Got a buddy with a newly built 7mm RM that just isn't living up to expectations. So far he has tried 183 SMK and 175 ELD with H4831 and H1000. He's asked me for help, but I have very little experience with the chambering. What bullet and powder would be your fallback for evaluating a rifle in 7rm? Barrel is a 28" 1-9" heavy varmint. Rilfe's purpose is to be a prarie playtoy- coyotes and deer, or whatever else presents itself way out there.
baseline 7RM load for rifle evaluation
- Thread starter wolfman
- Start date
If it won't shoot a 140 ballistic tip or a 162 a max with rl-22 or Vit n-165 something is wrong.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Std load for Remington 700's, bedded in good stock, good trigger, bbl freefloated:
140g Nosler ballistic tip or accubond
65-66g of IMR 4350
Rem Brass
9 1/2 primer
Bullet seated to barely touch the lands
3250 fps
Should shoot bug holes with a muzzle break and good scope
67g of R#22 with a cci 250 shoots bug holes in some rifles with the 140's
The IMR 4350 load should shoot 2 1/2"- 3 1/2" at 600 yards with a good scope.
Wolfman, the bullets your pard picked are hard to tune for a novice.
My load for a 162g SST touching is 71.5g of Retumbo, fed 215, in a rem case, 3130 fps and this is a max load for the 26" rifle and brass does not last long, but very, very accurate.
Turning a 7RM into a high volume shooting is a barrel burning proposition. I hope your pard knows how to chase the lands as he should be measuring OAL after every outing.
I have 168g Berger Hunting Vld and 180g Berger VLD on the back burner for my Brux barrel that will get installed this Summer. I will hang with the 168 and Retumbo first with a fed 215, then go to R#25 with a win mag primer for the 180's.
Your pard that has asked for help:
What kind of cleaning routine does he use? Good copper solvent?
Is he shooting off a bi pod or good benchrest with rear bag?
Does he have a muzzle break? This helps tremendously on these heavy kickers!
Does he know how to measure OAL to the lands?
How does he work up loads?
Within 800 rounds, he has got the best out of that barrel he is going to get, hope he is shooting three shot groups.
I have been shooting 7 RM's since 1978, been through a flock of Remingtons, a few A bolts, couple of Savages. If your pards gun does not shoot the 140g load listed above, better put on a new barrel, learn how to reload, learn how to clean a rifle, examine bench techniques, etc.
Warning, about 10 years ago, I sold a Browning A bolt in 7 Mag that would shoot 3/8" groups with the 140's. The guy called me and best he could get out of the gun was 1" on rare occasions. He could not clean a gun, he could not reload, he could not measure OAL, he shot off the ground with a Harris bi pod with no rear bag. He also wanted me to mentor him how to shoot the small groups that came on a bunch of targets that I sent with the rifle. Sounds like you maybe in the same position.
As a middle man, you are in a very bad place, best wishes and good luck!
140g Nosler ballistic tip or accubond
65-66g of IMR 4350
Rem Brass
9 1/2 primer
Bullet seated to barely touch the lands
3250 fps
Should shoot bug holes with a muzzle break and good scope
67g of R#22 with a cci 250 shoots bug holes in some rifles with the 140's
The IMR 4350 load should shoot 2 1/2"- 3 1/2" at 600 yards with a good scope.
Wolfman, the bullets your pard picked are hard to tune for a novice.
My load for a 162g SST touching is 71.5g of Retumbo, fed 215, in a rem case, 3130 fps and this is a max load for the 26" rifle and brass does not last long, but very, very accurate.
Turning a 7RM into a high volume shooting is a barrel burning proposition. I hope your pard knows how to chase the lands as he should be measuring OAL after every outing.
I have 168g Berger Hunting Vld and 180g Berger VLD on the back burner for my Brux barrel that will get installed this Summer. I will hang with the 168 and Retumbo first with a fed 215, then go to R#25 with a win mag primer for the 180's.
Your pard that has asked for help:
What kind of cleaning routine does he use? Good copper solvent?
Is he shooting off a bi pod or good benchrest with rear bag?
Does he have a muzzle break? This helps tremendously on these heavy kickers!
Does he know how to measure OAL to the lands?
How does he work up loads?
Within 800 rounds, he has got the best out of that barrel he is going to get, hope he is shooting three shot groups.
I have been shooting 7 RM's since 1978, been through a flock of Remingtons, a few A bolts, couple of Savages. If your pards gun does not shoot the 140g load listed above, better put on a new barrel, learn how to reload, learn how to clean a rifle, examine bench techniques, etc.
Warning, about 10 years ago, I sold a Browning A bolt in 7 Mag that would shoot 3/8" groups with the 140's. The guy called me and best he could get out of the gun was 1" on rare occasions. He could not clean a gun, he could not reload, he could not measure OAL, he shot off the ground with a Harris bi pod with no rear bag. He also wanted me to mentor him how to shoot the small groups that came on a bunch of targets that I sent with the rifle. Sounds like you maybe in the same position.
As a middle man, you are in a very bad place, best wishes and good luck!
Thanks gents,
The rifle was just built, and has maybe 150 rnds though it. It does have a brake, and is quite pleasant to shoot. He's using wipeout to clean. Given that the rifle was built to shoot longer distances, he's got no interest in lighter bullets. If the rifle doesn't shoot 162-180gr bullets, it will get rebuilt into something that will. My gut is to try 162 amax, or 180 hybrids with R22, or maybe 4831.
The rifle was just built, and has maybe 150 rnds though it. It does have a brake, and is quite pleasant to shoot. He's using wipeout to clean. Given that the rifle was built to shoot longer distances, he's got no interest in lighter bullets. If the rifle doesn't shoot 162-180gr bullets, it will get rebuilt into something that will. My gut is to try 162 amax, or 180 hybrids with R22, or maybe 4831.
Rogmay
Silver $$ Contributor
I have two 7mm's I hunt with, my boy's has a 9.5 twist and shoots the 168vld hunting bullet with 70gr Retumbo, mine has a 9 twist and shoots the 180 vld hunting with 69 gr of Retumbo! both are 1/2" guns, .005 off the lands! These aren't max loads but if used please start lower!
69.5gr RL25 Nosler 160AB very accurate out of mine between 1/4" and 1/2" at 200
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