Some 7mm rem mag advice

[distant1]

Guys

After being inspired by this site and the many great long range achievments of the members I decided that I would get started in the game. I havnt kicked off with a big 338 anything yet but thought that it would be best to cut my teeth with a Cal that can do it all without stepping into the woppers right off (I sense i am headed that way though)

I started by having a nice 7mm rem mag put together I have a Rem 700 action an Australian MAB match 26" fluted barrel 1:9 twist, Hs Presision stock , Trigger ,Magazine set, and a nightforce 5.5-22x56
in NF rings and a 20moa base.

I loaded and fired my first 20 rounds today at 100 yards only and was delighted with the performance It shot a one hole 3 shot group and then two five shot groups 3/4 of an inch

I love the 7 mag and I know many of you here are experienced with it , I chronographed my rounds today , they were new Nosler brass 64grns of ADI 2213sc powder and the Sierra 168g
match king the average was 2931 fps.

The book max is 65grns for this powder , at my load of 64 there is no sign of pressure and It looks like I can proceed to creep ahead a little in speed.

Can any of you chip in with a little advice for a newby do you have a pet load or some avice on a top speed I should aim for in the 7 mag , I also have some Berger 168g VLD's on the way I hear and see great things about these bullets.

I am for the best part a deer hunter , Red stags , Rusa Deer , and Chital (Axis deer) some fallow
I have some places here in Australia where you can see for miles and hope to shoot out to 800 yards or so where the opportunity presents.

Guys thanks in advance , I am really pumped at what this rifle did today and Im excited about what I may be able to get out of it yet.

 

[J E Custom]

I have not tried 2213sc but it looks like it is working for you.

You should try bumping up in 1/2 gr increments and watching for the first signs
of pressure. at the first signs back down in 1/10th gr increments for group.

2900ft/sec is a good starting place for 1000 yard shooting and any thing above
that is better as long as it shoots.

Go for the best group for long range hunting/shooting and you can try a similar
style and weight bullet for hunting like the Accubond.

My pet load for shooting 1000yrds is 66.5 grs H 4831sc ,168gr SMK and a Rem 9 1/2
large rifle primer.My barrel was longer and the velocity was 3154 ft/sec .but you
should be able to get around 3100 ft/sec.

Be careful and work up because this load is Max.

J E CUSTOM

 

[AJ Peacock]

Nice shooting and excellent start, the 7RM is my favorite rifle. As far as velocities, I get around 3000 with a 24" barrel and 160gr Nosler Accubond's. I'd say you are good to get a bit more than 3000 with your 168's and your 26" barrel.

If I had to use a single rifle to do it all, it would be a 7mm Rem Mag.

I use RL22 and Rem 9 1/2 primers (not the mag primers, just the straight old Rem large rifle primers).

AJ

 

[distant1]

Hey JE Custom , mate that information is bang on , I am told by the ADI guys that the H-4831 and the AR2213SC I use are the same powder , so we are on the right track there your 66.5grn load a couple of grains higher than my 64 seems to back that up.

Im using CCI magnum primers as well so as you say I will inch ahead steady as it goes and see where we get to.

She is a smoothy to shoot at 2900 thats for sure its like sitting behind my 222 , this thing has really got my blood pumping and as you said AJ i think you could almost do it all with the 7mag I am a big fan.

Before having this one put together I hunted for two years with a sporter 7wsm and it was like the hand of God nothing got away.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Distant, welcome to the site and LRH! I am a recent convert to LR and have and still am learning a great deal here. I have hunted with the 7mm RM mag for years and it performed flawlessy for me. Since last year I have gotten a 300 WSM and 300 RUM Sendero, but that's another story.

I have two 7mm RM's. One is a burned out Ruger and the other, a S&W M1500 (Howa), has been safe queen. I hope towork on it and get some good LR shooting out if it if I dont have to sell it. You might also look into Retumbo. I've read about some good results with Retumbo. I'm planning on experimenting with it maybe later in the year. If you search a little you might find some loads.

