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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jan 12, 2014 21:34:33 GMT -5
Got a set of dies last week and finally got to setting up the Rock chucker.
After loading 1000's of rounds of .38 spcl/.357 and .243 over the past 15 yrs, I was completely surprised with the difference in loading a big cartridge. Used once fired Winchester factory brass.
I thought I was doing something wrong when I set up the de-priming/sizing die. Wow...lots of force needed to run this brass, even when lubed. Lot's of muscle needed to size and then bring the expander ball up through.
Finally got 20 shells trimmed, primed and ready and set my thrower for 59 gr IMR4350. That's a handful of powder! And still doesn't fill the case. The bullets were 160 gr Nosler PT's. Ought to be a great all round bullet starting around 2950 fps.
I'm lovin' having a new round to explore with. Got 30-30 dies on the way as well and plan to reload for this too. Powder, primers and bullets are a little scarce but I have everything I need to get by for a while. If hunting only...a long time.
When reloading I always start by using a fully resized case and set the bullet to the standard OACL. Then I shoot and tweak from there. The factory Win 175 power points grouped so well (under MOA several times) that I figure that will be a good starting point.
Not sure when I can chrony and shoot this box of ammo, but am looking forward to it!!
Back in action finally. Took my wife buying me a bench, which is actually better then I thought, to get everything up and running again after a 5 yr hiatus in reloading.
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Post by Savage Shooter on Jan 14, 2014 8:34:56 GMT -5
Got a set of dies last week and finally got to setting up the Rock chucker. After loading 1000's of rounds of .38 spcl/.357 and .243 over the past 15 yrs, I was completely surprised with the difference in loading a big cartridge. Used once fired Winchester factory brass. I thought I was doing something wrong when I set up the de-priming/sizing die. Wow...lots of force needed to run this brass, even when lubed. Lot's of muscle needed to size and then bring the expander ball up through. Finally got 20 shells trimmed, primed and ready and set my thrower for 59 gr IMR4350. That's a handful of powder! And still doesn't fill the case. The bullets were 160 gr Nosler PT's. Ought to be a great all round bullet starting around 2950 fps. I'm lovin' having a new round to explore with. Got 30-30 dies on the way as well and plan to reload for this too. Powder, primers and bullets are a little scarce but I have everything I need to get by for a while. If hunting only...a long time. When reloading I always start by using a fully resized case and set the bullet to the standard OACL. Then I shoot and tweak from there. The factory Win 175 power points grouped so well (under MOA several times) that I figure that will be a good starting point. Not sure when I can chrony and shoot this box of ammo, but am looking forward to it!! Back in action finally. Took my wife buying me a bench, which is actually better then I thought, to get everything up and running again after a 5 yr hiatus in reloading. You are loading one of the best all around loads I have shot in any centerfire for both performance and accuracy. Every CF I hunt with now days is a .284 bore. Starting with the 7mm-08, 280 AI, 7RM, and a 7WSM....... The load you described is rock solid and IMR 4350 is very stable in this combo........ A couple of things you may want to test as time goes are:::::: I have always found the Accubond to be more accurate than the PT with basically identical terminal performance..... Also my preference of powder for the 160gr class bullets in the 7RM are VV N165 @ 61gr.....then IMR 4831 @ 62gr........then the load you described with IMR 4350 @ 60gr......... and in that order if I had powder to choose from on the shelf. VV N165 is THE powder for the 7RM with either the 140 or 160 gr Nosler bullets, IMO. Funny tho how with the 150gr bullets VV N160 is most accurate/stable...... wouldn't of predicted it being as different as it was..... Oh, and as to the 175 grainers, this is on of the FEW loads that I really like RL22,,,,,,,as per Noslers load data, 62.5gr of RL22 with bring the 175 bullets to LIFE! In my 26" barrels it will push 3,050 fps, talk about kill ANYTHING on the planet setup! I use Nosler brass as much as I can and always Fed 215 primer when loading 7RM. I like the Larry Willis full length collet sizing die for belted magnums, as it more than doubled my average brass life..... see here www.larrywillis.com/index.htmlSee his page on loading belted magnums here www.larrywillis.com/answers.html
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Post by jimmmy on Jan 14, 2014 9:59:10 GMT -5
Tip, neck size only if using brass that has already been shot from the rifle that you are loading for.
