Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm rem mag 180 eldm

Worked up a load with my 7mm rem mag in a 700 Boone & Crockett has a 26” barrel using RL26 and 180 eldm’s. Hornady data shows 67.3 gr at 2900 fps.
I was above 2900 with 65 gr. At .020 off the lands. Oal was 3.470”
66 gr gave me 3,000 fps average (using a magnetospeed) and produced just over a .5” three shot group. Easy bolt lift, primer look good. Had a friend run it on quick loads and it shows 7000 psi over on pressure. Temperature was 60 degrees out.

Is my magnetospeed reading fast?
Love the speed it reads but is it safe?
I’m happy with everything but what quick loads says. Looking for input. Thanks Ken.

I wouldn't sweat it myself. QL isn't perfect unless you fill in alot of the parameters and even then, it can't account for your chamber and barrel. You're probably at the top end of 65K, but if your brass lasts multiple firings and your load acts nicely day in and day out, I wouldn't sweat it. With that 26 barrel you're getting some free speed too. If accuracy repeats and your ES numbers are good, I'd run it and not worry too much.

Good post. He could also back off a little bit and see if he can get better precision. If he can cut the group size in half, by backing down to around book max, that would be even better IMHO. Sounds like it's on the fence for pressure. Backing off could give a little more brass life and piece of mind. I'll run loads up to max and over sometimes, but if one particular load shows more promise, I'll pick that one every time..

I have a 26" barrel in 308 win that is ridiculously fast. A 22" 30-06 would have to snort really hard to equal it. Any more and I enjoy slightly longer barrels. Weight savings can be had in other areas if need be

I run 67 GR RL 26, CCI 250, RP Brass, Horn 180 GR, 7 Rem Mag 24" Ruger LH, accurate but don't think I have shot load above 50 F . Have shot .58" 3 shot group at 200 yards with it. Seems safe in my rifle will see what my Tikka that's arriving likes.

That’s my basic load with the 160 NAB. I really like RL-26 in the 7RM. Hard to beat.

DF

Thanks guys. I loaded 20 and planning on some range work this weekend

I like the Re 26 with heavy bullets in the 7 mag. Another powder that works well with heavy bullets is Re 33, if you can find it. I easily got over 3000 fps, with 175 Interlocks and Partitions.

Worked up loads in my new LH Tikka 7 rem mag with RL 26 and 180 gr Hornady ELDM RP case CCI 250 primer
67.5 Gr of RL 26 at 2900 velocity curve flattened after that 68 gr 2920 FPS, 68.5 2923 FPS. My old Ruger had a longer COAL the Tikka with mag restrictions is a little shorter.

May have just been my rifle but impacts with 180 ELD under 400 yards were very splashy. Impact at 650 yards was very good once velocity dropped off. My bullet lot, my barrel, hard to say I guess. Muzzle velocity was around 2950 fps.

My favorite reload info with the 180 eldm shows 67 grains of H1000 and a length of 3.465.

This combination has shot a three shot group at 200 yards of about 1 inch. The last elk that
I took used this load too. Staggered about twenty feet sideways at impact and went down.

180 GR ELDM 7 mag 68 GR RL 26 2932 3 @ .395" think I will load some more 24" LH Tikka T3X seated to mag length.

Damn, nothing to hate there.

No kidding.
I re shot the 66 gr loads and they gave me another just over 1/2” 3 shot at a 100 off of a iffy bench( needs attention) and 7/8” 3 shot at 200 yards off bipod laying prone. Very happy. Fed 215 mag primer. I do have a small ridge around the primer dent but no flattening. Still easy bolt lift.

Those sound like winners to me. Nice shooting fellas.

For a factory gun I’m happy.