I Have been shooting the 7 Rem mags in Remington 700s since 1978, have had a dozen 700s at least, and so have brothers and cousins in A bolts and Savage 110. Now running customs. Weird that I have never seen any issue with the Belt even with 7 STWs and 300 Winchester. I full-length size every firing, and there are differences between RCBS, Redding body sizer, Wilson bushing sizer, if that has anything to do with eliminating any problem, I just don't know. The 7 Mag full-length sizer that has worked for decades is an RCBS FULL-length sizer made in '79(stamped on the top of the die). Seems that the dimensions made that year and prior may be a tad smaller than later dies. This '79 FL sizer produces some unbelievable groups, hard to believe. I also have Wilson Bushing press FL sizer and Forster FL sizers.
We all have ideas on what bullet we would like to shoot, it is a hobby, and after all, if you put the bullet where it should go, the animal will be dead.
I shoot the 180g ELD-Match in a custom 280 Remington at 2700 just for giggles and grins(bullet has never blown up at this speed), have another 280 Rem that I shoot the 168 Berger in at 2900, and a 280 AI where I shoot the 175g Nosler Accoubonds(sorted by ogive length, seated .003 off the lands) into dot groups. I shot these heavier bullets due to how they put deer on the ground with little to no running, shot from any angle.
In my custom 7 mags, I have two loads with the 180g Bergers, one using R#22 that just shoots dot size groups at 2850 fps, and another that shoots dot groups with R#26 at 3030 fps with .210 freebore with Wyattls mag box. If I want more speed, I go to a 7 STW and 28 Nosler, which both shoot the 180's at 3150 fps and 165-168 at 3300 with Wyatts mag box, with one heck of a lot more powder than the 7 mag.
While we are using heavier bullets, I will mention that I have a friend who is Flagstaff who is a modern-day Daniel Boone, rides mules and shoots nothing but the 120g Barnes TSX in his 7 mag. You could not imagine the elk, deer, lions, bears, and javelina that have been killed with the 120g TSX. I watched him shoot a big buck in it's bed, ranged at 620 yards which was on the opposite ridge.
I believe that as you jack up the RPM, you also increase the tendency for a cup and core bullet to shed the jacket in an animal, which could be a good or bad thing, experience will be your teacher in this issue.
Of all these cartridges that I have, the newest is the 280 Rem, set up to shoot the 180g eld Match, with its very high bc, it never ceases to amaze me, and everyone who shoots the gun(600 yards). This load only shoots a smidge of powder compared to all the rest, while the BC makes up for some loss of speed. The main thing with this load is that deer flop hard and fast.
I think that it is great for all the guys on this board to share their opinions and experiences without personal attacks. I mention the above because the internet promotes the fastest twist with the heaviest high bc bullet without evaluating the merits of Such. For the new guys, learn to use a ballistics program, evaluate the Bullet characteristics at various RPMs, then start picking your twist rate, and throat length in the chamber you pick. Always, always consider the mag box length for the cartridge you choose.
