7 mm BR Adventure

[JackT]

I been active on this forum for quite some time and have found the forum very helpful and has added an incredible amount of value to my shooting and reloading experience. I read the forums every day.

My first venture into accurate rifle shooting was with a 6.5 x 47 Lapua. It was designed to be a versatile hunting style rifle; 22” Kreiger LV barrel combined with a Richards Micro Fit stock (which turned out really nice), a Haverkamp action and a Jewell trigger. Using Lapua brass and Wilson dies I produced hunting ammo capable of sub .25” groups (off sandbags) all day long when I did my part. It proved to be an effective hunting rifle when I took an antelope at 370 yards with one shot to the heart. The only problem with the rifle is that it is heavy to lug around while hiking/stalking antelope and my son doesn’t like the idea of being my personal gun bearer.

Fast forward to last Spring, I am hanging around the house recovering from a triple bypass and thinking about my next rifle (while being very grateful and feeling blessed about being alive). I am a pretty light weight guy and having concerns about recoil I decided I wanted to stay in the lower end of the recoil spectrum; I also wanted something that could ethically take an antelope at 500 yards. I had also been thinking about trying my hand at silhouette shooting and needed enough caliber/bullet momentum to knock down the rams at 500 yards (as if I would every hit one).

I have always been an eccentric type of person, but I am also driven (at times) by the need to be efficient. This led me to choose the 7 mm Br as the next caliber of choice. Not a whole lot to read on the caliber other than it is a popular choice in pistol silhouette shooting. Loading data seems to be sparse other than the Sierra manual. Being a semi-retired engineer I started with establishing a set of goals with the main ones being several pounds lighter than the 6.5 x 47, a repeater style action, and same shorter barrel hunting set up; and importantly (from an efficiency perspective) good barrel life hence the 7 mm BR choice. I was also expecting sub 0.5” MOA accuracy, and the chance to experience neck turning with the cases. For the record, I have a Sako 85 308 Winchester that while very accurate seemed to maybe have (or at least I thought so) a little more recoil than I what I wanted after my surgery. After I gifted the Sako to my son at Christmas and shot the rifle one more time, I realized that the recoil (shooting Berger 155s) was not as harsh as I remembered; isn’t he lucky!

Having my goals established, I went off and bought a Kelby Atlas Tactical action, another Kreiger barrel in 9 tw and #4 contour, a used Remington 700 walnut stock and bottom metal off Ebay, and a Trigger Tech Special trigger. I also bought Wilson dies and PMA neck turning tools. I had Precision Barrel Works in Hempstead Texas ream the barrel, Pete is a great guy to work with and this is the second time I had him do work for me. I also decided to treat myself to a little bling factor and had Pete spiral flute the barrel for a little extra weight savings. I bedded the action, installed pillars, and opened up the barrel channel myself.

I have only had the chance to shoot the rifle at 100 yards on the range, but I am very pleased with the outcome. I am shooting Berger 140s with H4895 and achieving sub 0.5” groups at an average velocity of 2553 fps; Nosler 120 Ballistic Tips using H322 in the low 4s with an average velocity of 2696 fps, and Speer 110 TNTs, also using H322, sub 0.5” for a ten shot group with an average velocity of 2672 fps. The Speer 110 TNTs are going to be my cost-efficient practice rounds. I use a Magnetospeed to measure bullet velocity. Based on everything I have read, I believe these rounds should serve my needs for silhouette shooting and antelope hunting. Can’t wait to go back to Wyoming next fall with my son and stalk antelope!

Thanks for everyone’s contributions to this site, it motivated me to upgrade my membership!

 

[SSL]

7 BR seems to be an orphan cartridge. That is unfortunate since it is a great little cartridge in its own right. I have had an XP100 for quite a long time (mid-80s I believe) and have had a lot of fun with it as well as harvesting a few deer. As you have noticed, loading data is a bit thin, but I see you are including one of the most versatile powders in your search: H322. The late Bob Milek was a fan of the 7 BR and recommended H322 and H335 for most uses. His loads are usually a bit stout compared to today's standards, but have proved quite safe and accurate in my XP with a H322 lot dating from that era (yes, I am still using nearly 30 year old powder and it burns just fine!).

Good job and have fun!

 

[JackT]

Thank you SSL. I bought the latest version of QuickLoad and it has been very helpful in sorting through other powder options. As it turned out, according to QL, H322 was the optimal choice (relative to chamber pressure and bullet velocity) for the 110 and 120 gn bullets, and H4895 was the right choice for the 140 gn bullet. Remington br primers also proved to be more consistent (e.g., lower SD) and boosted velocity by about 12fps.

