Hand loads for Sendero in 7mm Mag?

[trophy8]

180 Berger hvld with 73.5 grains of retumbo in Norma brass. Bore rider throat. Use at your own risk as I'm pretty sure it's above max load for a standard 7 lol. 3070 FPS

[texas shag]

180 Berger hvld with 73.5 grains of retumbo in Norma brass. Bore rider throat. Use at your own risk as I'm pretty sure it's above max load for a standard 7 lol. 3070 FPS

I agree with this. Most of us that handload tend to try to find the best combination of accuracy and velocity. Generally, we tend to load up to, and sometimes above, max loads. So best bet is to pick a bullet weight of your choice and then try different powder charges in increments.

For instance I shoot a 160 grain accubond in front of 64.5 grains of RL-22. I am getting 3150 FPS out of my tube, but I am above max loads per the handbooks and certainly wouldn't recommend anybody start there.

I have found the most accurate powders for my 7 mags to be RL-22 and IMR4350.

[RifleBowPistol]

My favorite load for my 7mm Rem. Mag Sendero was either 61.5 or 63 gr. don't remember the powder charge. Likely 63 gr. I had two different loads for my 7mms over the years. One load was 61.5 and the other was 63 gr. Don't remember the powder I used first. The second powder was Reloader 19. with a 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip. That load would shoot 3/8" groups at 200 yards, just a jagged single hole at 100 yards, with five shots. It would leave the muzzle at 3350 fps. It would make a mess of a deer in a hurry. I shot a doe at a little over 400 yards with it. It blew a large crater on exit. Right afterwards, my buddy shot a doe right around 450 yards. He hit the deer, on the spine, just forwards of the hind quarters. Pretty much blew the deer in half. The only thing holding the hindquarters on, was about 6" of skin on her belly. Killed her and gutted her with one shot.
I read a lot of people saying you need to shoot some heavy bullet. I can tell you with 140 gr. Ballistic tip, it still has a lot more power than you will ever need, well past 1000 yards. I shot a rock about the size of a basket ball, at somewhere past 1500 yards. Long **** shot, but it blew the rock to little pieces. There were rock chunks raining down in about a 60 ft. diameter circle around where the rock was. People really don't realize how much power some of these round have and very long ranges.

Whatever you do, don't just start off with someone else's powder charge. Drop down at least 2 gr. below what they claim to be using, then work your way up, 1/2 grain at a time. Shoot at least five rounds of each powder charge, then look the cases and primers over very well, before stepping up to the next higher powder charge.

I kind of thing my last loads used the 61.5 gr. of Reloader 19. I think when I worked up that load, I was surprised it only liked 61.5 gr. I want to say the load I used for year, was 63 gr. of some type of powder, don't remember what powder that was. The first load, used a 150 gr. Nosler solid base boat tail bullet, the predecessor to the Ballistic tip. I have hit deer with that load out at 650 yards, it slammed them on the ground hard. I could not believe how hard it hit. The 150 gr. loads, were leaving the muzzle around 3200 fps.

The Sendero is a great rifle, the only things you need to do, to make it a serious tack driver, are some type of trigger work, possibly just replace it. A good one piece mount, good rings, good scope, then work on the hand loads. You need to get the bullet around .040" to no closer than .030" from the rifling. If your gun is as good as the 700s I have had in the past, it should shoot five shot groups in the .100" center to center groups at 100 yards.

I have heard there is a new Reloader powder out, that is better than Reloader 19, for belted magnums such as the 7 mm Mags. I have not tried it. I made the mistake of selling my Sendero. I thought I really wanted a stainless steel, fluted barrel Sendero. I had one that was made either the first or second year of the Sendero production. It was chrome moly, with a heavy non fluted barrel, the gun had a matte finish on it. It was pretty heavy, by the time I put a 4X12, 30mm tube scope with a 50 mm front objective. But it would shoot. I have been wanting another, very badly. They are great guns.

[HTDUCK]

Another nod for RL22 and a 160 Accubond.
Light it off with Federal 215 primer if you can find any for sale.

[noack920]

Following

[lodgepole]

Mine likes 4350 and I am playing around with H-1000. I have a good load with H-1000 and 180 Berger hybrids.



I shoot 175 Speer mag tips with 4350.



One is a target load and one for hunting. Don’t recall the powder charge off the top of my head.


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[zappmaster]

Anyone else reload a 7 mag sendero?

[zappmaster]

I am trying 140 grain Barnes

[mlmtx01]

Any updates on this old thread? Anyone selling any brass, dies, etc for 7mm mag?

[scott.str]

If someone has quick load they can help you if you can get them barrel length, case water capacity, powder choice, bullet length, barrel twist.

They can find you a node quick. How we do it and puts me where I need to be pretty quick. Also a ladder test helps with data as well.