirra or Nosler 140gr. in Peterson brass cci 250'
this is a custom Remington. match chamber . runs about 3300fps second. and I hope you know to start off
slow and work up its always scary to run someone's loads . be careful! loads are hunting loads they are off
the lands . I've used these loads in bunch of 7mags. hope this helps.

 

[rdremsek]

Try 4831 or 7828 and 175 grn sierra Spitzer boat tail shot a buck last year dropped and didn't move 7mms always shoot good mine all have been remington 700 though

 

[krhuntin]

with imr 4831 where running little hot 67.grs on a 140gr. Seirra or Nosler 140gr. in Peterson brass cci 250'
this is a custom Remington. match chamber . runs about 3300fps second. and I hope you know to start off
slow and work up its always scary to run someone's loads . be careful! loads are hunting loads they are off
the lands . I've used these loads in bunch of 7mags. hope this helps.

Yep. Been doing this long enough to know that. Thanks for sharing.

 

[krhuntin]

Thanks guys for all your help. Ended up not coming into a solid load with H4831. At 63.3 grains it is giving me 2846 fps. Which is fine by me as it produced a 0.41” group (would have been a lot smaller if I hadn’t pulled the last one).