Powder recommendations for 7mm rem mag

Joined
Jul 18, 2019
Messages
2,076
I'm watching this thread as I'm going to start loading for a 7mag also. Mine is a 20"barrel and I'm planning on shooting 140gr ttsx or 139gr lrx's. I was luckily enough to find some IMR 4831 this weekend but also have Imr 4350. I know the basics of reloading but I finally got chrono this year now I just need to learn to use it!
My experience is that you’ll find groups open up or tighten up across powder charges. Retumbo was like that for me... first three charges I tried were 1.25 to 2.5”, nearly gave up. Pushed it a little more since I was loading longer COAL and damn they dropped to 0.5” or better.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
1,149
Location
Alaska
What rifle are you shooting that chambers a 7mm Rem Mag with a 20" bbl?
It's a Blaser R8. The barrel comes factory at 25 1/2" I cut it to 20" to run a suppressor. I will be loosing around 150-200fps. But the blaser actions can handle more pressure than most as they are designed to handle up to 338 lapua and 500 Jeff.
Of course just because the action cam halde it doesn't mean the case can.
Either way I'm ok with the loss of some velocity over the ease of not having to carry a rifle with a 33" Barrel.
 

Wingshooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
115
Location
OH
H4350 has been really good for my 7MM it seems to be hard to find as well these days.
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Messages
1,664
Location
Montana
Early on I loaded IMR 4831 hot. I mean flattened primer hot. When I changed to a BAR, I changed to H4350 and got my loads within sanity. I shoot 175 gr bullets and get .5 inch groups. I'm threading bullets through 3 inch gaps in north side jungles at 50 yds.

I have observed that the current population seems to want to shoot little bullets at miles. I just know what my gun likes for my conditions. Test a lot and then buy enough powder in the same lot for consistancy.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2021
Messages
1,463
It's a Blaser R8. The barrel comes factory at 25 1/2" I cut it to 20" to run a suppressor. I will be loosing around 150-200fps. But the blaser actions can handle more pressure than most as they are designed to handle up to 338 lapua and 500 Jeff.
Of course just because the action cam halde it doesn't mean the case can.
Either way I'm ok with the loss of some velocity over the ease of not having to carry a rifle with a 33" Barrel.
Lord, I've messed this up. I deleted a post I thought was in the wrong thread but that post was in this thread. However the poster is clear about what he's doing. Here is his post from this thread. I missed it when I went back through.

The poster explains what I had been asking about the cases, that the case is the weak link.
 
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
2
My friend is working on a Barnes 145gr lrx load, wanted to use rl22 but couldn’t find it other than ridiculous gunbroker scalpers so he’s trying some rl23 I happened to have which is very similar so he worked up with that. He’s was very happy with his starting load velocity and pressure and is going to try shooting groups this weekend. If you can find either it might be a good option.
Just curious, what your friend came up with for a load for the Barnes 145 LRx in the 7 Mag.
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
Funny enough he just emailed me a couple hours ago with his latest test with this. He reported 63.7g at 3025 fps at 64g he started seeing pressure signs.
Interesting. Kind of disappointing with that speed. I'd have guessed 3200 pretty easily.
 
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
542
Interesting. Kind of disappointing with that speed. I'd have guessed 3200 pretty easily.
Yeah I think it was less than he expected too. He tried some 143g hammer hunters that were 36fps slower with 64g with no pressure signs so there’s more to try and wring out of those with that powder. He’s going to try find something else to try with the lrx first though.
 

Gynaroo

FNG
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
47
I’ve used MagPro and Rl23. Rl 23 was great but I hit pressure signs faster then I wanted to. I’m using a 145 Barnes Lrx and love how well they group for my rifle. Christensen arm.
 

Hawgfan

FNG
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
28
IMR4831 and 150gr ELDX shoots tiny groups in my Tikka T3x Superlite 7 mag.
cb0c2e62c002cd980cd4b9e007ba999e.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

kpalu

FNG
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
45
I also ran out of H1000. Switched to RL23 and Hornady's new 150gr CX bullets. Getting 3000 fps out of a 22" barrel with an SD of 1.5 on 5 shots.
 
Top