Help with 7mm Rem load data.

[Pete G]

I want to work up a load for the 168 grain Nosler Accubond LR or 168 grain Berger VLD hunting in my 7MM mag. I just need a good place to start. I would like to reuse my brass but will by new brass if needed. At this point I am not set on anything, I just want an effective round for hunting mule deer and elk out to around 600 yards. I will be working up the load this spring and summer but hunting in the fall in Utah can be cold.
Please give me examples of non-temperature sensitive loads that remain accurate out that far.
At the same time I will be working an AR10 6.5 Creedmore out to 1,000 yards (I'll ask for load data on that one once I am done building it). So I will have the opportunity to put the 7mm on steel at ranges up to and beyond 600 yards.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Pete

 

[19 Badger]

I would buy a reloading manual. You have plenty of time to read over it this winter and try a few different powders. Buy a Nosler and it will show you which they had the best accuracy with or just go to their online manual for free. Effective to 600 yards? Any of the powders listed for that bullet in the manual will work at that distance in a 7mm....

 

[19 Badger]

Here ya go..

 

[Vol1975]

rl 26, rl 23, h1000 or h4831sc,
good powders for 7mm


2900 FPS +/- 50
accurancy node can be wide.

 

[Pete G]

I have the Nosler reloading manual and I was hoping for some pet loads.

 

[Capt RB]

I run Rl26 under the 168 berger@ 3050. I run the 162amax with retumbo in my brothers @3030. I have not had any temp issues during hunting season. Both loads were sorted out in 40 degree weather. I have not shot either above 55-60 so the summer spikes talked about are not applicable. Rl23 and H1000 both are more stable so is IMR7977. I used alot of Rl22 H/IMR4831 and 7828 to load my brother's 7 mag back before the current crop of powders were invented. Accurate 3100 was the best combination I ever used in the 7mag but it's discontinued.
The Vv powders of 160(single based) 560 and 565 are in the correct burn rate also for that class of bullet. Look at data online or get a good manual from the companies of your components. I look at the recomomondations for the powder that has as close to 100% fill with the best accuracy. Some are more accurate with the starting charges some in the middle, but in a hunting rifle I want the highest velocity I can that is most accurate.

 

[WYOHTF]

What powder, primers, and cases(brand) do you currently have?
Most of the good stuff is almost impossible to find at the current time.

 

[Pete G]

Right now I would have to look but I think my primers are Federal large rifle and my cases are 1st and 2nd shot mixed brass and nickel cases from factory loads I have shot in the past. I do have a couple powders but not sure what they are.

 

[Kmccord]

For the 7 Rem Mag, I would use Hodgdon H1000 and Berger 168 HVLD. Here is the Berger Load Data for this combo, Minimum Powder 62.5 grain Maximum Powder 69.5 grain, use a Large Rifle Magnum primer. H1000 has been proven to be very temp stable, easy on your rifle throat and very accurate powder with low ES and SD. I would use the minimum charge and do a seating depth test first, I would start at .020 off lands load 4, load 4 more at .030 off lands, another 4 at .040 off lands, another 4 at .050 off lands and another 4 at .060 off lands. Once you run through those test one or two may pop up with the best group's. Once you find what seating depth your barrel likes, I would move up in the powder charges at .5 grain increments, from the minimum to the maximum, pay attention to the primer and bolt lift, if you start to get a stiff bolt, you need to stop at that point. You will probably find a couple of nodes during this test, it is best to use a Chronograph during the test to see what you are getting with ES and SD. Look for the best ES/SD with the smallest group size. When you find a load, load another 4 and verify it will reproduce with the same results. Since this is a Magnum, do not let the barrel get too hot, let it rest between shots of at minimum of 2 minutes and at least 3 or 4 minutes between each powder load. If the barrel gets too hot, the group will begin to open up or you will start seeing flyer's. Good luck and have fun, remember to take it slow and don't get discouraged if things seem to not be working as you expect. It takes time and attention to details to get everything working to shoot tiny little group's, trigger control and how you mount the rifle will be a lot of your group size.

 

[Crunchy]

My pet load with a 27 inch barrel. I don't have the chrono data in front of me but over 3,000fps and under .5 Moa.

