Let me start this by saying I am new to this site. I am not new to reloading but I am new to reloading for the 7mm mag. I have the brass (hornady), bullets (hornady 180gr ELD match, primers (CCI large magnum ) and some Retumbo. I am not sure where to start at, grain wise, for working up a load. Does anyone have experience with reloading for the 7mm mag? What shot well for you? Thanks.
- Thread starter Smc58
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There are quite a few reloading manuals that give minimum/maximum loads for just about any conceivable round. Wouldn't that be a good place to start instead of asking Joe Blow internet guru?
I found Hornady bullets to be the least consistent bullets I ever tried for the 7RM and the 300WM. I suggest you weigh several and sort by weight. 180 grains is considered a heavy-for-caliber bullet. You will need a 1:10 twist or faster barrel for best accuracy. Even then you need to find the proper powder charge and bullet seating depth. 1:9 twist is faster than a 1:10 twist if you are not familiar with the terminology.
Retumbo should work for you, it's my go-to powder for tall powder columns and I also use it for 25-06. Make sure you use a Magnum primer like the CCI you mentioned, especially if you shoot in cold climates. I favor the Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers and I stocked up on Speer Mag Tip and Speer Grand Slam bullets when I did 7RM load development years ago. Never found a reason to change loads as the ones I developed for my Sauer 202 are very accurate. I really like the Speer controlled expansion bullets. I think they quit making the Mag Tip in favor of the Grand Slam.
Weigh and sort your brass too. Again, I've not had consistent results from Hornady components.
I would start my loads just below mid range and work up. The heavy bullets need as much speed as you can muster for good accuracy and my experience has been starting loads listed in the manuals allow you to shoot but are a waste of components. Just look for pressure signs like flattened primers and sticky extraction. All my 7RM loads are near max for the bullets I use.
Retumbo should work for you, it's my go-to powder for tall powder columns and I also use it for 25-06. Make sure you use a Magnum primer like the CCI you mentioned, especially if you shoot in cold climates. I favor the Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers and I stocked up on Speer Mag Tip and Speer Grand Slam bullets when I did 7RM load development years ago. Never found a reason to change loads as the ones I developed for my Sauer 202 are very accurate. I really like the Speer controlled expansion bullets. I think they quit making the Mag Tip in favor of the Grand Slam.
Weigh and sort your brass too. Again, I've not had consistent results from Hornady components.
I would start my loads just below mid range and work up. The heavy bullets need as much speed as you can muster for good accuracy and my experience has been starting loads listed in the manuals allow you to shoot but are a waste of components. Just look for pressure signs like flattened primers and sticky extraction. All my 7RM loads are near max for the bullets I use.
Are u looking for a hunting load or target load? A Hornady 154 sst will kill a deer deader than Hell.
Just under 62 to just under 70 grains is the range to load with a 3.29" COAL. Hornady book max is just under 70 grains.
You're welcome
You're welcome
I’ve never had good luck with retumbo in magnum rifles H1000 is a better powder imho but my favorite is Vihtavouri N160 I have converted about 20 people in my area to Viht from retumbo and h1000 in the 300 win and 7mm rem mag and 6.5 creed and n550 in the 243 over h4350
Don’t get me wrong retumbo will work but in my area Viht is supreme powder
I personally WC 857 surplus pull down powder because $10 a pound rules!!
Thanks for all of your replies. I will be mainly shooting at steel and paper. I am familiar with what the reloading manuals have listed as min and max loads. I know loads can be worked up that can safely surpass what is printed as a max load in the manuals. The load I shoot out of my 6.5 creedmoor is beyond what is printed as the max load in the manuals. I was hoping to find someone who uses similar components with Retumbo to see where their load work up took them. Thanks again for your replies.
If the Retumbo doesn't work good, I've had great luck with that bullet and RL26. Actually shot very well at just over 3000 fps. It was pretty hard on game as well. Another powder that should work well is H1000. With some internet searching, you can find many who are loading those two powders with that bullet. In my rig I could seat it out to right at 3.5" oal. You should test yours to see how far out you can seat them. Good luck.
Here is a good place to look for data on where to start. https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
Actually just loaded some of the same up with the same components except H1000 as the powder. Need to get out and test them.
As mentioned also you will need a faster twist. Hornady recommends a 8.7 or faster with the 180s.
Actually just loaded some of the same up with the same components except H1000 as the powder. Need to get out and test them.
As mentioned also you will need a faster twist. Hornady recommends a 8.7 or faster with the 180s.
You might get away with a 1:9, but a 1:8 or faster would probably serve you better. Myself, and the 4 other guys I reload for (7MM RM's, 7MM STW's, 300 WM's) prefer Bergers. 168's outta all of them fly well. 180's outta the 7's with 8 or better twist. 210's outta the 300 WM's for heavier hammer. All loaded with RL22.
I've shot 62.5 gr out of Winchester Brass with GM215M Primers, with a CBTO "with my Hornady Comparator) of 2.675 and an avg COAL of 3.370 or so. The 168's are hovering around 2900. I've got a 1:8 twist 7MM I'm going to play with the 180's with shortly. I'll try both RL22 & H1000 for those. I've also got some Warner 151gr Flatlines I'm going to try outta the other 2 7MM's of mine.
I wouldn't discount the Bergers and RL22. It's a very stable load and accurate.
FOR REFERENCE
I've shot 62.5 gr out of Winchester Brass with GM215M Primers, with a CBTO "with my Hornady Comparator) of 2.675 and an avg COAL of 3.370 or so. The 168's are hovering around 2900. I've got a 1:8 twist 7MM I'm going to play with the 180's with shortly. I'll try both RL22 & H1000 for those. I've also got some Warner 151gr Flatlines I'm going to try outta the other 2 7MM's of mine.
I wouldn't discount the Bergers and RL22. It's a very stable load and accurate.
FOR REFERENCE
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I'm guessing you lost no more than 75 fps between H1000 and RL22? We just don't get enough crazy temp changes in SW Washington to make enough difference I suppose.
Just do Reloder 23 with lighter bullets like my 139gr GMX. Those things HAMMER out of my Tikka. Great powder for the lighter-ish rounds.
Didn't lose any velocity. I would shoot them from teens to 90s in matches around country so needed a temp stable powder.
How sensitive is N165 powder to temp? I am using N170 and find it very temp sensitive in my 7 rem mag,
I find it very temp stable N160 and N550 is the only two I really use and I have very little change in velocity from 20 to 90 degrees like 20fps is about it where as reloader that I use to use was around 200fps different
In my older browning abolt I use the 180 match vld hunting over 62g RL22 seated .010 off lands and get .5 moa or better accuracy. Of course I only get one in the chamber and one in the mag due to length.
Disagree. Great caliber! Built this around it:
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