7 mm mag flat base Speer Bullets

W

Wendyj

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Got a good deal on 200 of these. Using in Rem 700. Anybody got a good load for these. Wanting to use on black bear. Maybe 75-100 yards. Been using Reloader 20 but starting low and moving up a little at a time my groups suck. Haven't shot anything in but Nosler boat tails. Do I need to get closer to max loads? Been using IMR 4831 with 140 and 150 Nosler bt's. 150s are silver tips. Either do great with IMR 4831 at 62-63 grains. Oal seated to fit blind box magazine. No magic load I know!!!! Just checking to see if the experts have had any luck with these.
 
*I got a great deal 160 pounds of soft point flat base .458 bullets, and in 11 years, I have yet to shoot one of them.
*But those 140 gr Nos Bal tip 7mm bullets.... I have a number of rifles eating those bullets like candy.
*All this hoarding looks stupid, until there is a shortage.
 
Clark, I have to agree with you. My Remington 700 thinks the 140 Noslers are candy. Under 62 grains of IMR 4831 they punch 3 shots under a dime every time. The 150 Nosler combined technology comes close but I think .3 grains up or down will get the same from them. My Noslers seem to hate the Reloader 22. I've tried every load possible and 1 inch plus is best I can do. I bought 200 of the Speers for less than $50.00 and thought I would fool round with the Reloader 22 powder and work until I got a decent group. The bullets get great reviews. My 9.25 twist may not like them. So far best group I've got is 2.8 at 100 yards. Maybe good enough for factory or someone that doesn't care if any tighter but I would like to at least drop these to .75. The rifle shoots better than I do. Older 3 screw trigger set at 3.5 lbs. topped off with Nightforce rings and 4x14x56 Nightforce SHV scope. Old Tikka Hunter I had years ago eat 165s just like this one does the 140s. I'm doing something wrong and can't figure it out.
 
Load for the weight. Who made it or the construction doesn't matter.
I'd re-think a 7mm Mag for black bear. Not that it won't kill 'em. Just far too much cartridge. Yogi isn't armoured.
 
It's just my hunting rifle I've been using for 20 years. I would be lost without it. Watched black bear drop to a 30-30. This is just what I'm accustomed to using.
 
Wendy, that Reloader 22 is a slow powder. Therefore, it does better in heavier for caliber bullets and heavy bullets in bottle neck cartridges that shoot heavy bullets. I'd move up in bullet weight to get optimum burn to stabilize pressure. Your lack of accuracy with this load is due to inconsistent pressure with the R22. I realize that you are probably trying to use what you have. But, if you want to know you are getting the best out R22 and any bullet for the 7 MM, get a 160 gn. or better bullet. Looking at Alliant's Reloaders guide will verify this for you as it passes R19 in velocity between 145 and 165 grain bullets in the 7MM. And, widens the gap as bullet weigh increases.

I'd shelve the R22 powder till I acquired a 160 grain or heavier bullet or, got more IMR 4831. Heavier powder charges in R22 will likely be even worse in accuracy. BTW, those Speer Bullets will do great on bear. God Bless

Edit: I just now saw where you said they were 160 grain bullets. Move up in weight. Accuracy will increase with R22.
 
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Happened on a load of 51 grains of 4064 under the 160 grain. Barely filled case 3/4 full. Haven't been to range yet but 6 inc wet phone book and wet Ga clay I never found the bullet. Went in phone book bullet size came out like a baseball. Dug for 20 minutes but started raining again. Wanted to see how bullet opened up.
 
Speer Flat Base

Wendy;
I've been using [one] load only for the Speer 160 FB since '76:

IMR 4831/64.8gr/Rem case/Rem 9 1/2 M primer/.020" off the lands-- which, in my Ruger, 77 is 3.265".

You'll have to adjust the OAL to whatever .020" will establish in your rifle, and work up to it.

This load came straight from the Sierra manual as I first used their 160gr
bullet and switched to the Speer bullet when the Sierras ran out, so I use both with the same data.

In my Ruger, they went into the bottom of a soda can at a measured 440 yds. and 1.68" on a 440yd.target.
Perhaps not now with me shooting and my failing eyesight, but the accuracy is still there.

It's a heavier load than what you've been using under your 140gr loads,
but it's what the book called for, and what I have been using for almost 40 yrs.

