Author Topic: best powder for 7 Mag (Read 2423 times)

smith85619 · « **on:** January 22, 2011, 05:49:14 AM »

I was wondering which powder have you guys had the best luck with. I will be loading for a Rem 700 BDL in 7mm Mag. I plan on using either the 139gr hornady or 140gr nosler accubond. any suggestions?

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:01:19 AM »

My youngun had good results with H4831.

HWD

shot1 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:37:26 AM »

One of the 4831's has always worked well. I had my best accuracy and great velocity with about any bullet weight in the 7mm Rem mag I had once with Accurate 3100 but I understand that they have now discontinued making it.

A little thing I learned about the 7mm Rem mag is that when using it on game in the 100 to 175 pound range, (deer type critters) if you use the light 140 gr class bullets and if the game is to be shot under 200 yards it is best to not push them to max velocity. If you slow them down to a max of 2900 fps they kill them in their tracks much better. If the bullet is going max velocity 3100 to 3200 fps they tend to want to run off a ways before they go down. If you are shooting this size game over 200 yards then crank them up to max velocity because they will slow down to the velocity that kills better by the time they get beyond 200 yards.

kynardsj · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:43:13 AM »

A friend of mine has always relied on H4350 behind a 139 Hornady.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:47:16 AM »

I have some 139-grain bullets on hand for the 7MM Remington Magnum and will load them one of these days. After consulting the Hornady Manual it appears that MagPro and WMR produce the highest acceptable velocity. Admittedly the lightest bullet I have loaded for the rifle is the 145-grain Speer Hot-Cor with H4831. I backed off from that bullet after Speer recommend the use of the light bullet only for small body deer and antelope. I did my testing before I had a Chrony but I thought the combination better than the 130-grain bullets I was using at the time in the 270 Winchester. (1979)

I have WMR on hand but I would reserve it for the 270 and buy Mag Pro for the 7mm Remington Magnum.

Based on muzzle velocity one would think the 139-grain bullet would be ideal for long range but after running a comparison using Infinity Six with a muzzle velocity of 3200 fps it falls behind the 160-grain Nosler Accu Bond a known 3007 fps at 300-yards and the 160-grain Speer Splitzer around 375-yards.

When I turn to my 7MM Remington Magnum I want a load that exceeds my light weight 270 Winchesters. There is a lot to be said for lighter weight and less muzzle blast out in the woods. When I compare the performance of the recently purchased Hornady 130-grain SST bullets from the 270 Winchester at 3050 fps compared to the 139-grain bullet from the 7MM Magnum at 3200 fps the 139-grain drops below the SST at 217 yards, and the energy falls below the SST at approximately 343-yards.

At close range my concern would be the rag doll effect of a light bullet at high velocity.

IMO the 154-grain Hornady or the different 160-grain bullets would be a better choice in the 7 Remington Magnum. A friend of mine has taken many deer using his 7 Magnum loaded with factory 150-grain CL. From the damage they do on small deer I would go for a slightly heavier bullet in standard cup and lead core bullets. The 139-grain bonded bullet might be a good choice.

I had a few boxes of 140-grain WW bullets labeled for Magnum. I traded them to my brother for 160-grain Speers. We felt the 140-grain was a good choice for his 7MM-08.

carbineman · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2011, 12:28:45 PM »

If you have any H870 or WC872 milsurp, for a practise round you can fill the case up, it will be 78-79 grains and then seat a 140 grain bullet (compressed load) for paper punching. Somewhat under pressure but no problems and real accurate in the two 7mag rifles I loaded it for.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2011, 12:32:22 PM »

I have had great accuracy results with max charges of RL-19 with 140's.

Cheese

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:11:32 AM »

my two favorites are 4831sc and re19

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2011, 08:29:56 AM »

The old time shooters in my area liked H4831..the old Horn. book gave loads up to 3400fps. with 139's' and that powder..my pal loves 7 mags..he uses I4350 almost exclusively...my old 7mm gave average speed with both of those, but really loves Re.22, with a 140 grain BTBT, it will kick along at just over 3400 fps. I seldom shoot it much anymore at the barrel is pretty well worn..but it is a good shooter and has taken a ton of game over the years...for me the load of Re.22 far outdistanced other powders...

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #9 on:** January 23, 2011, 08:24:03 PM »

Don't forget IMR 7828, but then while your at it just set down with a number of good reloading manuals and see what they say for your chosen bullet wt.

