Found some 100 gr. Hornaday Hollow Points and they are pretty darned cheap so was wondering what the best powder/primer to use to make a good, cool, varmint load. Doesn't have to be powerful, I won't be shooting any squirrells past probably 150. As long as its accurate to that point, I'd be happy. It would be nice to not have to load it so hot, so the barrel will stay cooler. The fastest burning powder I had was some H4350 and loaded them with 58 gr. Will these bullets stay stable at the range I'm looking at? Will a faster burning powder let me put less in without being dangerous? Not very well versed in reloading yet, so figured I'd ask people that had more knowledge than myself.

Shredding about 20 ground squirrells for about $5 sounds like a good time to me.

-Martin

Just bought the Hornaday manual and they have powder listings, but they are all still pretty slow, is there still anyways to make a less hot version that will still be safe?

The biggest problem you may face in loading 100 gr bullets in your 7mm is the rate of twist. The twist rate is probably too high for those bullets. I had pretty good luck using 115 gn bullets and IMR4350, but lighter bullets did not work.

I think the 100 grain bullets will be fine. Just have to find the load that works. I would start by getting yourself a Sierra and a Lyman reloading manual. I use about 4 different manuals for my reloading. There will be no one to be able to tell you what will shoot in your gun. You have to try and see. I can tell you that in my Sierra manual they are using Federal 215 primers and IMR 4895 powder for their accuracy load. Yours will be different, but this gives you something to start with. Minimum load is 56.1 grains and max. is 60.1. Don't go over max.

Good cheap shooting can be had with 27.5 gr of Blue Dot (that's less than half the powder needed with IMR 4895). I've used it with 140 gr bullets, so it will be safe with a lighter bullet. It won't be so fast that it will over stabilize and I would expect groups around 1" at 100 yards. Recoil won't beat you up either.

Just curious where you are getting this loading data. All my books show Blue Dot to be a shotshell and magnum handgun powder. Burn rate seem awfully fast.

Hornady 100 gr HP #2800 measure about .900", and to load that in my 7mm mag with the max allowable col I would be .2655" off the lands. To me that is a big jump. I haven't tried the load yet so I will be interested in this thread. I use 154 Hornady sp for general shooting and 160 Sierra sbt for hunting deer.
Jim

Martin, here is the IMR manual. H & IMR data is very close. JP

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/...-2005apr03.php

I believe I loaded mine to a COL of 3.10 and I haven't measured my chamber yet, but it doesn't bother me if I am off the lands a bit, if anything that will help keep pressure down right? I know it will probably cost me some accuracy and speed, but as i posted before, I'm only interested in out to 150 with this load.


And thanks for the IMR information, I'll probably just load it the way they recommend, I was just hoping for some way to make a sort of "managed recoil" load for these 100gr HP's

Being off the lands does not mean you will lose accuracy. My uncle had a 22-250 that liked the bullets about .075 off the lands. It may shoot just fine just off the lands. Starting close to the lands is just a starting point. If they won't shoot like that, then you start seating them deeper until they do. You should be fine.

Gismo is right! Let me know what you find out, You can load to 7-08 specs and go up from there! I am doing the same w/ 140 grain bullets, info is great! JP

Gismo,

For some reason I didn't get a topic reply email, so I'm sorry for being so late with a response.

The "formula" for Blue Dot loads is 40% of the total case capacity as a starting point. That means to fill a case to the top with Blue Dot, strike off level and weigh that amount. Figure 40% of that weight and go from there. Usually a 60% load is max or over, so the max load needs to be worked up to. 27.5 gr in a R-P 7mm Mag case is a 40% load.

I normally don't see any evidence of position sensitivity, but I had a .35 Rem load recently that varied with the powder position.

Blue Dot is a flake powder that lends itself to these reduced loads by being easy to ignite. The concept isn't any different than using Unique or 2400 in reduced loads.

OK... Just wondered since I didn't see any data for shotgun powder in a rifle cartridge. Is this recommended to be safe by the powder manufacturer?

Nope, they don't recommend it, but there are a lot of loads in the manuals that are way above what the powder manufacturer recommends. I just know I have used it in .223, .243, 6mm Rem, .25-06, 7mm Mag, .30-06, .35 Rem and .45-70 and it worked in all of them.

Gismo
Your uncle shooting a 22-250 at .07off the lands is a little over 1/16". A 100 grn bullet in my 7mm mag seat to a min of .284" (dia of the bullet) would be .26xx" thats over 1/4" jump, big difference, but doable. I will load some up, along with some 120 sierra's and see how they preform. Be great if they could stay in 1.5" at 100yds.
Jim

Just got back from the range today, and boy was I happy! I loaded my 100gr HPs with 59.4 gr of H4350 with a CCI LR Mag primer loaded to 3.10" and shot a 1 inch group at 200 yards! Made sub 1" at 100, and a LOT less recoil than any other loads. And this was firing into a strong headwind, like I said I couldn't be happier with the way this experiment turned out, thanks for all the posts, this is a great place to discuss loads such as this.

Martin

PS. these groups with my Remington 710, take that 710 haters! Haha, just kidding, but I was impressed with my rifle and this new load.

Martin
Good job. I am set to pour the powder tonight. What do you est. the muzzle velocity at for your load? I am going to try Hornady 100 and Sierra 120 at 3.098" and 3.191". I will load them from 3000 fps to 3500fps looking for the best groups. I may get to the range wed or thr.
Jim

Well unfortunately I'm relatively new to reloading and don't have the cash yet to purchase a chrony, but looking over my Hornaday manual, although they don't list H4350, the other 4350 powders (AA and IMR) loaded around my weight, should give around3100-3200 fps. For that speed they load the IMR to 60.5 and the AA at 60.8 (3200fps). What I have noticed is that the H4350 seems to use less powder from all the load data I have perused, so I might be pushing them a bit faster. Keep me posted to what your results are!

Martin

Here's two pictures of the targets that I'm happy with for this load.

200 yard target (upper right only, 3 shot group)
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/4430a...ApKMEBNOo3RWkY

100 yard (5 shot group)
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/4430a...ApKMEB3ySsytBJ

Question:
Some one said the bullet would be over stabilized. What is the disadvange or indication of over stab other than an bullet/rpm that makes it explosive?