Powder Test 7mm Rem Mag

[Mike6158]

Me and the Barne's 150's are taking a break from one another.

Today I shot a 10 group, 3 shot set of RE25 and 180gr Berger VLD Hunting bullets. They worked just fine with my 1 in 9.25 twist barrel. For the next test I'll work up from the top charge in the graph below. Not 10 steps though. I'd like to see 3,000 fps with no pressure issues but I'm not optimistic that I'll get too much past 2,900 fps. We'll see. I made one change to the rifle.

I ditched the muzzle brake and installed an EC Tuner Brake. The difference in how the rifle shoots is impressive. I think that replacing what I had with any good brake would have made the same difference but I've wanted to try a tuner for a while so I went that route.

I have not started tuning yet. That comes after powder.

The Seating depth was Jam minus .030" for no particular reason other than Jam - .010" didn't leave me much room for measuring poorly. The bullets drop in and the bolt closes easily so I know I'm not into the rifling.

I'm not at the point of tuning but the groups sizes (100 yards) weren't terrible in some cases:

Test 1: 1.819" This is the definition of sucks

Test 2: 1.167" Same

Test 3: 0.574" Better

Test 4: 0.215" Never seen that before.

Test 5: 0.662"

Test 6: 0.731"

Test 7: 0.950"

Test 8: 0.370"

Test 9: 0.304"

Test 10: 0.344"

ES isn't too bad for most of the groups.

 

[SSG Graybush]

You should test those 180s at >500 yards. They should need a 8 twist. I did get 175 TMK to shoot in a 9.25 twist though, for steel banging. I shoot the 180 vldh in a 8 twist at 2917 fps with H1000. RL26 was faster but sucked as far as accuracy and ES.
For hunting you need the bullet to be stable.

 

[Mike6158]

You should test those 180s at >500 yards. They should need a 8 twist. I did get 175 TMK to shoot in a 9.25 twist though, for steel banging. I shoot the 180 vldh in a 8 twist at 2917 fps with H1000. RL26 was faster but sucked as far as accuracy and ES.
For hunting you need the bullet to be stable.

I'm nowhere near "decided" on the load. I can only test to 300, which is a longer shot than I'll have where I hunt, and that will come once I settle on powder. H1000 is the next test. Berger says 9 twist for the 180 VLD Hunting. Their stability widgets says marginally stable. I took that to mean don't count on the round staying stable over the long haul

 

[SSG Graybush]

I'm nowhere near "decided" on the load. I can only test to 300, which is a longer shot than I'll have where I hunt, and that will come once I settle on powder. H1000 is the next test. Berger says 9 twist for the 180 VLD Hunting. Their stability widgets says marginally stable. I took that to mean don't count on the round staying stable over the long haul

Well if 300, even 500 is max range you should be going lighter bullet faster, longer pbz. For 300 yards I'd shoot a 139 to 145 gr, fast. And a solid. Bergers and BT's are gonna explode at 3000+ fps. my 2c.

 

[VinceMule]

Many Deer and two Bull elk(non-shoulder shot) would testify that the 140g Nosler ballistic tips do not explode shot from a 7 mag at 3200-3250 fps with a load of 65-66g of IMR 4350, Rem case, Rem 9 1/2, bullet barely touching the lands....never an issue. The family shoots the 140g Nosler combined Tec bullet at a velocity of 3550-3650 out of three different 7 STW's with no problems at all, just dead-in-their-tracks deer, some big'uns also.

The 140g Nosler ballistic tips are a lot tougher than the 140g Berger vld hunting, we have seen this first hand.

In my Remington 700s, I had extremely good accuracy from the 168g Berger vld hunting with 70.5g of Retumbo with fed 215's, bullet touching the lands. 162g ELD's liked 71.0g at 3100 fps with a tiny big of jump, tiny. sort by ogive length and record lot number ogive lengths.

Few would believe just how tough the 150g Nosler ballistic tips are, even with a load of R#25 at 3200 fps with Win Mag primers, shoot 3/8" groups. The 150g Nosler BT is a lot tougher than the 168g Berger vld hunting in my experience.

So you know, the Sierra 175g SBT shoots holes clean through elk in a 7 mag, a good shoulder bullet. I prefer not to shoot elk on the shoulders.

 

[SSG Graybush]

Many Deer and two Bull elk(non-shoulder shot) would testify that the 140g Nosler ballistic tips do not explode shot from a 7 mag at 3200-3250 fps with a load of 65-66g of IMR 4350, Rem case, Rem 9 1/2, bullet barely touching the lands....never an issue. The family shoots the 140g Nosler combined Tec bullet at a velocity of 3550-3650 out of three different 7 STW's with no problems at all, just dead-in-their-tracks deer, some big'uns also.

