Preferred bullet weight for 7mm Rem Mag?

[Buzzsaw]

Just bought a beautiful Model 70 Super Grade 7mm Mag, I believe its 9 twist, maybe 9.5. What is the preferred bullet weight for this set up?

 

[whatwind?]

160-175

 

[std7mag]

I prefer the 150gr Nosler ABLR.

 

[Adam in WI]

If you can get it to shoot, the 162 ELD is an excellent balance of high b.c. and good speed in that case. Mine reached 3220 with RL 26 in a 26" 700 Long Range, but I think that one had a generous chamber. If I remember correctly, Alliant's data put the max somewhere around 3100.

I believe Winchester uses the 9.5 twist for all their 7mm chamberings.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I would try the 168gr ABLR, it’s balance between the 150’s & 180’s is just about right for most game.

Cheers.

 

[284winner]

If you can get it to shoot, the 162 ELD is an excellent balance of high b.c. and good speed in that case. Mine reached 3220 with RL 26 in a 26" 700 Long Range, but I think that one had a generous chamber. If I remember correctly, Alliant's data put the max somewhere around 3100.

I believe Winchester uses the 9.5 twist for all their 7mm chamberings.

3220 is extremely impressive in your 7mm mag. How is accuracy ? At that speed, I don't think I'd ever use a 180 for a 7mm platform. I'm happy at 3000 fps in my 284.

 

[Adam in WI]

3220 is extremely impressive in your 7mm mag. How is accuracy ? At that speed, I don't think I'd ever use a 180 for a 7mm platform. I'm happy at 3000 fps in my 284.

I just checked, data says 3050. I'm sure I was probably warm but bolt lift was good and primers looked normal. Accuracy was easily under 1" @ 100, and sometimes better depending on the nut behind the butt. If I remember right 3220 was as hot as I comfortably went. I settled around 3150.

 

[284winner]

I just checked, data says 3050. I'm sure I was probably warm but bolt lift was good and primers looked normal. Accuracy was easily under 1" @ 100, and sometimes better depending on the nut behind the butt. If I remember right 3220 was as hot as I comfortably went. I settled around 3150.

Ya 3050-3150 sounds pretty normal for handloads. Was more curious how the 3220 shot accuracy wise. Sometimes higher velocities produce best accuracy.

 

[Loudenboomer]

Win Super Grade. Primarily hunting I would assume. Without knowing what game or ranges I'll just mention what works for My sons and I. Most of our shots are under 300 yds. The std. Hornady 162 BTSP works well over WC860 and a Fed 215 primer. 3100 fps from a 26" barrel. This is a very inexpensive load but has harvested allot of Northern Minnesota bucks.

 

[searcher]

I used to shoot the "standard" 160-175 weights but switched to the lighter 140 and 150 Barnes TTSX for super-flat out to 500 and excellent terminal performance and accuracy. I use RL22

 

[timeout]

Just bought a beautiful Model 70 Super Grade 7mm Mag, I believe its 9 twist, maybe 9.5. What is the preferred bullet weight for this set up?

Not sure what distance you intend to shoot? A couple guys I know have used the 168 Berger's but not satisfied with them for hunting as in mainly the deer going too far after the shot and no blood trail. Just loaded up some 160 Nosler Accubonds for my son-in-law. After testing settled on 66.8 grains of Reloader 26 with a MV of 3088. Did a water jug test yesterday @ 250 yards. Great expansion and 111 grains of bullet left intact. If you are shooting farther and want a higher bc you could experiment with the Accubond LR. Won't know until fall how the bullet works on deer size game.

My

 

[2506]

Tried and true deer killing bullet for many people for many years in my experience has been the old school Hornady 154 gr Inter lock or SST. I did crop damage control for 15 years and I got to experiment on what would work and did not work well. I tried about all the 120 to 160s gr bullets and my biggest problem with the 7mm Rem mag was even though when you found the deer that you had shot with a perfect heart lung shot and they sloshed on the inside they would run off one to two hundreds yards before going down. They ran less on the 154 Hornady for me and for a number of people that I know. Went to the 25-06 and 99.9% of the time the deer is laying where it was standing when I shot it.

 

[30378]

168gr Berger VLDs, using Fed 215Ms with a stiff dose of Retumbo has been outstanding in mine.

 

[Buckstop]

I have used the 168 berger hvld and 162 eldx. But for deer hunting last couple seasons I’ve been loading 143 hammer hunters with RL 23. Has been very accurate in my M700 with a 1/9 brux sendero barrel.

 

[AckleymanII]

John, two nodes: 175g Nosler long range

R22 at 2850
R#26 at 3030

7 RM rem 700's with 26" barrels
175 lrab-180g berger vld hunting

160-168g 70-71g of Retumbo with 215 at 3100


Note: 175g Nosler long range is worth build a hunting rifle around

 

[cjames]

Hey Buzzsaw, I'm hunting west of Sweetwater. My stand is on a really high point. I couldn't shoot as far as I can see with a 50 BMG. I have a 7 mag on a Model 70 action with a #5 Krieger 9 twist on it. Due to the hog factor, I shoot 65 grns of IMR 4831 and a 150 Barnes TTSX. It knocks the hell out of those hogs. Blows thru both shoulders on the big boars. I used to hunt with the traditional bullets until the hogs showed up. I've had good luck with Partitions as a Deer/Hog bullet also in other calibers. I also have a BEAUTIFUL Super Grade in 270 Win. It is an honest 3/4" rifle. Love those Winny's.

 

[std7mag]

2506,
You ought to give the Berger VLD-H a try. Massive internal damage!
Cutting Edge are nasty too! Petals break off & jagged edged base keeps plowing through. Pricy, but effective!

 

[STOMP442]

168 Berger and a near max load of H1000 or Retumbo should make that thing shoot as good as it looks.

 

[tominboise]

I use 140 Nosler BT's and 160 Partitions with good results. I shot a nice Shiras Moose here in Idaho with a 139 gr GMX bullet, loaded in factory Superformance ammo. Range was broadside at about 80 yards. It did the trick.

 

[2506]

2506,
You ought to give the Berger VLD-H a try. Massive internal damage!
Cutting Edge are nasty too! Petals break off & jagged edged base keeps plowing through. Pricy, but effective!

Got rid of the 7mm Rem mag because I could not carry enough flashlight battery's to find the deer they ran off so far late in the evening just before dark when I was shooting most of them. LOL Problem was not that the bullets were not expanding they were. The deer sloshed on the inside from the damage but for some reason the deer ran a good ways out of the fields into the jungle and swamp of east NC where it was so thick you would have a hard time trailing up a chalk line.