Hi guys ive had a 7 mag for about 6 months and after a few initial quality probs with my remmy it appears to be back on track after a re corwn and restocked.

So after reading all the posts on here about the 7 Mag im after a few bits of info if you please.

I would like to know the following to help me to decide on what powder and bullet (150gr or 160gr) to start from the beginning again as i have wasted loads of powder, bullets and time.

So what do you guys use?

Bullet
Powder
Load
Velocity
Group Size

Much appreciated

The latest load that I have tried is right out of the newest Nosler reloading manual. It is a max load so work up from a few grains lower on powder charge.

It was tested in a custom Remington 7mm Rem Mag with a 26 inch Lilja barrel.

Brass: Winchester
Primer: Fed 215M
Powder: RL 25
Charge: 70 grains
Bullet: 160 grain Nosler Accubond
velocity: 3100 fps
Group size: 0.91 inch average

LeupyGav,

Glad you are getting your 7mm sorted out..
My rem 700 CDL w/ 26 inch barrel likes:

160 gr Nosler Accubond
Rl22
63 grs
2850 FPS
.4 inch group

Good luck!

Cheers

I use Speer 160gr flat base hot cores with IMR 4831. my load is over the book so I won't post the weight but keep putting powder in until you hit 2,950 fps.

70.5 grns Retumbo, Berger VLD 168, WW brass, Fed 215 match primer--0.433 for 4 shots at 100 yrds.

63.0 grns IMR4831, Nos Btip 150, WW brass, Fed 215 match primer--one hole groups, 5 occasions, 3 shot strings. But average is 0.3.

63.5 grns IMR4350, Swift Scirocco 150, WW brass, Fed 215 match primer--0.612, 5 shot strings.

None of these have been chronied. As long as groups are consistent, I don't care how fast they are going. I know the trajectories to 700 yards. Sorry can't help you with vel.

Rifle is a 700 with a 24" Shilen #4 stainless.

I have managed to load a very accurate load with 168gr vld's for range use 1/2 MOA. So my post is for a hunting load.

I just cant decide what powder to use... hence my interst in what you guys have come up with.

Accuracy is most important but its always nice to have abit of velocity....

If those VLDS are Bergers you have a heckuva hunting load!

They are the berger vlds but i have shot 1 deer with them and they caused far too much bloodshot and meat damage. I wanna hopefuly use accubonds. as i have shot with these before and liked em.

I use H870 how ever it's no longer made .

I've tried this Accurate powder called MagPro .
Nosler 160 with 68.2 grains magpro near 3K fps . Seems to show promise for accuracy as well .
Although I'm still just beginning load development with it .

I've also used IMR 4831 and 7828 but without looking in my notes I'd be guessing as to the loads .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Reduce all loads by 5% these are only safe in my rifle.
For 160gr-175 Retumbo is my favorite.
160 Accubond
70 gr Retumbo
3000+
5/8" at 200 yds 3 shots

175 Partition
68 gr Retumbo
2950 FPS
3/4" at 100 3 shots

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.K:
I use H870 how ever it's no longer made .

I found a surplus powder, WC 860, that is similar to H870. I got a good deal on the powder, so I built the 7 Mag to use it. Works with 175 Rem, 162 Hornady, and 150 Blems from Midway.

I also use a bunch of H4350.
I doubt any of my loads are very fast, I don't chrono, just shoot.

My 7mm Mag shoots the following load best:

Bullet: 150 grain Nosler Partition
Powder: H-4831SC
Load: 63.5 grains
Velocity: Unknown
Group Size: 3 shots inside 1/2" at 100 yards

It took me a long time, and lots of different loads to arrive at the above load.

Don

For my 160 gr bullet I use H4831 67gr it gives me 3024fps with a 26" barrel

My custom 7mm Mag loves 61.5grs of Viht N165 under a 160gr Nosler Accubond. Velocity is not tops, but accuracy is consistantly in the .3-.4 range.

Cheers for the info sao far.

Im suprised only one is using rl-22 as this seemed to be the main powder thats been reccomended in all the other threads.

Thats the reason for this thread as it appears whats being recommended isnt neccessarily what people are using!

There have been consistancy issues with rl-22 in the past. Try
150 Nosler BT
Fed 215
54 IMR 4064

quote:

Originally posted by LeupyGav:
Im suprised only one is using rl-22 as this seemed to be the main powder thats been reccomended in all the other threads.

Thats the reason for this thread as it appears whats being recommended isnt neccessarily what people are using!

