30-06 and 7mmRM at the range

[wisconsinteacher]

Well, I have been working hard to get the 7mmRM to shoot 150gr Partitions but it is not going well. With 63.0gr of IMR4350 I am getting 3050 fps with a SD of 16.4 but my groups are not getting better as a continue to seat deeper. This time out the groups grew as I tried deeper depths. Last time out, I was close to 1 moa with the bullet set at 2.726" off the ogive. Everything longer than that was 2+ inch groups and today they were no better. I am getting frusturated with this rifle and might need to put it in the corner and walk away for a bit.


2.716 off ogive=2.066"
2.706 off ogive=3.775"
2.696 off ogive=4.246"

Any suggestions?????



My old Ruger 30-06 did okay with 180gr B-tips and 56.0gr H4350. My ave speed was 2649 with an SD of 9.33. I would like a little more speed but for deer here in WI, that will work.

I think I am going to try the last load of 2.609" off the ogive one more try and if it repeats, I will be happy and ready for hunting with this rifle. It has had a lot of lead down the tube and I did not treat it the best as a kid so I am happy with 1-1.25" groups.



I also shot my 25-06 from field positions at 200 yards and I was able to hit the 4" reactive target 7 out of 8 times. My goal is to take a few shots every time I go to the range in case I get an antelope tag.

 

[DrMike]

My 7RM has never shot 150 grain bullets as well as it shoots 160 and 175 grain bullets. After years of work, I've accepted that it will work best for me if I use it for heavy bullets.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

The thought of 160gr bullets has crossed my mind. I have not problem shooting them if they are accurate.

 

[OU812]

The thought of 160gr bullets has crossed my mind. I have not problem shooting them if they are accurate.

160 accubonds and RL-22 has been a very accurate combination in a few friends 7mm RMs.

 

[Guy Miner]

My 7RM has never shot 150 grain bullets as well as it shoots 160 and 175 grain bullets. After years of work, I've accepted that it will work best for me if I use it for heavy bullets.

For a number of years, mostly I used a 7mm Rem mag. Mostly with 160 & 175 grain bullets and max charges of slow burning powder.

H870 back when it was available, was very good with the 175's. Worked up that load for my Wyoming elk hunt 15 years ago and it worked great. 2900 fps. Accuracy with the Sierra SPBT's was really good, and accuracy with the Nosler Partitions was plenty "good enough." Later I turned to RL-22 when the supplies of H870 dried up. It too worked quite well.

RL-22 was superb with the 160's. 3,000+ fps was normal, as were sub MOA groups.

I did not, and usually do not, get better accuracy results by seating deeper and deeper...

Regards, Guy

 

[ksubuck]

Exactly how far off the lands are you with these measurements?

 

[wisconsinteacher]

The farthest from the lands that I have tried is .07" off. I have gone from .01-to-.07".

 

[Vince]

For the 7mm I'd opt to try a different bullet.
My 25-06 gave me fits until I went to a lighter flat based bullet instead of the heavier boat tailed bullets. Try a heavier bullet.
It's a crap shoot as to what a rifle will like.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[JD338]

Try RL22 with the 150 gr PT in the 7mm Rem Mag.

JD338

 

[cajun]

I've had good results with IMR 7828 with 150 grain ballistic tips

 

[Bruce Mc]

I've had the same experience as Dr. Mike. My Model 70 7mm rem mag just will not group 150 gr bullets like it does the 160 and 175. I also agree some others, try a slower powder. I'm partial to H-1000 and Retumbo.

 

[Harv6]

I've only done one ladder test, but my 7mmRM didnt like 150 partitions either. Tried 8 different charges of Re19 and only one group came in under 2". Very frustrating! The same powder with 160 accubonds gives me 1" groups or less with a hand full of charges above 280 REM power level.

 

[DrMike]

In the 7RM, with 160 grain bullets, H1000 has proven to be one of the best powders one can use. If I was constrained to use but one powder with that weight bullet, it would undoubtedly be H1000.

 

[Richracer1]

I loaded some 7RM for a young man a few years ago. I gave him two choices for loads, both were either MOA or Sub-MOA, I don't remember right now, but here's the two load recipes.

Brass & trim Powder & Charge Primer Bullet OAL (base-to-tip)
Win - 2.85 RL-22 - 66.5gn Fed 215 160AB 3.4
Win - 2.85 RL-22 - 64.5gn Fed 215 160AB 3.4

Sorry no chrono info for these loads.

Also if your looking for more velocity from your 30-06 & B-Tips, try H414. I'm getting around 2825 FPS with 180ABs from my 30-06 using 55.5gn of H414.

Here's the target from when I was working up the 180AB load. 100M range.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I just did some looking at my notes and see that .010" off the lands with 63.0gr shot 1.1" and a week later .665". They were the exact same load so I loaded 10 more rounds and went to retest them with 3-3 shot groups. That day produced groups that were all 1.5" or greater. My question is why would it shoot well two times and then stick the next. Should I retry that load and see what happens again?

 

[DrMike]

Several possible reasons would account for the disparity you observed. It is possible that all the test loads fall within the normal parameters for the load and your initial observations were an anomaly. Again, it is possible that you were not shooting as well on the last series of tests. This is not unheard of--it has happened to me on several distressing occasions. A final possibility is that an overlooked variation was introduced which had an effect on your final load. A good load will give you a measure of consistency within a particular range. For this reason, it is difficult to speak with authority of a given load until you see at least ten rounds falling within the expected range. A 1.5 inch group is adequate for taking deer-sized game to six hundred yards or so, even though it doesn't really satisfy our itch for accuracy. I would be inclined to make some new loads with the identical recipe and shoot them again.

 

[JD338]

Reshoot.

JD338

 

[Dwh7271]

Agree w JD. Reshoot.
Mine really likes 65 gr RL22 and the 160 AB for what that's worth.

 

[SJB358]

WT, we talked a little through email about this, but if a good rifle won't shoot good bullets decently, I tend to suspect there is something up with the rifle. Some loads can be tinkered with to shoot well, but sometimes you'll end up chasing your tail a little to. I guess what I am getting at is great bullets like those 150 PT's along with a well matched powder should shoot decently. It might take some more work to get "Dr. Mike" of "JD" sized bug holes, but they will shoot adequately. When rifles start putting rounds all over the paper like your 7mm is, I'd look at the rifle, since you have already checked the scope, mounts, torqued screws and so on, I'd look at adding a pressure point or floating it, whatever is the opposite is of what you have right now.

Just my opinion though. The others gave excellent advice that I have followed with excellent success through the years.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Thanks for all the great tips and help. This place is a wonderful place for guys like me who need as much help as I can get.