7mm Mag help

[lcq]

Hi All

I'm looking for some advice and perhaps a QuickLoad model. I'm trying to get my Nosler 160 accubond velocity up. Currently I'm getting 2748 (pathetic) out of a 24" barrel. Hell I'm getting 2800 out of my 20" 308 with a 150 Barnes. BTW factory 150 core-lokts are doing 3030

Win Brass, Win LRP, IMR4350 59gr

I have H-4831 and Supreme-780 and may be able to get H1000 and IMR-7828

Any help is appreciated

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

That does seem slow. I have a 7mm and know plenty of other guys who also own it, and everyone of us gets along well with IMR4350 in multiple bullet weights. This also covers Remington's, Winchester's and Browning's. So it's my go to powder for mine.

59gr seems to be around max, you might be able to go up some with taking your load beyond SAAMI COAL. Is it possible your chrono was having a "slow" day due to lighting conditions?

 

[sestoppelman]

Without knowing how much powder you have been using its pretty hard to tell whats happening. Are you going by book max or observed max? The old joke goes, "I start at max and go up from there". While I wont claim to do that, I will often go a fair ways above max while closely watching for any pressure signs. I don't recommend this to any but experienced handloaders. The powders you mention should get you to 3000fps if you go about it right. Hell, my .280 Rem would get over 2900 with a 160gr bullet! I assume this is for the Rem mag? Is that Core Lokt load for the .308 or the 7 mag? While it may be possible to get over 3k in a .308 with a 150, I sure would be surprised to see a factory load do it!

 

[sestoppelman]

That does seem slow. I have a 7mm and know plenty of other guys who also own it, and everyone of us gets along well with IMR4350 in multiple bullet weights. This also covers Remington's, Winchester's and Browning's. So it's my go to powder for mine.

59gr seems to be around max, you might be able to go up some with taking your load beyond SAAMI COAL. Is it possible your chrono was having a "slow" day due to lighting conditions?

59 grs?!?! In a 7 mag?? Sounds like a starting load!!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

59 grs?!?! In a 7 mag?? Sounds like a starting load!!

Per the Nosler manual, a 140gr Nosler would be at max load at 65. 60gr is max for 160gr.

 

[enysse]

You guys are funny, I would expect the H 1000 to work nice.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I shoot 71.2 gr H1000 with a 162 boat 215m primer and hover around 3k with great accuracy.

 

[sestoppelman]

Yeah I see that, other places show a bit more though admittedly not much. Interestingly enough I see loads with the same powder using more of it with the 175gr bullet! IMR4350 is really too fast for this case, the powders lcq is using are the correct burn rate for the mags for full velocity. There is no way the 7 mag cannot muster close to 3100fps with a 160. But it will take a large case filling dose of a slow powder to do it. The reason I scoffed at 59grs is because my dad used to load that same amount with the same weight of bullet in my boys .284 Winchester (just over 2900fps), with no problems! You could say it was a compressed load! The 7 mag has a fair amount more boiler room than a .284 Win!

 

[Grady]

As Phoenix Phil mentions, according to the manual, the max for 160gr bullet with IMR 4350 is 60grs (2990 FPS). I would check your info one more time and shoot them over the chrono again. Your velocities seem very low, and the Nosler folks are normally pretty close on there numbers in the book.

Also, if you are interested in the IMR 7828, the book lists the starting at 60gr (2859fps) with the max at 64gr (3015 fps).

I am not a fan of going past the published max, call me scared, but I have never had any problems with pressures and I have always been able to develop a sub MOA load within the recommended limits. It might take me multiple trips to the range, but that is half the fun. I am more interested in accuracy over velocity...a well placed slow bullet will always kill better that a poor placed fast bullet....just a thought.

Here is the Nosler link if your are interested http://www.nosler.com/7mm-remington-magnum

 

[sestoppelman]

You guys are funny, I would expect the H 1000 to work nice.

I think this is what Jack O'Connor used to refer to as the "hot stove league"!

 

[sestoppelman]

As Phoenix Phil mentions, according to the manual, the max for 160gr bullet with IMR 4350 is 60grs (2990 FPS). I would check your info one more time and shoot them over the chrono again. Your velocities seem very low, and the Nosler folks are normally pretty close on there numbers in the book.