Reloder 22 is an outstanding powder. I've loaded it for years and will always have it available. It is a top choice for the 7mag.

quote:

Willie B: There have been consistancy issues with rl-22 in the past.

This is true. I remember some years ago contacting Alliant about it. They sent me 4 pounds of Re22 free.

I personally have never noticed a problem, but they did admit that some lots were not at the desired burn rate, or something to that affect. I have not heard of such a problem in at least 7 years.

If it will not shoot with R22 under 150 NBTs, 160 Sierra GKBTSPs, or 160 NABs, you'd better sell it or rebarrel. I've never seen a 7RM that was worth having not shoot with R22.

R22 and IMR7828 both work well with 150-160 class bullets. H4831 works well with 140s.

Light them with Federal 215s and use either Win or R+P unless you want to spend extra and go with Lapua.

I would recommend working up to 66grns of R22 with both 150-160 weights. Start around 64 grns and watch for pressure signs. I've never seen a 7RM show pressure with less than 66 and 150-160s. 66 is the sweet spot in 3 of my 7RMs under both 160 NABs and 150 NBTs.

I prefer H4831 under 140 NABs and NBTs.

Good Luck

Reloader

I must be odd man out as usual...

Most of the loads I have used center around IMR 4064, or IMR 4895 or RL 15...the old less powder, less recoil.. less barrel wear.. and for that you sacrifice about 100 fps MV and gain a substantial increase in accuracy....

Slowest powder I have used in the 7 Mag is H 414....

I'll second that !. No Seafire Your not odd man out as I've also used and do use those powders as well .

I use which ever powder projectile weight primer case that produces accuracy , 1-200 FPS isn't going to make any significant difference when nearing or exceeding 3K FPS in impacting a vital area on any animal .
So less abuse on the weapon as well as myself , I like it !.

IMO ;If more hunters would learn more about an Animals anatomy , vital kill zones from all possible profiles . This is a HUGE HELP in the field .

Take enough gun to do a humane kill doesn't mean it has to be proof loaded !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I've had superb results with top and low end loads of:
RL-22
Fed 215 primers
Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tips

I love this combo for whitetails. JMHO

gd

The best results I've had thus far have centered around 66.0 grains of V-V N160 and Nosler's 160 grain partition. Sierra's 160 grain BTSP will shoot to the same point of impact with this load. Both loads give an honest 3060f/s.

quote:

Originally posted by GD:
I've had superb results with top and low end loads of:
RL-22
Fed 215 primers
Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tips

I love this combo for whitetails. JMHO

gd

This is my rifle's favorite load, it's 1/2 MOA at 200 yards out of the barrel of my 26" A-bolt. 3300fps makes this my perfect tree stand rifle for deer.

67gr. RL-22
Winchester brass
Federal 215 primer
140gr. Ballistic Tip

Unfortunately, 150's didn't do as well (still not too bad, little over MOA at 100) but the 160's opened up to 2.5 MOA and 175 were all over the board. My gun seems to like the lighter bullets.

AS much as I like Seafire, I'll be a contrarian here. I bought a 7mag for the vel. Why shoot a 160gr bullet @ 2850fps when my 280 will almost do that? I settled on RL22 or IMR7828 under 140gr-175gr bullets. I lean to 7828 because it seems more uniform from lot to lot. From my 26" #1, I am getting 1moa groups @ 3100fps+ w/ 160grNPs or 150grNPs @ 3200fps+. I pretty much only run 160grs out of the 7mag, again, that's why I bought it, bigger bullets faster.

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:
...Most of the loads I have used center around IMR 4064, or IMR 4895 or RL 15...the old less powder, less recoil.. less barrel wear.. and for that you sacrifice about 100 fps MV...

I've no desire to be at odds with Seafire or Dr.K either, but have noticed a potentially dangerous trend in some of Seafire's recent posts. Why he has chosen this new direction is a mystery to me. It simply endangers many people who think they know what they are doing, but are as clueless as teanscum.

Using the Powders Seafire mentioned to arrive at Velocities within 100fps of the much Slower Powders, which are intended for the 7mmRemMag, is simply not possible at the SAAMI Pressure the Cartridge is designed for.

For some reason, which I do not understand, some posters on the Board simply do not understand "Peak Pressure" or "Sustained Pressure", but they continue to post Load recommendations that can get the Beginners way in over their heads.

Best of luck to you folks who choose to ignore the Warnings.

I for one am a HUGE advocate of loading data from published manuals or other wise reliable published sources .

As I've stated several times in the past and will continue to do so for the benefit of newbies .

