Need a load for the 7MM Rem Mag

[jim36]

Just acquired a new bbl for the TC Pro Hunter. I have plenty of H4350 and an ample supply of Hornady 154 gr. sst bullets. CAN'T FIND MUCH INFO IN THIS COMBINATION.
Would someone help me out with this combo???    jim   <")))><

[shot1]

My Hodgdon 26 edition manual says start load with 154 gr and H-4350 54.0 grs @ 2612 fps and Max is 58.0 grs at 2727 fps. From my experience with the 7mm Rem mag the 154 Hornady is the best deer killing bullet I found. It also kills deer size game better when it is slowed down to 2600 to 2800 fps muzzle velocity. But for over 300 yard work you need a slower burning powder like H-4831 and I am hearing good things about Retumbo. I know Retumbo really makes my 264 Win mag with 130 gr bullets speedy and accurate. Back when I was working with the 7 Rem mag Accurate 3100 was the powder that I used most of but they have stopped making it now.

[jim36]

Thanks Shot
   I am going to start with the 54 gr and work up from there. Most of my data state the loads with regular large rifle primers. Do you use regular or magnum primers in your loads?
                                        Jim    <")))><

[flashhole]

I've loaded several different powder and bullet combinations for the 7mm Rem Mag but not the ones you listed.  I am one of those people who have good things to say about Retumbo powder.  It works best with heavy bullets but performance is superb.  4831 works well for mid range to light weight bullets.  I've always used Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primers is every 7 RM load, never a standard primer.  That's a long think powder column you are trying to ignite so you want an aggressive primer.

[shot1]

I always used mag primers. Mostly CCI 250 and Fed 215 when loading 7mm Rem mag. 
The rifle that I had was a Rem 700 SS and it was very accurate with almost anything you put in it.  I kept track of how many deer I killed
with it which was 20. I helped do crop damage control on a huge farm in NC where my hunting buddy and I took 100 deer a year. I tried
different weight bullets from 139 gr Hornady through 160 Sierra. The 154 Hornady SP worked best slowed down some for inside 300 yards shots.
The reason that I got rid of the rifle is I could not carry enough flashlight batteries to hunt with it. We did most of our hunting late in the evening.
Most shots were around 30 minutes before dark right up to dark in the bean fields. I can't tell you why or understand it myself. Most of the time
I could place a bullet perfectly in the center of a deers front shoulder and it would jump straight up in the air and mule kick and hit the ground running.
They would run between 75 and 150 yards out of the field. Where we hunted if a deer got out of the field the surrounding area was old cut over.
It is jungle thick with what I call NC concertina wire, green brier, and the deer did not leave a good blood trail and you almost had to step
on one to find it. I can't understand how a deer can have it's vitals turned to mush and still run 150 yards but that was my and my hunting
buddies same experience with the 7mm Rem mag. I traded the 7 mag for a 25-06 just like it and with 117 Sierra bullets at 3000 fps there is
no tracking at all. 99.9% of the time a deer drops in it's tracks. Good luck with your 7 mag but just keep in mind that if you shoot a deer with it
and it runs off and you can't find any blood don't think you missed. Keep looking and go further than you think a deer could possibly go
after taking a good hit.   

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  It is interesting the experiences one hunter has with a certain caliber vs. those of someone else...I have used most of the 7mm's from the 08 thru the STW, but most of my hunting has been with the Rem. Mag.. and the Wea. Mag...Both have given me good clean kills with little tracking on any game...In the Rem. I used a 140 gra. Nosler BTBT and in the Wea. 160 Serria HPBT's....I have had to do little tracking...and those animals I did have to follow it was only a few yards...My wife used the Rem. on much game and I don't remember her having to trail anything...But these rifles were loaded to the max..the Rem. shot a 140 at just around 3400fps. and the Wea. shot a 160 at 3240fps...Now, with my .25-06 I have had some good luck, and some not so hot..once I put 3 100grain Horn. behind an antelope's shoulder that you could cover with the palm of your hand...I was sure I was making good hits...He calmly walked off the ridge and down a long draw..I found him 125 yards later dead as a stone..I have had similar experiences with 24 and 25 caliber rifles at longer ranges..say over 225 yards....While Shot 1 has had excellent luck with his .25-06 putting game down quickly...hard to figure...My last mulie I shot with my 25-06 and 115 grain Nosler BTBT he died quickly...As for the 7mm mag. I don't use my much anymore, but in general I have more faith in it for taking game quickly and clean than I do for my .25-06....but others clearly have not had that experiece...
My favorite 7mm Rem. Mag. loads were built around the 140 grain Nosler and Re 22...I used the Alliant Information to develop the load..My pal is a devoted 7mm mag. fan, and he uses IMR 4350 in most of his 7's..he has maybe half a dozen....he and his son mostly use Nosler BTBT in 140's and 150's....

[Lloyd Smale]

thats odd. I do crop damage shooting too and my buddy  and i will both tell you that out of all the guns we use the 7 mag loaded with 140s is probably the best of the bunch at dumping deer in there tracks. I dont think we ever had to go more then 50 feet to recover a deer properly hit by one.

I always used mag primers. Mostly CCI 250 and Fed 215 when loading 7mm Rem mag. 
The rifle that I had was a Rem 700 SS and it was very accurate with almost anything you put in it.  I kept track of how many deer I killed
with it which was 20. I helped do crop damage control on a huge farm in NC where my hunting buddy and I took 100 deer a year. I tried
different weight bullets from 139 gr Hornady through 160 Sierra. The 154 Hornady SP worked best slowed down some for inside 300 yards shots.
The reason that I got rid of the rifle is I could not carry enough flashlight batteries to hunt with it. We did most of our hunting late in the evening.
Most shots were around 30 minutes before dark right up to dark in the bean fields. I can't tell you why or understand it myself. Most of the time
I could place a bullet perfectly in the center of a deers front shoulder and it would jump straight up in the air and mule kick and hit the ground running.
They would run between 75 and 150 yards out of the field. Where we hunted if a deer got out of the field the surrounding area was old cut over.
It is jungle thick with what I call NC concertina wire, green brier, and the deer did not leave a good blood trail and you almost had to step
on one to find it. I can't understand how a deer can have it's vitals turned to mush and still run 150 yards but that was my and my hunting
buddies same experience with the 7mm Rem mag. I traded the 7 mag for a 25-06 just like it and with 117 Sierra bullets at 3000 fps there is
no tracking at all. 99.9% of the time a deer drops in it's tracks. Good luck with your 7 mag but just keep in mind that if you shoot a deer with it
and it runs off and you can't find any blood don't think you missed. Keep looking and go further than you think a deer could possibly go
after taking a good hit.