Could there have been a bad run of bergers ?

[birddog 68]

Yup. Hodgdon says minimum 64 gr h1000
And I was at 61 gr.

I always thought it was a big no no to start under minimum loads as it could cause pressure issues. Someone please correct me if this isn't the case.

 

[buckbrush]

?

I was confused by your response.

 

[FEENIX]

I was confused by your response.

I bolded 4 questions/concerns the OP has; those are my one-word responses for each.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Yes, I have most of a box of 500 VLD,s setting on the shelf. Sent samples to them and they did respond that they out of spec. Sent me another box two months later. Don't know why I keep them maybe it's time for the trash can.

when Berger replaced my bullets, I had to send back the defective ones. They paid shipping.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I always thought it was a big no no to start under minimum loads as it could cause pressure issues. Someone please correct me if this isn't the case.

I guess nobody wanted to reply
I've always read and practiced the same. Especially with fast burning powders. And also I. Pistol cartridges.

 

[Trm82]

I always thought it was a big no no to start under minimum loads as it could cause pressure issues. Someone please correct me if this isn't the case.

I didn't start there I fired one shot first before I dropped the charge way back. I had crazy pressure with the same load that gunwerks load which was 65 gr of h1000 which there ammo was used to dial in this 7 saum as a package.
So using the identical components I loaded their load and stuck the bolt.
So I was going to start at 61 gr and go north from there but has pressure at 61 gr

 

[Rosebud]

when Berger replaced my bullets, I had to send back the defective ones. They paid shipping.

This was about a decade ago. They just asked for samples. I sent them about twenty bullets. Got a reply in about a week to ten days. Then a new box of bullets. 140VLD hunting. In .264.

 

[bamban]

Due to "Fat" bullet runs, gunsmiths are having more liberal size throats ground at this time. Hornady is currently running some fat bullets, .2435 in the 6mm variants that got me into trouble with some of my .2435 throats on various 6ppc, 6 BR, 6 BRX, and 6 Dashers that I shoot.

So, with the OPs Fat 7mm bullets, some homework needs to be done on the exact dimensions of the chamber that they will be shot through.

There are bullet makers in the past that made a living off of making "fat" pressure ring bullets.

A properly chambered barrel with a true Wylde reamer, the freebore would be 0.2240, fat 0.224 bullets will rear their ugly heads.

 

[Trm82]

I just returned from shooting and that was clearly the issue. I ran it up to 64 gr with no issues.

 

[VinceMule]

A properly chambered barrel with a true Wylde reamer, the freebore would be 0.2240, fat 0.224 bullets will rear their ugly heads.

I think that you should check your reamer print on this dimension.

Some of the benchrest guys run .2243 on their 22 PPC reamers, 22 Dashers, and this is super tight. .2240 throat dia would be a non-starter as it is not uncommon for flat base bullets to have a .2243 pressure ring.

 

[Lou270]

Cartridges have saami specs for bullets as well. You may see something like .2845-.001 for a 7mm. I dont remember you can look at specs and may be different for different 7mms but they will all have a range. So as long bullet is in the range the manufacturers are probably going to ship it. Something like a prc, particularly a custom, may have a more tight chamber than traditional 7mms so if bullets are on fat side then could cause pressure problems. Brass had minimal place to go to release bullets. I have run into similar problems with thicker brass necks in tight chambers. Needed to neck turn. That sucks so i dont like super tight chambers anymore

Lou

 

[VinceMule]

It is prudent for a reloader to have a micrometer that measures to the .0001, measure the pressure ring on the bullets he is using, and the shank dia on the bullet.

With covid, millions more shooters in the marketplace, police and military orders upon manufacturers, it is only natural for manufacturers to use bullet-making dies longer, with set up men have who knows what kind of training, bullet-making machines with wear and parts that are hard impossible to replace, and QC that is stretched to the max.

As precision shooters, we now have to be on top of our own Quality Control when it comes to sorting and measuring bullets and know the exact chamber dimensions of the chambers in our barrels.

Over size bullets in an undersized throat is a disaster for precision accuracy. Varying ogive lengths can be a disaster, depending on the spread.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I always thought it was a big no no to start under minimum loads as it could cause pressure issues. Someone please correct me if this isn't the case.

This.
It is called "minimum charge weight" for a reason.

 

[Trm82]

This.
There is a reason it is called "minimum charge weight" for a reason.

Well every gun is different , with the new box of 168 my max load is at 64 gr of h1000 which is the Minimum that hodgdon lists with the 168.