ADG brass
67.5 grains of H1000
CCI250s
168 berger vld
roughly .030 from lands

 

[Jud96]

I've worked with a few 7mm Rem Mags with 162gr ELDs this past year. They all shot RL26 and settled around 67-68.8gr of powder depending on brass make. They were all between 3040-3070fps.

 

[Dosh]

Between my son and five friends we all load 168 VLDH, H1000, 215M primer and Nosler brass. All are very accurate and only vary 63.0-63.3 gr of H1000. All seven rifles are not same make and 24"-26". Hunts were in <60 degree weather, but we've shot this load @ 100 degrees here in Az with no temp sensitivity. This load is responsible for a lot of elk and muleys. Start low and work up. Certainly any premium quality brass will work, Nosler was plentiful then.

 

[Montana'eer]

For the 7 Rem Mag, I would use Hodgdon H1000 and Berger 168 HVLD. Here is the Berger Load Data for this combo, Minimum Powder 62.5 grain Maximum Powder 69.5 grain, use a Large Rifle Magnum primer. H1000 has been proven to be very temp stable, easy on your rifle throat and very accurate powder with low ES and SD. I would use the minimum charge and do a seating depth test first, I would start at .020 off lands load 4, load 4 more at .030 off lands, another 4 at .040 off lands, another 4 at .050 off lands and another 4 at .060 off lands. Once you run through those test one or two may pop up with the best group's. Once you find what seating depth your barrel likes, I would move up in the powder charges at .5 grain increments, from the minimum to the maximum, pay attention to the primer and bolt lift, if you start to get a stiff bolt, you need to stop at that point. You will probably find a couple of nodes during this test, it is best to use a Chronograph during the test to see what you are getting with ES and SD. Look for the best ES/SD with the smallest group size. When you find a load, load another 4 and verify it will reproduce with the same results. Since this is a Magnum, do not let the barrel get too hot, let it rest between shots of at minimum of 2 minutes and at least 3 or 4 minutes between each powder load. If the barrel gets too hot, the group will begin to open up or you will start seeing flyer's. Good luck and have fun, remember to take it slow and don't get discouraged if things seem to not be working as you expect. It takes time and attention to details to get everything working to shoot tiny little group's, trigger control and how you mount the rifle will be a lot of your group size.

I use H1000 in my 7mm mag using Nosler 160's. Browning X-Bolt. Very consistent velocity and fantastic accuracy. Earlier this fall I reloaded for my neighbor who wanted to try Bergers. I had the VLDH 168's on hand and I followed the protocol on Bergers site-https://bergerbullets.com/getting-the-best-precision-and-accuracy-from-vld-bullets-in-your-rifle/

Load 24 rounds at the following COAL if you are a hunter (pulling a bullet out of the case with your rifling while in the field can be a hunt ending event which must be avoided) or a competition shooter who worries about pulling a bullet during a match:
1. .010 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
2. .050 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
3. .090 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
4. .130 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds

Shoot 2 (separate) 3 shot groups in fair conditions to see how they group. The remarkable reality of this test is that one of these 4 COALs will outperform the other three by a considerable margin. Once you know which one of these 4 COAL shoots best then you can tweak the COAL +/- .002 or .005. Taking the time to set this test up will pay off when you find that your rifle is capable of shooting the VLD bullets very well (even at 100 yards).

After a few trips to the range it was readily apparent they grouped much, much better at .090 off the lands. I think we settled on 68gr H1000 but not 100% sure- the load data is in his ammo box.

My neighbor suffered a stroke a few years ago, and he's pretty hobbled up and not as steady as he used to be, but he was shooting 1" at 100yds with that load. No chrony cause my battery died while there.. We're going to test them again and see where we're at.

Tough old bird knocked his elk with one. Said he dropped like a sack of potatoes, so I guess they work

 

[Kmccord]

@Montana'eer I setup my grandson Bergara B14 HMR with H1000, 168 Berger VLDH, CCI 250 and Hornady brass. I followed the Berger seating depth test as well, his barrel liked it at .050 off lands with 68.0gr of H1000. This produced consistent ES 12 and SD 8 if my memory serves correct, he has the shot book I setup for him. He has not been Elk hunting with it yet, but did take a nice cull buck this season.