Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Temp stable 7mmRM powder suggestions requested

What’s your favourite temperature stable powder for the 7rem mag pushing 140/160gr projectiles….?

Thanks in advance

Good ole H4831 Extreme should work fine with both 140s and 160s. I have not done extensive temperature tests, but the last two 7 mags I loaded for seemed to prefer IMR 4831 with 160s. I don't think that's touted as a temperature insensitive powder, but those two hunters reported hitting where they're aiming and have dropped deer and elk in all sorts of outdoor temps.

For me it is VVN165 but some love H1000

71g H-1000, 162 eldm, 3.415 COAL prints tiny hole cluster in my old Browning Abolt II Medallion.

Been doing load development elpment in a 7 mag this past winter. I srttl3d on H1000, Re26, Retumbo but was loading 175 gr bullets. The Retumbo prob too slow with 140-160. Mine likes 70.0 H1000 under a 160 Accubind. It's not a speed demon - a shade over 3000 ft/sec. I would also try Re 23, H4831, Hunter for 140-160 gr bullets, and H4350, Re 16 for 140s

I didn't remember the powder yesterday but when I got home I read my notes. I have had a lot of people mention VV N560. I'm waiting on the local shop to get it in so I can try it. Suppose to be very stable but also yield more velocity than my current load of H-1000.

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I appreciate it

H1000
RS Magnum

I ain't never had any problem with IMR 4831 or IMR 4350 and either the 145 Speer Grand slam, 145 grain Speer BT, or the 160 grain Grand Slam outta my 1885 Browning.

With 160 gr bullets and up, my first try is with Retumbo. IMR 7828 or 7828 SC work well too.

69 grns H1000 with a 160 Nosler Accubond works great for me in 7 Rem mag. 90+ degree antelope hunts, 20-30 degree elk hunts, down to -19 on a Montana mule deer hunt.

Regards,
Manny

Good post with some valid information. Some guys listing 5-10 different powders, but not showing proof that they actually work as the OP wants. IE: temp stable. I bought some H1000, just to try in the 7mm rem mag, but haven't had the chance to yet. I've always heard it works great.

Hodgdon Retumbo has always provided me with the best results with a 160gr Nosler Accubond.

I recently worked up a 7mm Rem Mag load for the 145 grain LRX with Reloder 23. RL-23 is temperature insensitive and seems to work well with that bullet weight. I'm getting very good accuracy at about 3050 fps. I could get more velocity, but 66 grains seems to shoot well in my rifle and recoil is moderate.

When I get time I will develop a load with RL-23 and the 160 grain Accubond.

I have temp tested H4831 with 160g NPt’s and my temp testing partner at the time tested H4350 with 150g Speers in 7RM’s. Both were temp stable.

H4350 and H4831 have always been stable when I’ve tested them in 5-6 different cartridges and different loads. I’ve tested a lot of 270’s with 150’s and H4831 over the years.

But….just because a powder is claimed to be temp resistant doesn’t mean a particular load in a given rifle is stable. This fact seems to be lost on a lot of people.

My temp testing partner the last 10 years loads a bunch of 30-06’s for his family using Big Game, H4350, and IMR4451. One tang safety M77 with three different Big Game loads was temperature sensitive all three times. Other Big Game loads in other 30-06’s were stable.

We don’t know until we test our own particular rifle and load.

Double based powders are inherently more temp sensitive than single based. That does not mean all double based powders are temp sensitive, but something to keep in mind.

One of the most accurate loads used RE26. After reading MD’s comments regarding the temperature sensitivity of RE26, I sold the 5 pounds I had at Tulsa this year. H4831sc and H1000 are my go to powders now. I have a few pounds of RE22 that I will likely try this summer.

If you didn’t like 26’s sensitivity then 22 won’t impress you. 22 was my go to for the 7 Rem and WSM for years and I never had any issues but when 26 and 23 came I out I shifted to those.

This ^^^^

'22 is a great 7 Mag powder if you don't need to hunt in the weather extremes.

Use it sensibly & it will be fine within reason.

MM

Guys say RL22 is great for the 7mm RM, but I found I got less velocity with it. I actually preferred RL25 over it for 160's. Accuracy was very similar. I don't really sweat the temp stability stuff with the 7RM, as I generally try to work up loads in the fall, when I'd be hunting. Or similar temps, as when I'd be hunting.

People obsess over E.S but don't use temp stable powders. The older Alliant powders are some of the worst unstable out there. The new ones are pretty good and H1000 is one of the best if not the best out there.
Here in Montana you can hunt from anywhere from 50 above to -20 below and anybody who hunts different parts of the country were you live my advise is to use the best stable powder you can especially if you shoot at any kind of distance.