7mm Rem Mag Reloading troubles...

Trying to sort a hand load for my Tikka 7mm rem mag. New to reloading.

using h1000 (2217)
162Eldx
Hornady cases fired from my rifle
federal primers.
Loaded to mag length

1st test of 3 shot groups went good 69g shot .5moa, thought that was easy so loaded a few more up and went back to range to check, did not go so good quite a few flyers, possibly me, noticed after 2nd test lands at muzzle end thick of copper.
copper cleaned rifle and went back for 3rd test with more 69g and some higher charges..
Not so flash either..
Never did a ladder test as such or had a chrono, test range was a 100y.
Can any one see a pattern from my test groups of a load that I should focus on?
Maybe play around with 69s and 72/73g..?

pretty keen to get it sorted, sick of driving to the range to get mixed results. Cheers

1st TestAttachment 102856

2nd testAttachment 102857

3rd testAttachment 102858

I'd have someone else shoot it to see if it's you, and check my rings and bases to be sure

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71.5 -72gr 2217 and a 162gr projectile is usually a great load in 7mm mags. It was what I used in mine, but I was able to seat further out due to mag length.
The other thing to try is a two load system. Use the eld-x, but seat further out. You will need to single load but as a long range load it isn't as much of a handicap as you'd think. Then try something like a 160 accubond seated to mag length as a "spook and shoot" load.
Sight in for the long range eld-x load and then see where the close range load hits. So long as it is within an inch or so at 100yds it will be accurate enough out to 200yds.
This is what I did for mine and had no issues.

Have you had the rifle apart at any time? Somtimes if you are not careful, you can miss align the recoil lug in a Tika.

Also, how did you resize your brass? Neck sized with a different neck tension? Full length resize?

Cheers for the feed back,

-Yea might have to have a mate shoot it.

-will try some more loads from 71g-73g. There were no pressure signs I could tell, 70g being the max book load...
Will consider the 2 load system as can’t see it being a problem either but am keen to try a bit more to get the eld-x working.

-Rifle has just come from gunsmith after beding job so should be good there..
Am just neck sizing using the lee neck size die...

I had trouble finding a load for my 7mm rem mag. Wasted so much time trying to get it shooting with 2217 when the reality was my rifle just hated it. Switched to IMR4831 and now it shoots beautifully. I also seated closer to the lands and single feed, just what has to be done for the accuracy I want. I would also try 2225 which I had a lot of people telling me to try but I just couldn’t source any at the time.

I thought RL22 was the go to for 7mm mag

I have a Tika T3 Super Varmint. Go to load is 70.5gr 2217 with 162gr AMAX. Have yet to try 162 ELD-X still have plenty of AMAXs. Anyway, dont write off 2217 just yet, a few people on here have had good results with it. Agree that 2225 would be a good option, if a little slow for a 24" barrel.

I use 72gn 2225 with a 162 SST in a standard Tikka with no pressure signs and could definitely get it going faster. Tikkas seem slow barrels but you can dial for that if it’s accurate.
What part of the country are you in as I could give you some 2225 to try.

Ive found 2225 or RL25 better than 2217 in 7mmRMs, better speed and accuracy. The ELDms also might be a more forgiving pill.
Are you shooting with a suppressor?
Be very careful about carbon build up if you are. That will wreck your groups pdq

I’m in chch shootm, cheers for the offer I’ll Give the h1000a few more goes...
No suppressor.
Notice the barrel doesn’t take long to get copper build up..

ADI2213SC 62.5 grains firing a 140gr nosler boat tail.
works well

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dev

I’m in chch shootm, cheers for the offer I’ll Give the h1000a few more goes...
No suppressor.
Notice the barrel doesn’t take long to get copper build up..

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If you were in the NI it would be easier to get some to you, there might be a good bugger around ChCh though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

ADI2213SC 62.5 grains firing a 140gr nosler boat tail.
works well

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I use to run 71gn 2213 with 150BTs in my Ruger it was a warm load but no pressure signs. I would advise working up the that though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dev

I’m in chch shootm, cheers for the offer I’ll Give the h1000a few more goes...
No suppressor.
Notice the barrel doesn’t take long to get copper build up..

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if you are getting heavy copper fouling after only 10 - 12 rounds then apart from removing the Cu with a quality solvent (I use Boretech Eliminator, and KG12 is very good too but does not show the blue colour so harder to track how you're going) .... but after Cu & carbon removed you might want to consider lapping or polishing bbl with Autosol or JB's Borepaste. Dont go over board with it, use small amount (pea size) and only 5 - 6 strokes up/down bbl. then remove/clean thoroughly with Hoppes or similar solvent.

Yea about 12-15 rounds and could see copper on lands at muzzle end. Been using borerech eliminator. Will see how next test goes, will consider lapping with some autosol, just a touch on patches/jag? The 50-60 rounds of factory ammo never had copper show up but plenty with the hand loads...

