WC860 for 7mm mag?

[Sven]

Has anyone used 860 for 7mm mag loads and how did it work? I have used and likes 870, but can't find it anymore (I know Hodgdon quit carrying it). I tend to use either 160 or 175 gr bullits with my 7mm mag.

Would 872 be a better choice? Or 868?

[felix]

Get whatever is cheaper. They both are slow as turtles. Use the starting load shown in the books for any of the turtles there. ... felix

[Shuz]

Yes, I have. Bullet is a 175g Speer Grand Slam, seated to OAL of 3.23. Began at 75g and ended up at 77g of WC860 (lot # LC84 K680L030). Primer is CCI 250 mag. Velocity avg 2863 and SD 15. Groups at 2" at 100 yds. Rifle is a Rem 700 SS with 24" bbl. This combo took a nice bull moose for my son in 2004. This load works in my rifle, but, as always, start low and work up. YMMV--Shuz

[454PB]

I also use it in my Remington 700 BDL, 24" barrel. 77 grs. WC860, CCI 250, 175 gr. Hornady SP, chronographs 2650 in mine.

[Sven]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like it's 860 for the 7mm mag (and anything else I have data for H-870), and 820 for the .44 mag and maybe heavy .357 loads.

[maxF]

I started loading 860 for my savage box stock 7mm remmag and was getting 7" groups @ 100 yards. Ladder tested continously till I got my 140gr rem core loct bullets to group @ 2" at 100 yards with 4grains of 2230c as a booster under 62 grains of 860. Tried using puflon (pillow stuffing) to no avail. It consistantly boosted speed by about 200fps and had better sd but accuracy was worse. Then started loading 162gr hornady amaxs with 4gr 2230c, 60.4 gr 860 at 3.420 OAL and got a 4 shot group into 1/2" @100yds. So it will work. It took 240 rounds thru the new gun, bedding the action, clearancing the tang and barrel to finally settle down but wow!! Oh winchester mag primers, macdonalds new 860 offering.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p154/jksabrosa/savage7mmRemMag.jpg

[Sven]

Why the 2230 booster? I seem to have had good luck with H870 and mag primers. I thought 860 would light off about the same.

Nice group, BTW!!!

[maxF]

Using less than full shell loads I was afraid of secondary explosion effect. I tried light loads (55 gr) with no booster and they worked fine (as low as 2200fps) but I seemed to get better consistancy with the booster and I tried varying amounts of booster from 2 to 5 gr and settled on 4. Each rifle will find its own sweet spot so a little ladder testing is best for finding THE load. In my case the rifle loved the amax and couldn't get the core locts to work. I think it likes the heavier bullet although the amax certainly has a reputation for accuracy. Lots of people have said 860 will shoot well. I will get to try 868 in the future as I got a jug when macdonald was selling it for $40 and I'm hoping it shoots the same as 860.