Originally Posted by
Ridge Runner
rocky top, the loads are conservative as you say because due to alot of older rifles that exist on some pretty soft actions, saami specs the 7 rm at 61,000 psi, in a good strong action you won't start having pressure problems till you aproach 65K psi, basicly your gaining 125 fps and losing half your brass life.
RR
True words no doubt. My rifle was a ruger Mark II long stainless barrel. When I bought the gun, it was awful and would not group. I replaced the stock with a Hogue pillar bedded, replaced the trigger with a timney and those two things helped a bunch. But, still, my best groupings were at 68.5 grains. I knew I was on the edge with that amount of powder but I had complete confidence in making a 300 yard shot and a low wind 400 yard shot. I practiced both.
My comments on the inconsistencies between powder batches came out of a magazine reloading article and the author was talking about how important it was to re-test your max loads when buying a new can of powder, even if it's the same kind. He had found some really big consistencies between batches and Hogdon seemed to be the worse.