-
Having trouble using the site?
Contact support
7SAW
- Thread starter wapiti16b
- Start date
So I worked up some more loads for the 175 Bergers.
Powders, StaBall6.5, RL 16, H-4350
StaBall was very disappointing, the best velocity I got was 2728 with a SD of 5 and ES of 16 after that pressures were erratic/dangerous
RL 16 was much better! single digit SDs
45.9 grains ES 24, SD 9 and average of 2757 fps
46.1 grains ES 16, SD 6 and average of 2767 fps
46.3 grains ES 10, SD 3.5 and average of 2780 fps
H 4350 / unobtanium! ( burnt my last little bit on this test)
46.4 grains ES 5, SD 2 and average of 2778 fps
46.6 grains ES 18, SD 7 and average of 2788 fps
Both RL 16 and H 4350 showed no adverse pressure signs, test was at 5,000' elevation and 49 degrees F
100 rounds on the barrel so far!
Powders, StaBall6.5, RL 16, H-4350
StaBall was very disappointing, the best velocity I got was 2728 with a SD of 5 and ES of 16 after that pressures were erratic/dangerous
RL 16 was much better! single digit SDs
45.9 grains ES 24, SD 9 and average of 2757 fps
46.1 grains ES 16, SD 6 and average of 2767 fps
46.3 grains ES 10, SD 3.5 and average of 2780 fps
H 4350 / unobtanium! ( burnt my last little bit on this test)
46.4 grains ES 5, SD 2 and average of 2778 fps
46.6 grains ES 18, SD 7 and average of 2788 fps
Both RL 16 and H 4350 showed no adverse pressure signs, test was at 5,000' elevation and 49 degrees F
100 rounds on the barrel so far!
I’ll be doing some load development with 180gr ELD-M’s in the next couple of weeks. I’ll post my results here.
This is a hunting rifle primarily, McMillan A-3G / 26" Bartlein Marksman contour fluted left twist , gain twist 1n9-to-1n8.25 with Claytons Muzzle brake!
So far the Berger 175 Elites & RL-16 @ 46.3g load is right on the money, matches Bergers drop chart @ 2777 fps/5,000' elevation and the 6" steel @ 836 yards is no problem!
What a difference from my FNH SPR 20" .308, it's almost too easy now!
So far the Berger 175 Elites & RL-16 @ 46.3g load is right on the money, matches Bergers drop chart @ 2777 fps/5,000' elevation and the 6" steel @ 836 yards is no problem!
What a difference from my FNH SPR 20" .308, it's almost too easy now!
Finally scored 8lbs of H 4350 and will be working up some new loads soon, I'll gladly loose a few fps from my RL 16 loads in exchange for no carbon rings!
Very interested in this round. 2 hours ago I had never heard of it. Kicking around building a 7-08 and now sold on this.
Having a hard time finding powder lately until I found a gold mine this weekend. They had 8lbs of retumbo!!! Havent seen that in a couple years. Could only buy 1, went back 3 hours later and it was gone. Anyways, they had a ton of 4350 which I don't use but might go pick some up tomorrow just to have.
Want to do a "handy" hunting gun. Have a line on a tikka action so prolly use that of this howa chassis rifle I can't sell, just don't want a chassis. Would like to go 22", but is that too short?
Should I go 24" or even 26"? Will be ran suppressed. Anyone have velocity data on a 22" tube?
Having a hard time finding powder lately until I found a gold mine this weekend. They had 8lbs of retumbo!!! Havent seen that in a couple years. Could only buy 1, went back 3 hours later and it was gone. Anyways, they had a ton of 4350 which I don't use but might go pick some up tomorrow just to have.
Want to do a "handy" hunting gun. Have a line on a tikka action so prolly use that of this howa chassis rifle I can't sell, just don't want a chassis. Would like to go 22", but is that too short?
Should I go 24" or even 26"? Will be ran suppressed. Anyone have velocity data on a 22" tube?
I really like my rig, it's a compromise, a heavy hunter and a medium weight steel banger for fun, not competition. Since you are going suppressed I'd go with a 24" Proof Research barrel ( lighter and more rigid). 4350 is the way to go , RL 16 works well also. You should talk to WTO Clayton has done a number of rigs as you describe, He offers two chambers for this round SAW I & SAW II ( duh!) I went with the SAW II for a longer COAL 2.990 feeds reliably and allows for bullets up to 180g. If you get the Tikka that would be the chamber to use along with Tikka standard length magazines, otherwise if you go to a short action like Howa & 700 clones the SAW I chamber will work just fine with SA magazines and 160g class bullets.
Keep the forum informed with your progress!
With any luck my rifle will be bloodied in Utah next Saturday with Mule Deer!
Keep the forum informed with your progress!
With any luck my rifle will be bloodied in Utah next Saturday with Mule Deer!
Thanks for the reply, I think I'll call WTO Tuesday. Went from thinking about, possibly starting, think about it for a while... to now ready to start after reading about this cartridge. I just moved to the dfw area, might have to make a drive out there just for fun. Wonder if they mind visitors...
Bartlein gain twist.
Type 1 chamber and I'm thinking about trying 151gr monoliths
Ah ok, completely out of my realm then. I have proof carbon and steel 8 twist barrels, both 26" long. Both hit 2820+ with RL16 and 160TMKs. If you can be arsed with it, MR2000 might be worth a try, is temp sensitive though.
RL16 is becoming a bit of a challenge to get here, I'm going to try varget next I think. It's available everywhere (as AR2208). Did you try the H4350 in the 7SAW?
I know this is an old thread, but is there any updates to this with the Berger 175 Elites and StaBall 6.5 powder? I need to load up some for a beginning ladder test, and trying to find a relatively safe max, so I can work up to without going over excessively. I'm guessing around 47.5gr. should be just enough over to see if pressure signs exist, since most max load data I've read for different powders and the 175 Elites the 7 SAW is roughly about 1gr more than it is with a regular 7mm-08 Rem. My 20" 1:9 twist Christensen Arms 7mm-08 Rem runs best at 46.0gr of StaBall 6.5 with the 175 Elites and nets around 2,635 FPS MV, while stacking them into 1/4-1/3 MOA groups. My 7 SAW (Type 1) is a 20" CarbonSix CF barrel 1:8 twist, and I'm hoping it will do the same. I will be seating them 0.006" off the lands, which will put the bearing surface/base right at the neck/shoulder junction on the case, with just the boat tail hanging down into the case body. I'm just trying to find my starting range on this. Has anyone tested up to 47.5gr? I'll be using the Alpha Munitions brass, too.
Last edited:
I made an error in that velocity, I went back and checked my logs (and corrected above), as I was confusing my 7mm-08 Rem 175 Elite MV's, with my .280 Ackley 175 Elite MV's. But still great velocities for a 20" barrel. According to my tests today, the 7 SAW at the same charge (46.0 gr) of the same StaBall 6.5 from the same jug, using the same bullets from the same lot, produced about 40-42 FPS higher than 7mm-08 Rem.
