New 7 Mag Load

Elkhunter1983

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Joined
Nov 1, 2011
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Ranchester, WY
Found a new load for my 7 Mag I think today. 67 gr of RE 25 pushing a 168 VLD at 2915 avg. I know its not the velocity everyone else gets out of theirs but I can't ignore a group like this. Has anyone had any problems with RE 25 and temp swings at all? Weather was nice here this weekend, hopefully everyone got out and did some shooting.
 

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I might have to give that load a try. I'm having great luck with H1000, but it's always nice to have more rabbits in the hat for later.
 
RL25 is a little temp sensitive. If you use Win Mag primers it does take some of the cold weather blues out of the swing. Norma MRP-2 is a less temp swing powder that has the same or at least a very similar burn rate. If you can find some you might give it a try. Great shooting!
 
I might have to give that load a try. I'm having great luck with H1000, but it's always nice to have more rabbits in the hat for later.

I keep hearing that about H-1000 but my rifle seems to absolutely hate that powder, same bullet seatings and many different loads with it and it just wouldn't produce. This rifle likes a lot of bullet jump too which I am not used to. So far Retumbo and RE 25 have been the clear favorites so far.
 
nice group!:)
I have some rl22 that I am haveing good luck with (175 grn deep curl) but, not that good. gun)
Maybe I should pick some up next time I am in town.
 
ELK- My groups with re-19 look like that. of course mine are going 2926. they are plenty fast for what i need.
 
I'm having trouble getting a load that will shoot with 168 vlds. I started with 69.5gr of h1000 and all i have adjusted is seating depth. I started touching the lands then backed out .010 then out to .040 then out to .080 then .120 best groups were at .01 and .04 off i shot six-shot groups and none were under "1. I have retumbo, h4831, imr 4831 and re 17-25 any suggestions where to turn next? should I stick with the best group's seating depth and load an assortment of powders to see which powder groups best?

p.s. Im shooting a brand new custom shilen 28" #6 1-8 twist barreled Savage off sand bags with a sightron siii 6-24. I broke in the barrel (per shilen instructions) with low velocity (minimun powder charge) 150gr cheap bullets before i started trying to work up this load.

best group so far has been with 120gr hp varmint bullets i shot as foulers :(
 
I'm having trouble getting a load that will shoot with 168 vlds. I started with 69.5gr of h1000 and all i have adjusted is seating depth. I started touching the lands then backed out .010 then out to .040 then out to .080 then .120 best groups were at .01 and .04 off i shot six-shot groups and none were under "1. I have retumbo, h4831, imr 4831 and re 17-25 any suggestions where to turn next? should I stick with the best group's seating depth and load an assortment of powders to see which powder groups best?

p.s. Im shooting a brand new custom shilen 28" #6 1-8 twist barreled Savage off sand bags with a sightron siii 6-24. I broke in the barrel (per shilen instructions) with low velocity (minimun powder charge) 150gr cheap bullets before i started trying to work up this load.

best group so far has been with 120gr hp varmint bullets i shot as foulers :(
Just adjusting seating isn't where you need to start. You need to start working your powder charge to get it pretty dialed-in, then once you find a load with a powder charge that shoots the best out of your gun, then toy around with seating depth to fine-tune to squeeze all that accuracy out of it.

Some of my rifles I've had to find max seating depth first (to hunt with , so multiple rounds fit in the magazine, and not shooting 1 at a time), then played around with powder charge to see what works best from there.

Hope this helps.
 
I have had this problem with Berger bullets. When you have a rifle that shoots them they shoot well, They are very sensitive to seating depth but often they will not shoot no matter what you do. I see this in freebored rifles the most. In these cases you need to switch to the Barnes LRH. The solid copper Barnes will typically shoot when the Berger will not. On the other side the Berger will shoot when the Barnes will not. Both are great bullets so I do not want this to be anti Berger. These two bullets behave radically different in the way they ride the bore ant throat of a rifle and therefore can help a loader determine what their barrel likes. The middle of the road is the Accubond. Its thicker jacket gives it a harder feel to the barrel somewhat like the Barnes but its lead core gives it a somewhat softer feel like a Berger. Be sure to check your crown! This will make all bullets shoot astray. Let us know how you progress:)...
 
I have had this problem with Berger bullets. When you have a rifle that shoots them they shoot well, They are very sensitive to seating depth but often they will not shoot no matter what you do. I see this in freebored rifles the most. In these cases you need to switch to the Barnes LRH. The solid copper Barnes will typically shoot when the Berger will not. On the other side the Berger will shoot when the Barnes will not. Both are great bullets so I do not want this to be anti Berger. These two bullets behave radically different in the way they ride the bore ant throat of a rifle and therefore can help a loader determine what their barrel likes. The middle of the road is the Accubond. Its thicker jacket gives it a harder feel to the barrel somewhat like the Barnes but its lead core gives it a somewhat softer feel like a Berger. Be sure to check your crown! This will make all bullets shoot astray. Let us know how you progress:)...
All of my rifles shoot Berger VLD's and they are all different brands. My Weatherby .257 Accumark shoots them just fine it has a good bit of freebore. They are getting some jump in my A-Bolt II as well, b/c I fitted them to about 0.005" inside of the magazine length so they cycle.

If you are having trouble with the VLD's try the Berger Hybrid bullets. That should help any issues you have based on the ogive's unique design and shape.

However, all of my rifles, all different brands (Remington, Weatherby, Browning) with factory barrels in multiple calibers, are shooting the VLD's with no problems...
 
All of my rifles shoot Berger VLD's and they are all different brands. My Weatherby .257 Accumark shoots them just fine it has a good bit of freebore. They are getting some jump in my A-Bolt II as well, b/c I fitted them to about 0.005" inside of the magazine length so they cycle.

If you are having trouble with the VLD's try the Berger Hybrid bullets. That should help any issues you have based on the ogive's unique design and shape.

However, all of my rifles, all different brands (Remington, Weatherby, Browning) with factory barrels in multiple calibers, are shooting the VLD's with no problems...
I was told this by Berger himself. It does make sense that the "fatter" hunting ogive will stabilize quicker and be less finicky than the VLD design. I am waiting to see if the thicker jackets on the hunting lineup also helps. I have had major problems with the 338 bullets at high velocitys "nose slumping" and jacket distortion. Both on loading and on firing. Thanks for your 2 cents worth mud runner!:)
 
I was told this by Berger himself. It does make sense that the "fatter" hunting ogive will stabilize quicker and be less finicky than the VLD design. I am waiting to see if the thicker jackets on the hunting lineup also helps. I have had major problems with the 338 bullets at high velocitys "nose slumping" and jacket distortion. Both on loading and on firing. Thanks for your 2 cents worth mud runner!:)
No problem man. Just trying to do my part and help. I have been curious to try the Hybrids, however, I haven't had any issues or reasons to stray from the VLD's so far. Maybe I've just been really lucky that my barrels seem to like them?

I forgot to mention that even my old Ruger 77 tang-safety 7mm RemMag likes the 168 VLD's as well.

I don't know what it is....Either I'm doing something right with my handloads that I'm unaware of, or I'm just getting lucky that my rifles like the VLD's. If I knew what it was, I would share with the world, but I got no idea. LOL
 
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