Thread: Too fast and dangerous? 7mm Rem Mag, 180gr ELD-M, RL26

Originally Posted by Sideshow

How warm was the day when you shot?
May need to be carefull in high summer. (Covered by GWH) ^^
Also I wounder how much this will effect brass life, if that is even a concern. But it dose look like you have a ball nat shooting rifle

Also be how are your primer pockets for the next reload?

Thanks @Benj nice link.

Hi Benji,
it was a mild 20 degree day back in March when I tested these. No issues with primer pockets, they felt the same seating the next batch of primers.

Originally Posted by kiwiazonic

Hi Puffin, Chronograph is a Shooting Chrony - Master Beta. My speeds were tested over 2 days, 2 x 5 shot groups. Day 1 group averaged 3072fps, day 2 group averaged 3071fps.
I have only tested over the chrono, no long range validation yet as I wanted to talk to this group first before taking the development any further.
If I could get my hands on another chronograph to validate the speed the would probably help, but as you say a drop test would prob be the best way to confirm.
Attachment 145564

Greetings Kiwiazonic,
That's a nice rig. A couple of things to consider in your deliberations. First fast barrels give more velocity because they develop more pressure. Second you are working up your load in mid winter. I don't know how temperature sensitive R26 is but the pressure you get on a mid summer day in the Kaweka's could be considerably higher. Perhaps a bit of testing in hot weather may be wise before you load too many.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

67 grains of RE26 with 180 ELD-M yields 2840 fps in my 7RM with a 25” 8.7 twist barrel, so yours is fast alright. With a BC as high as the 180, there’s no need to chase high velocity and diminish case life.

Good point, though I'm not chasing velocity. It just happened my best accuracy and lowest ES was at this speed. Would be happier with a speed in the 2900-3000fps if it means I have the same accuracy and safer headroom.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Do you have a friend with Quickload? RL26 typically yields low pressure for most calibers compared to other powders.

Hi Kiwijames, I unfortunately don't have a friend with Quickload, sounds like a great bit of software.
If there is anyone out there who could help me with a Quickload check please shout out.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Hmmmm - Running this in Quickload (without all the variables solved esp case capacity) it says your velocity with 68.0gn is around 3030 fps from your 26" barrel and pressure is in the vicinity of 68,000 - 70,000psi. SAAMI limit for this cartridge is 61,000 so I'd say you are pushing the limits. A lot of loads posted on forums analyse to a similar or greater level of pressure - but you are betting that the very much improved contemporary manufacturing processes for every component save you from a catastrophic failure.

I'm with @grandpamac that its not real sensible to be operating at that sort of level - one little element in the process goes wrong and the results range from a hell of a fright to just about dead.

Hi Tentman, thanks so much for this input. Could you please send me the quickload results you got, I would be real keen to see what it says.
It makes me a bit nervous the Hornady are publishing load data of 67.3gr as the max.
https://press.hornady.com/assets/sit...-eld-match.pdf

Originally Posted by Gkp

@kiwiasonic out of interest what brand of barrel are you running?

Hi Gkp, its a Hardy barrel

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Kiwiazonic,
That's a nice rig. A couple of things to consider in your deliberations. First fast barrels give more velocity because they develop more pressure. Second you are working up your load in mid winter. I don't know how temperature sensitive R26 is but the pressure you get on a mid summer day in the Kaweka's could be considerably higher. Perhaps a bit of testing in hot weather may be wise before you load too many.
Regards Grandpamac.

Thanks grandpamac, at this point I am thinking I will reduce the load. I have a wife and kids to think about so playing risky with loads is not something I am keen to do.
Thanks for all your help. I see you are Hawke's Bay as well, hope to see you on the hills sometime.

@kiwiazonic thank you for taking the time to reply to all the questions that where put to you.

Manners maketh the man

Originally Posted by kiwiazonic

Hi Tentman, thanks so much for this input. Could you please send me the quickload results you got, I would be real keen to see what it says.
It makes me a bit nervous the Hornady are publishing load data of 67.3gr as the max.
https://press.hornady.com/assets/sit...-eld-match.pdf

Can you get a case fired in your rifle and weight it. Then weight it filled with water level to the case mouth (fill with a syringe or drop by drop tapping the case as you go to release the air bubbles that stick to the sides of it, strike of the meniscus with a bit of card or something)

This, combined with the accurate velocity you have, enables Q/L to be "calibrated" to your rifle, and very accurate results are possible -0 for both pressure and changes to velocity from charge variations.

There is a new free reloading tool out, its called GRT (short for Gordons Reloading Tool) and the results it produces match Q/L's very closely even though it uses a different internal ballistics model. I sorta prefer it over Q/L now as I feel the open development model (nothing to do with the internal ballistics) has greater scope for advancement. It also has a tool that enables OBT (Otimal Barrel Time - an accuracy theory which produces somewhat patchy results, but is useful none the less) to be fine tuned very easily.

Cheers