7 mag reloads

[wirehead]

Been working on loads for a 7 mag and curios to survey this crowd - what bullets / loads are you running in your .284 rifles?

 

[zr600]

I’m running retumbo, adg cases, 215m primers and 180 Berger. Shoots very well. Remington 700 action with a criterion barrel.

 

[Super tag]

Nosler Brass, 168 Berger VLD Hunting, 215 Match primer, 70.5gr H1000, 3.340 COAL, 3/8” groups

this load is super accurate in my Christensen Summit TI 7 mag

 

[wirehead]

interesting to me to see the heavy-for-caliber bullets you guys are running...

I'm in the midst of working up a load with 140 Barnes TTSX. I'm running hornady cases, Fed LRM gold metal match primers, and H100V... latest ladder test had me 1-2 gr over book maxes and hitting 3300 fps.. This is out of a Win M70 - I'm barrel twist limited on weight. I also toyed around with the idea of hammer bullets but after the TTSX's shot so well, I decided it wasn't worth the effort...

 

[30338]

180 grain Scenars with H1000 or RL26. Get those rolling around 2950 fps and stuff stops breathing fast.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

interesting to me to see the heavy-for-caliber bullets you guys are running...

Im just as guilty, but most are chasing BC values trying to get the most downrange. The game being hunted doesn’t require the mass and for myself, I don’t need the bc either. But if I’m gonna spend the money on components, let’s stretch it out!

 

[Rob5589]

Norma brass, R22, CCI 250, 140 TTSX. It's a powder load/bullet straight from Barnes reloading data.

 

[menhaden_man]

168 VLDs, Peterson, 215s, Retumbo, H4831, H100, and IMR4350 all give great groups. Most accurate around 2900 fps but also solid at 3150 fps (loading long, zero pressure). Good luck.

 

[Wapiti1]

I'm also a 180gr Scenar fan in my 28 Nosler with Retumbo. In my .284 Win, Nosler 160gr partitions and IMR4350. For my wife's 7mm Mauser, 160gr partitions or SGK's and IMR4350.

Jeremy

 

[wirehead]

What kind of barrels / twist rates are folks running on these heavier bullets?

 

[Wapiti1]

What kind of barrels / twist rates are folks running on these heavier bullets?

UP to 180 VLD, you can get away with 1:9. 1:9.5 may work as well, but might not. Depends on the rifle.

To go heavier, or to get into the VLD mono metal game, 1:8 is better. 1:9 can work with lead cup and core 190's.
Jeremy

 

[IrkedCitizen]

My loads are 162gr ELD-M bullets, ADG brass, gm215m primer, and 4955 powder. I sourced the brass and bullets then shipped them to @Unknown Munitions for them to load. They did a fantastic job. Last season these rounds killed a cow elk at 505 yards and a buck at 200 yards. One shot kills and animals dead in seconds. Rifle is a factory Steyr Pro Hunter 7RM with 1:9" twist barrel.

 

[Supaphly]

1:8 twist, Hornady brass, RL26, 180gr ELD Match, cci 250, vel 2995, just under 3/8 moa

 

[Bush_man26]

160 Accubond, Hornady Brass, 68 gr RL 26, Fed 215M, 3050 FPS

 

[JGRaider]

71.5 Retumbo, 160 AB, 3120 fps. Tikka 695

 

[eric1115]

I have had excellent luck with 180gr Bergers, both the hybrid and the hunting vld. They both run great out of my 9.5 twist at my elevation.

My reasons have more to do with close range than long. My thought process is, if I were sure that I was going to be taking longer shots only, a 168 vld or 162 eld pushed fast is a great option. On a short range shot though, the lighter for caliber bullet moving at 3000+ fps seems to be a potential failure point.

A 180 that starts at ~2850 has higher SD and less velocity, so seems more likely to penetrate and perform well at close range, but will carry velocity to open up at long range also. Basically I get a window of optimal terminal velocity over a wider useful range of shot distances.

I'm a chronic over thinker though, so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[wirehead]

Been working on a load using h100v and 140 gr TTSXs with Hornady brass and Federal GMM LR magnum primers for some time now. Accuracy was promising - less than 1” at 100 yd - but the best ES I could get was 45 FPS. I have since switched to a small stash of 150 gr ABs and 62.8 gr of IMR 4350 using same case and primer. Velo is 3050 FPS with ES of 24 FPS and better than 1” at 100 yd. This out of a Win M70 with 1:9.5” twist 26” barrel. I think I can push the AB up greater than 3100 fps and close group in with seating depth tuning but not sure I can afford to go through what few bullets l have left to run tests - I’m down to 37 .

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Been working on a load using h100v and 140 gr TTSXs with Hornady brass and Federal GMM LR magnum primers for some time now. Accuracy was promising - less than 1” at 100 yd - but the best ES I could get was 45 FPS. I have since switched to a small stash of 150 gr ABs and 62.8 gr of IMR 4350 using same case and primer. Velo is 3050 FPS with ES of 24 FPS and better than 1” at 100 yd. This out of a Win M70 with 1:9.5” twist 26” barrel. I think I can push the AB up greater than 3100 fps and close group in with seating depth tuning but not sure I can afford to go through what few bullets l have left to run tests - I’m down to 37 .

Adjust your neck tension and see if your ES comes lower.

 

[Hoosker Doo]

162 gr ELD-X and RL22 going 3033 fps. Before I got my hands on the RL22, I used IMR 7828 which shot really well with the ELD-X and 154 gr SST's. IMR is just a hair slower.

 

[wirehead]

Adjust your neck tension and see if your ES comes lower.

The only option I have for doing so is the Lee crimp die. Thoughts?