Ok so im about to start working up a load for groundhogs, paper punching and maybe deer later. its a 7 wsm based off a rem with a 24 in shilen. 1 in 9 twist. would like it to be pretty good out to 1000 but that will mostly be for groundhogs and paper. deer maybe out to 7-800. the question is what powder should i run for 162-168 grain bullets? i have heard good things about magpro but have never used it and also 4831sc. any luch with the reloader series? also, what bullets do you like. im looking at matchkings probably 168, amax and sst's. thanks, matt
Matt. The 7 WSM is basically a short 7 rem mag and the same powders and bullets work well in both. I have both and always seam to gravitate back to the H 4831 or H4831sc. I used the 168 MKs for 1000 yard matches and 66,5 grs of H 4831 with great success and when I built my first 7 WSM I found that it could use a little more H 4831 sc and get great accuracy so I hunt with the 7 WSM and use 140gr Accubonds for deer size game and 160gr Accubonds for Elk size game. The amax's and Berger bullets shot realy good groups but so did the Accubonds and I like the dependable expansion and penetration of the Accubonds. This past weekend I shot a very large boar Hog (300+)with a 140 gr Accubond in the left side armor and it exited the right side armor with a nice 1.5" exit hole. (The armor was over 1" thick). He never knew what hit him. Try the H4831 sc and I think you will like it. (It is an extreme powder and not very heat sensitive. J E CUSTOM
Don't worry about energy with the 7wsm for deer sized game. I seen a guy from this site harvest a mule deer doe at almost 1300yds with his. RL22, H1000, H4831sc are very popular. I like 168 bergers for my 7wsm Brent
what about rl17? anyone like it for wsm's? i think im gonna go amax for plinkin and g-hogs and 160 accubonds for big stuff.
The Reloader powders are very good and will sometimes out perform other brands but they are more heat/cold sensitive than the extreme powders and will move the point of impact at longer ranges with temperature changes and especially in very hot weather. Where I live we have temperature changes of 50 to 60 degrees in less than an hour and temp sensitive powders can cause havoc with zeros and velocity. I have a pet load that changes from 3010 ft/sec in the winter and goes to 3157 in the summer and becomes to hot to safely use if temperatures are arround 100 degrees. Use what your rifle likes but be aware of the temperature effects to stay out of trouble. J E CUSTOM
so i tried the kirby allen method of making half grain charges to find a max and i got up to 65.5gr of 4831sc without any pressure signs. now i know stated max is 62gr but have seen many people work with 64 without problems. is this normal with a tight chamber and neck? i think im gonna experiment for accuracy arround 63gr. tried 64 but the group was about an inch. the loads the guy gave me with the gun shot much better
