7mm Ultra Mag Load data

[UltraB]

I understand Nosler does not have any info on loads for this caliber . I have been undecided between the 300 Ultra and the 7mm Ultra. Is there a reason Nosler has not pursued any data for the 7mm ? Or is it one of those round-to-it deals ?

I have seen the Hogdon data and would be interested in the retumbo/AccuBond 160 comparison. When ya gonna try it ???

 

[NOSLER]

I am working with someone at Hodgdon on that one.

BUY A 300 RUM!!!! Loaded with a 200grain AccuBond, it will rock anything in N.A!!


My advice is to get as much information as you can about both.


The 7mm RUM does have some pressure problems that we have seen in the ballistics lab. Once we have some more time it is on the list of items to finish data for. Good Luck

 

[UltraB]

Thanks for the input. Got buddies shooting the 300UM 200 gr AB. They say I am a fool to even consider the 7mm UM. Maybe so, Just wanted a more professional take on the load differences and figured there was a reason for not seeing published data. I'll continue the research, but thanks to Nosler for the advice and performance products. Merry X-mast to all !! :grin:

 

[548bhd]

I have a Rem 700 SS 26" bbl in 7mm Ultra Mag. If you can only have one rifle, the 300 RUM is a better all around choice since you can load heavier bullets. I am driving 140 grain bullets over 3500 at the muzzle with the 7mm RUM. The 300 RUM can drive the heavier 165 grain bullets over 3400. The most velocity you can get from the 7mm with a 175 grain bullet is about 3100, while you can get over 3300 with a 180 grain bullet out of the 300 RUM.

I'd hate to be on the receiving end of either one. The 7mm RUM is really inefficient if you look at how much more powder you have to burn to get just a little increase in velocity over a regular 7mm Rem Mag or 7mm Wby. I got the 7mm instead of the 300 because I already had a 300 Wby.

 

[548bhd]

Forgot to mention in previous post, Hornady has a comprehensive listing of load data for the 7mm RUM in their latest manual. I have used their data to work up loads with both Nosler and Sierra bullets.

 

[jbdre]

UltraB, the 7mm Ultra is a fantastic caliber. I have been working with it for over two years now and one of the best loads I have found uses Retumbo with the 160 AccuBond bullet. I can run this bullet out of my Sendero at just over 3400fps with under minute of angle accuracy. It is the just about the flattest shooting thing I have ever used and it absolutely flattens deer size game which is exactly what I got it for. I don't think the caliber is a good all around one but more of a specilized item. I mounted a Leupold 6.5x20x40 with turrets in a Leupold long range mount. Set up this way the rig is good to 1000 which is as far as I have shot it. I did have Lee make some custom dies from cases fired in the rifle and I use a Bersin device and concentricity guage to eleminate run out. Team this rig up with a good laser rangefinder and some cross sticks and you can reach out there as far as anyone ought to when shooting game. I have used both the 300 and 338 Ultras but the 7mm is my personal favorite.

 

[NOSLER]

JB-

Have you personally seen any pressure signs with this cartridge?

 

[jbdre]

No I have not. Before I got my rifle I heard some stories about the caliber being difficult to load for and a big part of the problem seemed related to pressure but I just haven't experienced it. I confess I approched loading for the catridge very carefully because of what I heard. I am watching all the usual pressure signs and have miked cases for case head expansion. I realize that none of these signs are infallable but I also shoot over a chronograph a lot. With Retumbo and the Hodgdon data I am getting very consistent velocities which I believe is probably my best indicator of consistent pressures. My brass is, of course, Remington and I have two 100 round lots of brass now on their fifth loading - no unsual problems at all. No abnormal stretching above the web and no abnormal case stretching. In fact, there seems to be less case stretching with this caliber than with numerious others I have worked with. I was anticipating a possible need to anneal at this point or maybe get some new cases but I don't see any real need to do either. Accuracy at all ranges is steller if I do my part. I have been working with the same cases and powder lot for most of the time and have used two different lots of Federal 215 Match primers. Early on I did go through two pounds of a different lot of Retumbo but could detect no difference between it and the lot I am using now. In my opinion, this is a caliber that only makes sense if you are running to the max. If the shooter doesn't want or need every fps the catridge offers then almost any of the other sevens makes more sense. What all of this is going to mean in terms of barrel life is unknown but I never get the barrel too hot to comfortably touch.

While I am at it I have used two other Nosler bullets the 140 Partition and the 150 CT Ballistic Tip. The rifle did not seem to really like the Partition but it absolutely loved the Ballistic Tip. I took several large bodied deer with the Ballistic Tip but the shortest range was 358 yards. At long distance the bullet was fine but I don't think it would perform close in at 7Ultra velocities. The 160 AccuBond shoots as well as the Ballistic Tip in my rifle and I believe it will be a much better bullet at 7Ultra velocities.
I tried the 150 Scirocco also but the rifle gagged on it, promptly going from under one inch for five shots to about three inches at 100 yards. I suspect the 160 AccuBond is going to be the very best long range killer for me in this caliber but I haven't worked with it enough yet to be sure.

Bottom line is I like this catridge a lot. It is not for everyone, especially those who don't reload, but it delivers a tremendous thump with very flat trajectory way out there and has very moderate recoil. Best long distance critter getter I have found for deer sized game.

