Can anyone point me to some loading data for the 7x61 S&H cartridge with modern powders? I have older data from several sources, but the powders included are the oldies--IMR4350, H4831, etc. Are there some more recent sources that would include the Alliant and Vihtavuori powders and possibly other newer ones?

There hasn't been much activity with the 7x61 for quite a while so my suggestion would be to get a copy of QuickLoad. You can use the known 'old' data to get an idea of what QL tells you for those and then use it to compute similar pressure data for newer powders. I've used it that way for several other oddball cartridges and it works out pretty well if you exercise some common sense.

The 7x61 S&H is one of my favorites, along with the Schultz and Larsen rifles it was usually found in. Best of luck with it!

Stay with IMR 4350

quote:

Originally posted by snowman:
Stay with IMR 4350

I gather that IMR 4350 was the powder Phil Sharpe developed the 7x61 loads around. I'm looking into getting the QuickLoad disk, bpesteve.

I used two Schultz and Larsen rifles in 7x61 S&H over several decades of hunting. One was a M65 cock on opening model and the other an earlier M60 cock on closing model. The latter was my fathers rifle which I took over as he got older and went to a 7mm-08.
The M60 had a 26" barrel and 12" twist and as many have learn't, this cartridge in the S&L rifle gave high velocity for minimal charges of powder (compared with other similar magnums).

I never tried IMR4350 but used IMR4831.

59.0 grs IMR4381 with a Sierra 160gr SPBT and CCI200 primer gave a MV of 3000fps. This load was with the S&H case not the later Super version. The S&H case has slightly less capacity than the Super case.
Norma factory ammo, again the earlier S&H version and advertised at 3100fps, chronographed at 3040fps in my rifle.

IMR4350 and IMR4831 are not old powders and the Australian made H4350 and H4381SC powders are both very close in burn rate to their same numbered IMR powders.

H4831SC is equivalent to the old Norma N205 which is what was used to load the factory 7x61S&H ammunition with. I don't know that you can get anything more modern than the two powders mentioned above for the 7x61.

3000fps with a sleek 160gr bullet gives you as much as you can use from any 7mm magnum without going overboard on pressure and poor case life.