can't miss 7 rem mag load?

[cohunt]

I don't own a belted mag and have never loaded for one but thought the sizing part of it was different then none belted brass. I would read into the proper way of setting up your dies for a belted mag and not just go off the instructions in the die box. Just something I thought of. You have tried two Rifles multiple scopes, and bullets powders so it's got to be something else. There's no way I would think now days you would get two guns in a row with bad barrels.

the way to size for a belted magnum is to not size off the belt but to size off of the shoulder like every other cartridge

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I see that you don't have RL26 on hand, but if you could get enough for a ladder test, you could try my load. Might be worth a shot since your first outing had best results with the LRX. I can get factory Barnes to shoot consistent 3/4, and my hand loads at 1/2.

I couldn't get the ELD-X to shoot, but I have had great luck with Barnes

TTSX 150 and LRX 139. 68.5 Grs. I haven't even messed with seating depth yet, just matched factory lengths.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

No problems with my browning x-bolt eclipse hunter. Not a picky rifle as it eats pretty much any handload at moa of under. I've had very good luck with rl-26 and the 162 eld-m. Also tries the 180 eld-m and they showed great promise with the only group I shot with them just to try was .75 moa.

 

[cohunt]

No problems with my browning x-bolt eclipse hunter. Not a picky rifle as it eats pretty much any handload at moa of under. I've had very good luck with rl-26 and the 162 eld-m. Also tries the 180 eld-m and they showed great promise with the only group I shot with them just to try was .75 moa. View attachment 110735

ever tried the eld-x? Ive head the M is a bit easier to load for, that's why I tried the 165 GC bullet as I figured the sierra might be a bit more forgiving

what are your reloading specs? since your barrel/action should be pretty much the same as mine--brass manu? primer? how are you sizing? trim length? seating length? do you know what the "at lands" measurements are for those eld-m's? --I may try to dup your load to see how it does in my rifle

 

[wildcat455]

First, I don't shoot a 7 Mag, I hope that doesn't disqualify me from trying to help.

I do shoot 2 other belted mags. For sizing just bump shoulder .001" or .002".

How are you cleaning the barrel and what are you using to clean it with?

Personally, I like Boretech products.

I've noticed in "production" hunting rifles, even "lapped" barrels, a tendency to copper foul a little quicker. Usually drops off after a while, but sometimes it doesn't.

That, and your barrel is relatively new?

Also, I've not switched bullets or powder without a complete down to bare metal cleaning.

Have you taken the rifle apart and inspected stock bed and receiver for any indications of high spots, excessive rub marks, etc?

You may want to try lightly loading the barrel in the stock with a folded business card or two. Note whether groups get worse or better.

Also, when it comes to magnums, especially hunting profile barrels, I like to wait until the barrel completely cools between shots.

If the action or barrel is "loading up" in the stock due to heat, and your groups open up, that may indicate some kind of alignment or pressure issue with your barrel/stock or receiver/stock issue.
The point is, within reason your magnum rifle should shoot the same all cold barrel as it does shooting once every 2-3 minutes.

Magnum rifles with light hunting profile barrels typically don't shoot tight groups one shot after the other.

There really isn't a need for that for their designed use, but if they do it's more of a bonus than a requirement.

You are going to need to get off of the PPU Brass I'm afraid. I don't know who makes quality brass for the 7 Mag, but someone should be able to get you going in the right direction.

If you don't find anything, it may just be a picky rifle and you'll have to keep trying to find what it's going to like.

Hope this helps you out somehow. Good luck with your rifle!

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

ever tried the eld-x?

Not in that rifle. The 162 eld-m is a good deer bullet from my experience.

 

[cohunt]

First, I don't shoot a 7 Mag, I hope that doesn't disqualify me from trying to help.

I do shoot 2 other belted mags. For sizing just bump shoulder .001" or .002".

How are you cleaning the barrel and what are you using to clean it with?

Personally, I like Boretech products.

I've noticed in "production" hunting rifles, even "lapped" barrels, a tendency to copper foul a little quicker. Usually drops off after a while, but sometimes it doesn't.

That, and your barrel is relatively new?

Also, I've not switched bullets or powder without a complete down to bare metal cleaning.

Have you taken the rifle apart and inspected stock bed and receiver for any indications of high spots, excessive rub marks, etc?

You may want to try lightly loading the barrel in the stock with a folded business card or two. Note whether groups get worse or better.

Also, when it comes to magnums, especially hunting profile barrels, I like to wait until the barrel completely cools between shots.

