Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7x57 H4350 and 154gr

I’ve spent a lot of time the past several months working with this exact powder + bullet combination in two different rifles.

I relied heavily on Mule Deer’s advice (published multiple times, most recently in his Gack book) to approach loading levels from a speed perspective. Because throats vary so widely, some rifles may require 3 or more grains of powder in a given load than another rifle would need, to achieve an equivalent velocity. He maintains that so long as the velocity falls in a certain broad range for a given bullet weight, the hand loader can be reasonably certain of being at a safe pressure.

Both rifles I’ve worked with were well above book loading levels, and still lagged a bit for velocity. I’m away from my notes, but can post some information tomorrow.

FC

Tom Im not using the H4350 powder but shot that bullet for the first time today...seemed to be easy to work with...

T, the 154 gr Hornady Inter-Lock is my favorite bullet in My Ruger M77. 48-49 grains H4350 in a 22" barrel gives me 2750-2800 fps. It has not disappointed me on deer, elk and mountain goat.

Tzone, regarding the 154 RN, I used a different powder (H4831) with it and got acceptable hunting accuracy in my prior No. 1. Not sure why you aren't having success. BTW, since I could in that rifle, I seated the bullet way out.

I worked up a < 3/4" grouping load in one rifle with 48.9 grains of H4350 and the 154 SP Interlock. Naturally, I soon had to switch to a new lot of H4350, and this time it settled at 48.3 grains. Velocity in a 22" barrel hovers around 2,650 fps. I can safely push it faster, but the velocity goes all the hell.

The other rifle showed promise at 48.4 grains, getting the same velocity. However, it's an inconsistent-shooting SOB, and I strongly suspect bedding issues.

Another note: both rifles are Remington 700 Mountain Rifles, with the whippy, thin barrels. Minute COAL adjustments have made huge accuracy differences in both rifles. It's been quite the PIA to figure out where each rifle wants to have the bullets seated.

Hope that helps,

FC

It does help. It's something I'm going to have to play with because the loads I'm using are what others are shooting with success. Don't get me wrong...I can get 1.5 MOA with some of the loads. I was hoping for less than MOA. I can now for a fact say it does NOT like Nolser Partitions. But that doesn't really bother me much. If I can get a 154gr load it likes, I'll call her good and rock with it.

RO,

I will fire some of these up. Looking on my notes, It looks like I did have a load that showed some promise with IMR 4350 at 46.5gr. I'll start there and work up...or not if what my notes say is correct. I don't remember a group as good as I have written down.