Need a little help with a 7mm Rem Mag loads

[LRPV]

I load for a 7 rem mag that is a trued 700 with a 27" 1/9 Shilen Sendero contour barrel on it. The rifle shoots good but I've never gotten much velocity out of it. Ran out of 162 Amax, so I started over with 180 Berger hybrids and H1000 with Winchester LRM primers and Norma brass. I cannot remember right now how far I went up but I ran into pressure and got a pretty good ejector mark so I dropped down to 65 grains and messed with seating depth. This was all with virgin brass. I stuck the magneto speed on and it is showing great consistency with ES at 13fps but I'm only getting 2750fps out of it. I ran out of original components again so I have to start over with new lots of powder and bullets so I'm just hoping someone might share some load data. (I'm not gonna just load it, it's more for comparison). I read where guys claim to get quite a bit more velocity than what I am but I don't see any load data and I'm just thinking I must have a slow barrel and probably won't be able to get much more out of it.

Thanks
Jason

 

[MrMajestic]

If velocity is your game I would dabble with Reloader 22 or 25. Double base powders normally deliver higher velocities at the expense of temperature instability and shorter barrel life.

 

[LRPV]

Yea, I'm aware there are better speed powders out there. This is a buddy's rifle and I'm trying to do the best I can with what he's supplying me with. We used RL22 with the 162amax load. Working something up for a rifle you have limited access to is frustrating not to mention that it's wrong handed to boot.

 

[nastynatesfish]

I shoot h4831. I use 162 amax and 140 bergers. I have no use for the 175-180 bullets. I've killed I bull and 2 cow elk with my 140s. I shoot 64.5 gr with 140 and 63.5 with the amax

 

[rudysts]

I shoot 180 Berger hybrids 69.8 gr. Retumbo WLRM primer 3020 fps. 26 inch Benchmark barrel trued Remington 700 action. 2.5 inch groups out to 600 yards so far have not had a chance to stretch it out further.

 

[rpierce]

Got a customer using retumbo, 180 hybrids, and federal primers. It has shot under 1/4 moa out to 650 off the bipod. Gun is a trued 700 with brux barrel and skim bedded hs stock.

 

[LRPV]

Thanks for the replies guys. Accuracy has not been a problem with this rifle, just the speed. Not that this situation is the worst problem to have.

 

[searcher]

When loading to what most manuals consider max loads, your buddies barrel probably isn't "too slow". That said, Retumbo will probably get you another 50 f.p.s.

 

[udiablo]

IMO suggest checking loads with another chronograph (different brand) before doing anything else.

 

[nastynatesfish]

Push it harder untill you see pressure sign.

 

[LRPV]

Loads were checked with a magneto speed first and then with it and a chrony in tandem and loads were shot at distance and confirmed with come ups. When we start on the batch of components, I'll try to push it a little more but if it shoots good where it's at that's just what it's going to be.

 

[Changeling]

Loads were checked with a magneto speed first and then with it and a chrony in tandem and loads were shot at distance and confirmed with come ups. When we start on the batch of components, I'll try to push it a little more but if it shoots good where it's at that's just what it's going to be.

LRPV, you are very wise! A lot of people have a boatload of wishful thinking about the 7mm calliber and different 7mm cartridges. It is a wonderful calliber and probably one of the best all around there is.

Any time you see people saying they get over 3000fps out of a 7mm with 160gr bullets you can bet it is way over bore and barrel life declines rather fast right along with velocity.
I have never tried Retumbo powder so there is nothing I can add about it.

 

[dennisinaz]

I have played with a 7 WSM a lot more than the Remington version but the capacities are similar. I get 3050 fps with 180 Bergers and Ramshot Magnum as well as Mag Pro. I cannot get it with the other powders listed. H1000 gives fantastic ES but crappy velocity.

Haven't shot groups beyond 800 yds but the vertical was about 4" @ 800 using the Ramshot powder in 30 mph wind. This is a Savage Accu stock custom shop rifle with a #4 26" barrel.

