Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Loads for a 7x61Sharpe and Hart

Hello
I recently acquired a Shultz and Larsen chambered in 7x61 S&H with a 12 twist. Would anyone with experience with this cartridge share your favorite load?
Thanks in advance
Mark

Beware of old data; maximum loads and some less than max are often pretty hot. I have a Model 60 with a 12" twist. I have not been able to get good accuracy with heavy bullets.

Best luck has been with the Barnes 140 TSX BT (their tipped bullet did not shoot as well) and between 62-65 grains H4831. I'd call 65 a maximum load in my gun. The 145 Speer shoots just as well (groups from 3/4" - 1 1/4") using same powder weights as with the 140 Barnes. I use Federal 215 Magnum Match primers.

I assume your rifle is freebored, so bullets will need to be seated to a long OAL (perhaps as long as the magazine will handle) for best accuracy.

MY loads were worked up in Norma Super 7x61 brass of recent manufacture. If you're using original 7x61 brass (probably older than 1968) or reformed brass with less internal capacity than current Norma brass reduce powder charges accordingly.

Lotech
Thanks. Mines a 54j. I bought new Norma super 7x61 brass and I am collecting a variety of 140-150 grain bullets. I don't have any Barnes (have never used them) but will see about picking some up.

I didn't know these rifles were freebored - that's interesting.

How is the "pet load" data by Ken Waters?

This

Mark

I'm far from an expert, but I'm pretty sure all these rifles were freebored at the factory. However, there should be folks on this forum more knowledgeable than I am that can shed some light on this.

You can easily tell freebore when you seat bullets to OALs of 3.30"+ and the bullets are still a ways from being engraved.

The "Pet Loads" may be fine, but I would approach the Ken Waters data cautiously as I would any old data. I haven't read that article in a while, but he used a rifle built on a commercial '98 Mauser action, I believe. Ken Waters was usually conservative in his load development. As I recall, his rifle was not freebored. As a result, with your S&L, you may may get lower velocities than listed in the Waters' report.

Hornady book data appears to be old, but their H4831 data / max loads jive with what I've found using the Hornady 154 grain Spire Point, though my velocities are lower than Hornady's. Here again, Hornady's test rifle was a '98 Mauser that probably was not freebored, though that's not mentioned in the manual.

I have a NULA in 7x61 (26" barrel, 1 in 10" twist) that is not freebored. Out of necessity, I must treat my two rifles as if they were chambered for different cartridges. The NULA takes several grains less powder to achieve a higher velocity than I can get with the S&L. Bullets must be seated much deeper for use in the NULA.

I've been working lately with the Nosler 140 Partition and H4831 in the S&L, but haven't yet been able to get it to group well with the consistency of the Barnes. May have to try H4350.

According to a vintage Lyman manual that used a Schultz & Larsen M65DL for load development, the rifles did indeed come free-bored. For the 7x61 Sharpe & Hart (not the successor, Super 7x61), it states...

"The rifle used for this testing was free-bored. For rifles which do not have a free-bored throat, this data should be reduced a full 5%. Even then, max loading should be approached with caution"

Accuracy loads for a 1:10 twist, 24" barrel S&L M65DL using Remington 9 1/2 primers are listed as:

139 Hornady Spire Point: 58.0 gr IMR 4350 (2949 fps)
150 Remington Ptd. SPCL: 57.0 gr IMR 4350 (2865 fps)

Max OAL (with bullet) is 3.190"

Other loads developed pushed velocities into the 3000-3200 fps range at the expense of accuracy.

Years later, Norma published faster loads using Super 7x61 brass and Norma MRP powder than can be located via internet searches. I am not a handloader so use at your own risk since this info is derived from pictures of a 50 year old manual I scrounged online. Would love to hear feedback in the future on current day results.

Thanks everyone.
I'm still getting over the idea of lotech's NULA Chambered for 7x61S&H. I'm pretty sure that qualifies for a bye directly into the playoffs for the rifle looney of the year! I'm envious....
Mark