Has anyone done the c e Harris loads 13gr red dot for a 7mm mag?
Has anyone done the c e Harris loads 13gr red dot for a 7mm mag?
I did try the light load of 16 gr of 2400 in the 7mm mag and the results were NOT promising.
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Just wondering because I see in some older Lyman cast books that they list a load for red dot in the 7mm mag. Might have to try it out
Generally, the bigger case capacity of it is going to be a problem for getting good accuracy, I would think, but it is definitely worth a try. A 7mm Mag is an expensive thing to shoot, even if you handload and if you like the rifle, coming up with a cheap practice load is a very worthwhile endeavor.
I never tried cast in my 7mm Mag, might have to someday, but I've kind of lost interest in the rifle.
When you experiment with Red Dot in your 7Mag, try a "pinch" of kapok (pillow stuffing) to keep the small amount of powder next to the primer for more consistent velocity and accuracy.
While not a Red Dot load, my favorite reduced powder load is 40.0gr of IMR4064 with a 175gr "J" bullet. This loads runs about 2200fps and might work with any of the cast bullets without using a "filler" (kapok); but, work up if you try.
I have gotten 1 1/2" or so with Bullseye and soup cans out of my Husky.
I quit shooting it because I had limited amount of BE and I wanted to do some testing with another cartridge
Did not write down amount and so that load is lost to history.
I need to work up some comparable with PROMO because I have a bunch of it.
The BE load I developed used far less than the amount recommended for Red Dot so I need to see if I have any notes so I can go back and try it with PROMO.
Up to last fall (2019) I had put over 1,000 rounds through that rifle and had never fired a coated projie.
I put together some 150Corelokts for a trip to MO and ended up using an 06 with Hornadys.
Last edited by TCLouis; 02-14-2020 at 01:18 AM. Reason: Add Info
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If I had one you can bet I’d develop a reduced load to get some use from it. Maybe with a Lee mould and sizer but maybe just use up all those partial boxes of odd 7mm bullets I’ve accumulated from friends and the 7x57s I’ve owned.
This morning in my 7mm Rem Mag I tried 40 gr of 4064 behind 165gr-C.....really terrible results....10 rounds within a 2 ft sq and they all key-holed....
but it was fun to burn some powder this morning
atr
Death to every foe and traitor and hurrah, my boys, for freedom !
Red Dot is bulky and a porous base "fluffy" powder, so you should not need to use any filler.
The 13-grain load of Red Dot would give about 1800 fps with a 145-grain GC bullet and should not be increased.
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In my Rem 700 7mm Rem Mag I used the 145 SIL-GC w/ 16.0 Red Dot....Average velocity was 1,662/ Std Dev 18 FPS. Primers were rounded and I had no high pressure signs. I recall Ed Harris stated not to uses a filler with "the load". I load single shot and raise the barrel straight up and lower slowly before I shoot.
I use 13 grains of Red Dot in a 338 Win Mag and it works well. It might just work great in the 7mm Rem Mag.
ATR - where did you get the 165gr cast bullet mold? What diameter does the mold drop, or what do you size them to? I'd be interested in trying cast in my 7Mag. (Sorry my 4064 load didn't work out!)
Lyman cast manual lists 17.0 135 RNGC boolit as a starting load for 1903 fps 31,500 CUPand max of 20.0 for 2078 fps, 40,700 CUP.
Now I wonder just how slow that BE load I was shooting was going, only shot it to 106 yards.
Hit where I aimed.
Last edited by TCLouis; 02-25-2020 at 06:02 PM. Reason: correction
Amendments
The Second there to protect the First!
RCBS #1 shows 16 grs RD at 1552 and 18 grs at 1700 with their 7mm-168 SP.
The load was developed for military cartridges based on the X57, 308, 30-06, 30-40 and 303 cases. I don't think the 7 Rem mag fits there. It may be a decent start to work up from but will differ substantially from the listed cases.
[The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |