7mm velocity 162 gr. sst

[hundmeister]

Hi guys, i'm new to reloading and got my SAKO 85 7mm rem mag to group under .5 moa with 162 hornandy sst bullets .020 off the lands with 63gr H4831 powder. any idea what i should expect for velocity. using cci 250 primers and federal brass.

 

[DrMike]

Welcome to the forum; we're glad to have you here. You can expect between 2800 and 2850 fps in the load you describe.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

That sounds like a perfect load for the SST velocity wise.

Accuracy wise you can do much better. C'mon this is the internet!! :wink:

My bud shoots the 162gr SST over 61gr of H4831 from a 24" barrel and gets 2785fps. Very accurate as well. It's his long range practice load and he has taken several deer with spectacular results.

 

[hundmeister]

That doesn't sound like enough velocity. I wouldnt mind around 3000 fps like they got in a manual from late 70s. 162 grain hornandy 68.4 gr. h4831 around 3000fps. Or isnt that real world numbers. Hodgen max is 64 Gr. around 2877 fps. Factory amunition shows around 2950 for 160ish bullets, with who knows what powder. Is it possible to get more velocity by setting for a longer coal. I really dont want to switch to a powder that isnt a extreme powder on account of the temp swings in Canada, h1000 doesnt give me much more and, h4831 looks promising with one range trip. I know r25 or r22 should give me more velocity but.... no extreme. Or should i be content with the 2850 velocitys.

 

[DrMike]

hundmeister,

You're not using a maximum charge, as per QL. According to the program, a maximum charge would be 65.5 grains, which projects to 2957 fps. 2850 fps isn't a bad velocity.

 

[aka Hunter]

In a 24" barrel w/ 63 gr of H4831 and 160 gr bullets I saw an average of 2828.

 

[hundmeister]

I tried the 64 grains in a ladder test, what happend was 63 gr. .4 of an inch and 64 grains opened up to i didnt even measure. probably 1.5'' and i could'nt find one bullet hole, possibly through a previous hole. Also the rifle had a funny crack sound i think, on the one i couldn't find, it didn't feel right and i got my best group at 63 grains. I can probably do better because 63 was after firing about 25 rounds. I loaded up a bunch from 62-63.5 grains to see what i can do. i'm also hoping to find a nice guy with a chrony.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Hodgdon's on-line site lists 60.0gr as the max for H4831. Seems low to me. Eitherway, you're getting excellent accuracy, not burning out your throat or slamming your shoulder very hard. I'd be very content with that load. I'm not a fan of pushing the SST too hard either and know that bullet at your speeds slays deer.

Velocity is King but accuracy is the Queen. We all know who rules...

YMMV

 

[DrMike]

There are a lot of factors that determine velocity. Your accuracy is good; I'd likely be content with that. What are you hunting? What distance do you anticipate shooting?

 

[hundmeister]

Not really hunting, i just do this incase i want to go someday. i have'nt aquirerd a taste for game yet. However i'm feeding my addiction punching paper and you know, being new to reloading and all, i was expecting to get better than factory velocity. Question for you who have played with overall cartrage length, does a longer coal increase velocity?

 

[DrMike]

You are not likely to better factory velocities. Manufacturers frequently use non-canister powders that are not available to the hand-loading public, and the techniques employed, especially on high velocity rounds, are not generally easy for the untrained to employ. The primary advantage of hand loading is the higher degree of accuracy you can obtain with careful techniques. Also, you are able to avail yourself of bullets that may not be available in the particular cartridge you are wanting to use.

 

[wildgene]

...Hornady #7 lists (24"/ 1:9) 59.7grs. of H4831 as max @2800fps, 60.6grs IMR4831, 62.9/RL-22, 68.5/H1000, 69.3/RL-25, 69.6/ Magpro as max @3000fps, I think you could find a powder that gave you both the velocity & accuracy you desire. I'd start w/ RL-22 or IMR-4831...

 

[SJB358]

...Hornady #7 lists (24"/ 1:9) 59.7grs. of H4831 as max @2800fps, 60.6grs IMR4831, 62.9/RL-22, 68.5/H1000, 69.3/RL-25, 69.6/ Magpro as max @3000fps, I think you could find a powder that gave you both the velocity & accuracy you desire. I'd start w/ RL-22 or IMR-4831...

