7MM REM MAG Load Recipes

[dskinner103]

Before developing any load I do a lot of research from four or five reloading manuals, consult with my mentor, scour this site and start gradually and see what works best for my particular purpose and caliber. I am not a master reloader by any means and I am having some difficulty with a starting point for a 7mm Rem Mag. I am using Barnes TTSX 140 GR, Hodgon 4831(based on a recommendation from the good folks at Hodgon), Winchester Brass and Remington 91/2M primers using a Winchester Model 70 with a 24" barrel. It seems every manual suggests a different starting and maximum powder charge and a many varying C.O.A.L. measurements. Can anyone suggest a good recipe I can use to start running through the chrony before wasting too much powder and projectiles? I plan to use this cartridge for 250+ yard shots on deer and hogs. I do not think I will go much beyond the 350-400 yard mark until my markmanship can be ruled out as a variable as I do not want to just injure an animal. Dead Right There is what I am looking for. It seems my 308 cartridge recipes were much easier to design and they have proven very consitent with velocity and accuracy.
Thank you everyone.
p.s. Sorry for being so long winded but I felt the more information I gave, the better the "teachers" in this forum would be able to assist me.

 

[HillbillySniper]

This is probably not a normal load but it works and shoots great! I'm running 63.0 grains of H4831with a standard 210 federal primer pushing a 162 grain Amax right around 2890fps. REMEMBER TO START LOW AND WORK UP NEVER START WITH LOADS GIVEN TO YOU!!!



Hillbilly

 

[40X Guy]

I am using the Barnes TTSX 140 grain bullet as well in my M70 Classic Stainless with devastating results on deer. I also switched to Nosler brass as it is thicker and "tightens" up the neck so to speak. As far as powders RL-22 is my go to powder and rifle shoots very well after i got the B.O.S.S. tuned in. My load is hot so I won't divulge the amount, but start around 65 grains and go up.

Frank

 

[M700]

Typically I run 160 gr bullets from the 7mm Rem mag.

Sierra recommends, and I use, 65 grains of RL-22 with their 160 gr SPBT. I also use the 160 Nosler Partition and the 160 Nosler Accubond - depending.

This is listed as a max load, so work up to it, but I've been very happy with the performance in several different 7mm Rem mag rifles. Velocity hovers around 2950 - 3050 fps (or even a little more) from various rifles. I've seen excellent accuracy with this load in several rifles.

The 140's though are very good, and can be run hard. 3200+ fps is no problem with 140's.

H4831 is also an excellent powder for the 7mm Rem mag, I used it quite a bit, particularly with heavy bullet loads, but the Reloader 22 worked so well that eventually I was using only RL-22 in the 7mm Rem mag.

Excellent cartridge for mule deer, black bear and elk.

Regards, Guy

 

[4xforfun]

I had done a lot with the 7mm RM up untill a couple of years ago....I used to love H1000 with the 150 - 168's. The last go around was with the 168 and 180 JLK's with RL25.....All I will say is WOW!!! Just WOW!! I admit that The last tests were with only two guns...a box stock 45+ year old 700 with a 24" tube and a 26" Hart BBL'd 700.

 

[MrMajestic]

Norma case, Federal 215M match primer, Hornady 162 gr. A-Max if your twist allows, Reloader 22 or H4831 charge to be determined by your pressure signs and accuracy results. If this doesn't shoot I would probably be looking at something other than the ammo. Hit a hog with the above at 128 yards quartering away shot. Bullet did not exit however it flattened him like he was hit by a truck and everything north of the diaphragm was red jelly!

 

[M700]

Yes, the good ol' 7mm Rem mag doesn't get a lot of press anymore, but it just flat works! For a generation or two it was one of the most popular "western" hunting cartridges. Not too big for mule deer, plenty big enough for elk. Flat shooting, accurate, relatively modest recoil, and very lethal.

It's also had some success in long-range prone competition and has seen use as a "tactical" or "sniper" cartridge as well.

I sure like the doggone good old 7mm Rem Mag!

Guy

 

[alf]

I've had two different 7 Mags, and both just loved R-22 and 140 Partitions sparked with 215's. As stated, 3200 is not a problem in 24" barrels, easy on brass, and you're covered from mice to moose.

