7mm Rem Mag

Califelkslayer · Feb 27, 2015

I'm looking for opinions.

Last year i bought a Savage Weather Warrior, 7mm Mag, Accu-trigger/Accu-stock, Ziess Conquest HD 3X15 scope. I wanted to shoot 160 grain Accubonds as i wanted a deer/elk round. (All of my other rifles have a different load for each species)

I broke the barrel in and since it was getting close to the season i just picked a max load out of the book and started loading. (63 grains RL-22, CCI mag rifle primer and Hornady brass) The accuracy was great, right at 1 MOA.

I never sighted the gun in with the yardage reticles inside the scope at long distance.

This weekend I'm going to load for this gun. I plan on upping the powder until accuracy suffers. I plan on shooting these loads at 100 yards next weekend to see which load is the most accurate.

The following weekend I plan to go shoot it at long range and see where the point of impact is in relation to the reticles.

So the question is, "Where should I stop?"

I was planning on going up 1/2 grain increments until I got to 67 grains. But I don't want to build a bunch of bullets that will have too much pressure and waste components.

Does anybody have any experience with the 7mm Mag, 160 grain bullets and RL-22?

Thanks

foghorn · Feb 28, 2015

Elkslayer

I bought a bullet puller years ago to disassemble military ammo.
Pretty sure you can get em now for less than $30.
Let's you recover bullet and powder.
Adjust powder charge and reseat bullet.
Can't have to many gadgets!!

Not to mention the cost of components.
Later
Foghorn

440sixpack · Feb 28, 2015

Odds are 1/2 gr isn't going to effect accuracy much. I load 3 rounds each going up 1 gr at a time. once I reach max pressure I pull the overload bullets.

In my opinion if a magnum isn't accurate at or near max pressure there isn't any reason to own it.

Stay thirsty my friends

BruceMc · Feb 28, 2015

I've loaded up to 67grs of Reloder 22 without any problems with the 160 accubond and it chronos a little over 3100 fps. I'd be very careful going past that. Just remember that 22 is temperature sensitive and if you work up a really hot max load in the winter it may take a mallet to get the bolt open in the summer.

REDDOG · Mar 1, 2015

when you have to beat open the bolt with a rock,thats usually a good place to stop.

Cahunter805 · Mar 2, 2015

As stated I've found rl22 to be very temp sensitive. My 7mm loved h1000 or imr7828. Also I'd load for accuracy first. Play with seating depth and fine tune your load.

BruceMc · Mar 2, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-15 AT 06:40PM (MST)[p]I too prefer H-1000 for my 160 accubond load. Its much more consistent in velocity and is much less sensitive to temperature. Plus I get very small one hole three shot groups with it from my Model 70. Of course its called H-1000 as it was designed for use as a powder for 1000 yd match in magnum cases.

Zeke · Mar 3, 2015

>when you have to beat open
>the bolt with a rock,thats
>usually a good place to
>stop.

Yes, actually stop just short of this.
Please be careful. It makes me cringe when you say "I picked max and want to know how high to go".\\
If you don't know how to read and measure pressure signs then you're best off to stop the upward move right now!
Passing along the love, and protecting your eyesight!
Zeke

Whiterock · Mar 3, 2015

when I had my 7mm mag I used a lot of IMR7828 but never got the velocity that others talk about.I was happy with the accuracy,Accubonds was not heard of but Hornady interbond and Nosler partition both shot pretty good.

CHWino_1 · Mar 4, 2015

H-1000 and H-4831 are the two that worked best for me. I like the 160 grain bullet for 7mag too.

Califelkslayer · Mar 7, 2015

I have a bunch of IMR-4831 and some H-4831. I'll try those if my accuracy suffers but it's currently as good as I can shoot.

My OAL is just off of the lands/grooves where I usually get my best accuracy, and this gun seems to prefer that as well.

Don't cringe!! I loaded 4 rounds each, going up 1/2 gr, from 63.5 grains thru 66 grains. I'll check for pressure signs after each shot. I expect a little flatting of the primer but not much else. USUALLY, accuracy suffers before I get to the point I'm having severe pressure signs.

I clean the gun, fire a fouling round, then a 3 shot group, clean and repeat. Has worked for me well in the past and seems to give me the best info on the true accuracy of a load.

As far as temps go. I usually work up loads at higher temps than I hunt at.

Whiterock · Mar 7, 2015

A friend of mine shoots 154 grain Hornady bullets over IMR4350 in his 7MM magnum and has done this for several year,always works for him.

springvilleshooter · Mar 7, 2015

I would hold up around 65 grains.------SS

Califelkslayer · Mar 8, 2015

And i've got a lot of IMR 4350, a great all around powder.

In every medium caliber I own, IMR-4350 would be fine for me if that was the only powder made since it shots well in all of them.

I've got a couple of loads that are a little more accurate with RL-17, and one with H-414. BUT the 4350 is the one I usually compare them with.

In this gun/load, I started with a slower burn rate powder since the 160 gr bullet is a little heavy for the .284. I have no doubt IMR-4350 would work but suspect I would get pressure signs before I got the velocity, compared to a little slower burning powder.

1911 · Apr 16, 2015

Best place to watch for high pressure warning signs is the spent primer. If it starts to get flat from the bolt face you are pushing the threshhold.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/User_files/4abc76ff29b26fc1.jpg

Gator · May 8, 2015

I got my best groups from H-1000 and H-4831. The two most accurate for me shooting 160 and 175 gr bullets. That what I use in my Browning Bar 7mm.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Califelkslayer · May 21, 2015

I made it to the range one time.

Shot 4 3 shot groups. Accuracy was still good then the wind started blowing.

Between dealing with a litter of pups, and cutting wood every day off, I haven't gotten back out there. I was worried they would close the woods for woodcutting early this year due to drought so I made that my priority. With rain off and on the last 10 days I'm sure the woods will be open til at least July one.

Weekend after the holiday I'll get back after it.