Suggestions for cast 7mm bullets and loads for 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem Magnum?

[Hillbilly_slim]

About to get started casting, true beginner. Just was wondering if anyone had suggestions for casting and loading for 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem Magnum. Molds, hardness, lubing, and the load data...even for some IMR 7383 for those two calibers.
Thank you and
HELLO EVERYBODY

[Bad Ass Wallace]

7mm is one of my favourites in an original 7x57 Mauser. I load the RCBS 145gn silly-wet boolit at a velocity of 1900fps with 29gn of 3031 powder. One of the main problems with sporting or commercial barrels is the depth of rifling which is not very deep compared to military spec. For years I could not get two Rugers to shoot well before I purchased an FN Mauser.

[marshall623]

In my 7-08 Savage Striker , my best load is a 160gr. Lyman Silhouette Bullet over 30gr of 3031 , lit with a CCI 200 . Second IMR 4198 under the same bullet I forgot the amount , lit with a WLR .
In my gun I have to size the noses on those to chamber , for a snug slip fit as they are long enough to reach the rifling. The 130 lee is a good place to start either their regular bullet in 7mm or the soup can that Midsouth had back in stock . The Lee bullets should chamber and you can size them with the push through sizer in .285" .

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[charlie b]

Get a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. The 3rd edition is free online from various sites. It had s ton of useful info and has load date for the 7mmRMag and 7x57 but not the 7-08. The 4th edition might have the 7-08 but I'd ask someone before I bought it.

I use 4198 in my .308 a lot and it works well, but, it is position sensitive. So, either careful handling when chambering or using a fluffed dacron filler is needed for best results. I also use 3031, 4064 and Varget depending on how heavy a load I am shooting.

[Hillbilly_slim]

For regular reloads in my 7mm-08, I've used those combined technologies boolits 140 gr, Win 760 at 43.7 gr and the federal gold medal primers. To keep the bore clean I've used the Hoppe's foaming bore cleaner, then run moly magic through it twice then Ballistol. Never had a problem. But times being as they are, I need to start casting and putting that in my mental library.
Thank you guys for the info.
PS, do y'all use gas checks on the 7mm casts? Or just run bare knuckle?

[MarkP]

What Marshall623 suggested is what I have been using in 7-08 & 7 x 57.... also the NOE THOR not sure what the Lyman number is, but is a Lyman profile with just the front is lopped off to make a large metplat. My mold has both plain base and GC cavities. I have loaded several PB Thor's over 6 gr of fast powder for a friend's 7 mm RM he uses them for pest control on his 40 acres. He lives in a developed rural area where most have 20 to 40 acres parcels. Out of a 26" bbl sounds like a soft clap of hands or a 2 x 4 board dropping on another board. For the LEE Soupcan and 130 RN in 7-08 I have used LARS BAC lube and Carnuba Red and powders; 2400, RL7, RL15, 3031, Red Dot, E3, AL 2000-MR. I have pushed the Thor's to 2,300 fps in a Rem M SEVEN FS (18.5" bbl) using RL7 RL15 2000-MR. I run gas checks on all but the PB Thor's. Also shot some slow PB Thor's in my 7-08 but not as quiet as friends 7 mm RM. I had them all the down to 750 fps in the 7-08. Still sounded like a 38 Spl WC target load in a revolver.

[Hillbilly_slim]

What about gas checks?

[Larry Gibson]

What about gas checks?

Use them.

[atr]

the 7x57 is easy to load for..use the heavier/longer boolits in military surplus rifles
I have NEVER had any success loading cast for 7mm Rem Mag.

[dale2242]

My granddaughters Savage Axis in 7MM-08 loves cast bullets.
Seaco #281 at 145 gr and 20 gr IMR 4198 with 1 gr Dacron shot a ragged hole at 50 yds with 5 shots.
I need to take it to 100 yds to see how it does there.

[PhilC]

Lyman #4 does contain data for the 7-08 using Lyman 287346 (135gr), RCBS 145-SIL, and Lyman 287641 (160gr).

[405grain]

I've had really good luck shooting the rcbs 7-145-Sil in my 7x57 Mauser. The heavier and longer rcbs 7-168-Sp shoots even better. It's been my experience that with both cast and jacketed bullets, the 7x57 prefers heavier bullets. Cast bullets designed for gas checks almost always work better, and are more accurate, with the checks installed.

[Fitz]

Not sure about velocity but 16 gr. of alliant 2400 with a 175 gr. NOE bullet gives me one ragged hole at 50 and 1 inch at 100 yards , my rifle and pistol both have a 1 in 9 twist but both equally accurate caliber is 7mm 08

[Shopdog]

My 7-08 R700 Remington dotes on;

RCBS 145SIL with 4198,somewhere in the 18-20g area. Long'ish nose on this mould so plan accordingly(tapered nose dies for me). But a GREAT combination... you "should" learn a good bit about tuning with this powder/bullet combo. Very easy to get it dialed in.

And here's one that just plain defies logic on several fronts.... $30 Lee 130g backed with a starting JB load(37g) of Varget. Paying attention again to the nose dimensions more than body.... which I leave,as cast. Only sees a Lyman 450 for GC crimping. Lube on this jewel load is only in the space above GC. This combo is embarrassingly accurate.... you know,someone comes up to you and asks what you're shooting,seeing it's accuracy. Then they're shown it's plain ole lead and they just can't process it? Usually some under the breath comment about math? or physics? or best when they quickly change the subject to weather or? Haha...all good,been at this for 50+ years.

[Hillbilly_slim]

Great info guys. Thank you so much!! Next on my list is finding a mould for my.50 muzzleloader. Preferably a hollow point mould that can work on Lee handles. Any suggestions?

[Good Cheer]

Around '81-'82 experimented with the Lyman .270 mold #280473 (wheel weights water dropped, gas check sized .284, lubed with Doall Tool Saver) in a 788 Remington with the 18" 7-08 barrel. Remember that I was pushing them hard, the bore looked like it was galvanized and it would shoot that way into two inches all day long at a hundred yards. Tool Saver was weird stuff. Still have a twenty-five year old tube of it purchased off I-45 south of downtown Houston. You know, just in case I was to need some.


Later on the 788 was used as a test bed for accuracy with long necked designs and reduced pressure acceleration. That bullet is from the original (pretty darn rare) RCBS #7mm-168-SP mold before they turned it into a bore riding design. The brass was formed from .270's and 30-06's. The gas check rested at the base of the neck.


It has since been given a longer barrel; looking forward to trying out this #287308.