Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why I like Ramshot Big Game

I'm wondering about it in the 7 X 57. I have no experience with the cartridge and recently acquired a No. 1S in that caliber.

Big Game works just as well in the 7x57 as it does in the 7mm-08. In fact the best way to work up loads in a modern 7x57 is to use 7mm-08 data.

I’ll give that a try. Tx

It usually works very well, as I've described in more than one of my Gun Gack books.

In the 7x57 chapter Gun Gack IV, The Little Book of Loads That Work, one of the most accurate and higher-velocity loads features Big Game and the 139-grain Hornady Interlock.

John

I picked up Western Powders reloading manual #1 yesterday, I was very disappointed they didn't use Big Game in 338-06. It was just Accurate powders.

When the first four Ramshot rifle powders made in Belgium appeared, around 20 years ago, Western didn't have a lot of loading data. And what they had worked up in their piezo-electronic pressure lab was naturally for more popular rifle cartridges.

As a result I figured out what commonly-listed powders were pretty close in burn-rate to TAC, Big Game, Hunter and Magnum, and use data for those other powders as starting point in less popular cartridges, and a chronograph as a general indication of pressure. Which is how I found out IMR4895 data provided a pretty good starting point for TAC, Winchester 760 for Big Game, Reloder 19 for Hunter, and H1000 for Magnum.

These days Hodgdon owns the Ramshot brands, and their 2023 burn-rate chart shows those comparisons are still pretty appropriate, though H4895 is listed as closer to TAC than IMR4895, and that data for H380 would also be pretty good for Big Game. And H380 data is often listed in other sources than Hodgdon.

Plus, the Internet provides a LOT more loading data these days, without having to rely on paper manuals.

Ramshot Hunter is absolutely unbeatable in the 30-06 with 168 TTSX bullets. 1/2MOA or better and higher velocity than any other powder.

I tried Hunter because of you writings and couldn't be happier

I have a heavy barreled (#7 @26”) 30-06. I wanted a mid load with 168 MK’s for shooting at 350 yards. I studied over all my loading manuals. Then, I put 49.5 grains of Big Game, WLR primers, Winchester brass. Shot two 5 shot groups that were good. 2685 fps. Then shot a 10 shot group that looks about 3/4 inch. Dont think I’ll even try anything else. No, putting everything away, then start drinking.

And I did salt bath anneal this brass…just think how it would have done had I used a candle….

Missed that first time through GGIV. Probably just looking at bullets I had on hand. I hope to put some together this week with 140 grain NBT’s. Looking forward to getting the scope on that rifle and wringing it out. Been awhile since I’ve worked with a NTM rifle.

Charlie S,
Start drinking before hand and the groups will look even better!

Hip

Hip
Good idea !!!

I have four pounds of Hunter so I'll give it a try. Thanks.

I never see Ramshot powders in my area. Would love to try some.

Is it legal to ship powders directly to you in Connecticut?

I purchase a lot of my powder from Internet sites, and it shows up at my front door in a few days. But I'm in Montana....

I believe it’s legal, I just wince at the hazmat charge.

These days the hazmat is a much smaller fraction of the cost of powder--and is usually only around $20 anyway, no matter how much you order.

Some websites also throw "sales" where the hazmat's free--at least when you order a certain minimum amount of powder.

John:

Nosler uses GB for bullet weights up to and including 140-grains in the 7mm-08, then switches to Hunter for anything heavier. In the 7x57 Hunter is used across all bullet weights. Any idea as to why Hunter was used for the lighter bullets instead of BG in the 7x57? Does it have anything to do with case capacity? BTW, have you ever written anything on the relationship between case capacity, bullet weights, and powder choices (i.e., burn rates, etc)?

Thanks, as always.

Good to know re hazmat charges. Reloder powders are also pretty much unavailable around here.

Mike,

I have no firm idea why Nosler does that, but it might be due to the longer case and overall cartridge length of the 7x57, which provides a little more room for powder. Though I have loaded 50 grains of H4350 with 140s in the 7mm-08, and while the powder charge was pretty compressed, it worked fine.

They also might have done that due to only having so much of certain Ramshot powders to play with.