elk 7mm rem mag 9" twist 25" barrel 180 bergers?

[rockwind]

i have a custom rifle with a 25" barrel with about another 1" long brake on it. i measured from where it starts up against the action. it is a 1:9" twist. i have reloaded before for 308 and 6.5 cm and 6.5 saum. this is my first belted magnum.. i will be using it to hunt elk (cow elk). i have plently of h1000, rl26, and retumbo. i also have plenty of primers but i am trying to find a good bullet match to start with. 200 brand new nosler brass (NICE STUFF!) i like berger bullets overall. i was playing with the berger twist rate calculator and realized i really don't know what MV's i should expect with that barrel so it messes up the calculator.

i really want to use the 195 eol's but the calculator isn't liking that. it looks like 180 gr is about as heavy as i can go. i was just guessing at about 2900 fps. i do like to practice out to 1000+ plus yards.

i don't like pushing pressure in a hunting rifle so trying to increase mv on the 195's seems like a bad idea,,, am i wrong?

any other thoughts on a bullet choice, 160 accubonds? are they good past 500 yds?

any load ideas for my combo is appreciated, i will make my own judgement of course and work up a load.

 

[257Tony]

The 9 twist should be fine for just about any 180 class bullet or lighter. In addition to the 180 vld is look at the 180 eldm, 175 eldx, 168 vld, and 162 eld.