I had a similar experience with edlx in a 270 although I didn't check till around 100 rounds when the accuracy started to drop off.
gave the barrel a solid copper clean and went straight back to under .5 moa groups @100yds

I would have said 69.5-70.5 is where you look to have the most consistent grouping, if you overlaid targets from that charge range it looks like they would largely fall in same sort of places

What scales are you using? Digital or beam? My Lee digital scales have a habbit of being off my up too 2 grains even after being calibrated which could cause a few grouping issues

Using the lee beam scales

Welcome to my world. In short to solve your problem get rid of anything with hornady written on it. But seriously been down this road with my 7mm. Sst, eld-x/m same results as you. Had barrel checked as well. After chasing my tail for hundreds of rounds the tmks came out so tried them. 1.5" groups at best became .5". Berger 168 classic even better. Nosler 150 bt's also good. You will find the fouling will stop also. I think hornady use very soft jacktets as my other rifle fouls bad with them. 180eld-m do shoot but 2225 is better for them. They still foul though. Gunslik and a nylon brush work. Don't waste time or money on anything until you try other projectiles as a lot of rifles struggle with the new hornadys. Good luck. Might have some tmk's left. Pm me and I can send you some to try

Yep starting to feel I’m chasing my tail for sure, get better results with some factory ammo...
I have all ready loaded up 12 more eld-x to try with low expectations from them... even if they do shoot well sounds like the quick copper fouling is common with them which am not keen on.
So will try some other projectiles, will pm.
Cheers

where are you based dev??

My 7mmsaum didn't Ike the ELD-X but loved Berger 168

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I’m in chch

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dev

I’m in chch

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i can give you some hornady factory loads and some reloads to try, just bring the empty cases back

Not having a dig at hornady products or saying they are not good in case someone thought i was. I have used and still use their products. My point is that my rifles foul with them, but they are chrome moly which isn't as common now and most people with stainless barrels haven't had that problem I've talked to. The eld line seems to be either a shooter or not depending on the rifle. Considering the results I had and problems are very similar to yours that's where I'd start. The Tmk is similar to the amax and I wonder if the new game changer will be similar to the eld-x? 150 bt's are often the go to for the 7mm mag. Try something other than hornady , like winchester, federal etc and see how you go

Do you have the factory Tikka rings? If so junk them. They will not hold on the bigger calibers. Had similar problems with a customers braked 300WM and was pulling hair out trying to work it out.
Then looked at the recoil pin in the ring - was working its way out of the back of the ring! I don't trust them at/above 308 level of recoil.

Nah using Talley rings.
Tried some more loads today, had a clean as barrel so fired 2 factory load sst which grouped then tried handloads which sprayed everywhere.. will change projectile and start again...

Once I get some more loaded up with different projectiles, is it worth doing a ladder test or just best to load them up in batches of 3 in .5 increments and see what ones group?

Imo ladder test is ok if seeing what pressure and an idea of velocity and gives you an idea of maximum. Can't see it being much good for finding accuracy although many people use it as a starting point. Way I see it if you pull a shot slightly then it stuffs up the data to much and it's easy to do. If you do a 3 shot group and pull one the other two should give you an idea whether it's worth going back to that charge and trying again. When I had the same problems as you , changing to the bergers and tmk's made a huge difference straight away even with my start loads. Think from memory I was around 73.5gns of 2225 with the 162's and dropped back to around 69.5 when I tried the others. All ended up with a very similar charge weight and velocity once I worked back up. They were all similar with their weight and bearing surface so not a radical change

Yea was thinking that’s the case, will grab some 165 game changers or the Accubonds tomorrow hopefully and try again wth 3 shot groups

My previous barrel didnt like the hornady but went really well with berger, did as they suggest in their website of 40 thou increments for searing depth and 120 thou jump proved to be the sweet spot. Had initially worked up to roughly the powder charge I wanted then fine tuned with searing depth and was done pretty quickly from memory it was 73.5gr of 2225

Just bought a 7mm RM t3x. How'd you end up going @Dev?

Hi there, Just been down this track with my 7mm RM which I bought 2nd hand, Tikka T3x Lite ss, not the fluted barrel model. It came with what I am told was a cracker load using the 180 Berger Hybrids, but quite slow at 2780 (or similar), havent tried them as I wanted a lighter load. Sooo started with RL26 and 150Eldx, 0.75 on a good day, ok but wanted better, 150 Nosler partitions were also good at 0.65 odd. I found RL26 a little inconsistent over the chronograph, so switched to RL22 which showed more consistency.150 Berger classic hunter showed some promise at about 0.5/0.6 with a load of 67.5 and 3155fps (START WELL BELOW THIS AND WORK UP IN YOUR RIFLE IF YOU TRY THIS LOAD). From there I tweaked seating depth 5 thou at a time and hit the sweet spot. This is a mag load and I believe the tikkas are built that true that touching the lands is not a must to get the most accurate load. Just my 2 cents worth. Another thing that really tidied my groups up (by about 0.3/0.4) was shooting technique. I now shoot prone over a Bipod with spiked feet. This is a good Youtube vid on a good technique that may help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c7rdoJNufk Attachment 190886

THAT IS 67 GRAINS ABOVE (NOT 67.5). JUST REALISED MY MISTAKE WHEN READING THE TARGET> START WELL BELOW THIS AND WORK UP!

Get a proper neck sizing die :thumbsup:. I played with the lee collet neck die for a while but ran into problems after a couple of firings. I changed to the rcbs neck die and never looked back.

Also shooting 2217 and 162 ELD-X out of my rem mag. 72.5 grains was the magic number in mine, 3.340 inches orag length in my Sako A7.

If you decide to give up on the ELD-X I'll happily take them off your hands.