7mm Int-R

[George Tucker]

Been shooting my 7mm Int-R in my 14" Contender, i really like this Cartridge, always wanted one, glad to finally get one, George.

[Silvertp]

George...welcome to Graybeard.  I can't believe that on your first post you have me stumped as I don't know what the 7mm Int-R cartridge is based on.   I always considered myself a 7mm fan but haven't heard of this one.

But what the hay...Im glad you got it if you wanted one.  Life is too short to shoot boring fire arms.

A little background on the round would be appreciated if you don't mind.

Silvertp

[Keith L]

I had the same question.  The web sez:

"The 7mm International Rimmed was developed as a silhouette cartridge for use in the Thompson Center single shot pistol. It is based on the 30-30 Winchester case necked down to 7mm (.284"), then fire formed to create a 38 degree shoulder angle. It was developed by Elgin Gates in the late 1970s as one of a series of wildcat silhouette cartridges ranging from 25 to 35 caliber for I.H.M.S.A. matches. The 7mm International Rimmed cartridge is similar to the commercial 7-30 Waters except for the sharper shoulder and less body taper. Both are made by necking down the 30-30 Winchester case. The 7mm International Rimmed is popular among handgun silhouette shooters and is a very effective cartridge for this sport."

Sounds fun.

[Hopalong7]

      I've heard about them for quite awhile, but never messed with one.  Sounds a lot like my 7mm/30-30AI which has a little less body taper, slightly shorter body, a little sharper shoulder angle, and a little longer neck than the Waters.
Walt

[George Tucker]

Its also a great Hunting round, very accurate, with good bullets, it will really surprise you how effective it is, iam going Ground Hog hunting soon, will report how it works, George.

[stubshaft]

Shot my first 40 with it over 28 years ago.  It was one of those cartridges that just didn't make it into the mainstream but should have.

[shot1]

In an estate sale of an 1970s & 1980s benchrest shooter that died in the late 1980s that his wife in 2003 got around to putting his guns and loading equipment up for sale my buddy got two weapons in 7-INT-R . This fellow was a wildcat nut. My buddy got a Contender pistol with 7-INT-R 14" barrel and a Rem. 788 rifle that has the mag well blocked so it would be a single shot with some kind of very light target trigger on it. THEY SHOOT. But everything this fellow had shot REALLY WELL. I got a Contender with a 6mm-225 Win 14" barrel and  Ruger 77 with an unknown maker varmint barrel 24" in 30X47 HBR (300 Savage case with the shoulder pushed back 10 thousands but left the same OAL). Another friend got a Ruger #1 with a Heart 26" barrel in some 6mm wildcat made up on 5.6X52mm (Savage high-power) Rimed case. I am pretty sure many years ago that Federal made a special run of 7mm-INT-R match cases.

[csterner]

A 7IR was my first contender barrel.  It is a 7TCU rechamber and is NOT stamped (I've heard that was common). I didn't know it when I bought it, but didn't take long to figure out.  Did a chamber cast and some research and found a good bit of info on the web about it.  It shoots incredibly well.  I like H322 and 120 nosler ballistic tips for hunting deer and antelope.  Got an antelope doe at 200 with it.  I can keep 2" groups with it at 200 meters, and am sure it would do better with more X's.  I only have a 2x scope on it for now.  I'll be saving up for a Burris 3-9 or 2-7 at least if I decide to hunt with it a lot.

For a fun plinker load, I use cheap 120 Hornady SP's or HP's over a mild load of SR4759 (about 17-19 gr if I recall).  This load is fun load to shoot, and is super accurate.  I was ringing the 500 meter gong with it the other year at the club, using the 2x scope and KY windage.  The holdover was a LOT!

[sweetwyominghome]

More years ago than I care to admit, I used a 15" 7mm International Rimmed to take my first handgunned-hog with the 120 grain Hornady SP. I wound up keeping that barrel for many years and only recently parted with it.

I currently shoot a variation of the 7IR in a 20 1/8th" Contender barrel and have done so since around 1997. Called the 7mm Bullberry, it's basically the 7mm International Rimmed with the unnecessarily long neck trimmed back to give a case length of 1.75". It is exceptionally accurate, very efficient and is probably responsible for more animals on the ground than any other firearm I've ever owned (trapline pistol excepted, of course!).

From a ballistic standpoint, there's little difference between the 7 IR, 7mm Bullberry and the 7-30 Waters.

Here are a couple of reasons I really like the 7mm BB (and the other medium-capacity 7mms based on the 30-30 case):

[sweetwyominghome]

shot1 wrote: " I am pretty sure many years ago that Federal made a special run of 7mm-INT-R match cases. "

I have heard the same but have never run across any. I do know that Federal did indeed produce some nickel-plated brass in 7mm International (7mm/.300 Savage), and perhaps that's where the talk of 7IR factory cases originated.

[George Tucker]

Thanks for the pics, George.

[Boomer68]

I have the exact same barrel for my Contender.

[stubshaft]

shot1 wrote: " I am pretty sure many years ago that Federal made a special run of 7mm-INT-R match cases. "

I have heard the same but have never run across any. I do know that Federal did indeed produce some nickel-plated brass in 7mm International (7mm/.300 Savage), and perhaps that's where the talk of 7IR factory cases originated.

Federal made a run of 30/30 basic cases which had a small primer pocket and could be reformed to 7IR.  Like you said they also made the 7mm INT for IHMSA.

[Pine Point]

I bought one of those 7M/M Int R rechambered barrels from IHMSA(Gates)and it looked like the rechamber was done in a drill press.  It was off center and crooked. Try as I might,I could not get that barrel to shoot.  6 yrs ago I borrowed a 7M/M Int R barrel made by MGM and that dandy would shoot. On Gates recommendation,I used .375 Win. brass.

[sweetwyominghome]

There is no real world benefit to using .375 Win brass. Trust me on this one as I've used a ton of brass in feeding 30-30-based wildcats.

The 30-30 brass is designed to operate within a certain pressure range, as is the Contender, making a marraige of the 2 a match made in heaven. I have some 7MM cases now on their 24th firing and still going strong -- that without annealing, I might add.

Federal is the most consistent 30-30 brass out there. Rem and WIn will work fine but will have more discrepancies in the neck area in regards to thickness.

[trex1310]

I remember reloading the 7mmIR for silhouette shooting. If I remember correctly the .375
Winchester brass was tough to resize and generally not worth the trouble. I still have the
T/C barrel I bought from IHMSA. I really don't have a need for it anymore as I quit reloading
due to health reasons.

[SHOOTALL]

George...welcome to Graybeard.  I can't believe that on your first post you have me stumped as I don't know what the 7mm Int-R cartridge is based on.   I always considered myself a 7mm fan but haven't heard of this one.

But what the hay...Im glad you got it if you wanted one.  Life is too short to shoot boring fire arms.

A little background on the round would be appreciated if you don't mind.

Silvertp

It was a round that put out by Elgin Gates of IMHSA fame,  was a good round. The 7X30 waters with aval. brass took some of its thunder . It was to be used in the TC because the 7BR had to much pressure. The 7TCU did all needed and used less powder.

Ever hear of a 7 BC ? comes out of a shop in Culpeper Va. also for the TC and IHMSA .

[SHOOTALL]

As good as 7mm is and i shot 7mm the 6.5 INT. or BC will out preform it IMHO. as a target gun out to 200 meters.