7RM-RL22

[BeeTee]

I finally got around to a range day with the 7RM. After all the recommendations here for RL22, and especially NoelW's work with RL22 and Nosler's 140CT for the 7RM, I decided to give it a try. The rifle shot its smallest group ever using Noel's same exact load. Thanks Noel!

View attachment 7RM-RL22-May2013001.jpg

I shot a bracket above and below the magic 69.5gr, looking at velocity, uniformity and group size. The rifle will accept speeds up to 3300-fps with increasing charges of RL22, but groups began opening up. Like what Noel discovered, 3100 +/- could be the sweet spot for this rifle and combo of components. Still have more testing to do and shoot more groups to confirm, but the initial results are encouraging.

I also noticed that the black coating used on the CT makes the first couple of cleaning patches coal black.... BT

 

[DrMike]

That is a fine load. It is undoubtedly gratifying for you. Congratulations.

 

[SJB358]

Very nice BT. I need to give some 140's a try in the 7mm Mag. The 140 PT's were all I ever used with H870 back when I started loading. Might need to come back to them and give em a whirl again. They were accurate and no deer ever came outta his hoof prints.

 

[FOTIS]

Perfect deer antelope load!

 

[BeeTee]

Yes, that load should work well.

I've bagged two antelope, several deer and a large cow elk (450 yards) with this rifle and Nosler's 140BT. All one-shot kills. Hoping for a shot at the wolves....

 

[SJB358]

Nice! I hope you get a shot at the wolves as well. I might need to go down and load some up, just to monkey with myself!

 

[BeeTee]

I should probably add that this is a factory stainless-steel Remington, except that it has a glass-bedded and free-floated Boyd's stock. It's had somewhere near a couple hundred rounds through it so far. The 140CT produces an overall loaded length of 3.335" to just touch the lands. The rounds loaded for the above target were .005" short of the lands at 3.330".

Also, I fired a dozen rounds at this range session. Aside from a black coating inside the barrel that came out pretty easily with a couple solvent patches, there was no copper on the lands. With the 140BT that I have the most experience with, I usually had light traces of copper on the lands near the muzzle after a dozen rounds. BT

 

[C.Smith]

3100 FPS is nothing to sneeze about. Looks great. RL22 works great in my 7mag too.

Corey

 

[FOTIS]

I would go up to 160 for elk, but that is just me.

 

[TXbaldhunter]

That is an excellent load.I use the same load with Win WXR.It is the same powder as Reloader-22,just different lots.Results are repeatable too!

 

[SJB358]

Nice, great shooting! Might need to give that load a whirl as well.

 

[Elkman]

Very nice, great shooting. !!!!

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Pretty much same load I used in my old 7 RM to take deer out to 800.

Works fantastic! Very lethal deer combo, can't think of many that are a whole lot better.

Under 1/2 MOA and 3200fps from my 700 BDL custom deluxe.

 

[BeeTee]

That is an excellent load.I use the same load with Win WXR.It is the same powder as Reloader-22,just different lots.Results are repeatable too!

Nice shooting.... Seems to be a theme developing where a certain bullet, a certain powder and a certain speed combine to produce best results. I'd give up a little speed for half the group size.

I noticed the same thing in my 223. The Nosler 50BT produced the best accuracy with W748 and pushed to ~3350-fps. Slower/faster speeds or different powders increased group size. BT

 

[sask boy]

That is some great shooting! RL-22 looks like it can really deliver in the 7mm mag :wink: and the Winchester WXR is right there also :mrgreen:
Thanks for the reports guys, it is great that to have people willing to share!!!

Blessings,
Dan