Range Report 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

[Cross C]

Does anyone have some experience with some 7wsm Retumbo loads for 180VLDs? I went out to the range the other day with a new custom gun and other than some quickload stuff on another forum, I can't find much on Retumbo. I know that everyone loves RL22 and RL25 in the WSM's but I am really needing something that isn't temp sensative.

I have ran it up to 66gr with a 180 and an ogive length of 2.459 in a LA and I'm getting barely over 2800 in a 28" barrel plus break.

Any info would be greatly appreaciated.

Thanks

 

[MBrown]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I use Hodgden 4831SC in the WSM's. It is their extreme powder and supposed to be not sensitive to temp changes. If you can find it start around 61grn with a 180VLD. This should put you around 2950 fps.

 

[Onemoretime]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I'll second the 4831sc. Look in the reloading forum on this site. There are plenty of loads listed using 4831sc.

Always build up to a load, never just try to plugs someones load into your gun.

 

[Bacarrat]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

Retumbo is going to be slow for the 7WSM. While it can work, you can use faster burning powders for the correct case fill. I use to use RL25 as it gave really good speeds, but have since switched to 4831SC. The accuracy is better with the 4831SC and I was able to get the speed close to that of the RL25 after working up the load.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I tried H4831SC with 162 Amax and it shoots fine. RL22 has been the most accurate powder in my gun. I have shot groups under .3 MOA at 300 yds with the same charge of RL22 behind the 180 VLD and the 162 Amax.

 

[esorensen]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I use the H4831 as well. I get 3005fps in my almost 30" Rock 5R. 62.5 lit with a 210M. The powder is fairly temp insensitive. Here's the above load shot at 875 yds. I'm using a .223 cartridge for scale. The combo works well. You won't be disappointed.

 

[esorensen]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I use the same charge for the 180 VLD and the 168VLD! Both are silly accurate!

 

[TooTall]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

FFL Medic, with saying that the 168 are a lot milder then the 180's, or the 180's are mild and the 168's are hot, right?

 

[esorensen]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

The 180's are running pretty hard. The 168's are mild in comparison. I did the initial workup with the 180's. I shoot these the most. I got a box of the 168's started workupand never finished. Just ended up the same charge and accuracy is all.

 

[Cross C]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

Thanks for all of the help guys! Yesterday I used up the rest of my Retumbo that I had tested 66.6 all the way to 69gr. 69gr was almost near maximum for some quickload data that I found on longrange hunting.com. The gun shot a lot of the loads great, but I still couldn' find the roof as far as pressure goes. When I got into 68grs I could faintly see an extractor mark but it had zero edge to it. Primers looked the same as they did at 64grs. I am really amazed at how little the pressure shows from the gun.

My first load at 64gr rang up at 2626 and my last load of the day at 69gr averaged 2985. That is climbing alsomst 360fps! That is a first for me.

I'll try some 4831 or maybe even some H1000.

Thanks

 

[esorensen]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I tried the H1000 also as it has worked very well in the 300 RUM for me. It was not as accurate as the 4831 and the speed was the same. I just went with the 4831. I also used 215M's and 210M's and the 210's were the best for me.

 

[Cross C]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

I have used a lot of H1000 in the 300 Ultra mag and found it to be great in that case.

 

[laylowlong]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

First post here... seems like a good place to put it. I load for the 7rsaum and use 180 vld over 58 gr of H4350, which is yielding excellent accuracy.

 

[Cross C]

Re: 7mm WSM Retumbo 180 VLD loads

Finally worked up to 69.9gr with an ogive length of 2.510 .010 jammed into the lands. She is running 2975 average with fairly good sd in a 28" tube. I don't have much pressure if any at all. The powder is kinda slow for the case and probably wouldn't recommend it if you didn't have a long barrel to burn it all in. I'm using the load for a hunt and a shoot and will do some more testing and throw in a powder or two when i get some time in October.