Now the challenge is finding more Berger 7 mm 140 VLD Hunting bullets. I was able to find some more Speer 110 TNTs which are a hoot to shoot; low recoil and reasonably accurate for the shorter ranges/practice.

 

[jobhopper66]

I think you built a very fine looking rifle. A big thumbs up on going with an unusual cartridge choice.
Ray

 

[SSL]

Remington BR primers have worked best for me also. Sadly, one of the best bullets for anything up to and including whitetail (Hornadys 120-grain Single Shot Pistol) are no longer made. I'm glad that I still have a fair supply. Keep us up to date on your progress .

 

[NCVarhtr]

I like the idea of a 7 BR very much. Killed a lot of deer over the last 15 years with a 6 BR and careful bullet placement. My hunting partner and I used the 120 GR. Nosler BT for many years and found it to be a really great bullet in the cartridges we were shooting it in. I'm sure we killed over 30 Deer with it during that time and never lost one. It is very accurate and performed perfectly... If I had a 7 BR, I wouldn't look any further than the 120 NBT.

 

[TC260]

Beautiful rifle! I've had a few 7 BR pistols (MOA and Encore barrels), it's a great round. Hard to go wrong with H322 and a 120 gr Ballistic Tip for deer/antelope.

 

[JackT]

Thank you for the complements on the rifle guys, it has been a fun and rewarding project. Plan to have the barrel cerracoated black later in the Spring after final load development.

Have had several rifles that really shot Nosler BTs really well, hard to go wrong with for a hunting bullet.

Had a strange (to me) thing happen in load development on Thursday. I thought I could increase powder capacity another 0.1 grain to maybe optimize barrel timing, and instead got a slight decrease in velocity (about 9 fps). External temperature were about the same, not sure what would cause this? Maybe I need a better scale than the Hornady Lock and Load powder dispenser.

 

[Bruce W]

You must try LT - 32 with sierra 130 bthp match bullets. I have a target pic on a prior post showing a 1 hole group at 100 yards shot with a 14 inch barrel and 10 x scope . use fed 205 primers and light neck tension.

 

[JackT]

Thank you for the suggested load Bruce. It is this type of help that lead me to be a contributor t o this site. I will look for those next time I visit my local reloading supply store hear in Spring, Tx.

 

[oldroper]

This is some old data for 7Br rifle

http://www.beyond556.com/images/hodgdon/PDF/7BR.pdf

 

[JackT]

Thank you improper.

 

[JackT]

Spell check sucks... Thank you oldroper.

 

[Riesel]

JackT, I really enjoyed your review of the 7BR. Several years back I was competing in BR and was using a 6BR. I became a bit enamored with the round and thought a 7BR would make a dang fine soft recoiling hunting rifle. I built one on a 700 action and I don't recall where I got the barre; from but it was a dern fine shooter using 120 grain AMax or Nosler BT. I ran IMR4895 powder but have changed to IMR 8208BR. Fast forward... Now I use it for my Night Hunting Hog rifle and I still like the soft recoil and with a suppressor it is a pleasure to shoot. Deer season ended in my zone here in Texas so I'm back out on the Hog Warpath. Those 120's still do the trick. Photos attached

 

[SSL]

So, I'm curious. What kind of real life velocities do you get with a 7BR in rifles? I know that years ago people were claiming that the cartridge gained very little velocity in rifles compared to the 15" XP100 barrels, butt what is actual experience. Nice little cartridge and a rifle is intriguing.

 

[Riesel]

I was clocking slightly over 2700 with either 120 grain bullet. If I'm slaying a big old boar I prefer a head shot or angle it in from behind the shoulder to the offside shoulder. This puts it in the boiler room. You can run into one of these old boars that has a 2" plate of gristle on the shoulders. Had no problem taking deer with any well placed shot. Yes, it is a nice cartridge.

 

[boltfluter]

Jack T,

Can we assume that you were able to get the rifle to function as a repeater? Looks like a really fun little rifle to shoot and hunt with. I would imagine you can see all the action through the scope with such low recoil. Good times!!

Paul

 

[drags]

I shot a 7br in highpower silhouette I used the 130 and 168 SMK with varget powder. This is a very good low recoil cartridge.
Drags

 

[rockrat]

Always thought something like the old Remington 600 in 7mm Br would be a great light deer rifle. Always liked my xp100 also.

 

[SSL]

Always thought something like the old Remington 600 in 7mm Br would be a great light deer rifle. Always liked my xp100 also.

Wouldn't that be sweet?
Thanks Riesel for the velocity info. What barrel length? Not quite ready to turn my XP into a rifle, but thinking!