Reliable loading manuals are just that .Tried tested an accurate published data and vital information pertaining to " SAFETY " !.

Experienced hand loaders are JUST THAT !.

How ever in 40 plus years of reloading ,I've only known 1 , that's right one person who had a testing barrel with the necessary equipment to " CHECK LOADS SAFELY " .

Using to little or to much of a particular or wrong powder charge can have devastating consequences !.

The manufactures have done the heavy lifting for us all .What we need to do is sort the data and experiment with in those guide lines .

As every hand loader should know ;excessive MV does not always = ACCURACY !. In many cases it's quite the opposite .

Yet some people have the Tom Cruise mentality " Need for Speed " . When by most accounts factory ammo does 98% of 90% shooting chores !.

That being said building ones own ammo is practical for top accuracy as well as economical .
It also gives satisfaction in accomplishment !.

SO BE SMART BE SAFE AND CONSULT A MANUAL BEFORE LOADING ANYONE ELSE'S LOADS . INCLUDING MINE !.

I never post anything that exceeds Sierra or Speer Nosler or Hodgdon manuals .

I still have 8 fingers 2 thumbs both eyes and ears . I also lived through hell several times on Hill 973 and the TET counter offensive !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . And I did !. ...

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:
...Most of the loads I have used center around IMR 4064, or IMR 4895 or RL 15...the old less powder, less recoil.. less barrel wear.. and for that you sacrifice about 100 fps MV...

I've no desire to be at odds with Seafire or Dr.K either, but have noticed a potentially dangerous trend in some of Seafire's recent posts. Why he has chosen this new direction is a mystery to me. It simply endangers many people who think they know what they are doing, but are as clueless as teanscum.

Using the Powders Seafire mentioned to arrive at Velocities within 100fps of the much Slower Powders, which are intended for the 7mmRemMag, is simply not possible at the SAAMI Pressure the Cartridge is designed for.

For some reason, which I do not understand, some posters on the Board simply do not understand "Peak Pressure" or "Sustained Pressure", but they continue to post Load recommendations that can get the Beginners way in over their heads.

Best of luck to you folks who choose to ignore the Warnings.

Uhh, Hot Core...

Those loads are actually not Seafire developed loads... those are actually pretty much straight out of reload manuals.. and the velocity is what my chronograph is telling I am getting for velocity...

the rifle is a standard factory issue Savage 116 in 7 Mag....

The only reason I even have a 7 Mag here, is that I found this one for a really really cheap price at a close out and wanted a long action Savage to do switch barrel work on...

the 7 x 57 sort of serves my 7mm needs in life..so I haven't really done much for load development with it..

So I am not really going off the beaten path here at all there my friend...

Data I am using is out of the Lyman 47 Manual and the IMR old brown sheet, where they used each one of there powders in each cartridge...

So if those loads aren't pressure tested, I am sure you could drop them a line and let them know of your concerns...

but they have been working well for me...giving me no pressure problems...

I haven't hunted with the rifle, but have loaned it out a couple of time to an older friend who took a couple of deer with it.. using a load of 40 grains of IMR 4198 and a 139 grain Hornady SP..

MikeyB,

That's identical to the load I was using. Absolutely deadly, and really accurate. I've made first shot hits on clay pigeons out to 600 yards with that combination. I got lucky and started out with RL-22 and the B-tips. No need to look further.

gd

Colt light rifle (thin wippy barrel)

150 grain TSX
Federal (once fired) brass
66 grains RL-19
WW LR Magnum primers
Velocity 3180 to 3195 fps spread

3 shot groups .75 (first 2 shots from cold barrel overlap at about .3, third shot always opens up the group)

(67 grains RL-19 in the same rifle flattens the primers with hard bolt lift)

Garrett

quote:

Originally posted by N. Garrett:
Colt light rifle (thin wippy barrel)

150 grain TSX
Federal (once fired) brass
66 grains RL-19
WW LR Magnum primers
Velocity 3180 to 3195 fps spread

3 shot groups .75 (first 2 shots from cold barrel overlap at about .3, third shot always opens up the group)

(67 grains RL-19 in the same rifle flattens the primers with hard bolt lift)

Garrett

Nice rifles aren't they?? I love mine.

We used to be able to get on a deer culling permit, to legally spotlight deer that were damaging crops here in Eastern Virginia. We used a Ruger M77 chambered in 7mm RM. This particular rifle had an extremely tight neck, and with the following load, would shoot 1/2 MOA. (That's right!) Besides accurate, this load, is this particular rifle, made almost zero smoke in a one million candlepower spotlight beam at night, aiding in retreiving deer from 300 yard shots in waist deep soybeans.

