I am in the process of stocking up on components for a 7mmWSM,I should have it back from my smith in a couple of months(he's building it off a 300winmag savage 110 action.).I am planning on shooting either a 162gr. Amax,or 180 berger,it just depends on wich one shoots better.I will be working with "warm" loads,not dangerously hot,but I will be trying to get as much velocity as I can get,safely.I am not looking for exact numbers on case life,just a ballpark # so I know how many cases to get for the next few years.
How much case life can I expect to get out of a 7mmWSM?
- Thread starter KQguy
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geargrinder
Well-Known Member
Sorry, no answer for your question.
I'm in the process of a similar build on my 300win Savage 112. Just sold the stainless fluted barrel and about to send off the money for my barrel.
What barrel, twist, length are you going with? Nut or nutless?
I'm getting a 28" Shilen Select Match 8" twist varmint taper. I'll be shooting the Berger 180 and 168's.
JeffVN
Well-Known Member
I'm running a long-throated 7WSM currently (180 Bergers loaded Base to Ogive 2.436"), with moderate to warm, but not hot loads, running roughly 2,940 fps from a 28" Kreiger. I use my cases in 200-300 case lots. I anneal every 3 firings, and toss them after about 9 firings, as they started to show (1 case in 10 or so from the lot) some ghosting on the outside of the case that looked like the early onset of casehead separation. The primer pockets were still tight when they were tossed into my brass bin for recycling. I didn't take the time to verify if it was impending case separation, as I purchased a huge amount of brass at the start of my project (1,500 cases) and have plenty to last me for at least 5 to 10 years of shooting my various 7WSMs (I have 2) in F-Class competition and shooting steel targets.
JeffVN
JeffVN
Jeff,
Have you considered fire forming the rest of your cases when you decide it's time to put a new barrell on?I currently have 900 pieces of virgin brass(I am debating on getting more),but I think when I lose accuracy with my existing barrell,I will fire form the rest of my brass before I swap it out with a new barrell.That would save alot of wear and tear on a new barrell.I figure I would get a bunch of cheap bullets,misc. powder laying around,and go out and have some fun!
Have you considered fire forming the rest of your cases when you decide it's time to put a new barrell on?I currently have 900 pieces of virgin brass(I am debating on getting more),but I think when I lose accuracy with my existing barrell,I will fire form the rest of my brass before I swap it out with a new barrell.That would save alot of wear and tear on a new barrell.I figure I would get a bunch of cheap bullets,misc. powder laying around,and go out and have some fun!
JeffVN
Well-Known Member
no I've not considered that. I do not feel the need to fireform cases before I use them for the first time in competiton. My virgin brass shoots as good as my formed brass. Before I load it I expand the neck and then use a neck-bushing die to neck it down to the normal 0.002 neck tension. The accuracy is the same, if not a hair better with virgin brass as it is for the formed brass. Were this an Improved form of case, e.g. 243AI, then I would form with a diifferent load before I use it on the line. But with 7WSM, 260, and .308, all I do is expand the necks, to control the neck tensioin.
Jeffvn
Jeffvn
loaders_loft
Well-Known Member
so far I've loaded my brass up to 4 times without losing any brass. My loads are typically 1-2 grain under max. I full length resize each time. I expect the brass to need annealing soon.
There are enough 7 wsm shooters out there, I don't expect brass to go out of production any time soon. Anyway, my barrel will likely be gone before the brass supply runs out, and then I could always switch to something else, like a 7mm-300wsm and neck down.
For me, the more interesting question is, "how many rounds can one expect to get out of a 7 wsm barrel?" Mine is a pac-nor button rifled, stainless super - match...
There are enough 7 wsm shooters out there, I don't expect brass to go out of production any time soon. Anyway, my barrel will likely be gone before the brass supply runs out, and then I could always switch to something else, like a 7mm-300wsm and neck down.
For me, the more interesting question is, "how many rounds can one expect to get out of a 7 wsm barrel?" Mine is a pac-nor button rifled, stainless super - match...
7mmSendaro
Well-Known Member
I have Winchester brass with 7 firings that still looks fine, primer pockets still tight. I would call my loads moderately warm
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