Cheers mate, and good shooting,

-MR

 

[kiwi3006]

Welcome to LRH! Your rifle looks like areally good set up.
I also have a 7mm mag with a 26 trueflite barrel 1 -9" twist. I am using ADI2217, federal 215 rimer and federal brass.
I use 73.5 gr 2217 with 162 a-max for 3060 fps and 72.9 gr 2217 with 160 accubond for 3068 fps.

These are not max loads in my rifle, BUT i have a funny feeling that this may be a slow batch of 2217.

Stu.

 

[Sharpstick]

Nice set-up! You might look at the Berger 180 VLD. Their higher BC offsets the slightly lower velocity. It's like getting the extra 12 grains of bullet down range for free when you look at performance way out there.

That said, with groups like that, I'd call it good and spend whatever time you have shooting stuff!

As for moving up to a bigger caliber, I would wait until you find the limits of the 7 mag. In my experience, that limit will be over 1000 yards on game. If you move up in recoil it will be for something new to try and not because you need it. The 7mag is the best balance of performance, recoil, & barrel life in my opinion.

 

[distant1]

Thanks for the welcome guys and the advice

I got onto the Bergers after watching John Porter and John Burns from the best of the west drop everything like a stone with them I mapped them against the SMK with the same starting velocity in the Night force software and the berger turns up over 200fps faster at 800 so the slippery BC of the berger VLD and its game expansion make it look like a good choice.

It sounds like the accubond has a great following as well for LR hunting , the largest animal I will be poking holes in will be our Red stags (a slightly smaller version of your elk but similar model) and our big thick set Javan Rusa deer they both provide plenty of expantion area and are heavily muscled animals.

When John porter comes back from his Griz trip in Alaska (lucky bugger) I am going to organise my 2011 late season elk trip with him at Morning Creek , its a long way from OZ but its on the bucket list and Im ticking them off one shot at a time.

It sounds like you all have a couple of sweet loads with more than one bullet if I am reading things right it looks like the SMK , AMAX and Accubonds get the tick for good hunting bullets.

To just focus on the "In animal performance" for a moment could you give me an idea of your personal experience in the taking of game with traditional shoulder shots ? have you got more "in /outs" than retained in animal performance with one or the other.

I know its the Grail and there will be lots of angles to view it but if I can I would like to settle on one bullet and load then lock it up and spend my time becoming a better marksman with a rifle that I hope to wander the world with.

Thanks you guys are great.

 

[Southernfryedyankee]

Make the rifle yours, custom tailor it to what you LOVE, so that you have 100000% complete confidence in your firearm and you and your rifle are in perfect sync. Learn your trigger, learn to listen for the slightest most minute little clicks of the trigger, the smallest drop of resistance of the trigger before the rifle fires and you WILL learn how to apply JUUUST enough pressure to the trigger before the rifle fires in that you can place the crosshairs EXACTLY where you want perfectly and your next thought alone of firing the weapon will be what sends the bullet down to what you are aiming at. I hope that made sense. I shoot a 7mag and I love it. Practice dry firing it (some people dry fire and some dont, I do) and do everything I mentioned above and when you stop jumping at the sound of the click you will be 1/4 of the way there gun)

 

[kiwi3006]

If you are only going to go with one bullet I would try the 160 accubond, it has a reasonable BC and excellent performance at all ranges. They do need about 1800 fps to open reliably so use a ballistic program to see what range you retain this velocity out to, it will probably be about 800 yds if you MV is about 3000 fps.

I personally use the 160 accubond inside 350 yds and the 162 a-max past 350 yds. I am lucky enough they shoot to the same point of impact.

Stu.

 

[BH Hunter]

What bipod set are you using?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

All my shots with the 7mm have been boiler room shots with the 160 Partiton. If and when I start loading for the 7 again I will try 150 E-Tips and 160 AB's and pick the best shooter.

 

[distant1]

BH hunter , mate its an Optima , from hunters choice I picked it up in New Zealand I really liked the on off ease of it , have a prone and a sit behind length. But what I liked the most about these is the front to back side to side flexibility and movement they give , it puts no stock torque at all in any shot as you square up on uneven ground , I rate them and like mine very much.