7mm advice

[WildRose]

I am not worried about the case stretch of this caliber causing a problem. If the initial loading of new brass produced a 3/8" group like the once fired brass does, I wouldn't care if it stretched a mile as long as it didn't seperate, but it produces a 1" inch group instead. That is not acceptable to me for what I am wanting to achieve.

You have unrealistic expectations. You are not going to get the same precision out of new brass that you will from brass that has been fire-formed to your particular chamber regardless of whether or not it's belted.

That is why most of us don't expect much out of the first firing and certainly don't expect the same from first firings as we do once or more fired.

This is why it's a bad ideas to take a load developed for one rifle loaded with brass fired in said rifle and shooting it in another rifle of the same caliber.

 

[FearNoWind]

My son loaned me the 7mm STW that took the trophy you see below.
He says it's a joy to reload and I can tell you it's a joy to shoot. IMO, just go for the STW and never look back.

 

[MudRunner2005]

You have unrealistic expectations. You are not going to get the same precision out of new brass that you will from brass that has been fire-formed to your particular chamber regardless of whether or not it's belted.

That is why most of us don't expect much out of the first firing and certainly don't expect the same from first firings as we do once or more fired.

This is why it's a bad ideas to take a load developed for one rifle loaded with brass fired in said rifle and shooting it in another rifle of the same caliber.

Exactly! Well put Rose.

Some of us however, just happen to get lucky when new brass produces incredible accuracy. Lucky for me, my rifles have so far, however, I still wouldn't trust it enough to attempt to shoot a match with new brass.

 

[bigngreen]

This is a basic reloading issue not a belted case issue, you can enjoy the same problem with anything belt or not. After the first firing just treat it as any other chambering and go of the shoulder and forget it has a belt. Tune your load with fired and resized brass.

 

[stapleen]

You have unrealistic expectations. You are not going to get the same precision out of new brass that you will from brass that has been fire-formed to your particular chamber regardless of whether or not it's belted.

That is why most of us don't expect much out of the first firing and certainly don't expect the same from first firings as we do once or more fired.

This is why it's a bad ideas to take a load developed for one rifle loaded with brass fired in said rifle and shooting it in another rifle of the same caliber.

I would agree with you that it is unrealistic to achieve the same precision out of new brass vs fired brass, however, I am meeting my own personal expectations with other rifles of other calibers. This particular belted mag is the only rifle I own that does not meet my expectations. Would all belted mags not meet my expectations? I don't know. I only have experience with this one. This is the information I am trying to obtain from others who do have this experience.

 

[WildRose]

I would agree with you that it is unrealistic to achieve the same precision out of new brass vs fired brass, however, I am meeting my own personal expectations with other rifles of other calibers. This particular belted mag is the only rifle I own that does not meet my expectations. Would all belted mags not meet my expectations? I don't know. I only have experience with this one. This is the information I am trying to obtain from others who do have this experience.

I've shot and loaded for calibers from .17 Rem to 300Rum, belted and not belted, and gotten acceptable accuracy out of factory ammo or loads on factory brass in a lot of them but never have I gotten as good with new brass or factory as I do with loading brass fired in a given chamber for that chamber from then on.

I'd say you've been very lucky to date and it's got you a little spoiled but then all of us who have done this long enough run into one that seems to shoot no matter what you try to run through it and at least one that never lives up to expectations no matter what you run through it.

Like the others say, the belt is not the issue.

 

[stapleen]

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate the words of wisdom.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've shot and loaded for calibers from .17 Rem to 300Rum, belted and not belted, and gotten acceptable accuracy out of factory ammo or loads on factory brass in a lot of them but never have I gotten as good with new brass or factory as I do with loading brass fired in a given chamber for that chamber from then on.

I'd say you've been very lucky to date and it's got you a little spoiled but then all of us who have done this long enough run into one that seems to shoot no matter what you try to run through it and at least one that never lives up to expectations no matter what you run through it.

Like the others say, the belt is not the issue.

For me my .308 Win is the unicorn. It loves everything I've shot through it from factory loads to handloads. And my .338 Win Mag was the dud that woudln't shoot anything. That barrel is long gone.