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jan 14, 2014 17:44:03 GMT -5
Jimmy,
I just might do that. The reason I didn't get the neck sizer die (yet) is because this gun shoots a factory load (Win 175 gr power points) into 5/8" 3/4" groups at 100 yds. So as a benchmark I am going to try full resizing for now. If I can get sub MOA groups with this set-up, I'm done experimenting.
This bullet combo at under MOA is all I would ever need.
I shot one small doe @ 40 +/- yds with the factory load above and was astonished that the bullet didn't go thru. Quartering on shot. Smashed onside shoulder and lodged half way down the opposite rib cage under the skin. Of course DRT but it made me think that even a heavy-for-caliber bullet driven fast can come unglued at close range. The jacket didn't separate from the core but was peeled back way past the base. Made me think that this load may NOT be the ticket for a truly big animal that needs to be ventilated from any angle.
Thanks for the load data Savage Shooter. I've been reading the Nosler Bible for many years but have only put it to use on the .243. I have been trying to consolidate resources under the current tough times of finding things. IMR4350 looks to be a go-to powder for the 7mm and 243 with heavy partitions in each caliber. Got a few boxes of the .243 100 gr partitions to work with as well.
Question" I only had Fed 210's to use on this batch. Are the 215's essential or will these provide adequate ignition with this powder/cartridge combo? What factors drive the Magnum powder use? Load density when there is a lot of airspace or is it something else common in the larger cases?
Thank you for your input
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Post by Savage Shooter on Jan 14, 2014 19:58:36 GMT -5
Jimmy, I just might do that. The reason I didn't get the neck sizer die (yet) is because this gun shoots a factory load (Win 175 gr power points) into 5/8" 3/4" groups at 100 yds. So as a benchmark I am going to try full resizing for now. If I can get sub MOA groups with this set-up, I'm done experimenting. This bullet combo at under MOA is all I would ever need. I shot one small doe @ 40 +/- yds with the factory load above and was astonished that the bullet didn't go thru. Quartering on shot. Smashed onside shoulder and lodged half way down the opposite rib cage under the skin. Of course DRT but it made me think that even a heavy-for-caliber bullet driven fast can come unglued at close range. The jacket didn't separate from the core but was peeled back way past the base. Made me think that this load may NOT be the ticket for a truly big animal that needs to be ventilated from any angle. Thanks for the load data Savage Shooter. I've been reading the Nosler Bible for many years but have only put it to use on the .243. I have been trying to consolidate resources under the current tough times of finding things. IMR4350 looks to be a go-to powder for the 7mm and 243 with heavy partitions in each caliber. Got a few boxes of the .243 100 gr partitions to work with as well. Question" I only had Fed 210's to use on this batch. Are the 215's essential or will these provide adequate ignition with this powder/cartridge combo? What factors drive the Magnum powder use? Load density when there is a lot of airspace or is it something else common in the larger cases? Thank you for your input I don't have a good answer for you on the 210's, as I have not tested them in any of the magnum cases, use them alot in the 7-08 and 280ai but not in the magnums, so they may be just fine, one way to tell more is to check "book" loads velocity, this will tell you a lot. Purely guessing here but bet they will be fine with Imr 4350......any slower powder prolly not...
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jan 30, 2014 18:44:20 GMT -5
I still haven't shot those new hand loads yet. But I did some more reloading tonight.
I loaded up 5 rounds of 150 gr Swift Scirocco's ahead of 62 gr IMR-4350. Supposed to be about 3200 fps. Again I loaded to the std CO.A.L. Trimmed cases to 2.50" and finished cartridges at 3.295. These bullets look great. Sleek...sharp and substantial. Seems like a MUCH thicker jacket compared to, say, an accubond.
Can't wait to sling a few. If only elk and moose would migrate back this way.
I will report after I get a chance to shoot. Been too cold for me. Might be a while.
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