7mm loads - need advice

[deerdown2]

I had someone reload some 7mm Remington mag shells for me for me. Need your expert advice. He loaded 7mm Rem Mag, 140 gr bullets, with 69 grains H4831. Says it is a hot load. My concern: is it too hot. Is it safe?Shooting them using Rem 700 ADL,4 year old model...Appreciate expert replies only, don't need anyone's guesses. No offense intended.

[stubblejumper]

No person can tell you for sure whether the load is safe in your gun.What I can tell you is that none of my manuals list any loads with that much h4831 and a 140gr bullet for the 7mmremmag.I personally would not use the loads.

[deerdown2]

Appreciate that info....I have shot some (half a dozen) through my gun. But I am VERY uneasy still. I still have 4 boxes left....

[strob2]

deerdown, check out the load data on Hogdon's web site. http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/7mmremma.phpit shows that 64gr. is a max load with a 140 gr. bullet.

I have an older speer loading manual that has some higher charges than what the new load books tell you and that is still way high. In fact it is even high for a 115gr. bullet. by 2 grains.

I defenitly would be looking for pressure signs if you plan on using them, I personaly would not take that chance with them. I would ask him to make sure he used the powder he said he did, and where he got the data from, it may havebeen an honest mistake. if it were IMR7828 itwould be a max load for that bullet. as shown here http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/7mm-remmag-2005apr03.php

Shoot Safe!!
Shane

[handloader1]

DeerDown2:

I need more information. Is it hard to lift the bolt, and extract the spent shell after firing the round? Are your primmers very flat after firing the round? Does the case head have a small shinny circular spot on the case head?Good luck.

[stubblejumper]

Unfortunately one ofthe most reliable indications of excessive pressure(primer pocket expansion) requires that a case be reloaded several times before it becomes evident.

[skeeter 7MM]

How did your reloader come to the load he did? Did he work up and test fire or simply load you up with this load based on a different rifle? I personally wouldn't be starting out with a hot load. If you cross reference H4831 and IMR 4831 in Nosler 5th they list 66gr as max with 140 gr bullet using the IMR version, both are identical load datain 150 class bullet according to nosler, so your a full 3 grains over!! If it were me I won't shoot these loads unless I verified pressure,etc by going through the required steps of working up a load.

All are guesses unfortunately as every gun is different and every load must be verified in each gun! No easy route when developing a load..sorry just the way she rolls.

[deerdown2]

All - sorry it took so long to reply. The gentleman is in his 80's and had an old Hogdons reloading manual. He did not work up to that load by test firing, increasing the load, etc. He just loaded them Saif the Rem Mod 700 takes 540000 psi and these would produce only xx0000 psi. Showed me the Hogdons book that seemed to prove him correct...but I don't reload, and didn't really study the manual. I don't know what a flattened primer looks like or excessive pressure signs.
I think I'll give the shells away to a reloader - I hear they can pull the bullets and reuse the casing anyway.
Deeply indebted for your help folks.
pk

[deerdown2]

One more thing, the shells were hard to chamber, but somewhat easier to eject. The factory purchase ammo I use were much easier in both cases. He wrote everything down for me twice, and he also wrote the drop of the trajectories, and 3300 fps at the muzzle....Did I ruin my gun shooting 1/2 dozen through it?
Thanks again.

Wow, thats a very hot load, for a rifle that the load wasn't worked up in. I wouldn't shoot them in my rifle unless I started at like 62gr and worked up slowly watching pressure.

Good news is if you fired them, and was able to get the bolt open your not in severe danger area. Still maybe over pressure.

Think your making the right move