7mm Rem. Mag

F

FutureFNWO

New member
Hey yall so im starting reloading in the next couple weeks and was wondering what the ideal bullet/powder combination that you found to give me an idea of what to try to ensure success in "rolling my own" i have a tikka t3 lite in 7mm mag so ya what are your secrets??
 
I do reload for my 7MM Rem Mag. As funny as this may sound, it shoots 1/2 MOA with the relatively low cost 150 grain Federal Power Shok bullets travelling at 3110 fps. And at $15 or $16 on sale they are a bargain.
 
One of the finest cartridges ever designed...more than capable of taking anything you'd care to shoot with it, load it great Nosler Partition and smash everything you hit with it...I remember the first one I owned back in the late 60's or early 70's...killed like lightening!! It's the only big game rifle I ever carry, nothing has survived a hit with a 140 grain partition and very few ever take more than a few steps.. you'd be hardpressed to find a better all around cartridge..
 
Hornady 162 gr BTSP in front of 59.3 gr of IMR 4350 has been my bread and butter load for years out of my 7 mag. I've got a long history with this bullet/powder combination and have collected a bunch of both deer and elk with this load. It's a relatively inexpensive bullet that performs well in most instances. I have, however, had some fragment on occaision so I recently decided to experiment with 160 gr Accubonds. I'll probably stay with 4350 powder just because I have a bunch on hand. Hopefully I can get the same kind of accuracy with better overall performance out of these bullets as I did with the Hornadys.

Anyway, that was my recent choice, only time will tell whether it was a wise move or not.
 
Either 150 or 160 grain Nosler Partitions, with H-4831SC, and Federal 210 primers. Your rifle will tell you which bullet it likes best. I have loaded both bullets for different rifles, and the accuracy is excellent; 3 shot into 1/2" groups at 100 yards.
 
It depends on what you want to do with it. I've used 150 gr bullets and IMR 4350 for the last 25 years with great success on Mule Deer, Whitetails, and Elk. Recently I've got the bug to experiment a little so I'm in the process of looking for a more temp stable powder. While I get great accuracy with the IMR4350 I also see pressure signs when I fire these loads on a hot summer day (cool to cold temps are fine). I'm leaning towards H4831SC right now but also looking at RE22 and RE25.
Brian
 
As duckboat said it depends on what you want to do with it. I use 154 grain Hornady spire points for deer because I don't think you need a premium bullet for deer. For elk I move up to the 160 grain Nosler partition. In my research I have found the energy level to be higher in the 160 to 165 grain bullets than the heavier bullets but your mileage may vary.
 
There are a few classic loads:

120g Nosler BT
71-72g of R#22
CCI 250
Rem brass
bullet touching lands

150g Nosler,Sierra BTSP, 154g Hornady Sp or SST
Rem Brass
9 1/2 primer
63.0g of IMR 4350
Bullet seated to touch the lands

140g Nosler BT or Accubond
Rem brass
9 1/2
64-65.5g of IMR 4350
bullet seated to touch the lands

162g Hornady
Rem brass
CCI 250
65g of R#22
Bullet touching the lands

If you can't hit a home run with one of these loads, sell the gun.
 
Acklyman
What has been your experience with RE22 in regards to temperature? I've only recently started using it and have not yet come to any conclusions.
 
I've used some other powders in all the 7mm's I've owned over the years and for whatever reason H-4350 always seems to perform the best, best velocity, groups, cold weather ignition and most of all barrel cleanliness..some of those super slow powders will take the velocity up but I've found them to really dirty up the barrel..I remember H-1000, WOW, it looked liked I tossed a handful of dirt down the barrel.. STAY away from all BALL powders..they all are temperature sensitive and will drive you nuts in cold temperatures..R-22 and H-4350 would be similar, a little faster and cleaner than the super slows produced by the same companies. EITHER way, the 7mm Rem Mag is about as good as it gets..and the time tested tried and true Nosler Partition get's er' done big time...everytime..
 
Quote:162g Hornady
Rem brass
CCI 250
65g of R#22
Bullet touching the lands

I don't use Remington brass, but that load in Norma brass is pretty stiff in my rifle. Be careful.
 
Duckboat, I can't answer your question on temperature, I can not remember the last time I took more than one shot at a deer.

I shoot a load of 65g of R#22; CCI 250, with a 160g Sierra BTSP, 162g A-Max, and 162g SST. Every Rem 700 that I have ever owned shot the 71-72g of R#22, CCI250, with the 120 Nosler Ballistics into very tiny groups. I aim to try some 120g Barnes Tripple shocks when my supply of 120g NOslers run out, I will back off on my load that I shoot with the cup and core bullets and work upwards in powder charge.

A friend of mine shoots a load of 68g of R#22, CCI250 with the 140g Nosler ballistic tip and the 139g Hornady flat base with amazing accuracy.

Please exercise caution and work up to these loads in your rifle...lot# of powder can vary as much as 5%.

I have noticed that the R#22 seems to shine with CCI 250 primers vs other primers.

Good luck!
 
154 GR Hornady SST(ballistic tip)
60.0 GR IMR4831
CCI250 primer

Killed every deer and antelope ever shot at from 100 yards to 230 yards. All but one single shot kills. The one? Shooter error(me-buck deer at 100 yards).

We are very satisfied with those results.

Refer to the SST as the 300,000 RPM rotozipper.

Like the 7MM REM MAG so much that we bought another one; a Stevens.
 
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Ackleyman-I'm thinking of a line from one of my favorite TV shows - "Jolly Joker". How about shooting from the bench in the summertime with a full power load of R22? When I do that with IMR4350 (63gr w/ 150 Nosler Partition) I get a stiff bolt whereas the same load in the fall/winter shows a rounded primer and no bolt resistance at all.
Brian
 
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