I am with Gene, RL22 and the 7RM with 160's - 175's are pretty awesome on the accuracy and velocity scale.

 

[onesonek]

That doesn't sound like enough velocity. I wouldnt mind around 3000 fps like they got in a manual from late 70s. 162 grain hornandy 68.4 gr. h4831 around 3000fps. Or isnt that real world numbers. Hodgen max is 64 Gr. around 2877 fps. Factory amunition shows around 2950 for 160ish bullets, with who knows what powder. Is it possible to get more velocity by setting for a longer coal. I really dont want to switch to a powder that isnt a extreme powder on account of the temp swings in Canada, h1000 doesnt give me much more and, h4831 looks promising with one range trip. I know r25 or r22 should give me more velocity but.... no extreme. Or should i be content with the 2850 velocitys.

Today's load manuals are lawyered down somewhat from what they where years back.
But accuracy is your #1 goal, at least in my mind.
A hundred or two extra fps isn't a major deal to me, and you getting 1/2 moa from a factory rifle is pretty darn respectable. I would be happy with it myself,,,,,to a point
Seeing how H1000 didn't do much different, one might try Retumbo, if curiosity demands it. The extra velocity you mentioned is helpful at extreme range, but in the real world avg hunting distance's, it won't make that much difference. If it is long range target work you are interested in, it just takes time and shooting to master it. Accounting for a few more inches of trajecory and wind drift is no big deal to me. Learning how to read the wind is the art in shooting. And that just takes time and shooting as I mentioned.
If anything, I myself would playing with that .5 moa load with a .10 gr. one way or the other, and adjust seating depth a few .001" one way or the other, hoping to find 1/4 moa.

 

[Songdog]

Accuracy wise you can do much better. C'mon this is the internet!! :wink:

Seriously just choked on some orange juice.... that's flippin' hilarious right there!

As far as the 162 in a 7mm Rem.... 2950-3000 is reasonable. I'll typically tollerate a little more pressure than most, as I'll let the brass decide when to back off.... not the lawyers. I've seen more than a few 24" barreled 7mm Rems (and Roys) accurately break 3100 with a 162 Amax and many grains of Retumbo (or Magnum).

 

[hundmeister]

Thanks guys, i really appreciate the replys. I have read a lot on guys using r22 in the 7mm rem mag with excellent results, however on Hodgdon website on the extreme tour they turned me away with the temp, swinging the velocities up and down. I also talked to locals and the recommended powders for 7mm rem mag was h4831 or h4350. The h4831 was the first one i tried and it seems to look promising, but i might have to settle for around 2850 fps. Really only about 100fps less than preferred. I'll try to get a chrony lined up and see what i can come up with, i might be in for a nice surprise, you never know.

And its also like one guy said, speed is king, accuracy is Queen, and we all know who rules. Easier on the shoulder plus on the fine rifle, so unless i get rediculously low velocities i think i'll go with this especially if i can get groups even better.

 

[gerry]

Without a cronograph you won't know exactly what speed you are getting, it could be great right now. If you want to experiment more Retumbo and Magnum would be worth looking at.

Hopefully this link will work for you, it's a story on the 7mm RM by John Barsness in the digital edition of Guns magazine, I'm sure you will find it interesting.

http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMG ... 2/?page=24

 

[SJB358]

That was a great article Gerry. Might have to give RL25 a try with the heavier 175's. That would be a smashing elk load for sure.

 

[gerry]

That was a great article Gerry. Might have to give RL25 a try with the heavier 175's. That would be a smashing elk load for sure.

I do like reading John Barsness's articles, you ever try Magnum in anything Scotty? My 264 WM didn't really like it but others have had good sucess with it. The RL 25 175 gr load just shy of 3000 fps is definitely a good one, it would be equally as good for moose and grizzly too.

 

[DrMike]

I ran my 175 TBBCs right at 2850 and the Partitions just shy of 2900. Either hit hard, and dropped game cleanly. At 3000, it is just that much more energy to transfer.