new 7mm rem mag advice

[brianmark]

Hey fellas, this is my first post on here, been following for quite some time tho.. anyhow..recently I bought a like new remington model 700 sendero 7mm rem mag from a buddy, and I plan to someday stretch its legs out. Currently it is set up with a bushnell elite tactical 4200 6-24x50 with seems like a great scope so far. After a rough 200 yard zero(havent started loading for it yet) I have a little over 42 moa left for elevation with the 20 moa rail. I have a box of sierra matchking 168s I plan to start off load development on it. I know the .488 bc is lacking, but ive had great luck with sierras in the past. My question is, firstly, does this seem like a solid set up to start off the long range game? And the other is about what people are using for powder, etc with either the smk like I am or similar 168s. I know there will be several different opinions about the smk being used on deer but id like to hear what you guys got for me. I love to learn new things about shooting and can tell theres a wealth of knowledge on this forum.

little background on myself since Im new here. My name is Brian, I have been in the us navy for almost 6 years now, stationed in gulfport ms.. im a construction mechanic second class(e5). I do have quite a bit of time under my belt with weapons, I have been a marksmanship coach off and on for a few years so I have the shooting basics down. Im always eager to pick the brains of people with more first hand experience than myself. Thanks in advance and god bless

 

[matemike]

Welcome to the site, Brian. Some web searches will turn up lots of load data for the 7mmRemMag. Seems like many people prefer the Alliant Powders Relaoder 19, 22, and 25 for that cartridge. Others powders that works are IMR 7828 and Hodgdon H1000.

I'm in the middle of working with RL 19, 25, and H1000 for my own 7mmRem load development. Using 168 VLD's though.

BTW I also have a Bushnell Elite 4.5-30X50. It's on a .308 that currently has a broken stock. So it's laid up right now. But you're right, it's not a bad scope. It just leaves a lot to be desired for clarity if zoomed in beyond 20 power. But it's adjustments are repeatable and it holds a zero.

 

[brianmark]

I have heard the same thing about the bushnell scopes not havin the best clarity, but so far from my limited use of it I have no negatives to say in that regard. The scope seems solid and I hope itll stay reliable and give me lots of time behind it. I do have another bushnell tactical scope on my 300 wm thats a 10x40 mil/mil I got off midwayusa.. im hopin over time ill get proficient enough to do some longer range hunting(current goal is 600 yards but im sure itll change as I progress)

 

[LeddSlinger]

Thank you for your service Brian. If it weren't for the Navy we'd all be speaking Japanese right now

You chose a very nice setup for long range. The Sendero is built very well and highly capable of top notch long range accuracy. I don't think you will have any problem reaching out there with the bullets you have on hand. If you find that you need more BC to stretch it a little further, just buy some higher BC bullets and work up a load. But for a deer, I don't think that it will go far with a 168gr of anything from a 7mm Mag hitting it in the right spot.

The scope you have will serve you well also.
I have 4.5-30x50 Bushnell Elite Tactical scope on a 338-375 Ruger and the rifle has NO MUZZLE BRAKE. I push the 250gr Berger VLDs a little under max load at 2925 fps from a 26" Brux barrel. It's about as much recoil as a guy wants to deal with before submitting and installing a brake. That scope has handled that high recoil without one hitch. It gets a hair "milky" past 25X, but it's barely detectable. It's only a 50mm objective and I think I only paid $750 for it, so you gotta cut it a little slack. But 30X is perfectly usable and it tracks/ holds zero like a NightForce. I have no complaints.

 

[brianmark]

Man your rifle sounds likes it a beast..definitely cool tho!

 

[davkrat]

I've had great luck with 150 Etips and 168 Bergers in my brothers 7mag using H4831. I recently put together my own 7mag and am waiting for a day to go to the range and shoot. Got some Bergers loaded with H4350 (a bit fast), H4831 (close to ideal) and Retumbo (bit slow). A power somewhere in that burn range ought to work for you.

 

[Dick Tinsley]

Can't go wrong with the setup you have! Thank You Many Times For You Service! A favorite load of mine for a 7 mm mag is 64grn's-IMR 4350,win brass,cci250 primer,160 Sierra Gameking an 168smk. Havnt seen a 7 mag yet that didn't like that load! Another is 71grns of H-1000, got a old sendero that shoots bugholes with it! Good shooting to you an again, Many Thanks For Your Service!

DT

 

[brianmark]

Thank you guys for the warm welcome and loads to give a try!

 

[brianmark]

So far Im really liking this site! Anyone else with any words of wisdom for me?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Get you some Nosler brass, Berger 168 VLD's, Federal 215 primers. I use IMR 7828 SSC, but have also used Reloder 19, 22, and H1000.

I find 7828 SSC gives me the best velocity and temp stability during the temp swings here in the Alabama winters. If you're originally from Miss. then you know exactly what I'm talking about. It might be 15 degrees one morning, then 30 that afternoon. Then 25 the next morning and 50 that afternoon. Here in Alabama we have some erradic winter temp swings.

My hunting load is: Nosler brass (fire-formed), Berger 168 VLD's, 65.5gr of 7828 SSC, Federal 215M primer, seated to an ideal spec for my rifle.

Warning, 65.5gr of 7828 is a hot load, don't start there, but slowly work your way up to it, starting around 60 grains.

 

[brianmark]

Get you some Nosler brass, Berger 168 VLD's, Federal 215 primers. I use IMR 7828 SSC, but have also used Reloder 19, 22, and H1000.

I find 7828 SSC gives me the best velocity and temp stability during the temp swings here in the Alabama winters. If you're originally from Miss. then you know exactly what I'm talking about. It might be 15 degrees one morning, then 30 that afternoon. Then 25 the next morning and 50 that afternoon. Here in Alabama we have some erradic winter temp swings.

