Any suggestions for a good all around powder?

Locally can get Vhitavuori N165, N560, IMR 4831, or Staball HD. Leaning towards the N165 as it’s the most affordable, I read that it’s a cooler burning consistent powder, and I may be able to use it in some non magnum cartridges.

What grain bullet? If your around 180 i would suggest H1000, V565. RL26 works good but good luck finding it.
I couldn't get Retumbo to work.

IMR7828, was born and bred for the big 7.

Thanks. I’ve got 160 Grand Slams, Trophy Bonded Tips, Partitions, and some 175 Sierras. I’ve never shot Berger bullets and may pick up some 168’s.

I have lighter stuff for my 7x57 and 7-08. Figured I’d use the heavier stuff in the 7 mag. Or might work up a load with the 145 LRX.

It’s a M77 I inherited.

If you got the freebore the 175 Berger elite hunters or 180 Bergers VLD work good with the powders I mentioned.
Fed 215 or CCI 250 seem to be whatever specic rifle prefers.

I've had the best luck with Retumbo and RL22 and 160's.

My go-to powder for the 7mm Mag is IMR 4831

It’s hard to beat RL-26 with the 160 NAB. My bud hunts Africa, don’t think you could convince him there is another choice. Fortunate for him, I have a big jug.

Seriously, the 7RM isn’t that hard to load for, lots of good options.

DF

Magpro, works well in the 7mm Remington Magnum with 162 grain ELD-X which is the only bullet that I've tried so far.

R22 is my favorite for the 7RM, though I haven’t seen any on the shelves for a few years. When I’m out I may have to look for an alternative.

Have you tested the temp sensitivity of Mag pro? Its terrible

I don't have a problem with temperature swings in Louisiana. Accuracy remains consistent for my hunting distances

Tough to beat H1000 if temp swings are a concern. H4831 works well with lighter bullets.

I have no experience with Viht powders but am very interested if they are temp insensitive or at temp resistant.

Me too since I have been using more of them Bill. In one instance and I can't say it's concrete but I loaded up a load with 570/220 Scenar in my 300 RUM I made up a number of years ago while living in Virginia when it was either Spring or early summer, shot that same load a few weeks ago at 5 degrees and it was almost spot on for speed. I'll be trying more as I go. Seems to be accurate stuff.

H1000 is darned good though.

I use alot of H1000, in 4 rifles its good seems if your rifle likes it it really likes it. So far the Viht powder i have shot seems good for temp swings everbody I know says its good. Viht is better than the early Alliant and ball powders.
Mag pro was the worst I ever ran into

RL 22 has been my go to but it is hard to get these days. My rifle also like Norma MRP and IMR 4831

I was thinking WC860 surplus would probably work ok, in a 7mm Magnum. It's slow, about H870 range.

my favorite load was 68 gr of RL 26 and a 160 gr Accubond

I have a bunch of H870 it works well, fast but dirty powder,the old manuals showed one load? Used it with 160 to 175 gr loads fast and accurate. Think its discontinued

If you like RL-22, you’ll like MRP. Pretty close if not the same stuff.

I’m buying RL-23, no more RL-22, better powder, burn rate pretty close.

DF

IMR7828ssc, MRP, and R26 have been my favourites.

These all shoot well in my factory 700 BDL 7mm RM:
7 mm RM. Remington 700 BDL, 140 grain Nosler PT, 72 grains RE 26, 0.38 MOA (favorite load)
7 mm RM. Remington 700 BDL, 150 grain Nosler PT, 70 grain RE 26, 0.66 MOA
7 mm RM. Remington 700 BDL, 139 grain Hornady IL SP, 72 grain RE 25, 0.73 MOA
7 mm RM. Remington 700 BDL, 150 grain CT (combined tech) 68.5 grain RE 26, 0.82 MOA
7 mm RM. Remington 700 BDL, 168 grain ABLR, WLRM, (?,?) 0.97 MOA

Mine really likes Reloader 22.

I would also try some IMR-7828, H-1000, H-4831

Heard good things about VV165 in 7RM’s and 270’s. If I didn’t have a lifetime supply of H4831 I would try it.

I use Reloader 22 and have tried IMR 4831. The Reloader 22 works the best for me.

This^^^^^ plus RL-22 (Same as MRP) unless you're skeered to death of the temp issue

And while I have a good supply of both MRP & '22, I haven't seen either on the shelf since before COVID.

MM

I've used a lot of bullets in the 7 Rem over the years but my rifle favors 3 bullets.
145gb LRX and H 4350 or
160gn Accubond or 175gn Partition using Retumbo for either and 3150fps and 3000+ which is both moving along and very accurate sub MOA loads for my Model 70 with 26" tube.

A very good back up powder for all bullet weights, I found to be IMR 4831.

RL26 and 145 LRX's are my current pick. Ton's of great 7 Rem powders though..











I called it good enough out of the current 7 Rem Mag..

I’ve been using 64 grains of IMR 4350 for the last 50 years, ain’t the fastest but plenty accurate in the 20 or so 7 mags I’ve owned through the years. I have 6 now (working on getting down to one), shoots great in all of them.

That a fine looking rifle beretzs

Yeah, Louisiana ain’t Montana.

DF

I tend to use bullets of 160-168 grains in my 7 mags and powders that have given good accuracy and velocities have been IMR7828 (and SSC), H 4350 and Retumbo.

