Best Powder for 7mm rem mag with 160 Grain Accubonds

jaybe14

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Hi all,

I've loaded up a load just under 3/4 in my 7mm with RL 19 moving at 2920 - 2930 FPS range with 63.5 grains of powder. For me this is an okay load, but I'd like to try to see if I can get the velocity closer to 3000 FPS and considering a new powder. Right now, I'm strongly considering the three:
RL 22
RL 25
Retumbo

What are your experiences with the combos above?
 
Just by looking at your threee other choices, those are usually seen in the truly large cases such as 30-378, Rum, and 338 Lapua. I trully doubt you would fit as much of these powders as the RL19, you are using.

I would think that you would get a slower speed out of RL 25 and Retumbo....H1000 also. How close to max load density/compressed load are you with eht RL 19? Have you considered a slightly faster powder, like RL 17, or one of the 4350 or 4831's?

More important than pure speed, where are you hitting your accuracy node? There comes a point were a 7mag is 7mag, and for more horsepower you need a different caliber. Now i doubt you are there yet, some guys publish numbers that are truly insane.
 
I have used IMR 4350, RL22, IMR 7828 and found that IMR 4350 worked the best. I was using 160 grain accubond. Now this powder and my Tikka 695 seem to like each other a lot, so I am sure your gun will have a preference. All the loads were close to 3000 fps like your but I don't recall if any actually went that fast. It was the accuracy using the IMR 4350 that made me go with that powder.
 
I would pick H1000, it's what I run in my 7mm rm with 168gr Berger hunting vlds, 68.2gr to be precise. I get an average speed of 2925fps, and the load is very accurate!

Kevin
 
Likewise. I have also used Norma MRP with great success in the 7mm Mag, and it is very close to RL 22.

Dave.

Dave, isn't RL 22 the same as Norma 204?
RL 19 is the same as Norma 203 and I think RL 25 is equivalent to 205/MRP.
Bruce
 
I've used both Retumbo and H1000 with 160 grain partitions and 162 grain SSTs with a 24" sporter barrel. In shape, the SSTs will be closer to the Accubonds. Retumbo maxed out at velocities between 3000-3100 fps with the partition (69.5 gr). Retumbo maxed out at around 3200 fps for the SSTs (73 gr), with some accurate loads (1" at 100 yards) near the max.

H1000 maxed out at just over 2900 fps for the partitions. I did not try it with the SSTs.

In conclusion, try Retumbo. You will probably be able to get above 3000 fps with sleek, 160 grain bullets.

Dan.
 
Dave, isn't RL 22 the same as Norma 204?
RL 19 is the same as Norma 203 and I think RL 25 is equivalent to 205/MRP.
Bruce

Bruce; RL 22 is practically a dead ringer for Norma MRP [or old N205]. RL 25 is like MRP-2
N204 is close to RL19 in burn rate. Old 203 and the newer 203B are similar in burn rate to RL15.
RL 17 is close to the 4350s. Dave
 
OK guys, I was going by memory. Looked up some old records and it was Re 15 that worked out exactly the same as Norma 203, the old variety.
For years I have interchanged IMR 4350 with N204, but haven't done enough with the Reloader series numbers to know which fits it.
Bruce
 
Nosler book shows most accurate powder and load as 61.0 grains of VV165.
That load is also the lowest velocity for a max load.
VV165 is in the same category burn wise as IMR7828, Re22, and MRP(2).
 
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