7mm Rem Mag reloading

Califelkslayer · Apr 5, 2014

Any of you guys have experience loading the Nosler Accubond LR bullets? I was looking at reviews for the last hour and came away with this, specifically on the .284 150 grain bullet;

They have a reduced surface so you need a faster twist rate to stabilize them, like a 9.5-1?

Most didn't see any advantage over the regular Accubonds in accuracy?

I believe I'm a decent reloader because, except for one gun, I've been able to get sub 1" groups. But after reading some of the reviews it seemed some guys with experience were having issues with these bullets. I don't reload for fun, just to get the best performance I can and to use the bullets I think will do the job the best.

That said, I'm now leaning towards the Accubond 160 grain bullet in 7mm Rem Mag instead of the 150 grain LR bullets. The price is only 60% of the LRs and they have a high BC although not as high as the LRs. And according to these reviews they are more "forgiving."

Thoughts????

blacktailBC · Apr 6, 2014

Hey Hunter.
I would pick up one of these. Basically has the loads from all the major manufacurers reloading manuals. Will be the best $7 you ever spent.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-L...398?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item1e7902b0fe

I have shot the accubond LR, and found them to shoot fairly well. I just have some more development to go. I used max loads out of the reloading manuals for 150's with no problems. Remington brass. CCI 250 mag primers.

My 7 mag really likes the 140 accubonds with 65.5 of IMR-4350. 3240 fps from a 26" barrel remington 700

Good luck.

Cahunter805 · Apr 7, 2014

Nothing wrong with either of those bullets. Load them with imr7828 or h1000 and a mag primer and I'm sure you will be pleased.

Califelkslayer · Apr 7, 2014

Loading manual ordered. Got the same one for .338 Win Mag and .223.

Cahunter, I'll probably mess with RL-19, RL-22, IMR-4350, IMR-4831 or H-414, whatever I see in the manual with these powders since I have a minimum of 5 lbs of each but thanks for the input.

I'll look at trajectory @ 400, 500 and 600 yards before I decide on either the 140s or the 160s. If I can't get the Accubonds to shoot well after a couple of shooting sessions, I may to Barnes. I've shot Barnes in my .338 for over 20 years but hate cleaning copper.......forever.

Cahunter805 · Apr 8, 2014

Rl22 is were I would begin. Also don't overlook the Barnes 145lrx.
Cleaning copper forever? What solvent are you using? I've switched to the boretech eliminator and love it. Very fast and easy and no ammonia smell.

Califelkslayer · Apr 8, 2014

Cahunter, I'll try the boretech. I've used Barnes CRX (very strong ammonia smell) and hoppes.

My current method is time consuming and tedious. Annually I usually sit down with 3 guns. I run a wet patch through the .338, then the .280, then the 7mm-08. Then a dry patch over a brass brush in the .338, then a wet patch. I let it sit while I move on to the .280. On, and, on, and on. After a couple of hours I still have a blue tinge on the patch, except usually the 7mm-08 which has had very few Barnes run through it. A coat of oil, then a dry patch finishes off the several hour long session. Anything new would be appreciated.

That said, none of the guns seem to be losing accuracy.

30Hart · Apr 9, 2014

I actually use a 175 grain Partition for everything, it's super accurate in my gun. Sometimes I think we get all bent out of shape to try a new thing with a better BC. Unless your shooting comp at 1000, stick w/ those 160s they work great!

Bambistew · Apr 21, 2014

My two favorite loads for 7mag and 160 Accubonds...

Winchester brass, 62gr IMR4831 and CCI 250, or 64gr RL22 and CCI 250.

Stubaby · Apr 24, 2014

I'm getting well under sub-moa with 160 grain Accubonds with Nosler brass and 61 grains of IMR4831.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

Califelkslayer · Apr 24, 2014

Bambi and stub, That gives me an idea where to start, thanks.

I got my dies yesterday and still haven't mounted a scope so I'm a few weeks away from getting started. BUT it's amazing how fast time flys when you're getting ready for a hunt.

I'll post pics of my progress.

Wes · Apr 26, 2014

I tried the Accubond in my 7mm mag and didn't get the accuracy I was looking for. I switched to Berger 168 VLD's. I'm loading 66 gr. of H-4831 which is 2 grains over max load in most manuals, without any signs of pressure. I went up to 67 gr without any pressure signs but my groups started to open up. I'm shooting a custom rifle with a Bartlien barrel. I had my reamer made to seat my bullet with the bearing surface /boat tail junction set just above the case neck /shoulder junction and no freebore and just touching the lands. My groups average in the .3 to .4 range. My Rem 700 7 mm shoots .5 with this same load.

For copper I use Montana Extreme Copper Killer. Very powerful stuff, cleans copper out real quick. Another method is Speedy Gonzales's method of Sweets 7.62 and hydrogen peroxide.

1) SWEETS 7.62
NOTE: Sweets can also be used in extreme cases of copper fouling. The procedure in this worst case scenario is as follows.
A) Brush the barrel with Sweets (kiss brush good-bye).
B) Let bore soak 5 to 10 minutes (No Longer on Chrome Molly Barrels. Sweets and CM don't get along very well together for very long).
C) Now soak a patch with HYDROGEN PEROXCIDE and very, very slowly push it through the bore. A chemical reaction will take place between the Ammonia in the Sweets and the Hydrogen Peroxide causing all copper to go into suspension as the reaction takes place. The muzzle of your rifle will look as if it has rabies as the patch slowly nears the crown and you see all of the foaming reaction that is taking place. The blue green colors you see as the patch exits the barrel will amaze you.
D) Inspect the bore after you patch it out with Butches(see below), by placing a Q-Tip just inside the crown. This will light up the bore and allow you to check for any remaining copper. If there are still traces of copper a second application will usually finish the job.
Wes

Califelkslayer · Apr 26, 2014

Wes, I'm tracking with your sirections but didn't see the "see below."

What kind of performance have you had with the Bergers once they get to the target?

Thanks for the info.

CHWino_1 · Apr 27, 2014

7Mag has been very good to me too. I have a Douglas barrel on my post 64 model 70. I had great luck with everything from 115's to 175's.

I've shot a lot of 160's and find that to be a great all around load. H4831 and H1000 and Federal 215's have worked best for me. I've since switched over to 140 TTSX's for something shooting even flatter and faster for deer only (although I shot an elk with one last year and it worked great).

Good shooting!

Wes · Apr 27, 2014

I've killed 12 animals with the Bergers including deer elk and antelope. Only one animal took 2 steps before hitting the ground all others dropped on the spot. My shots have been from under 100 yards to 560 yards. I've only had them exit one time. The others stayed in the animal doing devastating damage to internal organs. I shot a buck this past season at 419 yards. the bullet hit at the base of the right shoulder blade just above the joint breaking the shoulder blade, joint and a few inches of the leg bone below the joint, 3 ribs on the impact side and three ribs on the off side and stopped against the off side shoulder blade. The internal organs were turned to mush. He flipped over backwards and never moved.
Wes