7mm Bellm

[daf290]

Are there any TC shooters here that use the 7mm Bellm (444 marlin necked down to 7mm)? I have a 14 inch barrel 7 tcu that I had rechambered to this caliber. I still need to do more load work and shooting to maximize. I have taken three deer with it the last few years but I am having trouble getting it to shoot better than about 2 1/2 inches at 100 yds.

I started with headspace problems but believe that I have solved those. I am using 4895 or 4850 and 120 grain bullets.

Are my results typical or should this shoot better?

[weasel]

I have the 7X307 and the 6X307, for the Contender, and the 6.5X444 for the Encore, I'm guessing yours is 444 cut to 307 length, full length 444 would be too much pressure for a Contender. Don Bower did my work, he and the other guy were friendly competitors. Think JD Jones wildcats are pretty much the same idea.

Your barrel should be capable of better groups, I've done that good @ 500m with all my barrels, not consistantly, but enough to give me hope. Probably the most knowledgeble guy I know on the subject would be Ladobe here, 500m is childs' play for him.

Good Luck, Jim

[chazgin]

I have one of those censored word calibers (7 x 444) and you should be able to get get much better groups at 100yds, closer to 1 inch. Bullet seating depth to find the sweet spot is important here, but you must have your headspace issues resolved or you'll be chasing your tail. The censored word headspace dial indicator tool is a good tool for this. Email me if you need more info.

[Lone Star]

...full length 444 would be too much pressure for a Contender...

Cartridge length has nothing to do with pressure, in fact a full-length .444 case will give lower chamber pressures with the same bullet/velocity as a .307-based case.  Any of the large diameter cases can be loaded to high enough pressures to damage a Contender/G2 frame, but that is a loading problem, not a chambering problem.  The .375JDJ (full-length .444 case) has been used for about 30 years in Contenders without frame damage - if loaded appropriately.

Accuracy can be as much a shooter issue as a barrel or load issue.  How does the OP shoot with other handguns and rifles?  No offense but we all had to learn to shoot small groups with a handgun; bench technique is very important to shooting small groups consistently.  Anyone can shoot one tiny group every once in awhile.....



.

Edited for typo

[Keith L]

I would think the OP would be taking this up with the censored one.