7mm Remington Mag - Found a good light load

FiveInADime · December 7, 2014, 10:15 AM

I had a bunch of 7mm 150gr match kings laying around from when I was loading for a 7mm-08 that I turned into a 6.5mm-08. Well, I also have a push-feed model 70 in 7mm Rem Mag that has been sitting in a closet for several years without a scope. I got this rifle for HS graduation in the late 90's and I've put maybe 400 factory rounds through it over the years everything from cheap stuff to premium hunting loads in all kinds of weights. I've never found a factory load to shoot better than 1.5"-2".

Well I slapped a scope on it, made up a quick batch of test loads from 56.4-60gr (Win case, cci br2, imr-4350, 0.010" off lands) and headed out to the range yesterday.

I used 2 of my starting load rounds to sight in and then I shot the three remaining into about 3/4" (two in one hole). The next step (57gr.) grouped into a nice tidy 1/2" cluster. I was floored! This gun has never shot like that. Well the next couple steps were not spectacular but they were all about 1"-1.25". Towards the end of my workup groups were opened up to 2.5" and at my max of 60gr. it may have been coming back around.

I'm gonna load a pile of rounds at 57 grains and shoot them through a Chrono to see if it will make a good LR plinking load.

57gr

56.4gr

jwrowland77 · December 7, 2014, 10:21 AM

Awesome. I used the 139gr Hornady BTSP using same load of 57gr of IMR 4350. Only bad thing was it performed OK on deer. I ended up doing a new workup and upping the charge. Must be something about that charge. Lol. Mine does same and groups 5-shot groups into single hole as well.

It's nice to find "that" load. Congrats man! That's awesome!

std7mag · December 7, 2014, 10:25 AM

Congrats!!!

When I was doing load testing for the 7mm-08 I found I could get groups to .75" with the 140gr. Nosler BT. (3 shot groups at 169yards. This is distance the range has a berm at, don't know why, just is)
Was load testing for 160gr Sierra GK's. Same distance, and powder from shot to shot was .3gr. different.
Had 5 shot "group" of .72".

Kinda head scratching as to what powder charge to use, (gonna have to redo at a further distance), but have that group cut out, and hanging over the loading bench!!!

FiveInADime · December 7, 2014, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by std7mag

Congrats!!!

When I was doing load testing for the 7mm-08 I found I could get groups to .75" with the 140gr. Nosler BT. (3 shot groups at 169yards. This is distance the range has a berm at, don't know why, just is)
Was load testing for 160gr Sierra GK's. Same distance, and powder from shot to shot was .3gr. different.
Had 5 shot "group" of .72".

Kinda head scratching as to what powder charge to use, (gonna have to redo at a further distance), but have that group cut out, and hanging over the loading bench!!!

I used .6 grain increments on this load work up and for the first four steps they all were at the same elevation relative to the point of aim. I've always gone by 0.01 times max load equals initial load work up increments. Then I fine tune when I find something.

December 7, 2014, 10:15 AM	#1
FiveInADime Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2012 Posts: 607	7mm Remington Mag - Found a good light load I had a bunch of 7mm 150gr match kings laying around from when I was loading for a 7mm-08 that I turned into a 6.5mm-08. Well, I also have a push-feed model 70 in 7mm Rem Mag that has been sitting in a closet for several years without a scope. I got this rifle for HS graduation in the late 90's and I've put maybe 400 factory rounds through it over the years everything from cheap stuff to premium hunting loads in all kinds of weights. I've never found a factory load to shoot better than 1.5"-2". Well I slapped a scope on it, made up a quick batch of test loads from 56.4-60gr (Win case, cci br2, imr-4350, 0.010" off lands) and headed out to the range yesterday. I used 2 of my starting load rounds to sight in and then I shot the three remaining into about 3/4" (two in one hole). The next step (57gr.) grouped into a nice tidy 1/2" cluster. I was floored! This gun has never shot like that. Well the next couple steps were not spectacular but they were all about 1"-1.25". Towards the end of my workup groups were opened up to 2.5" and at my max of 60gr. it may have been coming back around. I'm gonna load a pile of rounds at 57 grains and shoot them through a Chrono to see if it will make a good LR plinking load. 57gr 56.4gr Last edited by FiveInADime; December 7, 2014 at 10:22 AM.

December 7, 2014, 10:21 AM	#2
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	Awesome. I used the 139gr Hornady BTSP using same load of 57gr of IMR 4350. Only bad thing was it performed OK on deer. I ended up doing a new workup and upping the charge. Must be something about that charge. Lol. Mine does same and groups 5-shot groups into single hole as well. It's nice to find "that" load. Congrats man! That's awesome!

December 7, 2014, 10:25 AM	#3
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	Congrats!!! When I was doing load testing for the 7mm-08 I found I could get groups to .75" with the 140gr. Nosler BT. (3 shot groups at 169yards. This is distance the range has a berm at, don't know why, just is) Was load testing for 160gr Sierra GK's. Same distance, and powder from shot to shot was .3gr. different. Had 5 shot "group" of .72". Kinda head scratching as to what powder charge to use, (gonna have to redo at a further distance), but have that group cut out, and hanging over the loading bench!!!