Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm Express

Montanaman,
I have a fair supply of RL19 and 22.
Have you ever used the solid base BT’s?

i've got a Win 70 Fthrwt in 280 Rem, 10 twist 22" brl.... 55 gns H4350 under a 150 NBT with a GM215 primer... that's a Hot load from my old Lyman #45 (max was 55.5 IMR)... no crono, but should be about 2900 fps give or take, and groups .600 or better in "my" rifle... that's prolly 2.5-3.5 gns higher than current books max... so, if interested?, work up "carefully"...

I can tell you that I’ve had good luck with 160 Accubonds, 150 Ballistic tips and 160 Sierra Game Kings.

The only one of these I’ve ever recovered was a 15O Ballistic Tip just under the hide in the off side shoulder of a 4x4 bull elk.

that ballistic tip went through the near shoulder and lungs before stopping in the off side. Actually the core exited but the heavy jacket stayed in the exit hole.

Here's one of my 7mm Express/.280 Remington elk loads: 140gr Barnes TTSX over 57.0 gr of RL 22 with CCI 200 primer in Rem brass. Out of my M77R tanger Ruger, I get about 2950 fps and average a little less than 3/8" three-shot groups.

Yes, I've used the 140's & the 120 NBT's on deer & antelope & both are plenty tough for any big deer. I think they're a little light for elk & have never used either for elk.

The 120 TTSX / TSX works on elk too, but I still prefer a 140 - 160.

MM

PS... i measure my groups outside to outside...

Lots of great loads. Keep em coming.

same rifle as above... 56 gns H4350 under a Sierra 140 gn Pro Hunter (flat base), cci 250 primer... again, no crono, should be @ 3000 fps or so, and the most accurate load this rifle has ever shot, as it measured .500 or a little less outside to outside (a 1 hole 3 shot group)... 56 gns IMR 4350 is book max in the Lyman #45... again, use CAUTION!... i've had pressure signs a few times before reaching max when using this old manual...

by the way... when i first got my 280, i found a set of NIB RCBS dies on GB that are labeled 7MM Express Rem... must'a been made same era as your rifle, love to find a rifle marked same....

I'm running the older two core version Speer grand Slam 160 gr. bullets in my .280 Rem. at 2910 FPS. Winchester brass and standard primer. Powder is the now long go Winchester WMR. (Winchester magnum Rifle) Primer pockets stay tight, cases extract nice and easy and have lasted through 8 or 9 reloads. Can't say how it will work on elk as I haven't drawn a tag for some time.
PJ

Probably work great on elk. I use to use the 140 gr Grand Slams in a 264 win mag. Hammer on elk.

Look at the backside of the bolt lugs....see if they engage evenly. If not, lap them in, the rifle will shoot better. The bolt face looks very good. Nice rifle.

140 grain Sierra Game King atop 51 grains of IMR 4350 shoots little bitty groups in both my 280s, and has killed a mountain of coyotes and white tails with nothing but excellent results.

I'm loading 54 gr. H4350, 160 gr. NPT, Remington brass, Federal primers, give me 2854 fps in my 24" barrel limited Edition CDL-SF 700.
Multiples of pronghorn, mule deer and elk. Haven't recovered on yet.

During the past 25-30 yrs that Ive owned my 280 A-Bolt I have used many combinations of powder and bullets with very good success and accuracy but the past several years it has has became partial to IMR-7828, WLRP, and 154 gr SST bullets. That picture read 57 grs, should read 58.5 grs. It's safe in my rifle.

Highoctane: any idea if 7828 SSC performs similar with that load?... 1 have several #'s of it, & several boxes of 154 SST's...

To be honest, I have no idea but I see no reason that it shouldn't work just as well. Manufacturer says it has the same burn rate and uses the same data. They also say with the Super Short Cut it will allow up to 4% more powder space in the case.

The only reason Im using the "regular" and not the SSC 7828 is that I found 12-15 lbs, (14 per lb, bought it all) several years ago at a shop that was getting out of the reloading business. I also have a couple thousand 139 and 154 gr SST bullets. Im set for the foreseeable future.

I picked up a Model Four a few years back in 7mm Express, but haven't tried loading for it (or a 700 Mountain Rifle stamped .280) yet. I did work up a few loads years ago using some old bulk pulldown powder in a NEF Handi Rifle 26" .280, best I can tell the powder was equivalent to H450. It shot very well in the Handi with 145gr Speers, but I picked up a bunch of Federal Premium HE 140gr TBBC's on clearance and haven't loaded for a .280 since.