 

[bowhuntrrl]

Word is that Remington is dropping this caliber. I'm sure Nosler didn't want to come out and say that when he commented. In reality, it won't do anything a 7 STW won't do. MY .300 RUM will push a 150 or 165 gr over 3400 fps if that's what you're after. With a .300 RUM, you can also shoot the heavier bullets.

 

[jbdre]

Word is Remington is dropping all the Ultra Mags but I don't put much faith in "word". Anyway, No the STW will not really run with the Ultra Mag. However, it is so close that it doesn't matter assumeing pressures are equal. Anything one will do the other will do as well. If you think the STW will have a longer life span than the Ultra go for it and you will never see the difference. Both are excellent catridges but neither is slated for run away sales.

 

[FOTIS]

Get a 300 RUM and never look back see my results below!

http://noslerreloading.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=164

 

[jbdre]

Outstanding Pop! You obviously have a rifle that will shoot and know how to use it. Personally, I like all of the Ultra Mags 7mm, 300, 338. It is no suprise that the .300 is the most popular. If any of the Ultras are on the way out the .300 will be the last to go. Good shooting!

 

[548bhd]

Nolser,

I have seen pressure problems in some of my reloading for the 7 RUM. AA says 102.0 grains of AA8700 with a 160 grain Sierra Boattail is a max load, with the starting charge being about 92.0 grains. At 96.5 grains I feel maxed out based on what the fired primer looks like. AA also lists 104.0 grains as the max with a 150 Nosler BT, at 101 grains I feel maxed out.

I guess I don't know if these are pressure problems or if my rifle (Rem 700 SS 26") just can't handle what their test barrel can. I wish you guys would publish some data for this cartridge soon.

 

[jbdre]

Short of pressure testing equipment you can't really be sure what pressure you are getting. Some rifle and load combinations can be way over safe pressures and show none of the common signs, but primers are not necessarily a valid indication of excess pressure by themselves. Anyway, if you are at all uncomfortable you did the right thing to stop. Are the primer pockets still tight? What was your velocity? Did bolt lift start to feel at all sticky? Were there any ejector marks on the case head? Remingtons usually show this sign quickly when pressure gets too high. How far off the lands were your bullets? When I tried 8700 I couldn't get the velocity I was after. Have you tried Retumbo? I have had the best results with Retumbo, getting 3400 with 160 Accubonds, no pressure signs, and what I believe will be very good case life. In fact, had I not discovered Retumbo I don't think I would like this catridge nearly as well as I do. Good shooting!

 

[loader]

jbdre thanks for the info, just ordered a barrel to build a new lr hunting gun. 7mm rum. this one will be built on a 30" shilen heavy varmint , from looking at what your getting (fps ) this one slould be able to get about3550 with the 160 ab, what do ya think, thanks loader

 

[548bhd]

jbdre,

Thanks for the insight. I did not notice the bolt being sticky at all, but there were slight showings of ejector marks on the case heads. The primer pockets were still tight. I was getting just at 3200 fps. Don't know how far off the lands, I am seating the bullets as far out as my magazine allows and they do not touch the lands as a result. Like your good results with Retumbo, I am getting great results with RL25 - much more velocity and no pressure signs, I am still in load development with the RL-25 so I have not maxed out yet. I have been playing back and forth between Fed 215 and Rem 9.5M primers, and I never did try F215's with the 8700, but doubt it would have made much difference. The AA data just seems way out of whack.

Are you comfortable sharing your load data with 160 AB and Retumbo? I like to work up a load and see if I can get to 3400 fps.

 

[jbdre]

loader, I think 30" ought to make the 7mm Ultra Mag really hum. Your estimate sounds about right to me though I have no experience with a 30" barrel. That ultra case holds a heck of a lot of powder and 30" ought to take full advantage of it. Frankly, I go through rifles and cattridges like kleenex. There isn't much out there I haven't tried at one time or another. I bought the 7Ultra I presently own on impulse up in S.Dakota while coming back from a hunt in Wyoming. Didn't get around to fooling with it for a while and when I did I was pleasantly suprised with the accuracy, velocity, and killing power. I think you will be too.

By the way, another thing I heard about the 7 Ultra was that barrel life was extremely short. I'm keeping very careful count of the number of rounds through my barrel. I never get the barrel to hot too comfortably touch and we will see. I actually don't expect barrel life to be any worse than for any other overbore catridge. When the barrel does go I will probably rebarrel with a Hart of the same caliber.

 

[FOTIS]

Outstanding Pop! You obviously have a rifle that will shoot and know how to use it. Personally, I like all of the Ultra Mags 7mm, 300, 338. It is no suprise that the .300 is the most popular. If any of the Ultras are on the way out the .300 will be the last to go. Good shooting!

Hopefully they will all survive!

 

[jbdre]

548, my load is 94.0grs of Retumbo, the 160 AccuBond, and GM215M primers. Average velocity is 3400fps with five shots usually going under one inch at one hundred yards. It takes about ten shots to settle my barrel down if I start with a perfectly clean barrel. After that point accuracy stays good for at least 75-80 shots by which time I have ususlly found an excuse to clean. If I try and shoot a group too fast I usually get a flyer that will open the group one-half to one inch more. My particular rifle and component lots will allow slightly more than 94.0 grs without any obvious pressure signs but accuracy drops off somewhat. Good luck with your load development.

 

[loader]

thank you very much for trhe info, still waiting for the barrel have everything else loader. pop how are ya