Help me please

[mixerdriverm]

Hi new to reloading here and have a few questions. I shoot a 7mm Sendero SF II Remington Magnum which I am trying to learn to load for. Right now I have once fired brass from the rifle in question. I am trying to figure out what COAL I can load and not be jammed into the lands, it seems strange to me however I have the COAL with a dummy round down to 3.210 and it still seems to be getting into the lands how short should I expect it to get? This is the COAL from tip to tip not OGIVE. Just FYI it is Remington brass, and Speer 160 GR BT that I am experimenting with. Also what would be a good place to start loading with H1000 powder for the same bullet. I cant seem to find any info with the H1000 powder for the Speer 160 GR BT. Sorry hopefully it all makes sense and thank you in advance for any help.

 

[britz]

Well, I can't help you with any particulars about that cartridge since I don't load for it. However you should always start at the lowest amount of powder published in your manual for that combination and work your way up looking for pressure signs.

As far as finding the cartridge over all length goes, it will be different for every factory rifle of that make (or any other make) They are not exactly the same, even if they are all close to eachother.

Take a fired case that fits into your chamber. Use a pair of pliers to slightly crimp the case so that when you place a bullet on top of the case it will not drop into the case (so the crimped sides scrape the bullet when it is forced into the case). Take a bullet and color the bullet with a black marker so the whole profile of it is black. carefully place the empty fired crimped cartidge into the chamber with the bullet setting on top of the case (do not insert the bullet into the case at all). carefully close the chamber forcing the bullet against the lands and into the case. Eject. You may have to take a cleaning rod to tap the bullet out of the barrel. Note where the sides of the case have scratched the bullet and seat it in the same depth with your seating die being very cautious not to seat it farther than the bullet had been forced. That depth is your COAL Jammed length. You may want to seat about 10 thousandths deeper to avoid "jamming" into your lands.

otherwise you can spend about 75 bucks and buy a hornady COAL guage set and the Bullet comparator set for yourself. It is slightly more accurate and easier. But if you are only loading for a couple rifles, than the COAL gauge is probably unnecassary. But it is kinda important to measure off of the ogive rather than the tip if you want to be real accurate with your handloads. being within a thousandth or two in COAL from batch to batch will greatly aid in batch to batch constancy.

by the way... what's a P&P company? your name mixerdirverm makes it sound like ready-mix... later.

 

[Limbic]

I've been doing the same thing with the exact same rifle. I use the Hornady OAL gauge to help measure off the ogive for the different bullets that I load. I'd tell you what my OAL for a specific bullet is but I've got a new shilen tube so it is probably different. I've never shot any speer bullets but I do have the manuel but I imagine you've already looked there.

There are some thing to watch out for. The action was pretty bad out of line with the barrel. Also it needed a fair bit of bedding around the action screws. I also had to full lenght resize everytime. Each time a thou or so was shaved off the brass. Partly because of the dies I believe but also because I suspect the chamber was misshappen (possibly not round). Watch your once fired brass to make sure they actually fit in the chamber before you just neck size.

My gun likes RL22, IMR 4831, and VV 560. In that order. I haven't tried 1000 and havent been able to find a good retumbo load.

RL25 is terrible in my gun.

 

[gray wolf]

I have a bad headache, my foot hurts, and I am tired. So please excuse the shortness of this answer. BUT----
I am getting a little ticked of at some of the reloading things I am hearing about. Should I care? no-- do I yes--why because I care about people and like to see them stay in one piece with all there body parts.
Reloading is like learning to swim--you don't row out into the middle of a lake at night all alone and jump in 45 feet of water. It's a learning curve.
With very heavy underlining of the word learning .
First off don't load any powder you don't have verified load data for. Call the powder maker or confirm it from a good reloading book/books. Don't start off with the he said/she said/ we think possibly it might work or my buddy does it!. Also bullet overall length is not something we just pick out of the air, and loading to jam does not make us all bench rest shooters. Start with the oal that is recommended for that bullet and that load. Don't pick one out of the air. Start working up your loads with a minimum load and increase from there 1/2 grain at a time. Look for pressure indicators
( you know what they are right). Someplace between Min. and a little below max you will find a combo that your rifle likes. Perhaps it wont be the best with that powder. Could be ok it's hand loading and experimenting that makes the sport interesting. After you settle on a load you may want to try extending the bullet length out a little bit. First you must find the spot that the ogive just contacts the lands. Not almost or close enough or it looks like it.
If you loose fit a bullet in a case and seat it and then have to use a rod to push it out--well what the heck is that going to show you? Do you think you wont drive the bullet back in the case and get a false reading. There are tools to do these things--some bought and some home made. But they are not just guessed at.
Seating to the lands can and does drive pressure up and sometimes can cause a spike and make you wish you stayed home and read a good book
perhaps a reloading book.
If you measure bullets from tip to case head you will never get the same reading. I would suggest ogive to case head and that can vary also. Thats why they make comparators.
I better stop before I loose you here. Please do some reading and stay with the basics until you know what is going on.
I hope I have rattled your cage enough to help you avoid a mistake.

GW.

 

[Limbic]

From the speer manual
7mm 160g Spitz BTSP
BC .519
OAL 3.280
H1000 min65g(2761fps) max69g(2936fps)

Hope this helps.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Britz posted a great way to find the jammed length. I've used it for years to get close. Gray Wolf, re-read Britz' post and you will see that pushing the bullet out with a rod will not seat it deeper, because the case would have already been removed. The marks on the bullet allows him to 'reseat' it to the jam length.

I've tried H1000 in my 7mmRM (tried almost everything in the last 30 years). The best powder I've found is RL-22.

HTH,

AJ

 

[mixerdriverm]

Well, first off let me say thank you to everyone. Next Gray Wolf I am very sorry you are not having a good day, and it defiently reflects. I have no desire to be or become a BR shooter, I just want to make sure and keep the round at least .010 out of the lands. Just FYI I have a very extensive back ground in weapons. If you care to know about it, which I am sure you don't just ask and I will inform you of it. I was simply asking for some information we will call it. Next I figured out the problem, come to find out the brass was not mine it was my brothers, and his chamber is slightly larger than mine and it was the case that was sticking not the bullet. However thanks again for all the information. Britz P&P company is Property Preservation, basically a home remodel company in short. Yes the name comes from being a mixer driver for years. LImbic yes I see it on page 405 of the speer #14 manual somehow I missed it before again thanks. Britz mentions is the way that I have always used, I was just getting very confused because it keept getting shorter and shorter and appearing to be hitting the lands. That is why I was looking for a rough idea of what types of COAL people were getting something about a rough COAL of 3.210 and still appearing to be to long was confusing the heck out of me and I knew something was not right, and it was just a matter of finding out what it was which was accomplished. Gray Wold I sure as heck hope you have a better day tommorow. By the way it takes a little more than that to "rattle my cage" as I have been around long enough and have the experience to know not that this is not something that you can just mess around with. That is why I was seeking "ADVICE" from some more experienced than myself. Advice (opinion), an opinion or recommendation offered as a GUIDE to action, conduct.

Again thanks to everyone for the Advice.