Dang! Wonder it shoots flat

Appreciate the suggestions. I can get Retumbo for $53 per pound locally, n165 for $300 per keg, IMR4831 for $49 per pound. Also Midway has Staball HD for $275 per keg right now.

I prefer to buy the bigger jugs for the savings but might just get 4-5 pounds of the Retumbo.

Exactly

Temp swings, not so much. Well, mood swings, maybe.

Not sure how it is at your house.

Ha!

DF

I like Reloder 23. I used to use RL-22 but RL-23 is better as it's temperature insensitive and has a decoppering agent.

I have a couple of pounds but would like to find more which doesn't seem to be easy right now.

For sure.

If I missed the story on that rifle, refresh my memory.

That's a fine piece.

DF

It was BobinNH's. About a year ago his boy who doesn't hunt offered it up to me and I grabbed it. It has become my most prized rifle. Love that sucker.

I carried it a bit in Wyoming this year, but when the weather turned sour, I switched to the Mashburn.

It will be a challenge to improve on RL-22. Yet the Reloader series haven't been on shelves for awhile due to a fire in the plant in Sweden a couple of years ago.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Too cool beretz. Love it.

Yep, cool rifle.

Your review sorta jarred some seasoned brain cells. I do now remember that rifle and understand how special it is.

DF

Thanks fellas..

If you ever see a 270 or 280 Brownell built rifle and you don't want it, please pass it along. Kind of a grail rifle to me.

I had one, a 7RM Champlin and Haskins. Too nice for my comfort zone for hunting. Sold it to one who appreciates it. Actually he bought it for his son. I like that.

DF

Me too DF.

I'm a simpleton....I really need to find a Tikka 595 7mm08.

You’re a meat and potatoes kinda guy. But you eat.

Nothing wrong with that. Sorta fits me as well.

I’ve had several guns that proved too fancy for my use. I moved them to those who appreciated them.

Beretz’ gun he got from Bob’s estate means a lot to him. I’m sure Bob would want it hunted. It honors Bob’s memory, which I find very pleasing. Don’t ya know Bob’s up there, smiling. Maybe Len Brownell, too.

DF

Right on DF, well said sir.

There are a few Reloder powders available. I just bought some Reloder 16 at an LGS. And as of now, Powder Valley has some Reloder 22 in stock.

Thanks DF, I sure hope so. It is a nice rifle, but it is a hunting rifle. I just try to not to lay it directly onto granite slabs and stuff like that

Yeah, just don’t let Stick “break it in”, test it or even handle it.

Short of his AK style torture treatment, it should do very well.

DF

I've had great results with:

H870 - no longer available
RL-22 - seems difficult to find and expensive now
IMR 8133 - no longer available (great accuracy and velocity!)
H 4831

As my supply of RL-22 was running out I turned to the new IMR 8133 and found it was excellent in my son's rifle and mine. Then it became pretty much unavailable.

On the hunt once again for another great 7mm Rem Mag powder!

Scotty - that is one very special rifle.

Regards, Guy

I’d give H1000 or 7828 a shot Guy. Neither of those two seem to be going anywhere. 7828SSC seemed darned near identical to RL22 in most of my uses.

Re 22 has been my long time favorite, and fortlunately I bought a good supply before I retired. Still have lots of it. I did some time with 168 gr. Bergers. Re 26 proved to be excellent. Shot those away so I am back to 140s and 22.

I haven't tried Hunter because I still have plenty of powder that work well in my 7mags,but I'd be willing to bet it will work well in the 7mag.It has a burnrate about the same as IMR4831.The fastest powder on the burnrate scale I've used is the 4350 powders and they all worked well and Hunter is a little slower on the burnrate,the only problem it too is getting hard to find.Another powder that would be worth trying is Magpro.It's kinda close to H-1000 and would problably work well with the heavier bullets.

IMR 7828 has given me better results than RL22. That has been the case with 140, 150 and 160 grain bullets.

GreggH

What I’m seeing here, options are based on powder availability. You use what you have or can find. Use what’s closest to the ideal. Fortunately in the basic burn rate, lot of powders will work. Some maybe a bit mo better than others.

DF

I ended up getting 5 pounds of H1000 all the same lot. Loaded up some 160 Hot Cor from 66 up to 68.5 grains in 0.5 gr increments to see how it works out.

If it shoots good I’ll try to work up a good load with some partitions or trophy bonded tips.

Funny you mention VV N165. I’m going to try the N160 for 7 Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag. Don’t know when I’m going to get around to it. Kinda tunnel visioned on others right now.

I was wondering how the VV N568 might work in a 7mm Rem. Mag. using 175 - 180 grain bullets.
The VV N568 is a bit slower than Retumbo powder.

The 7 mag is one of my favorite cartridges. Well yes, I like others as well. Crazy rifle loony.

Take care.

If I get my hands on my nephews 7 mag again I load for with the 180 Berger and H1000, im gonna try 568 I think I can get enough in the case to get the same speed as H1000. 568 is slower than you think its not the speed demon 570 is but its very consistent evertime ive tried it and not near as hot as 570. So far everytime I've tried it seems to prefer Fed 215 primers but thats not to say a CCI 250 isn't worth trying also

Midway has Staball HD on sale for $30.50 per pound with free shipping. Tempting to buy some to see how it works, seems to be close with Ramshot Magnum on the burn chart.

Thanks for the response.