You find much of the above info echoed in those publications.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

smith85619 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:07:46 PM »

thanks for the replies guys, I have been shooting 154gr Hornady Interbond factory ammo in it and have been very impressed with this bullet weight. I have killed two deer with this bullet and could not be happier with the performance (the 8pt I killed was at 300yards). I may change my bullet choice to the 154gr Hornady or the 160gr Nosler Accubond. I want to make a hunting round that will be effective at 70 yards or 350 yards.

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:36:28 PM »

Smith85619,

Don't forget to look at the 160gr Nosler Partition.

The longest shot I have ever taken at a game animal was done with a 7mag in the Snake River Breaks of Washington.

Has to be back in the early 70s.

Ruger #1, 7mag w 4X12 Redfield. The scope that had the built in rangefinder you could see in lower part of the scope and adjusted by the power setting.

Shooting from one side of a canyon to the other, laying down over my pack frame and bag.

500yds or a touch over. Held about 14" over the mule deer buck's back and he just fell over a moment after the trigger pull.

The New Nosler accubond just might range out a bit better then the partition, but the 160 partition is one very good bullet from a 7mm.

Won't and never have done that again. A 300 yd shot is a long one for most of us, even under good conditions.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

shot1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:22:27 AM »

My buddy does a lot of reloading for people. The number one bullet for deer that is requested is the 154 Hornady interlock SP. It was the best deer killer when I used a 7 mag.

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:34:07 AM »

The Hornady Interlock is a big step ahead of the old cup and core Hornady, which was the reason I first started using the Nosler Partition back in the 60s.

In fact, I have a number of boxes of Interlocks sitting on my loading bench in .243, 270 & .30cal ------------------

However, no matter how good the Interlock may be, and I have seem some take a beating and hold together, when push comes to shove they are not in the same league as the Nosler Partition, the Swift A-frame or some of the new generation of bonded bullets.

Yes, they will put down deer rapidly in almost all cases, but then so will the Speer BT which a VERY soft cup and core type. This is also true with many other older and or cheaper bullets designs.

But when the premimum bullets pay off, or pull the fat out of the fire, is when things get tough for whatever reason.

If you hunt long enough, a shot will turn bad/tough on you at some point, and that is when bullet quality of the Nosler Partition level just may save the day.

I've seen it happen, and they are cheap insurance, especially when all other cost factors of a hunting trip are factored in.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

deerandduck · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:40:50 AM »

In my Tikka 7mag, I use a 160 Nos Accubond on top of RL22. Forgot the exact charge but its not max. This load seems real accurate, but only killed one deer with it. Just not enought time in the woods. I had a load for 175 gr Nos partitions but it penciled thru a nice buck one day, with no expansion. I finally found the deer the next day.
Best of luck,
Deerandduck

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:59:48 AM »

A Nosler Partition, "penciled through" is, by design very unusual.

Even at low velocities they are designed to open up rapidly.

I am sure the velocity was getting pretty low, when compared with muzzle velocity, on the 500yd shot I recounted a couple posts back, but even then it was bang/flop with the 160gr partition.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2011, 03:17:47 PM »

Darrell, your exp. with the Nosler Part. mirror mine...we have shot small Tx. bucks with the 180 and 200 grain Nosler and had excellent results...While I shoot lots of BTBT and some Serria when only whitetails are on the menu, if I had to shoot all my big game with only one bullet, it would be the Part..

old06 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:22:15 PM »

Well this will echo some of the above input 154 grain Hornady with IMR 7828 pushing and a federal 215 starting things rolling the longest shot I have with that load is 368 yd and closest is 101 yd . Oh in a Savage 110 rifle with a Lupe 4 x 12 vxII

crawford769 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 29, 2011, 03:41:23 AM »

what shoots best in my encore is a 140gr nos bt at 3050fps in front of H1000. an accubond might shoot the same.

cybin · « **Reply #19 on:** January 29, 2011, 05:37:39 PM »

The most accurate out of my 7 mag is a 160 grain boattail sitting on top of IMR 4895 pushing about 3000--works for me.

cybin

TXSPIKE · « **Reply #20 on:** January 30, 2011, 01:27:30 AM »

My load for the 139-140gr bullets is 69.5grs of either Win. WXR or Reloader-22.It gives me 3200fps out of my rifle and really tight groups.