entoptics
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2018
- Messages
- 846
Got 100 ADG brass for my 7mm Rem Mag, and decided that I was going to fire form them, rather than chase loads with precious components. The ADG is 0.015" shorter than my chamber, and I'm currently using R-P brass with 18,000,000 firings on it, so figured the ADG could be substantially different on first fire than my brass, and potentially require some more tweaking on 2nd go around.
I eyeballed my stash, and have a boatload of CCI250 (I'm a F215M guy), an ancient box of 162 HPBT blems (Hornday), and 3 lbs of IMR4064. These are all things I "never" use.
After searching high and low, I found that the Sierra manual is the sole source for an IMR4064 load in 7mm Mag.
Loaded up a little charge ladder, just to get a decent speed for fire forming, and to ensure I wasn't gonna destroy my new brass. I left the pills seated 0.050" over CBTO to lands, to keep the case head snug against the bolt face, so these require field expedient "bolt handle seating" to the point of whacking the bolt handle a bit to reach the cam over and bolt closing.
As we all know, IMR4064 is an ideal powder for 7mm Rem Mag...
Honestly though, I'm getting 2880 fps and single digit SD with a 162 gr bullet in a 26", so it's not exactly horrible. It's a 3 legged turtle compared to RL26 behind a 175 ELDX at 2965 fps, but still hanging in there. Transonic doesn't show up till 3/4 of a mile...
And accuracy???? Well here's my 200 yd groups...
51.5 gr 4064. 0.79 MOA
52.0, 0.65 MOA
52.5 gr, 0.43 MOA
53.0 gr, 0.65 MOA
52.5 Repeated today with NASTY mirage, 0.56 MOA
This "trash" is shooting better on average than my pet load with a 175 ELDX and RL26. Granted, I'd never use this recipe for hunting (jammed into lands, weak speed, HPBT match bullet), but I now have 85 rounds left of very accurate ammo to play around on steel with, and can save my premium stuff for closer to hunting season. Best part? It's all essentially "FREE", as it's stuff I paid for years ago, and has just been festering on my shelves.
You got lemons? Make some lemonade!
I eyeballed my stash, and have a boatload of CCI250 (I'm a F215M guy), an ancient box of 162 HPBT blems (Hornday), and 3 lbs of IMR4064. These are all things I "never" use.
After searching high and low, I found that the Sierra manual is the sole source for an IMR4064 load in 7mm Mag.
Loaded up a little charge ladder, just to get a decent speed for fire forming, and to ensure I wasn't gonna destroy my new brass. I left the pills seated 0.050" over CBTO to lands, to keep the case head snug against the bolt face, so these require field expedient "bolt handle seating" to the point of whacking the bolt handle a bit to reach the cam over and bolt closing.
As we all know, IMR4064 is an ideal powder for 7mm Rem Mag...
Honestly though, I'm getting 2880 fps and single digit SD with a 162 gr bullet in a 26", so it's not exactly horrible. It's a 3 legged turtle compared to RL26 behind a 175 ELDX at 2965 fps, but still hanging in there. Transonic doesn't show up till 3/4 of a mile...
And accuracy???? Well here's my 200 yd groups...
51.5 gr 4064. 0.79 MOA
52.0, 0.65 MOA
52.5 gr, 0.43 MOA
53.0 gr, 0.65 MOA
52.5 Repeated today with NASTY mirage, 0.56 MOA
This "trash" is shooting better on average than my pet load with a 175 ELDX and RL26. Granted, I'd never use this recipe for hunting (jammed into lands, weak speed, HPBT match bullet), but I now have 85 rounds left of very accurate ammo to play around on steel with, and can save my premium stuff for closer to hunting season. Best part? It's all essentially "FREE", as it's stuff I paid for years ago, and has just been festering on my shelves.
You got lemons? Make some lemonade!
