7mm Mag - 150 sciroccos

[wilmsmeyer]

Anyone have any pet loads?

I have Re22, IMR7828 and IMR4350

[7mmfreak]

My guess would be 4350 but I don't shoot those bullets. RE22 is a rock star with just about anything in the .280 Improved or 7mmRM.

[wilmsmeyer]

Hard to find any reliable data on these bullets.

[7mmfreak]

I would feel comfortable using Nosler data for the 150gn E-Tip.

[wilmsmeyer]

These are "max" loads I found on the internet.

68 gr of either 7828SSC or Re22....about 3100+ fps.

Already have shot H4350 to just over 3000 fps with so-so accuracy. 2MOA to be honest. 1/2 MOA with 175 gr Sierra Game Kings and same powder in.

Can't go wrong with either in the short deer wood around here but would love the lazor beam sub MOA round that's can surgically thread the proverbiable needle

[7mmfreak]

I still would use H4350 or RE19 and start with E-Tip data.

[wilmsmeyer]

Why the E-tip data? Isn't that a mono? The Scirocco is a heavy jacketed bullet. Just asking.

[7mmfreak]

It is a mono so loads are more conservative at the lower end. Since you are switching bullets from published data it is a good way to start. In my experience Nosler start data is safely anemic.

[wilmsmeyer]

Ok thank you.

[wilmsmeyer]

So...it was a calm crisp morning here in western NYS. I loaded up the truck and the wife and I went to the range. Her with her kindle and me with the 7mm Mag, the Marlin 30-30 and an assortment of pistols. (it's funny watching a person calmly reading a book with earmuffs on while you are touching off 7mm Mag's)

Anyhow, it was 57 degrees and a wonderful atmosphere to shoot.

I've had troubles shooting these 150 Sciroccos in the 7mm Mag. I had only tried IMR 4350 but had varied the charge and messed with COL a bit. Nothing better than 2" and usually around 3".

Having acquired some IMR7828SSC and RE22, I did some loadings a few weeks ago using 68gr of each and 3.60 COL...0030 off the lands. The 1st group was with the IMR7828SSC and I kept looking thru the 9X scope thinking that the group was very good. Just a big splotch in the same spot. And it was. 5 shots with 4 in one ragged hole and one barely outside the others leaving 1/16" of paper between the off shot and the ragged hole. OK...1/2" 5 shot group. Very pumped up at this time. Primers looked a little flattened and I wrote down that I would back off a grain next time.

Next up, the same amount of RE22. Same EVERYthing except the powder. I couldn't believe it when the 5 shots sprayed All OVER the place at 3 1/2". It is really amazing what changing one variable can do when testing.

Next thing to do is to replicate that group again. Would be totally thrilled if it just hovered around 1". 1/2" groups are hard to come by. This would be a great long range load with a BC of .515 and a MV of around 3100 fps. Tough bullet too by all accounts.

The other load that has never shot over 1" is the 175 Sierra Game King and 57 gr IMR4350. 3 times out at the range now and this load is a winner with a 3 group average of around 3/4".

Then went to testing some Marlin 336 reloads at 50 yds with the Hornady 150 gr RN. This gun is not a tack driver but all 4 loads (same bullet, 4 different powders) had no groups over 1 1/2" or better that 1 1/4". Consistently OK for the stands I want to use it for this years. Woods stands where shots are under 100 yds and for when we kill does at the end of the year and we only take the guaranteed, slam dunk shots at standing deer at close range.

We then shot a bunch of pistols. She put the book down for that!!

Came home and tumbled all the brass from the 7MM and 30-30 and deprimed, re sized, trimmed them all and added them to their respective jars for the next time.

ALSO...finally secured a few hundred FTX MEANT for the 30-30 and not the 308 Marlin! LOL. We'll be playing with those as well in the near future.

[wilmsmeyer]

So the past few months have found me toying with the Barnes 120 TTSX. I went right to the Barnes info on the web and have been shooting these with 72 gr of Re22. Std Win primer. Very good accuracy with every group at least 1" or better. Last week I left off with a 5 shot group of 1" and 2 1/2" high at 100. Since I am sure I would be using this load this year, I loaded 30 rds early this am. At 9:00 am headed to the range. I had made an adjustment to get me about 1 - 1 1/2" high at 100 yds and I wanted to confirm the adjustment.

NICE! 3 shots in 5/8" 1 1/4" above POA @ 100 yds and right at 12 o'clock. I may just leave this alone and hunt. Still have 4 weeks till season and I love to play around shooting but what else am I going to accomplish?

Between the 7mm and .243, I have 2 bughole rifles ready to go. 10 yrs ago it would have been testing slugs, worrying about lot numbers on slugs, sending 50-100 rds downrange in the Knight or Savage looking for the holy grail. Rifles seem easier and more repeatable...duh!

Notes: all cases trimmed to same length. Full length re-sized. All charges individually weighed and confirmed on 2 scales. All COL's are 3.24...WAYYY off the lands which Barnes recommends. Sexy looking bullets that will talk the talk. Of course they will be fine for whitetails at 3500 fps.

This is a stock, plain Jane, un-bedded, 1st year production 700....1962. It shows a real interest in certain bullets...mostly the heavy weights. Real surprised at how well the Barnes groups. Maybe one day I will tear it apart and bed it. But why? You look at this gun and you say..."hmmm...nice gun". It's very plain, a few scratches, and simple but it has a very bad attitude on the business end and it can dot an "i". Bad medicine!!!

[wilmsmeyer]

Also, a follow-up on the 30-30, which may see much more action than the 7mm:

The Sierra 170 gr FM is proving to be very consistent out on the Marlim 336 with 34 gr W748. Never worse than 2" at 100 yds and many groups in the 1 - 1 1/2" range. Will be a great deer gun this year when hunting doe's where shots are close, easy and meat is the game. And, if hunting horns early season in tight cover bow stands, this gun will point, shoot and carry easy and do just fine on a big deer.

Lot's of options this year and lots of playing around to get them all lined up. Fun.

[hankinsrfls]

A 150 grain, 7mm bullet is a 150 grain 7mm bullet.. Any loading data will get you started, weather it be from Hornady's book, Nosler's book, Sierra's book, Speer's book, VihtaVuori's book or the Hodgdon Reloading Manual that is published every year. If in doubt start at the lowest suggested load in the book (which is what you should do anyway) and work your way up looking for pressure signs by examining your cases for stickiness and primers for bulges, flattening or cratering.. Also check your velocity....... Jeff.

[brute]

Oct 21, 2014 20:42:36 GMT -5 hankinsrfls said:

A 150 grain, 7mm bullet is a 150 grain 7mm bullet.. Any loading data will get you started, weather it be from Hornady's book, Nosler's book, Sierra's book, Speer's book, VihtaVuori's book or the Hodgdon Reloading Manual that is published every year. If in doubt start at the lowest suggested load in the book (which is what you should do anyway) and work your way up looking for pressure signs by examining your cases for stickiness and primers for bulges, flattening or cratering.. Also check your velocity....... Jeff.

+1 on the above, also I know some shy away from them but I've had excellent results with Berger 168gr VLDs in the big "7s" usually with Reloader 22.

[runningdog]

280 Remington: 150 gr Scirocco
Powder: 4350
Lee Collet Dies
IMR 4350/56.0 grs @ 2925
Vit-560/59.0 grs @2958

Use for white tail, mule deer and elk