[mrb1982]

I am new to reloading, and I am going to be loading some 7mm Rem Mag for a Sendero with 26" barrel. I have a buddy who has a lot of reloading experience that is going to be helping me. I am going to shoot 168gr Berger VLD hunting bullets. I had Berger send me their reloading data for all the different powders and stuff. They give min and max's, and also a fill ratio. For instance, the max load on H1000, which I am very interested in using, is a 100.1% fill ratio. Is that a compressed load? Seating depth will probably play a role in that too I'm sure. Is anything over 100% a compressed load? Any explanation to clarify this for me would be helpful. Thanks. Also, any input you have on compressed loads would be appreciated. My buddy isn't necessarily a fan of them, but I am curious if anybody else has any thought on them. Thanks for the input.

[JonM]

Depends on their definition of 100%. I take it to mean right to the case mouth.

Compressed loads burn more evenly than looser loadings as the powder in loads with lots of empty space have more surface area to ignite so burn rates can vary.

In extreme cases it can cause detonation which is very much no bueno.

Using a long drop tube to fill the case helps pack the powder better. Using fire formed cases to your rifle chamber also helps. Full length resizing returns the case to its factory dimensions. Once fired cases that were fired in your gun then neck sized only have much greater case volume.

Using a wood dowl to gently pack the case halfway way without crushing then adding the rest of the charge can help in extreme cases.

Another good tool is one of those small personal vibratory "massagers" women like to have in the purse at times. Put a finger over the case mouth and vibrate the case gently can pack the powder.

Just some ideas

[mrb1982]

Cool, thanks for the info. Yeah, they give a OAL in their info and I'm sure the 100.1% is based on that. I will be having some full length sized cartridges on the first time around, but then will be fire formed after that. I don't think that at 100.1% would be so little compression that it would probably be hardly noticeable. The fill ratio for the Retumbo they quite is 106% and that seems like it would be a lot of work for someone like myself who hasn't done much reloading. Once again, thanks for the info, that was great.

[gunnut07]

Using a wood dowl to gently pack the case halfway way without crushing then adding the rest of the charge can help in extreme cases.

HOLY CRAP MAN are you trying to kill someone? Sorry that is one of the DUMBEST things I have read.

1st. Max loads hardly ever give you the best accuracy.

2nd seeing as you are starting out man I would stick to loads that are not so high. If you mess up on a max load BOOM. If you mess up on a middle of the range load you get a little more or less velocity.

3rd I have found in my 30+ years that all of my loads that produce the best accuracy are filled to the bottom of the neck to the bottom of the shoulder.

To load a compressed load the long drop tube is your best friend.

[trip286]

Jon, did you really just suggest using a sex toy in the course of reloading? I'm gonna write that down.

[mrb1982]

Originally Posted by gunnut07

HOLY CRAP MAN are you trying to kill someone? Sorry that is one of the DUMBEST things I have read.

1st. Max loads hardly ever give you the best accuracy.

2nd seeing as you are starting out man I would stick to loads that are not so high. If you mess up on a max load BOOM. If you mess up on a middle of the range load you get a little more or less velocity.

3rd I have found in my 30+ years that all of my loads that produce the best accuracy are filled to the bottom of the neck to the bottom of the shoulder.

To load a compressed load the long drop tube is your best friend.

I have heard that max loads are very seldom the best. More the anomaly rather than the rule. If I am not shooting at a max load I really wouldn't have much trouble I don't think.

I am thinking H1000 or RE-22, but with the 7mm Rem Mag, I have heard the H1000 works better with the bigger bullets, like 165+, and the RE-22 works better with the 150ish stuff. I would like to try to shoot the H1000 and if I'm not shooting max or above, I more than likely won't have to worry about compression. It should work out just fine.

[axxe55]

Originally Posted by gunnut07

HOLY CRAP MAN are you trying to kill someone? Sorry that is one of the DUMBEST things I have read.

1st. Max loads hardly ever give you the best accuracy.

2nd seeing as you are starting out man I would stick to loads that are not so high. If you mess up on a max load BOOM. If you mess up on a middle of the range load you get a little more or less velocity.

3rd I have found in my 30+ years that all of my loads that produce the best accuracy are filled to the bottom of the neck to the bottom of the shoulder.

To load a compressed load the long drop tube is your best friend.

compressed loads have already been tested for pressure, so are safe to use in modern firearms, the reloading books wouldn't list them, unless they were safe to use.

max loads can be the most accurate or the least accurate, depends on the firearm. one rifle maybe more accurate with max load, whereas another maybe with the minimum load.

you always start at the minimum load and work your way up and then find the one that works the best and then fine tune it.

that may be what works great in your rifle, but another rifle may like a different load to be accurate.

[alsaqr]

Compressed loads of slow burning powder are not necessarily maximum loads. Some of my most accurate handloads are compressed: Some of those loads are maximum, some are not.

[mrb1982]

Does anybody have any of their own velocity info that they've gathered with their 7 mag using H1000 or Reloder 22? I'm not a speed freak, but would like to be around 2900 if I can. Is that attainable with Reloder 22, with good accuracy of course?

[jpattersonnh]

I use IMR4831. 3000fps max velosity. I run them at 2900. I'm not sure why you want a slower burning powder. 4831 is pretty much the standard. RL22 is about the same burn rate for less $. This is for 160gr loads. Data shows the 175gr can be pushed a little faster without increaseing pressure, so the 168 should be the same.