7mm Magnum?

[sigstroker]

What I'm still looking for is someone with experience with 180 grainers. I already have two 6.5 Creedmoors, so I'm looking for mile+ capability.

[Fjold]

Set up your sizing die to headspace on the shoulder just like a non belted case. The belt makes no difference then and you get a lot less case stretch on your brass.

I've got a 7 mag but it is set up as a hunting rifle and I've never tried the long bullets or long range shooting with it.

[LynnJr]

Ugh, I have to resize the belt too? I'm thinking this is too much hassle and will give it a pass.

I appreciate all the "don't get that, get this instead" posts, but this is related to my other post where I found a Remington Long Range on sale for a screaming price($540). I can only buy what's on sale, and in this case it's a 7mm Magnum.

The belt itself doesn't get resized. With normal dies the area right in front of the belt doesn't get sized at all and after several stout loads the rounds don't want to fit in the chamber without palming the bolt closed.
The Larry Willis die is a sleeve that fits over the brass and stops against the belt.
You then place the round into a collet and it squeezes the area in front of the belt back down to. 0.510 inches.
I am sure SwitchBarrel has put 1000's of rounds downrange with that bullet as he has a few national titles under his belt and the 180 was a very good bullet when sorted properly.

At that price you could shoot out the barrel and then rebarrel the same gun into any of the Magnum chamberings.
300 win mag 300 Weatherby 7 SAUM 7WSM. 30 Nosler 7 Shehane 300 PRC 300 Ackley with just a new barrel.

[ShaunBrady]

What I'm still looking for is someone with experience with 180 grainers. I already have two 6.5 Creedmoors, so I'm looking for mile+ capability.

I shoot a lot of 180 ELDm out to 2200 yards from a 32" 7/300wsm, but it's an 8 twist.

The 7mm Rem Mag has enough case capacity, but the twist in the factory barrel will make 180s sketchy. You'll need some elevation to make it work. Some bullets will work well enough deep into the transonic with stability factors as low as 1.4, but many will not. It's not just will a 7mm 180 grain bullet work, it's going to depend on which 180 you're trying to use. The old 162 Amax were a great budget 1 mile bullet from 7s smaller than the 7 Rem Mag, so not shooting the 180s isn't the end of the world.

As Lynn pointed out, the Willis die isn't used every time. Depending on the brass, chamber, and how hot they're loaded, it might not be needed until the third firing and then every other firing after that. That's about how often I use it with my 300 Win Mags. Yea, it's a second sizing step, but if you look at how many times you handle a piece of brass during the reloading process it's not that huge of an overhead. If you want to shoot a mile well, you'll be adding several steps to the basic reloading process anyway.

The 7 mag is a better choice than the 300 rum, but it'll still need a brake on a gun that light. When you start adding up the costs of setting that gun up for long range, the savings on the initial price will go away pretty quickly. Brake, brake installation, Willis die, scope base, ..... I'm also 0 for 3 for factory Remington 700 300 Win Mags working out of the box.

[sigstroker]

Crap, I got so fixated on whether long bullets would work that I forgot the check the twist. I don't know if I would need a brake on a 9 pound + scope weight gun. I know a few people that hunt with much lighter rigs in 7 Mag. But I like cans and this barrel isn't threaded either. If I liked Remingtons it would be worth it for $540 just to get the action and stock, and rebarrel it in a cartridge I want, with twist I want, and a threaded muzzle. If I liked Remingtons.

[MJB]

7mm in.....
wsm
Saum
Or wby mag
Looking for copper load to match

[LynnJr]

SigStroker
I should have clarified in my post that the Berger 180 VLD is the only bullet I was referencing and it works well to 1000 yards in a 9 twist barrel.

[MattyMX]

Crap, I got so fixated on whether long bullets would work that I forgot the check the twist. I don't know if I would need a brake on a 9 pound + scope weight gun. I know a few people that hunt with much lighter rigs in 7 Mag. But I like cans and this barrel isn't threaded either. If I liked Remingtons it would be worth it for $540 just to get the action and stock, and rebarrel it in a cartridge I want, with twist I want, and a threaded muzzle. If I liked Remingtons.

I installed a Witt Machine clamp on brake in my Long Range. I actually use their brakes on all of my magnum rifles. It is about $100 and you need to measure the barrel for a proper fit.

[newbutold]

I have brakes on my 7 mags but they don't weigh 9lbs.

[sigstroker]

I installed a Witt Machine clamp on brake in my Long Range. I actually use their brakes on all of my magnum rifles. It is about $100 and you need to measure the barrel for a proper fit.

I've seen those on West Desert Shooter's channel. I don't want to use a brake, I want to use a silencer and I've never seen a clamp-on silencer.

[MattyMX]

I've seen those on West Desert Shooter's channel. I don't want to use a brake, I want to use a silencer and I've never seen a clamp-on silencer.

Witt Machine makes a clamp on adapter. I have one on another of my 300 win mag rifles. It clamps on and has 5/8x24 threads. I can install a suppressor on that.

[hambam105]

What I'm still looking for is someone with experience with 180 grainers. I already have two 6.5 Creedmoors, so I'm looking for mile+ capability.

As for looking the mile business...Just get back in the truck and drive to position that is closer to the target.

[Switchbarrel]

What I'm still looking for is someone with experience with 180 grainers. I already have two 6.5 Creedmoors, so I'm looking for mile+ capability.

-Rick

[LynnJr]

That Carolina Sunset is a great stock color.