The ONLY loads more accurate in this rifle are the Sierra 140gr FB with 66.4gr IMR 4831 in the same components at 3.290" OAL (.156" C-C @ 100 yds.) and 1.455" at the same measured 440yds. through a 3-9X40 Bushnell Banner w/ BDC set at 415 yds.+/- on the turret, and I had no control over the wind. Another shooter fired the same avg. group on the same day/time with the same rifle.

The other load was/is the Nosler 120 B'Tip...Same components but I won't list the charge; Although it did chrono 3487 avg. in '92 over my OEHLER 35P screens @ 12'.....Did Massive damage at 247yds. on a 188lb.(field dressed) Whitetail.....My limit to shoot at an animal is 250 yds. Don't care about cans, but live animals are another matter.

Well, sorry I went off on another digression,, But it is what it was.

TOODLES;

WILL.
 
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Hey Will. That's great. IMR 4831 is my go to powder for the 7 mag. I've just been trying to use this pound of Reloader 22 up. It's not done me very good so far. About like the Reloader 15 in 308. I get best with IMR 3031. I guess Alliant and I can't get the math together.
 
Alliant data says 65gr is max charge for Re22 and a 160 Speer Spitzer flat base. Reducing 10% gives a 58.5gr starting charge.

Reloader 22 has been known to produce very good accuracy in 6.5x55 Swede with 140gr bullets, but at lower operating pressures than is generally associated with the 7mm Rem Mag.

I think that trying out different primers might be the best bet to ensuring a consistent ignition leading to good accuracy. I would try comparing Fed, Win, and CCI 250s to see how group size is affected.

Jimro
 
Thanks Jimro. I use Remington 91/2 mag primers and cci mag primers. Haven't found any Winchester primers except plain rifle for my 308. I've been experimenting in the 308 with the winchesters and cci 200 and br2. Br2 doing best right now. Started reloading in April and it took until 2 weeks ago to find the br2s. Been using Federal, Hornady and Remington brass in the magnum. I'm going to check the lands and try them a tad longer. I've just been seating for magazine.
 
Wendy,

I'm surprised you've had such poor luck with Reloder 22 in the 7mm Rem Mag (if that is the "7mm Mag" we are discussing). Reloder 22 has been my favorite powder in that cartridge. It always seems to give me great results.

I haven't shot the 160g Speer HotCor in mine, but I have shot the 160g Sierra GameKing with great results.

Ruger Mk. II Sporter, 7mm Rem. Mag
160g Sierra GameKing
64.3g Reloder 22
Winchester Brass @ 2.490"
Federal 215 large rifle magnum primer
C.O.A.L. 3.235" (0.015" off the lands)

This load gave me a 1.056" 5 shot group @ 100 yards moving at 3,007 fps. It was very consisent with only a 5 fps maximum spread and a S.D. of 2.074 fps.

But the 160g Speer and Reloder 22 might just be a combo your rifle doesn't like...
 
Wendy,

I have been using 65 grains of RL 22 behind a 160 grain Accubond for several years in both my rifle and several others and always got good groups. I would be surprised if your Speer bullets didn't perform well with that load, but each rifle is and entity unto itself. That is a max load, so start with 60 grains. In reality two inch groups are sufficient for bear inside of 200 yards.
 
I'd re-think a 7mm Mag for black bear. Not that it won't kill 'em. Just far too much cartridge. Yogi isn't armoured.
Click to expand...

Good grief. When did a .28 caliber 160 gr bullet @ 2900-3000 fps become too much for an animal that could easily weigh 500 lbs or more. Granted most are in the 200-300 lb range, but you never know and most people are hoping for the bigger specimens.

In the real world your 7 mag is virtually the same performance wise to a 30-06. Either is about as good an all around North American combo as you'll find. Recoil is virtually the same as 30-06 and it can be loaded with a wide range of bullets suitable for 100 lb whitetails at 50 yards up to moose at 300 yards.

I loaded for 7 mag briefly, have owned several over the years but most before I reloaded. In my rifle I was never able to get good accuracy and decent speed with RL22 either. I ended up trying RL25 and got the results I was looking for with bullets in the 160 gr range. In my rifle it worked better for me.

I've since sold the gun and don't shoot 7 mag anymore. Not that I don't like the round, I do. But I simply had other rifles that I liked better that would do the same thing for me and it became expendable.

Good Luck.
 
Found its powder. It likes the IMR 4831. Little more playing with it and should have it down pat. Didn't change zer because it's holding dead on with 150 grain Nosler ct Silvertips. I've still got 185 of these to fool around with. Will use Reloader 22 for something else.
 
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