Case TYpes For Reloading...

[MAELTY]

When I bought the 7MM WSM I also purchased 4 boxes of the Winchester Ballistic Silvertip cartridges. Ive been using them for reloading. I didn't give a thought to these cases being knickle in color. Does this make a difference? Are they as good as the regular brass? What about case life?
Do they require more care in reloading?

My first experience with reloading them didn't seem to bad. The groups I fired produced consitant 3/4' MOA's at 100 yards. (69.5 grs of H1000 and 162 gr Amax's)

Also, If anyone has a pet load for this cartridge and wouldn't mind sharing, It would be appreciated. I am a careful reloader and wouldn't start out at the max.

Thanks for any insight,

Tom

 

[Brent]

I never have used them enough to notice a difference, but they will scar bullets up when seating them because of the nickle isn't smooth inside the necks and often has specs and bumps etc... nickle is very hard. Pull a bullet from a brass case and a nickle case, the scratches are much worse on the nickle ones, this can't "help" accuracy any. My brother is using some on his 300wsm too. If I buy ammo, it's the stuff that don't use nickle brass for sure. BTW, the Silvertips (handloads) shoot well in my Ultra, how do the factory loads do in your 7 wsm? They shoot real well in my dads 300wsm too, practically one hole groups in his gun.

 

[MAELTY]

Brent,
I was pleased with the factory loads performance. The 140 gr ballistic sivertips did well considering they were fired out of a box gun. Several groups came in under 3" at 300 yds and a couple under 2".

I have not tried any since I got my gun back from having a muzzlebreak installed along with it being pillar bedded and a tigger job done to it.

With the mods done I would bet they would even be tighter.

Thanks for your input on the knickle cases


Tom

 

[Brent]

Thanks for the review.

The nickel cases sure are pretty though!

I wonder how much more they would add to bolt thrust in a equal comparison considering the surface is harder than brass?