If the action or barrel is "loading up" in the stock due to heat, and your groups open up, that may indicate some kind of alignment or pressure issue with your barrel/stock or receiver/stock issue.
The point is, within reason your magnum rifle should shoot the same all cold barrel as it does shooting once every 2-3 minutes.

Magnum rifles with light hunting profile barrels typically don't shoot tight groups one shot after the other.

There really isn't a need for that for their designed use, but if they do it's more of a bonus than a requirement.

You are going to need to get off of the PPU Brass I'm afraid. I don't know who makes quality brass for the 7 Mag, but someone should be able to get you going in the right direction.

If you don't find anything, it may just be a picky rifle and you'll have to keep trying to find what it's going to like.

Hope this helps you out somehow. Good luck with your rifle!

-I'm bumping the shoulder .0015"
-using foaming wipe out with accelerator
-new rifle barrel has just over 100 rounds through it
-not using ppu brass anymore as noted, now using norma brass
-1st rifle had a complete glass bed job done so no high spots, new rifle has factory browning glass bed job on tang and lug, no high spots I can see
-both barrels were not light barrels, both are "heavy sporter" type of profile
-wait 5 minutes between shots
-never tried "loading" the barrel to stock as both barrels are touted as "free float" and check to verify so

 

[dxlbaile]

72 grains of retumbo under the 180 grain Berger Hybrid.. cci magnum primer, try somewhere from in the lands out to .040 off the lands. I shoot Winchester brass and the load has been money in three different guns. .25 accuracy if you do your part.
Before anyone says it, yes they kill game just fine. I shot my rocky mtn big horn with it, elk, barbary sheep, deer, and have had no problems with any.. I trust this gun and load more than any of my others.

 

[HARPERC]

.Is there a "can't miss" load I can try with my 7 rem mag to see if I'm just choosing the wrong components...

....You may want to try lightly loading the barrel in the stock with a folded business card or two. Note whether groups get worse or better......

I don't know about "can't miss, but Hammer has been guaranteeing theirs to shoot.

I get "free floating" but a little fore end pressure helps many. Either as suggested, or strips of tape, add layers until it gets worse then back off.

 

[Telford29]

My custom rifle, with a benchmark barrel 9 twist likes 180s behind retumbo, I shot 160 class Bullets good but not consistent. Started out with h1000 to but too my surprise retumbo was more consistent with the 180s.

 

[pikeman]

My 7 mag likes h4831sc for bullets around 160(gamekings/amax) and h1000 for heavier(175 eld-x).

 

[cohunt]

don't worry guys, I will work up my load and not just go for max here, I have been reloading since 1989--I know the basics and then some, and I'm always ready to lear more

just for reference on this last trip--this rifle does not show any real pressure signs with the charges I tried-- the 69gr of H100 with the 165GC and eldx still had rounded primers, by the time I got to 70.5gr it did have slightly reduced radius primer edges but not bolt or ejector marks on the brass and no even close to hard bolt lift --I'm sure I could have gone up to 71 grains with those bullets in this rifle

I do measure all my bullets with the Hornady OAL gauge to know where the bullets hit lands too--this is a hunting rifle so I'm not keen on jamming bullets into lands so i tend to stay with jumping them

My problem I'm having is on both rifles I can seem to get consistency--I may be able to get a decent load on time, but then it won't repeat the next time--I may see a 1/2 or 3/4" group one time, then it opens up to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" the next time

I thought this x-bolt might be better than the remmy as the first 2 times to the range I had a 3/4" and just over 1" groups with factory ammo--but then I tried the H1000-ladder with the 2 different bullets and I can honestly say that nothing impressed me-- the only one that might have a chance would be the 69.0 of H1000 with the 162 eldx--printed just barely over an inch--but it was an ugly group-- 2 here, 2 here, 1 there

I can usually tel when a group can be fine tuned by trying different seating depths, primers, neck tension etc--this one doesn't look too promising

maybe it's just me?

 

[TG-5150]

So all your other guns shoot well, the two 7 mags are not. I Amy have missed it in the reading but didn't read anything about bases, mounts, rings or scope. Was curious if you shared any of the old optics/components with the new rifle.
I got rid of a rifle for accuracy problems a few years ago and put the same scope on a new rifle. Same problem led to having the scope checked by manufacturer, it was the scope.

 

[cohunt]

not a scope or ring problem-- already tried different scopes and rings

what about concentricity/run-out? Ive never check mine with a gauge, is it worth it or a whole nother rat hole to run down that wastes time? --I use the "self-centering redding bushing dies with the bushing set to "float" on the neck and it only resizes about 80& of the neck, should that be sufficient?