Over 350 deer taken in ten years; the only bad experience with this load were deer jumped closer than 30 yards, the bullet was too frangible. Anything past 30 yards to 400 yards was killed cleanly.

Nosler Ballistic Tip 150 grain bullet.

RL 22 powder---61 grains

Federal 215 primer

Winchester case properly prepped
*******************************************
Looking through my notes I see that using all the same components except using 58 grains of RL 19 powder, produced a lot of smoke in the spotlight. Also the same with 61 grains of IMR 4831.......lots of smoke. No problem in daylight, but not good for spotlighting.

One last thing; using a 100 grain Hornady hollow point bullet & 67 grains of IMR 4831 with a Remington 9-1/2 primer makes a wicked groundhog round, and only required minor scope readjustments to change between a daytime groundhog buster and night time deer round. Hope this can be of some use to you.

Jim

GD,

Those Colt Light Rifles are indeed a bargin when you can find them. I bought my NIB from a guy who never shot his, for about $430.

When I get the time I'm going to take this load that I've worked up and try my hand at targets at 200 and 300 yards.

This should make a handy mountain rifle.

Garrett

Well ive gone and gotten some rl-22 to try. All i need now is some time and a day at the range!

When I got my Ruger No. 1B in 7mm Rem. Mag. in 1969, I found I could get 3350 FPS wih 140-grain bullets using 71.5 grains of old Hodgdon surplus H4831, and 3070 FPS with a 175-grain Nosler Partition using 66.5 grains of a certain lot of Norma N205. When Norma dropped N205 and introduced MRP, I found I could get the same performance with MRP and 175-grain bullets, but it took 68 grains to do it. Then back around 2000, Norma powders disappeared from the Ameican market, (as they often do!!), and I got the impression that RE22 was "about the same" as MRP. Well, perhaps. But the best I could get with it and 175-grain bullets was around 2900 FPS. I had to go to IMR 7828 to get back over 3,000 FPS with 175-grain bullets. I found that 70 grains of DuPONT IMR 7828 would give me 3050 FPS @ 10' from the muzzle. This load works fine in my rifle, but my can of 7828 is OLD, and may be weaker than what is available today, so I would not try this load using newly-made IMR 7828 without working it up AGAIN, just like I did originally.

If I were going to shoot the 7 magnum and I have not shot it much, prefering the .280 or long throated 7x57. I would opt for 175 gr. bullets as that is where it should shine..I have read and been informed that one can squeeze 3000 FPS from a 175 gr. bullet and if that is true and I don't see why you couldn't come pretty close to that with a 26" tube and all magnums should have a 26" tube, then it would be the optimal elk rifle...

I guess I have over looked the 7 mag, as I am a big 300 H&H, 300 Win., 300 Wby, fan. Maybe I need to change that for a spell?

I have a Brown Precision 7mm Mag that I shoot a lot. My favorite load is the 160 grain Nosler kicked out by 80 grains of H-870 in front of a Fed. 215. I get just over 3100 and it works on a lot of stuff.

I followed a thread on best powders for the 7MM RM a couple years ago and the top rated powder was R22. I worked up a top load with the 175 grain bullets ending up with a tackdriving 64.0 grains of R22 fired by a CCI 250 primer. I then loaded some 160 gr. Speers on top of the same charge and got the same POI. Same with the 160 gr. Nosler Partition. Awesome rifle, need to use it on game some.

N. Garrett,

Got mine on closeout... don't remember the exact price, but it was a good deal. Mine has been extremely accurate at much farther than I have any business shooting. Matched it up with a Burris scope (ballistic plex reticle) and it will hang with much heavier rifles at longer ranges. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well it will group. And it's a wonderful gun to carry in the field.

gd

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
If I were going to shoot the 7 magnum and I have not shot it much, prefering the .280 or long throated 7x57. I would opt for 175 gr. bullets as that is where it should shine..I have read and been informed that one can squeeze 3000 FPS from a 175 gr. bullet and if that is true and I don't see why you couldn't come pretty close to that with a 26" tube and all magnums should have a 26" tube, then it would be the optimal elk rifle...

I guess I have over looked the 7 mag, as I am a big 300 H&H, 300 Win., 300 Wby, fan. Maybe I need to change that for a spell?

Ray, my 7 Mag. is a 1B, 26" barrel. I once had a .308 Norma, and even with a 24" tube, it was a better caliber than the 7mm Rem. Magnum. Wish I had kept that rifle......