Whats Your Favorite 7mm WSM Load

RidgeRebel

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I just purchased a Winchester M70 Coyote in 7mm WSM with the laminate stock. I am wanting to shoot both the Hornady 162 A-max for long range target shooting and the Berger 168 VLD for hunting elk. I was hopping you guys could give me some good loads to start with. The rifle has a 24" barrel with a 1 in 9.5 twist I believe. gun)

Thanks for your time

RidgeRebel
 
I just purchased a Winchester M70 Coyote in 7mm WSM with the laminate stock. I am wanting to shoot both the Hornady 162 A-max for long range target shooting and the Berger 168 VLD for hunting elk. I was hopping you guys could give me some good loads to start with. The rifle has a 24" barrel with a 1 in 9.5 twist I believe. gun)

Thanks for your time

RidgeRebel

I probably shot 300 to 400, 168 Bergers and about 100 180 Bergers trying to get them to group out of my 7WSM Coyote. They never would do better than about 1.5 to 2 MOA. My Coyote did love the 150 Sciroccos with 62 gr of H4350Ext with a Federal GM215M. I think the OAL was about 3.307". I think I was at 3150fps with that load.

It also shot very well, maybe sub 1/2MOA with 160 Accubonds. 71.0 gr of Retumbo and a Fed GM215M....after looking at my records, I have lots of good 160 Accubond groups with several different powders.

A few of my 168 Berger groups with Retumbo don't look too bad. Maybe I needed a better bullet seater at that time.
 
In the weight range of bullets you are using.
I've had good luck with H1000.
67-70 gr range.
 
Using 140 grain Barnes, Fed 210, RL 22 //- 65- 68 grains have given the best accuracy. Don't shoot a heavier bullet.
 
I would really like to shoot the heavier bullets for the elk hunting and just for shooting long range. The 160+ bullets really shine past 500 yards for shooting long range. Plus the energy at closer ranges is better for elk. But if it doesnt work then it doesnt work.
 
All loads using...
WIN BRASS
CCI 200 primers

180 berger vld hunting
H4831sc-64.2

168 berger vld hunting
h4831sc-65.2

162 amax
h4831sc-64.7

Have tried 18 different powders now, still loves the h4831sc!!
 
I just went to the range yesterday with my 7MM WSM M70 Featherweight. This was my first round at the range working up some loads. Previously I had only shot some break in rounds with 160 grain Sierras and IMR-4350. These grouped just a bit over an inch. I live in Ca. so I have to hunt with non-lead bullets. Long story short, my two best loads yesterday were:

Fed 215 primers for both loads

140 grain Barnes TSX with 63 grains XMR3100, got a 1.1 inch 3 shot group

150 Nosler E-Tip with 62.5 grains R19, got another 1.1 inch 3 shot group

Rifle is pretty much bone stock, but I glass bedded, free floated and did a trigger job. I've got some more work to do but I felt this was a pretty good start and this rifle has some potential.
 
I just purchased a Winchester M70 Coyote in 7mm WSM with the laminate stock. I am wanting to shoot both the Hornady 162 A-max for long range target shooting and the Berger 168 VLD for hunting elk. I was hopping you guys could give me some good loads to start with. The rifle has a 24" barrel with a 1 in 9.5 twist I believe. gun)


Howdy,

My Win. MOD 70 Stainless Classic (rebarreled) likes the 168 Bergers with enough H4831SC to produce 2925 fps. It produces a SD of 7 and .750 inch groups at 200 yards with that load. Bullets are seated .005" off of the lands.

Please understand the main problems if you use the Bergers!!! I had to modify all of my seating dies for these VLD bullets. I drilled the bullet seating stems out about .200 inches to get the tip of the bullet to stop bottoming out in the stems. Now, I just start the bullet in the case just a little, then put the round in the run out guage, then correct the off-set before finishing the seating process. Rotating the whole round during the seating process helps as well.

The second main problem is that bullet jump to the lands is of PARAMOUNT importance. You could use up lots of ammo to test which jump length gives the best ... most consistent... groups.

Hope this helps and best to you.

Good shooting.

Coach
 
I originally loaded for my 7WSM & 168 Berger VLD with H4831SC, and it shot well, but the load seemed a little hot. I had also tried H1000 in the beginning, but missed a good node as I was working up. Went back and retested with the H1000 and ended up with a great shooting load at 69 gr H1000. WW brass, Fed 215mag primers, seated .010" off the lands.
 
Last edited:
All loads using...
WIN BRASS
CCI 200 primers

180 berger vld hunting
H4831sc-64.2

168 berger vld hunting
h4831sc-65.2

162 amax
h4831sc-64.7

Have tried 18 different powders now, still loves the h4831sc!!

What rifle and twist are you using. Have a buddy that has a savage in 7WSM with less than 100 rds down the tube that wants me to own it as he thinks he needs a 270WSM I have never owned/shot a wsm but may give one a try.
 
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