The 140g Nosler ballistic tips are a lot tougher than the 140g Berger vld hunting, we have seen this first hand.

In my Remington 700s, I had extremely good accuracy from the 168g Berger vld hunting with 70.5g of Retumbo with fed 215's, bullet touching the lands. 162g ELD's liked 71.0g at 3100 fps with a tiny big of jump, tiny. sort by ogive length and record lot number ogive lengths.

Few would believe just how tough the 150g Nosler ballistic tips are, even with a load of R#25 at 3200 fps with Win Mag primers, shoot 3/8" groups. The 150g Nosler BT is a lot tougher than the 168g Berger vld hunting in my experience.

So you know, the Sierra 175g SBT shoots holes clean through elk in a 7 mag, a good shoulder bullet. I prefer not to shoot elk on the shoulders.

Well my experience with 130 gr BT's at 3000 fps at impact is they do explode, from a 270 wsm at close ranges, under 100. They do a excessive amount of damage.

 

[john k]

I quit using BT's in the early 90's due to excessive meat damage but started shooting them again a few years ago as I was informed Nosler made some changes and improved the penetration and toughness. I can attest that it's improved considerably in regards to excessive meat damage. I don't shoot it exclusively but it's in the stable.

 

[Scalloper]

I have owned 7mm Mag (various rifles) for 38 years. I have been reloading for 25 years. As you might have figured out I find this to be a very interesting post. That being said I didn't notce any one mentioning using Vit N555. Have any of you tried this powder for the 7Mag?

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

I quit using BT's in the early 90's due to excessive meat damage but started shooting them again a few years ago as I was informed Nosler made some changes and improved the penetration and toughness. I can attest that it's improved considerably in regards to excessive meat damage. I don't shoot it exclusively but it's in the stable.

I did the same back in the 80's.
Went back to them the last 10 years, Nosler that is. For me on whitetail they are better than Accubond and SST.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

I have owned 7mm Mag (various rifles) for 38 years. I have been reloading for 25 years. As you might have figured out I find this to be a very interesting post. That being said I didn't notce any one mentioning using Vit N555. Have any of you tried this powder for the 7Mag?

I've been using N-560 and 565, with good results.
Might have to pick up some 555.

 

[bamban]

N568 gives me 3025 with 175 Elite Hunter

 

[VinceMule]

Well my experience with 130 gr BT's at 3000 fps at impact is they do explode, from a 270 wsm at close ranges, under 100. They do a excessive amount of damage.

My family's load with a 270 Win,130g bt is:

58g of R#22 with a federal 210, bullet almost kissing the lands
60g of H4831, cci 250 bullet almost kissing the lands

Our deer limits here in SC are liberal up to 12 per year, we have never seen a 130g Nosler Ballistic tip explode on the surface, we are NOT shoulder shooters.

I now shoot one 270 with a 140g Nosler ballistic tip with 58g of H4831 with cci 250 in Rem 700s that shoot a ragged hole group at 100 yards, none of them have ever blown up either.

We have one load in a rem 700, 7 Mag, with 26" barrel with 140g Nosler bt with R#19 in win brass with fed 215 that is doing 3300 fps, never seen one blow up.

You have to wonder if there are production issues with some bad bullets in a lot as a rare occurrence from time to time.

The second largest buck I ever killed was outside of Lineville, Alabama. 260 lb 12-pointer. I grunted him in. He came storming in full blast, sounded like a freight train coming through the woods. I shot him at a distance of around 15 feet, and broke his right front shoulder, the bullet traveled the length of the body and ended up in the right rear ham, 130g Nosler ballistic tip out of a Browning A bolt stainless stalker with 58g of R#22, fed 210. That barrel is long in the tooth at this point, and I am forced to shoot the 110g Barnes ttsx with R#17, accuracy back to 1/2", very good killing load, but never recover a bullet.

 

[bamban]

In another 7RM, here is a pressure test with N560 and 168 JLKs. Picture is the velocity for the highest charge.

 

[VinceMule]

I have owned 7mm Mag (various rifles) for 38 years. I have been reloading for 25 years. As you might have figured out I find this to be a very interesting post. That being said I didn't notce any one mentioning using Vit N555. Have any of you tried this powder for the 7Mag?

the 500 series of powders burn ungodly hot, I avoid them like the Plague.