Funky day at the range.

[dsnook]

Here it is about a month before deer season and I am still trying to develop a load for my 7mm. I have had varying luck so far with the 168 gr LRAB. I decided I would just go with a stiff charge of 7828 as it was doing pretty good in my earlier test loads. I set up two different seating depth at each end of the spectrum. 1 at 0.080" off the lands and 1 at Nosler's recommended COL which works out to 0.190" off the lands.

I figured I would pick the best 1 and worry about continuing load development between deer season and elk season.

It appears I have managed to create a shotgun, as I would call the groups patterns, being somewhere between 3" and 5" !!!

I know I wasn't having an off day at the range as I had shot my .338, my .243 AI, and my wife's 300 savage making nice size groups for all of them.

After mulling it over night I am thinking I might have a scope problem. When I first got this rifle in early spring I put my 6 - 18 battle zone scope on it and it showed great promise with most loads I tried. I have since put on my old 4 - 12 Leupold VXII. I have noticed that lately I have had a problem with focus on this scope and I thought it was my 56 year old eyes...maybe not.

I have never had an issue with any of my Leupold scopes in the past. I am pretty sure it's not a base problem since it is an M77 Hawkeye.

I am going to switch it out with my 3 - 9 Bushnell and see what happens.

D

 

[JD338]

What flavor of 7mm are you shooting and what is the powder charge weight? What barrel twist rate do you have? I'm thinking that your twist rate is too slow for the 168 gr ABLR.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

A bad scope can sure have you chasing groups. That would be a simple test to rule the scope in or out. JD338 does have a point concerning the LRAB, however.

 

[Guy Miner]

Concur with both of the above. Try the scope swap if you'd like.

But have a good, conventionally shaped, 160 gr bullet available... Partition or AccuBond. Either should work great!

Guy

 

[pharmseller]

72 grains of MagPro in my 7 Rem Mag and a 160 NAB get me 3,000 fps and great accuracy.



P

 

[dsnook]

I have a 7mm rem mag. I believe it has a 1 in 9.5 twist, could be 1 In 10. I do have some 160 ab that do show some promise. I also have some 150 ablr also. My load for the 168 ablr was 65gr 7828, which should be close to 2900 fps. frustrating that Nosler shows loads for this bullet , but I noticed it is for a 1 in 9 twist.

I'll load up some 160 ab with some 7828 and try them next weekend. Big tuna canning weekend over Labor day!

D