7mM REM.MAG POWDER&PRIMERS

[wind drift]

I bought a 7mag. going to load up some 180vld just wondering what types of powder&primers are the best to use with this combo.THANKS

[Lloyd Smale]

dont know what 180vld means?

[wind drift]

BERGERS.

[HL]

I personally don't know about 180's, but you will need to use a pretty slow burning powder.

Accuracy may not be the best with 180's and velocity will suffer accordingly. IMO, the optimum weight for the 7mag is 160gr and 150gr bullets.

I do know then I used 175gr bullets, accuracy was not anywhere near as good as with 160's, which I use IMR 4831.

[wind drift]

HL thanks for the info. i will be trying both weights ber.180 and the accubond 160s i like the plastic tip on the accubond because i am using the 700ADL that has the blind mag. helps not to mess up the tip,plus its a great bullet.THANKS

[shot1]

I would give Retumbo a try for those heavy bullets. Back when I was loading for the 7 Rem mag H-4831 and AA 3100 was really the best that I used. AA 3100 and 154 Hornady SP worked best on deer for me.  Retumbo really makes my 264 Win mag sing a pretty tune with 130 accubonds. I have a 27 3/4" barrel and I get 3350 fps average and 1/2 MOA accuracy. Last year I shot four deer with the combo from 98 to 275 yards and all were one shot dropped in their tracks kills.  I like that Accubond bullet.

[PawPaw]

I do't know about the heavy bullets, but my son's 7mm mag responds well to a max charge of IMR 4831 and CCI Large Rifle Magnum primers with the 140 Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet.

[Siskiyou]

This spring I did a fair amount of shooting with my 7MM Remington Magnum with a 24-inch barrel over the Chrony.

The first loads I fired used Surplus 4831 which is now called H4831.  In my old manual this was a middle load.  I used VIHT Magnum primers.  The bullet was the Speer 160-grain Mag-Tip.  Velocity was 3000 fps.  Accuracy was ¾ at 100 yards.

# 2 Speer 160-grains Splitzer, charge of AA8700, average velocity of 3007 fps.  Winchester Magnum Primers.  This load is not as accurate as the 160-grain Mag-Tip load.  But the down side to the Mag-Tip is it is a ballistic brick compared to the Splitzer.


The 160 Splitzer at 100 yards.  Note the low round was from a 6 o'clock hold.  Held on orange dot for other rounds.

I have used Remington 9 ½ M primers with this load, and like them.  I currently have 100 loads in nickel cases set aside primed with the 9 ½ M.

I loaded a bunch of rounds using the Hornady 175 grain and the Remington C-L 175 grain.  Both are accurate.  They are as accurate if not more accurate than the 160-grain Speer Splitzer.    I used a just below maximum charged “for my rifle” of AA8700. I used the Winchester Magnum primers this time around but have used the VIHT and Remington Magnum primers.  

Average Velocity: 2841 fps

Handloading for this rifle has been a must.  I have not been able to get the accuracy I wanted of Remington, Winchester, and Federal 7MM Magnum ammunition.  Of course they offer a lot of loads over what was offered in the years ago.  I have a few boxes of factory ammunition which I use as brass donors.  I am thinking about pulling bullets, dumping powder and starting over with H4831.

I bought a bunch of PMC 160-grain factory ammunition at a good price for donor brass.  But after testing it at the range and just might do for emergency hunting ammunition.

  

Average velocity 2847 fps

Back in the good old days I bought a large box of bulk 175-grain Remington C-L bullets.  I think they are a little tough for deer, but if that was my option I would be pleased.  I prefer the 160-grain Spitzers for that rare long shot.  

I have loaded the Speer 145-grain Splitzer using H4831 primed by VIHT Magnum primers.  As a guy who was raised on a 270 Winchester I was very impressed with this loading but it is rather explosive on deer.  In fact Speer now recommends it for antelope and smaller game animals.  This recommendation does not affect the Grand Slam bullet.

If I was going to buy powder for the 7 Mag this morning I would look at RL25 or H1000.

[Lloyd Smale]

Probably my favorite 7mm bullet in the 280 and the 7mag is the 145 grand slam speer. Its light enough to shoot flat and holds together real well at high velocity and still opens up on the long shots. I would give the 140 partition my second recomendation. I dont have much use for bullets heavier then 150 in the 7mag as if i need more gun then a 7mag with 150s i use a 300 mag. Whitetail deer season sees me mostly armed with revolvers and my main use for rifles is crop damage shooting deer. A shot under 200 yards is very rare doing crop damage and many shots are between 300-400 and some even a bit further. The best knock them in the dirt 7mag load ive used uses 140 siearrs and nos 140 bts but i would guess that under 200 yards they would be a bit destructive for a guy that only gets one deer a year and is conserned about meat loss. But i wouldnt be afraid to hunt anything in north america with a 145 gs or a 140-150 partition. My favorite powder in the 7mag is probably re19 but 4831sc, re22 and 7828 all work well too. For lighting off big charges of powder in big cases my favorite primer has allways been federal match mags. For the heavy for caliber bullets your using i would consider re22 7828 or h1000. I personaly just cant see a use for premium bullets that heavy in the 7mag unless your trying to shoot through the shoulders of a cape buffalo.

[gwindrider1]

For bullet weights above 160 grns., IMR 7828 has worked best for me.  Best of luck!

[wncchester]

"7mag. going to load up some 180vld just wondering what types of powder&primers are the best to use with this combo."

Any common loading manual will show the best performing powders for any cartridge and bullet weight, they have already done the hard part for you.

[Lloyd Smale]

you will get your best luck using those heavy for caliber bullets with powders like re22 re25 7828 h1000 and retumbo.

[wind drift]

Thanks Lloyd Smale i will be going to cabelas this weekend to pick up some retumbofor the 7mag. and some varget for the 223 and my 308.Once again thanks for the info.