Also, if you are interested in the IMR 7828, the book lists the starting at 60gr (2859fps) with the max at 64gr (3015 fps).

I am not a fan of going past the published max, call me scared, but I have never had any problems with pressures and I have always been able to develop a sub MOA load within the recommended limits. It might take me multiple trips to the range, but that is half the fun. I am more interested in accuracy over velocity...a well placed slow bullet will always kill better that a poor placed fast bullet....just a thought.

Here is the Nosler link if your are interested http://www.nosler.com/7mm-remington-magnum

My experience with the Nosler manual is just the opposite as I find their stated velocities often wildly inflated. The most accurate manual I have found of late is the Barnes manual. When working up loads for my boys .284 for 140gr TSX and my own .405 Win with 300gr TSX, their loads closely matched the range chrono within about 35fps. Next to Barnes I most believe the Speer book for speeds. Only way to know for sure is run them over a chrono. I have owned one since the late 70's but these days with so few places to use it, I rely on the range rig, an ancient Oehler.

 

[Grady]

....Only way to know for sure is run them over a chrono.

I completely agree!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

My experience with the Nosler manual is just the opposite as I find their stated velocities often wildly inflated. The most accurate manual I have found of late is the Barnes manual. When working up loads for my boys .284 for 140gr TSX and my own .405 Win with 300gr TSX, their loads closely matched the range chrono within about 35fps. Next to Barnes I most believe the Speer book for speeds. Only way to know for sure is run them over a chrono. I have owned one since the late 70's but these days with so few places to use it, I rely on the range rig, an ancient Oehler.

On that we agree for certain. I find the Nosler manual is usually in the neighborhood of 100fps faster than what I get over the chrono. That said, I'd expect lcq's loads to be at least in the 2850 fps range.

I've also found my Swift manual to be pretty accurate. Average velocity for a 160gr A-Frame is right around 2900fps. Their claim is 59.5gr will push their 160gr A-Frame out of a 24" barrel at 2873 fps.

I'm still wondering about the chrono. Lighting can affect them. I've also seen where a fresh battery can make a difference.

 

[enysse]

For sure it could be the chronograph.

 

[sestoppelman]

Anything under 3k fps is pretty pedestrian for a 7 mag. Like I said before, I could get over 2900 in a .280 Remington and the .284 Win.

 

[sestoppelman]

For sure it could be the chronograph.

Oehler once said, "no one ever complains because their chrono reads too fast!"

 

[greyfox]

Prior to my Africa trip, I worked up loads for my son's 270 and shot both his gun and mine over a chrono.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE My 7 Mag but yeah, the book velocities are inflated or exagerated according to my chrony.
also, I have a shorter barrel, so a little loss is to be expected.

His 270 with 130s and IMR 4350 was faster than my 7Mag with 150s. both at max loads according to Nosler's Guide.

 

[lcq]

Thanks for all the replies, looks like time to go slower. I eliminated the chrono because the 3030 was same day with 150 7mm mag core-lokts (about 80 slower than Rem claims). Powder is tough to get up here so if I can't source H1000 I'll try the slowest I have Supreme-780. The upside to this is my 243 loves IMR4350

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

This is very odd lcq. It seems that both the rifle and chrono have been eliminated. This makes me think there's something about the load.

You said you're using Win brass. I only tried their brass once, and it did not work well. If I recall correctly, it is thinner than Remington. If so, this reduce pressure but at the expense of velocity. But this also would mean more case capacity. Perhaps time to start bumping up the load? Do so slowly if you do. I'd start increasing in 0.2gr increments, two rounds at each weight and pay attention of course to pressure signs.

You also said you're using the Win LRP primers. Not sure if this is a "magnum" primer or not, if not, maybe switch to one.

Outside of that, I don't know what else to suggest.

 

[lcq]

Well I just got back home from Ottawa and all hell has broken loose.

Three terrorists shot and killed a soldier at the War Memorial then Got into Parliament. Sargent at arms killed one of the Muslim terrorists second one wounded no news on the third. This is a wakeup call for carry laws to be implemented but our leftist read commie media and the opposition parties will be screaming for more gun control. Crap the insanity never ends