 

[wapiti25]

I used the H1000 load given on the Barnes web site for the 140 TSX. The all copper bullets will not shoot as flat as good lead core bullets for long range work. They start loosing a lot velocity at the longer ranges, you need to look at ballistic tables for drop and impact velocity. My latest bullet in the 7 mag is the 168 berger for long range hunting if I can shoot lead bullets. You should be good to go using the TTSX out to 400 yds. The berger gives me 700 yds capability at moderate altitude using the 2000 FT/sec impact rule.

 

[mr45man]

. Flat shooting, accurate, relatively modest recoil, and very lethal.

I sure like the doggone good old 7mm Rem Mag!

Guy
modest recoil? My Ruger # 1 kicks like a big Mule from the bench, with hot loads in 175 SP,s .Dont feel it out in the field i guess

 

[M700]

Yeah - I've had several different 7mm Rem mags, including a beautiful old Number One, and always felt like they were real mild in the recoil department. Comparable to the .30-06, which isn't too bad of a comparison as powder charges & bullet weights are similar. For some reason the various 7's have always seemed to have less recoil to me than the .300 Win mag - which I also like.

But I do think felt recoil is a very personal thing - what bites one guy may not mean diddly to another.

With the 7mm's, I often used the 175 Nosler Partition, loaded to about 2900 fps. It never bothered me. The 160 gr loading became a favorite later. Not sure why as the 175 always performed well.

Regards, Guy

 

[dskinner103]

Thank you everyone for your valuable input. I will incorporate all of this information with what I have gathered from my reloading manuals. I guess the next step will be to change C.O.A.L. until my accuracy is where it needs to be for the longer shots.
Hoperully I will be posting some pics of some harvested animals for all to see.
You guys and gals are the best.
David

 

[AckleymanII]

dskinner103, I have had a dozen Rem 700's at least, blued and stainless barrels. It is very unusal this brand of gun will like loads very similar to anther rifle.

Several things that are critical if you want the ultimate accuracy out of a Rem:

1). Bed the rifle, even if it has a V block in the stock
2).learn to seat the bullet to just barely touch the lands or jam .003. In the case of Barnes bullets, the
barrel will like a jump from .040 to .060, so learning to accurately measure the exact length to where
the bullet touches the lands is critical.
3).float the magazine box. Drop the floor plate and see if you can wiggle the mag box up and down with
your finger. If you can not, then the magazine box is pushing up on the center of the action. File or
grind a 45* angle on the bottom edges of the mag box and do the same to the lip of the floorplate
to facilitate the mag box entering the floor plate easier as as the stock screws are tightened.

There are are times when the stock dimensions are off a little and the mag box will still push up on the
center of the action. There are two fixes to this problem. First fix is to grind off a little of the bottom
of the mag box with a belt sander or file. Second fix is to insert washers under the floor plate in the
stock, if you use this method, a couple drops of glue will keep the washers in place so they do not fall
out when you remove the stock from the action in the future.

Concerning loads, my Rems have all proved to be extremely accurate, shooting 1 1/2" groups at 300 yards is not uncommon with three shot groups.

With the 120g Barnes tipped tripple shock seated .050 off the lands, 72.0-73.0g of R#22 with a CCI 250(very important) at 3500 fps will shoot tiny clover leafs at 100 yards, and will shoot holes completely through all deer that I have shot at quartering angles.

The 140g Barnes loves 65.0-65.5g of IMR 4350, Rem Case, 9 1/2 primer bullet seated .050 off the lands
140g Barnes, 67g of R#17, Win brass, Fed 215 primer seated .040-.050 off the lands.

140g Nosler BT or Accubond with Rem brass, 9 1/2, 65.0-65.5g of IMR 4350, touching the lands to a .003 jam will shoot 1/2-3/4" groups at 200 yards, and often smaller.

If you want to shoot a shorter range load with a smak'em dead in their tracks load, 60g of IMR 4350 with a 160g Sierra BTSP with a 9 1/2 primer in Rem brass is like hitting them with a bolt of lightening.

Another load that just drops them in their tracks is 63.5g of IMR 4350 with either a 150g Sierra BTSP or a 154g Hornady SST, Rem brass, 9 1/2 primers bullets seated to touch the lands.

I set my guns up for longer shots and use the scopes in the range of 4-16's.