Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Temperature Insensitve Powder for 7mm Remington Magnum

Here's question for Mule Deer or others that reload for the 7mm Remington Magnum.

I know that lots of folks like RL 22 for the 7mm RM. I understand it is fairly temperature sensitive. What would be a good choice for a less temperature sensitive powder using 150-160 grain bullets?

I rarely hunt in temperatures below 20F and more often in temperatures in the 30's and 40's so perhaps this isn't that big an issue. How much velocity would I lose at these temperatures with RL 22?

Thanks for your help!

Reloder 22 is a great powder in the 7mm RM for the temperatures you hunt in. If it's working for your rifle, I wouldn't change it.

Temp-resistant powders are really only useful when temperatures range 100 degrees or more, and even then may only make a difference at ranges beyond 300 yards, which is as far as most hunters tend to shoot.

If you want some recommendations for other powders I can provide 'em, but it's hard to beat RL-22 for your purposes.

Thanks John! I'm just starting to load for this cartridge so it sounds like RL 22 is a great place to start.

I took MD's rec on this same subject a while back. So far it's the most versatile powder I've tried. I've found consistently accurate loads for 140-160gr bullets.

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you right. If you worked up a load with RL-22 on a 60* day, are you saying that it wouldn't be an issue down to -10* or up to 110*? (so it would be + or - 50* for a total of 100 temp range)

Or are you saying that it would only be an issue if temps were above 100*?

I like h1000 with 150s

Evidently I failed to communicate.

What I meant was that in temperatures ranging 100 degrees F. from minimum to maximum there usually will be a significant change in velocity or poiny of impact, especially at longer ranges.

bowman-if you're up for trying others 7828 is another good place to be.

Dober

Yep, along with H4831, H1000, MagPro, Magnum, Retumbo, RL-25, etc. I've gotten great results from all in the 7mm RM. No need to limit yourself to one powder!

FWIW, my rifle really likes H4831 and 160 grain bullets (haven't tried one it didn't like, including Partitions). I could probably squeeze more velocity out of it, but I get right at 3000 fps and am happy with it.

There ain't much on earth short of elephants you can't kill with a 160 Partition at 3000.

rl22 and rl19 are 2 powders that i have stay away from here where i live . it sucks too because i had a load that was rocking in my 7mags with rl22 . always shot great on 40 to 50 degree days and then one day at the range it was 88 degrees . it was blowing primers out of the case . is reloader series powders made more to shoot out west ?

7mmshawn-was that about the summer of 01?

Dober

I have been shooting RE22 for as long as I can remember. I've hunted and shot with it all over the western US, in multiple calibers. I have asked RE22 to drive light bullets fast, and heavy bullets slow. I've stuck it in .223 cases, RUM cases, and everything betwixt. From about 10 below to Hades... I've not seen it do anything funky.... at least not because of temp.... lot to lot, ehhhhh.

Is it temp. sensitive? yeah, a little... but I've not found a powder that truly is.... no matter the label and marketing hype. If it's freezin azz.... you should add a click or two out past sane ranges.... converse if you're rockchuckin' in June.

Far as the 7RM + RE22.... match made in heaven.... as long as you only want to shoot 110-180 grain bullets. I just loaded up 250 rounds of 7RM using 63gr RE22 pushing the 162 Amax at 3k... this load shoots about MOA to a K pretty easily in a factory 24" sporter.

Dober's 7828 is RE22's kissin' cousin.... I've found it runs well in all conditions/bullet weights too.

im guessing it was about 04 , but the powder could have been about 3 or 4 years old when i shot it . a buddy give it to me to try . im not sure if its the heat spikes or the humidity differences here in the south but hercules powders just dont mix good here . ive seen it several times , even a 7-30 waters contender back when they made rl12 . it sucks too because it seems to shoot really well . a local gun shop here in asheville wont even sell alliant , hercules powders here for those reasons .

Retumbo...

There was a very hot lot of R22 going around the summer of 01. I might be able to recall the lot number if I think about it. I loaded 50 rounds for my .270 right b4 I was taking off for my guiding season and shot a couple b4 I left and oucha they were hot.

I ended up pulling them all when I had time and ended up
taking my 6/06 for my guiding.

Long and the short I've burned a lot of R22 over the years and have never seen anything like that b4 then and in the 11 years since.

Just a thought.

Dober

Dober

i know guys who have shot retumbo and it shoots decent , but it didnt seem very consistent in my gun and felt recoil was alot more with retumbo for some reason . i dont think i ever found a primer it liked with retumbo in my gun but it did shoot better with a winchester standard rather than a magnum which is weird because it fills the case pretty good .

thanks for letting me know , i would like to try it again , ive just been hesitant to do so . guys tell me its the elevation difference , humidity difference or heat here in nc that caused it but i dont really know . i just know ive seen it do some crazy stuff that i couldnt explain .

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll start with RL 22 and see how things go. Most likely I'll be developing loads at 60-70F and hunting with them between 80F max (early deer/antelope)and 20F min (late elk/deer) and it sounds like that should work OK.