Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles need a good 7mm Rem Mag load

I just got a Rem 700 BDL in 7mm Rem magnum. I need a good load for "small" deer. I was looking at reloading the Hornady 139gr flat base or sierra's 120 PH. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or good loads?

Fed 215, RL25 under a 150NBT or NPT. A super load in the 7RM.

MtnHtr

Take your pick on any 140 grain boolet sitting over IMR 7828, Re 22, or H4350. I had luck with all three powders in the 7RM under a 140.

I used to load the NBT in my 30-06, Had to many problems with lack of penatration. They were very accurate, just very un -perdictable. I started useing plan old Rem core locks in my 30-06 (180 psp). After 50 or more deer with that load I found them to be Very good "hunting" bullets. I could always count on them.

I use 67gr RL22 & a 140gr Nosler BT. 3 shot cloverleaf @ 3250 FPS

How far off the lands are 7mm Mags happy. I was givin several boxs of cheap Federal 150 sp when I got the rifle. They are about .015 off the lands and I get about 1.5" groups with it.

I do have some 139 grain flat base Hornady's left over from a 280 Rem I was loading for a friend. I ended up .020 off the land to get .620's out of it.

I have 2 of the same rifle 7 RM BDL. H4831 and a 150 NBT, Core Loct, or Nosler Partition. My rifles seem to shoot better when the boolits are set at the short factory ammo lengths.

Roger

I tried some 130 gr Speer. They didn't digest very good. I only used a couple powders though.

Try IMR4350, 9 1/2 Rem mag primers with the 139 bullet. Not the fastest load there is, just kills whitetails= bang-flop Russ

My favorite load for the 7mm was with RL22 powder with the Hornady 139gr Interlock BTSP. With CCI 200 Primers, 3300fps, <1/2 moa through my Encore, Great whitetail load.

That sounds interesting, How much of IMR4350? does it shoot well(groups)?

Two powders that come to mind for my 7MM Mag. RL#22, and IMR-7828 with a 139gr. hornady BTSP. or the 140gr. Sierra BTSP. works very well for me.
6.5 SWEDE.

About anything you can shove down the barrel of a 7RM in the 120-140 range will kill deer well.For that stuff I'd likely grab a 140 Nosler AB.

I have checked my manuals and with the exception of Hornady, Most reserve RL22 for the heaver weights (160 and above) An interesting note: Hornady suggest H4831 as the go to powder and sights it as producing the highest vel with just about any bullet weight. But then in the load data is shows no where top velocitys. In fact it is not even recomended in there own manual for the 100 or 120gr load and stops middle of the road in there 139,162 and 175 load data. Most manuals show good loads with IMR4350 and is the recomended powder from Nosler. Nosler used this powder in almost all there loads with great velocity.
Sierra shows RL22 in most of there loads but only at or near max and does not list but a couple of weights for a couple of loads.

My point or question is, several people seem to like RL22 although not recomended as a top performer as compared to IMR4350 or IMR7828. What does RL22 provide for the people who use it? I myself have not tried it but curious.

I recently gave H4831 and Rel 22 a workout with 140 grain bullets and found Rel 22 the obvious choice based on velocity over the Oehler 35P and the grouping which was excellent.

It is all feel good stuff in the end, becuase if you can do the same chores with a 7x57, then trajectory is the only argument for pushing things from the magnum. They all work.

I find accuracy builds more confidence than velocity.

How does RL22 compare with IMR4350 in the 7mm Mag using 140's?

I have never been an velocity hound, What good is it if you can't hit what your aiming at. I have always found a consistant load works MUCH better at long range than a fast load. A fast load just allows you to miss quicker.

But on the same token, I did'nt choose a 7 mag to turn it into a 280 either. I am looking for a bullet that will perform on small deer at 3000 - 3100 fps Most of the time. To ask a bullet to be perfect all of the time would be dreaming.

I have been thinking about the 140NBT that you guys have been suggesting. Like I said I have had bad experances with them in the past.(1990's) I really like the way they shoot, but still leary. Have they improved any, tougher?

My current 7mmRM likes the 139gr. Hornady BTSP, with a stout charge of RL22, lit by Fed 215's. The most accurate load I have yet fired in that rifle.

My long time old reliable deer load for my 7Mag is a 145gr Speer Hot Core at about 3050fps using H4831. Could be faster, but it shoots straight and drops them with authority as far away aa I want to shoot.

Ditto.Been using R22 with 140 gr bullets in the 7RM for quite a few years now;generally it has delivered good velocities(3200-3250 or so for me) and excellent accuracy.