7mm STW & 180 gr Bergers
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slymule
Well-Known Member
Murray, in my 7mmSTW, I'm using 76.5gr of RL-22 shooting the 180gr Bergers. Velocity ranges from 3180-3200 depending on temperature out of a 27.5" PacNor barrel. This is a pretty hot load in my gun, so work up to it. I'm also backed off the lands quite a bit as I have a fair amount of freebore in my chamber. Seems most people have the best luck close to, or even jammed in the lands. Guess I got lucky because mine will shoot in the .2's and .3's set up the way I described.
This is the only powder I've tried so far being as I didn't have much time to work up a load before hunting season. I have a buddy thats convinced me to give Retumbo a try, he says I'll get even more velocity with this powder. I'm guessing I have a pretty fast barrel as most people don't seem to be getting the velocity I am with the 180's.
Not to steal this thread, but I'd be interested in hearing from others, as to which is producing more velocity between RL-22 and Retumbo.
Hope this helps.
This is the only powder I've tried so far being as I didn't have much time to work up a load before hunting season. I have a buddy thats convinced me to give Retumbo a try, he says I'll get even more velocity with this powder. I'm guessing I have a pretty fast barrel as most people don't seem to be getting the velocity I am with the 180's.
Not to steal this thread, but I'd be interested in hearing from others, as to which is producing more velocity between RL-22 and Retumbo.
Hope this helps.
Last edited:
terrier72
Active Member
Slymule,
What twist barrel are you using?
What twist barrel are you using?
Chuck Boyer
Active Member
Go to the Berger website and ask for load data. Berger is real good about responding quick. Great folks to do business with. I bought some 180 Bergers for my Win 70 Classic Sporter in STW. I can seat 160 Sierras to 3.61 and they shoot fine. For the life of me, I can not get the 180s to shoot. My rifle has a lonnng throat. Seated to just touch the rifling, rounds measure over 3.8. Seated to what Berger recommeds for hunting, I think about 3.7, the rounds will not feed through the magazine. Even loaded single shot style at max length into the lands, the loads will not shoot in my gun. I think my gun has either a 9.25 or 9.5 twist. I would like any help also. 180 Bergers look like a long legged sexy blonde and I want to use them if I can get them to shoot
LONGSHOOTER
Well-Known Member
Chuck Boyer;
Have you tried partial neck resizing? I will use this method with factory barrels, as it helps to align the cartridge/ bullet with the chamber/ bore, which usually improves accuracy. Perhaps you can even jump to the lands.
longshooter
Have you tried partial neck resizing? I will use this method with factory barrels, as it helps to align the cartridge/ bullet with the chamber/ bore, which usually improves accuracy. Perhaps you can even jump to the lands.
longshooter
slymule
Well-Known Member
Slymule,
What twist barrel are you using?
Terrier72, I have a 1 in 8 twist barrel.
What twist barrel are you using?
Terrier72, I have a 1 in 8 twist barrel.
slymule
Well-Known Member
Murray, I got a feelin' Santa's gonna be bringing me some ........left enough hints with everybody anyway. ;^)
I'll let you know if it happens and what kind of results I get.
I'll let you know if it happens and what kind of results I get.
Chuck Boyer
Active Member
Hey, Longshot, got a few minutes between quail hunts and loaded a few rounds with the sizing die backed off so that only about 1/2 the neck of the case is being sized. Max load of 71gr of 7828SSC with bullet seated to 3.69 did the trick. OAL is still a little too long to feed through the magazine but, the first shot is the one that counts. Groups went from 3-4" to under an inch for 3 shots. I think I am going to a tool that will help me keep runout to a minimum. Groups should shrink a little more. Any more good advice?
LONGSHOOTER
Well-Known Member
Chuck Boyer,
Factory chambers leave alot to be desired. Especially belted mags. But belted mags are good with a good chamber fit. Thus, partial neck resize or.... as I am preparing to do soon, rechamber or rebarrel to tighter tolerances. And, I will be able to get away from the expander ball neck sizing, as I will turn necks for neck consistancy, turning them such so that the resizing die alone reduces the neck to proper size for bullet tension, improving runout.
You don't have to do half the neck. About 0.060"-0.070" or so should do for positioning in chamber. But one thing you should do, get a truly flat, as in parallel sides, washer or spacer, and when you back off your die the appropriate amount, insert spacer between die and shellholder, raise ram snug against die, and tighten die. This will help to insure alignment of case to die for resizing.
You can partial size for a few rounds, but eventually brass will grow, and be difficult to chamber, because you are not full length resizing. At which time, you would need to full length resize one time, before resuming partial sizing. Your brass will last longer using this method, than with full length resizing.
Be sure to keep the bearing surface of your bolt lugs lubed.
longshooter
Factory chambers leave alot to be desired. Especially belted mags. But belted mags are good with a good chamber fit. Thus, partial neck resize or.... as I am preparing to do soon, rechamber or rebarrel to tighter tolerances. And, I will be able to get away from the expander ball neck sizing, as I will turn necks for neck consistancy, turning them such so that the resizing die alone reduces the neck to proper size for bullet tension, improving runout.
You don't have to do half the neck. About 0.060"-0.070" or so should do for positioning in chamber. But one thing you should do, get a truly flat, as in parallel sides, washer or spacer, and when you back off your die the appropriate amount, insert spacer between die and shellholder, raise ram snug against die, and tighten die. This will help to insure alignment of case to die for resizing.
You can partial size for a few rounds, but eventually brass will grow, and be difficult to chamber, because you are not full length resizing. At which time, you would need to full length resize one time, before resuming partial sizing. Your brass will last longer using this method, than with full length resizing.
Be sure to keep the bearing surface of your bolt lugs lubed.
longshooter
Murray,
I would also try the 168's. I get 3125fps w/79.8 gr Retumbo in a 26' Rock Creek barrel.I could push it alittle harder, but accuracy suffers,and Iwant to reload the brass more than once. I am surprised that Slymule can get 3200fps w/ the 180's, and as he stated, work your way into that one carefully.
I would also try the 168's. I get 3125fps w/79.8 gr Retumbo in a 26' Rock Creek barrel.I could push it alittle harder, but accuracy suffers,and Iwant to reload the brass more than once. I am surprised that Slymule can get 3200fps w/ the 180's, and as he stated, work your way into that one carefully.
slymule
Well-Known Member
I was surprised too, thats why it checked it with two different chronographs. All I can figure out is it must be a combination of alot of freebore and a fast barrel. DEFINATELY start out lower than my load as I have already stated, I'd hate to see somebody get hurt. I actually backed off .5gr because of sticky bolt lift, and leaving an extractor mark. I feel pretty comfortable shooting this load in my gun as it stands now, but if I were to shoot in the summer when temps were high, I'd have to back off further.
7mmCUB
Active Member
i shot 80.5 gr of retumbo and 180s out of my 30" lilja barreled 1 and 9 twist at 3200fps. also used same load with 175 matchking and worked pretty good as well. half inch 5 shot groups all the time but actually my favorite load is 81.5 gr and the 162 amax at 3320. shoots good and kills the hell out of deer and elk