My hunting load is: Nosler brass (fire-formed), Berger 168 VLD's, 65.5gr of 7828 SSC, Federal 215M primer, seated to an ideal spec for my rifle.

Warning, 65.5gr of 7828 is a hot load, don't start there, but slowly work your way up to it, starting around 60 grains.

I am not from ms but I understand those temo swings here. I grew up in northern wi so those temp swings are alot more extreme..I will be doing all my reloading and such in new york where I am going to live after I separate from the navy this fall..I have been looking at the bergers to try down the road, but til I get the hang of things im going to give the 168 smk a run..I dont see the lower bc being a factor for quite some time til I get my long range trigger time and skills up. The vlds do seem like they will eventually be the ticket, but money to buy more stuff isnt an option for the time..got a future sniper on the way in august, so funds are tight for awhile.

 

[LeddSlinger]

Thank you guys for the warm welcome and loads to give a try!

If you really want to get serious about long range shooting where your accuracy remains consistent, here are a few extra pointers. Some of these procedures are very simple to follow, some require some basic gunsmithing knowledge, but ALL will be very beneficial to the performance of your new rifle if they have not already been done to it.

There are many other things a person can do to a rifle, but this should get you started...

1)Make sure your barrel is completely free floating in the stock the entire way to the receiver. I like to fold a dollar bill in half twice and have it clear the whole way.

2)Bed the action and scope bases. I prefer to use Devcon Steel Puddy on the action and Devcon Epoxy or JB Weld on the scope base(s). For release agent, it's hard to beat Kiwi "neutral" color shoe polish.

3) Lap the scope rings. I use a Wheeler scope ring lapping kit. Label each ring as to whether it is front or rear, and which direction each ring was facing when you lapped it. Do not get them mixed up or put on facing backwards.

4) Make sure scope is perfectly leveled to bore and receiver bolt raceways. I use a Wheeler "Professional" scope leveling kit. Not the cheap Wheeler, the "Professional" kit.

5) Get your trigger set down to a nice and crisp 1.5 lbs with no creep or overtravel then test for slam firing by slamming the bolt down as hard as you can to see if the trigger goes off. This should go without saying but, MAKE SURE THE WEAPON IS UNLOADED WHEN SLAM FIRE TESTING

6) Buy good quality dies. If you can't afford Whidden, I would recommend Redding or Forster. I kind of prefer Forster a little more because all of their seater dies have full case support before bullet seating begins. You have to pay a lot of extra money to get that from Redding.

7) Make sure your powder weighing scale is perfectly leveled and you are in a room free from wind or any kind of air movement and try to load the beast dang ammo you possibly can. Treat every piece as if it was the last shot you'll ever take...

8) HAVE A GREAT TIME AND ENJOY!!!

 

[MudRunner2005]

I am not from ms but I understand those temo swings here. I grew up in northern wi so those temp swings are alot more extreme..I will be doing all my reloading and such in new york where I am going to live after I separate from the navy this fall..I have been looking at the bergers to try down the road, but til I get the hang of things im going to give the 168 smk a run..I dont see the lower bc being a factor for quite some time til I get my long range trigger time and skills up. The vlds do seem like they will eventually be the ticket, but money to buy more stuff isnt an option for the time..got a future sniper on the way in august, so funds are tight for awhile.

Thank you for your service. And congrats to you and the missus.

The VLD's work great for hunting from 50 yards and out. All of mine have been 175 yard or farther shots, so I can't verify anything as close as 50. But they way they performed, I wouldn't see why they wouldn't perform great at that close as well. I know I was so impressed with the 168 VLD's on whitetails, that I stopped loading Nosler Accubonds in my hunting loads, on the spot.

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you really want to get serious about long range shooting where your accuracy remains consistent, here are a few extra pointers. Some of these procedures are very simple to follow, some require some basic gunsmithing knowledge, but ALL will be very beneficial to the performance of your new rifle if they have not already been done to it.

There are many other things a person can do to a rifle, but this should get you started...

1)Make sure your barrel is completely free floating in the stock the entire way to the receiver. I like to fold a dollar bill in half twice and have it clear the whole way.

2)Bed the action and scope bases. I prefer to use Devcon Steel Puddy on the action and Devcon Epoxy or JB Weld on the scope base(s). For release agent, it's hard to beat Kiwi "neutral" color shoe polish.

3) Lap the scope rings. I use a Wheeler scope ring lapping kit. Label each ring as to whether it is front or rear, and which direction each ring was facing when you lapped it. Do not get them mixed up or put on facing backwards.

4) Make sure scope is perfectly leveled to bore and receiver bolt raceways. I use a Wheeler "Professional" scope leveling kit. Not the cheap Wheeler, the "Professional" kit.

5) Get your trigger set down to a nice and crisp 1.5 lbs with no creep or overtravel then test for slam firing by slamming the bolt down as hard as you can to see if the trigger goes off. This should go without saying but, MAKE SURE THE WEAPON IS UNLOADED WHEN SLAM FIRE TESTING

6) Buy good quality dies. If you can't afford Whidden, I would recommend Redding or Forster. I kind of prefer Forster a little more because all of their seater dies have full case support before bullet seating begins. You have to pay a lot of extra money to get that from Redding.

7) Make sure your powder weighing scale is perfectly leveled and you are in a room free from wind or any kind of air movement and try to load the beast dang ammo you possibly can. Treat every piece as if it was the last shot you'll ever take...

8) HAVE A GREAT TIME AND ENJOY!!!

This is all stuff I do...except lap the rings. I use a picatinny setup so that is usually not necessary with good quality rings and a good rail, but some still do it.

However, everything else listed are things I do, and it is all good advice to follow.