7mm Rem Mag confusion..........advice please
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:27 pm
Right, I need some advice from the reloading gurus. I know very little beyond basic reloading so need some guidance on where to go next.
I recently bought a very underused Sako TRGS M995 in 7mm Rem Mag. Essentially a mate bought it and realised that he disliked the recoil. He downloaded the rounds, fitted a kick-eez pad and still found it unpleasant. Perhaps his other rifle being a 243 contributed. Anyway it collected dust a while and now it's mine.
Problem is that although barely shot-in, I'm underwhelmed by the accuracy. Yes it'll shoot MOA but nothing spectacular and I've noticed something strange. It'll shoot approx MOA at 100-250 and then it tightens up! It's like the bullets stabilise into a sweet spot. Continuing out to approx 500 before opening up. Only this morning I shot a 3-shot group at 500yds which was just over 3 inches. However I struggle to achieve this at 250 yds. It defies the laws of physics!
It's driving me nuts. I've tried all manner or bullets, powders and loads; right through from little 110gr to stupidly long and heavy Berger VLDs. God, VLDs. I could fill endless threads with my dramas with those buggers. Never again. Of them all, the most consistent bullets have proved to be 140gr Nosler Btips, 140 great Sierra products hunters and 139 Hornady SSTs. There really isn't much in it, so I chose to continue with the SSTs due to availability.
Powders. Most consistent for the SSTs and the other bullets of similar weight are 62gr of Vhit N560, 63grs of Ramshot Hunter and 74grs of Ramshot Magnum. Unless someone can advise otherwise and end my confusion, i'll keep with the Vhit N560 and the SSTs. However the important point is that the weird spot thing remains; the spot may shrink or grow in yds but the best is largely with the load chosen. I just need for it to 'stretch' down to 200yds and out to 1000. I got this rifle with the hope of it being my primary culling rifle.
Help. All sane advice gratefully received.
I recently bought a very underused Sako TRGS M995 in 7mm Rem Mag. Essentially a mate bought it and realised that he disliked the recoil. He downloaded the rounds, fitted a kick-eez pad and still found it unpleasant. Perhaps his other rifle being a 243 contributed. Anyway it collected dust a while and now it's mine.
Problem is that although barely shot-in, I'm underwhelmed by the accuracy. Yes it'll shoot MOA but nothing spectacular and I've noticed something strange. It'll shoot approx MOA at 100-250 and then it tightens up! It's like the bullets stabilise into a sweet spot. Continuing out to approx 500 before opening up. Only this morning I shot a 3-shot group at 500yds which was just over 3 inches. However I struggle to achieve this at 250 yds. It defies the laws of physics!
It's driving me nuts. I've tried all manner or bullets, powders and loads; right through from little 110gr to stupidly long and heavy Berger VLDs. God, VLDs. I could fill endless threads with my dramas with those buggers. Never again. Of them all, the most consistent bullets have proved to be 140gr Nosler Btips, 140 great Sierra products hunters and 139 Hornady SSTs. There really isn't much in it, so I chose to continue with the SSTs due to availability.
Powders. Most consistent for the SSTs and the other bullets of similar weight are 62gr of Vhit N560, 63grs of Ramshot Hunter and 74grs of Ramshot Magnum. Unless someone can advise otherwise and end my confusion, i'll keep with the Vhit N560 and the SSTs. However the important point is that the weird spot thing remains; the spot may shrink or grow in yds but the best is largely with the load chosen. I just need for it to 'stretch' down to 200yds and out to 1000. I got this rifle with the hope of it being my primary culling rifle.
Help. All sane advice gratefully received.