7-30 Waters Improved

[Whodaheck99]

Is anyone using a 7-30 Waters Improved or a 7mm-30JDJ. Please let me know how it is. Is it a good choose.

[janehal]

don't know about the calibers that you mentioned but I had a 7-30 Waters rechambered to 7 GNR by Reeder Custom Guns and like it very much on deer. Look at their Web site and they will tell you about it....Hal

[cbagman]

Yes.. I have a 7x30JDJ rechamber which I have used since October 2001 and have taked a number of deer with. It is a 14 inch muzzletamer T/C barrel rechambered by JDJ.. I shoot 120 g bullets a lot in it.. One good thing about it is you can fire Factory 7x30 ammo in it.. Sometimes cases are hard to find and shooting factory 7x30 forms them nicely altho the primers back out a bit on the first shot.  Stick to slower powders and seat out the bullets to extend case life. I get flat primers and stretched cases with WW748 but I tend to load at top end.. You can form cases from new or 1x fired 30/30 cases and it is helpful to neck it down with a 7x30 Waters sizing or form die to get fewer rejects.. Size them to just chamber and seat out to the rifling minus .020 inch.. The 40 degree shoulder in the Improved die sometimes crumples your 30/30 case. That is why I use a Trim die in 7x30 Waters.  Have fun.

[chazgin]

I had a 7 X 30 W rechambered to 7 X 444 by Mike Bellm. This round out runs the 7 X 30 W by about 100 - 160 fps in 14" barrel. Very accurate and the brass is not hard to make. Unfortunately, this is a straight wildcat and you cannot fire 7 X 30 W, this is not a concern for me but might be for others.

[flintlock54]

I second the 7 GNR!

Gary Reeder made me custom 20" 7 GNR carbine barrel that is a master piece. Worth every penny. Gary is a class act to do business with. The 7 GNR is a super improved 7-30 waters. I formed formed brass by firing factory 7-30 waters. Gary also told me you can create a 7 mm shoulder on virgin 30-30 brass. While forming brass the barrel shot one hole groups at 100 yards with the fatory 7-30 waters. Reloading is straight forward with the Redding dies that Gary also sells. Just run the formed case into the 7 GNR Redding FL, nothing fancy. I have yet to find a load that this barrel did not like.  The metal has a smooth black matte finish with the Reeder logo and Caliber enlayed with I think is white silver.

[Nate C]

Dittto on the 7GNR.   I sold mine in a fit of stupidity (thought I 'needed' something different.  

Mine started life as a factory AA 7TCU which Gary rechambered to 7GNR for me for ~$70.   Dies were expensive, around $90 if I remember but that was only a one time purchase.    Turnaround was a little under a 4 weeks.   This was about 2 years ago so he might be busier these days.

(Just a small bit of trivia - Gary was the only one of the custom smiths I called who would do a rechamber on an Armor Alloy bbl.)

I also sized unfired 30/30 brass then fireformed with no trouble.   I tried the same thing shooting factory 730 ammo and both worked equally well.

With his supplied data I was able to get just over 2300 fps with a 120g Nosler from a 14" bbl.   Recoil was mild and accuracy was very good.

I think that any of the 7mms on an improved 30/30 case would do well.   I can't speak to the 7/444's as I have never owned one.

Nate C