 

[fourpower]

we have 2 Remington sender and we load 67grs h-1000 and 180 gr bergers. we were getting about 2825fps and it shoots in the 2s. went to forester dies with no expander ball and now the same load is going 2950fps! have taken this load out to 1400yds and it is great.

 

[rudysts]

Loads were checked with a magneto speed first and then with it and a chrony in tandem and loads were shot at distance and confirmed with come ups. When we start on the batch of components, I'll try to push it a little more but if it shoots good where it's at that's just what it's going to be.

LRPV, you are very wise! A lot of people have a boatload of wishful thinking about the 7mm calliber and different 7mm cartridges. It is a wonderful calliber and probably one of the best all around there is.

Any time you see people saying they get over 3000fps out of a 7mm with 160gr bullets you can bet it is way over bore and barrel life declines rather fast right along with velocity.
I have never tried Retumbo powder so there is nothing I can add about it.

The topic was on 7mm Rem mag, maybe in a 7mm 08 or a 280 Rem 3000 fps would be over bore but not in a magnum.
The load I shoot 69.8 gr of Retumbo is 1 grain below published max on Hodgdons website and .6 gr over on the Berger book. The velocity I got surprised me I was not expecting it to go that fast. I'm sure the other guys here felt the same way when they first shot the 180 hybrids.

I also shoot the 168 vld 3030 fps with 69.5 gr of H1000 and 3050 with 69.7 gr of Retumbo

 

[LRPV]

Just a little update. The new lot of bullets are skinnier and seat out an extra .045" to touch the lands. With the old lot of H1000 I quit at 66.5 as it left fairly heavy ejector marks. The new lot I ran clear up 70 grains before I got uncomfortable and it still didn't show near the pressure the first combination did. 68.5 grains was right in the middle of a nice vertical window and it shot 2" at 500yd. The load clocked in at 2870fps so everyone is happy now. Thanks for the help.

 

[Clark]

I own (6) 7mmRM rifles and I am building more.
I have killed mule deer and antelope with:
180 gr VLDH 3000 fps
162 gr HSST 3100 fps
150 gr NBT 3250 fps
140 gr NBT 3400 fps

I have given up on Re22 as too temp dependent.
I have given up on VLD hunting bullets for not killing at close range.
I have given up on 160 gr TSX 3100 fps for Copper fouling.
I have given up on H4350 maximum published data as too wimpy to be a meaningful starting point.

I have now done a few years and a few animals at 140 gr Nos Bal Tip 3400 fps and am happy. A putz like me can hit anything out to 500 yards with it, and it is bang flop.

 

[Rtheurer]

Clark
Would it be ok to ask about your 162gr loading experience? any suggestions on that particular bullet weight?

Thank You
Russ T

 

[Racebannon3855]

Sorry to be late to your post. I went through the same trials with a laminate stock tang safety ruger 77 with 22" barrel that I inherited a few years back. I stuck with IMR-4831 because of the accuracy, nothing that I tried broke 3000 FPS.

150 core lokt factory 2972 fps
150 fusion federal factory 2905 fps
160 Sierra gkbthp 62.0 of 4831 for 2854 GPS, 5 shots in 2" at 250 yards.
150 partition 63.0 of 4831 for 2954 fps
150 ballistic tip 63.0 of 4831 for 2896 fps, 62.0 was 2843 fps.

154 hornady old school red box, 61.0 of 4831 for 2747 fps. Pleasure to shoot, used to take a bunch of deer. I just found a few hundred more of these, barrel will last forever with this load. At this velocity the bullet works great.

I took two deer with the partition load, what else can I say about partitions, bang flop.

The Sierra 160 gr was the best for accuracy, then the partition and hornady. The ballistic tips were still more than accurate enough for hunting, just not the best. The 160 Sierra gkbthp is tougher than the gkbtsp, but it's BC is not much to brag about. I have used it with great results inside of 300.

The Speer #12 manual comments on the variation between velocities between 7 mag sporters. With powder hard to come by I have not been experimenting lately, just doing what already works.

Hope it helps!