Complete Reloading Newby, Advice for 7mm loads

[walters900]

I have never handloaded/reloaded before. So, I know very little about the finer points of this art. So I am looking for some advice concerning a load work up for 7mm Rem Mag. The gun is Remington 700 Long Range, pretty much everything on it is stock, I do intend to do much work to it in the future, re-barrel, truing the action, etc. The barrel is only 1 in 9.5 twist, so it won't stabilize the heavier bullets, another point for rebarreling it in the future.

However right now I'm trying to build a load and I'm looking for some advice.

I have 140gr Nosler Accubonds, 160gr Nosler Accubonds, 150gr Nosler Accubonds Long Range, and 162gr Amax. I have RL 19 and RL 25 powders.

If anyone has suggestions for loads out of these components (or others not listed, particularly powders) I would really appreciate the advice, at least as a place to start or consider. Thanks for the assistance.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Do you have a reloading manual?

Steve

 

[roninflag]

I have had loaded for several rem 700 long rnage and senderos. I use re-26 and 140 berger, wlrm and nosler brass

 

[Barrelnut]

Here's where you need to go. It's the Nosler reloader online guide. they have loads for your bullets and powders. Good luck.
https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/7mm-remington-magnum/

 

[LaHunter]

I would recommend getting a least a couple manuals. I like Nosler and Sierra. I think the Sierra website discusses the various steps involved in reloading that would be time well spent. Hornady has some good information also.
I have a M700 7 mm rem mag with a 9.5 twist 26" Krieger barrel. I get excellent accuracy (.25 moa on good days) with the 160 grain Accubonds with IMR 7828 (regular cut). I am actually a tad over what the manuals list as max, but I worked up to it in a gradual, systematic way and I have never had any signs of pressure. I'm getting a little better than 3100 fps mv.
I tried really hard to get my rifle to shoot the 150 and 168 Accubond Long Range bullets, but groups were never better than .75 moa and they were very erratic, so I gave up. The Accubonds are hammers on game and pretty forgiving on seating depth.
In reality, the 'long range / vld' type bullets really don't begin to show their ballistic advantages over Accubond type / conventional bullets until you get out in the 500 yards +/- range, so that is something to consider.

 

[walters900]

Do you have a reloading manual?

Steve

I have an electronic version of Hornady's reloading handbook, but that's it.

 

[walters900]

I have had loaded for several rem 700 long rnage and senderos. I use re-26 and 140 berger, wlrm and nosler brass

What accuracy and speeds were you able to get out of them? Thanks

 

[walters900]

Thanks guys for all the replies so far. I understand that there will be a bit of a learning curve and the only way through that will be by experience. Still I like seeking advice before simply jumping into something and learning everything the hard way.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Get a manual and read it. Don't just go to dumping powder and seating bullets. Or see if you can find someone that loads and go work with them.

Steve

 

[walters900]

Get a manual and read it. Don't just go to dumping powder and seating bullets. Or see if you can find someone that loads and go work with them.


Steve

Will do, I just placed an order for Nosler's reloading guide. I will be working with someone from work who has a lot more experience reloading than me, it's actually his press that I'm going to be using, i don't really have a good place to set up a press with my current living arrangements.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Get you some brand new Nosler 7mmRM brass. Some Federal 215M primers. A couple pounds of IMR 7828 SSC or IMR 7977, and some Berger 168 VLD's. Do a ladder test powder workup with all the bullets seated 0.015" off the lands.

 

[walters900]

Get you some brand new Nosler 7mmRM brass. Some Federal 215M primers. A couple pounds of IMR 7828 SSC or IMR 7977, and some Berger 168 VLD's. Do a ladder test powder workup with all the bullets seated 0.015" off the lands.

Thanks for the post, I initially looked into getting some Berger 168 VLDs however my barrel doesn't have enough twist to stabilize them (it's only 1 in 9.5"), at least that according to Berger's website. One of the reasons I will eventually re-barrel the rifle, but I'll look at the powders you suggested and I'll try to put a ladder test together with whatever loads I do work up, thanks.

 

[FEENIX]

Thanks guys for all the replies so far. I understand that there will be a bit of a learning curve and the only way through that will be by experience. Still I like seeking advice before simply jumping into something and learning everything the hard way.

There is no substitute for real world experience as you noted. Take your time and enjoy the learning process, you will have better appreciation for it. Having said that there is no substitute for safety ... we all know Murphy does not discriminate ... safety, safety, safety ...

Happy safe reloading, shooting, and hunting.

 

[baldhunter]

Reloader 22 is my go to powder in the 7mag.
140gr bullets - 69.5grs
150gr bullets - 67.5grs
160gr bullets - 66.0grs
175gr bullets - 63.0grs