SAAMI Hybrid Hunting, 7mm 168gr

[Joe King]

haven't chrono'd em yet I have Douglass premium finished out at 26 1/2" 10 twist.

300yrd drop seems to suggest I'm in the neighborhood of 2900 - 2950ish. I'm going to try jumping them 0.060 and 0.080 first, if they'll do it I can load to magazine length, that would be cool

 

[AZShooter]

Joe did you finalize your 7 Rem mag load with these new hybrids? I may have missed it but what powder were you using? I am going to help a friend make a load with his 7 Rem mag and these hybrids.

I finalized the 284 load. Seated the bullets deeper in .005" increments. It liked .025" off the rifling. This new bullet came out at just the right time. My supply of 160 accubonds was just about gone.

To the readers here, did you know that there will be another style of hunting hybrid? These first ones are called classic (SAMMI) hunting hybrids. The others will be called elite hunting hybrids, they will be longer and will have a higher BC similar to the target hybrids. Don't know if they will offer a 168 or not.

 

[Joe King]

I won't be able to get out to the range till sunday to try out the longer jumps. Right now I'm 0.020 off the lands it's holding 1/2" at 200 and less than 3/4 at 300, which is as good as I can do. I'm using 71gr of H1000 no pressures, no dia increase on the case head, 72gr and primers start to flatten.

 

[AZShooter]

Thanks for the data Joe

 

[sendero72]

Thanks for the update Joe. I hope to find a box on my next trip down to South Carolina. I have 2 boxes of the Berger 180's, maybe I can trade someone for some 168's.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Joe King]

0.080 off the lands 1/2" measured outside to outside at 200 for 5 shots. I think I'm just gonna leave that alone for a while and see what it does over the long term, hell even if it opens up to 1/2moa I will still be tickled, since it gave me my magazine back. Oh and I shot those prone from the magazine not loaded 1 at a time.

 

[Joe King]

After several trips to the range confirming drops. I've consistently gotten MOA or better out of this load, even with shifty winds it's still stayed MOA which to me says a lot since I'm not the most proficient at doping the wind, and the vertical spread is consistently (always) way under 1/2 MOA. So far I've been able to keep 1st round hits within 1/2 MOA of target center. I'm thinkin it's a winner

 

[AZShooter]

Joe,

I finalized my friend's 7 Rem Mag load. Used 72.5 gr of Retumbo with 168 Berger Classic hybrid hunting bullets. Vel 3115. Shoots 1/2 MOA.

 

[Joe King]

what did you get for SD and ES?

 

[AZShooter]

Sorry Joe didn't bother to even look. My friend is a coues wt hunter who rarely shoots over 250 yds. He had just built the rifle and I suggested he try the 168 hybrid. I suppose for a full blown rifle looney like yourself it might be unbelieveable that I would shoot across a chronograph and not record the ES and SD.

My friend who shoots 1000 yds sure does. If I can get a rifle to shoot 1/2 MOA or better for hunting I feel I am going to do fine. So far this has worked out well for me. I an NOT a LR hunter like many here. I have taken a few deer and elk out to 550 or so over the years. I do test my rifles out to 500M and test for comeups and note group size. I have rejected a few loads or rifles as incapable too.

 

[Joe King]

I don't chrony my loads that much. It means I have to shoot more to generate the needed data for dope cards (oh no's the horror), but I've had the same rifles for so long now that I pretty well know what to expect from a given combo well enough that I can get to within a min or 2 just walking it out at known yardages.

For example I tried out the 95gr Classic hunter in my 243, and tried Kirby's load development. This my round count from the first round fired of load development, settling on a load and getting sighted in for that load to checking drops. Round #18 first round hit on a 10"gong at 50, #20 1st round hit on a 6" gong at 600, #21 I blew it with the wind and cut the cable holding the 500yrd gong. That was today as well, I have to admit it was entertaining watching through the scope as the right side of the gong fall.

 

[sendero72]

AZShooter

What length barrel are you using to get MV's at 3115? Is that the Chrony reading or actual bullet drop chart? That's smoking!!

 

[Ksdogman]

Just got back from a little fact finding on the berger Classic hunting hybrid, I like them alot to say the least!! 168gn out of a stw at 3068fps

 

[Joe King]

friggin awesome