The Varget load didn't work out. Very dirty and grains of powder all over. I've got the RL-7 and 405gr. Rems. What works in your Guide Gun? Thanks, Robie.

Robie,

I'm seeing a bit of this in my .458 Win Mag, I can only conclude that pressures are quite low (although it is in fact accurate with the Speer 405gr. bullet). First time I've ever really seen unburned powder in a rifle bore.

Any room in the case to cram more Varget in there? Or were you at the top load? A boost in pressure might help..... assuming there is any more case capacity left.

I've never used Varget but I used a technique that may help out. I done this in bolt guns and one Winchester 95, Seating the bullet out far enough to engage the lead into the rifling and still feed thru the action.
I've used this with the idea that the resistance causes a spike in the pressures for a better burn. Also check your bullet's diameter.
Jim

Thanks Mike and Arky. If this RL-7 works I'll stay with it. I'll let you know after I get to the range. Robie.

Robie,
I use 44gr of RL7 with the Speer 400gr bullet. This load gave me a 10 shot average of 1658 fps (std dev 15) from a 22" barrel Saturday (Federal brass, WLR primers). It consistantly prints under 2" at 100 yds for me. It's not a max load because I also use the same load in my LTD V with its hard plastic buttplate, but it's accurate.

Thanks Jay. I will be going to the range tuesday hopefully and will post the results. Hopefully good ones.

At the range Tuesday, the best loading was the 49.0 gr of RL-7, 405gr. Rem. with scope at 4X
At 100 yds., I shot 10 rounds of this load and 5 shots grouped at 1 1/4", four of which were a ragged 3/4" hole. The other 5 shots were outside that group at about 3". I think the wider spread was due to non-uformity with the crimp/case length. This powder weight was the first set crimped and I didn't get the first few to crimp well. I had 7 Win. case that were shorter than 2.1" by about 40/1000". Or it was me, but there weren't any 'flyers' and the Happy Trigger worked well.

Robie,
That was an accurate load for me too, but just a little more power than I wanted, at least on a continual basis. Fun, though, wasn't it?

Jayhawker:
Yes it was fun! It does kick a bit, but I bought a shoulder recoil pad that helps alot. I reloaded the cases up. They're all crimped uniformily for another
fun session at the range. I seperated out the short cases. I'll let you know the results. Thanks, Robie.

Robie-I think H-322 would serve you better for jacketed bullet's out of the 45-70.I can't even get to the max charge do to velocity with it and it is very accurate.RL-7 is very temp sensitive.Reload and chrono in the summer and not the winter if using RL-7 and approaching a max load.

Just my opinion.Jayco.

Robie -

First, Varget. I've tried a number of different bullets with Varget and all were quite accurate with low Standard Deviations and low Extreme Spreads. But all left unburnt powder everywhere, so I've quit building loads with it. Mag primers might help, but I haven't gone there.

As to Re7 and Rem 405's. I have a a 22" 1895 with Ballard cut rifling and shoot 50g Re7 with a CCI 200 primer. Velocity was 1901fps, 3.4fps Standard Deviation. My work-up loads were shot with iron sights, so I can't vouch for accuracy except to say they were good considering. I doubt this is a top load, as Speer #12 lists 52g RE7 at 35,000 CUP.

Logcutter is right, Re7 is more temperature sensitive than the Hodgdon Extreme powders, so I shoot H4198 for most of my hunting loads. 52.0g yields 1982fps in my rifle.

Robie -
If you want to use this powder for some partickle reason, definitely try heavier crimps - no way to know what sort of crimping pressure you've been using, but it's ONE MORE variable that can be worked up & it possibly will solve the unburned powder thing.
This changes the pressure curve slightly, as longer oal does.

Also STRONGLY recommend the Lee Factory Crimp Die ($10) for all reloading - cheap problem-solver-before-it-appears in many cases.Extra step, but no worries about case growth unless they start getting into the leade.

Good luck & regards,

Robie -

I have a a 22" 1895 with Ballard cut rifling and shoot 50g Re7 with a CCI 200 primer. Velocity was 1901fps, 3.4fps Standard Deviation. My work-up loads were shot with iron sights, so I can't vouch for accuracy except to say they were good considering. I doubt this is a top load, as Speer #12 lists 52g RE7 at 35,000 CUP.

.

You must have shot that load on a cold day. Try that in 80 degree weather and you'll be long over 2000fps. And 2000fps with a Remington 405gr JSP from an 1895 should be considered an absolute max load.

I'm having a hard time understanding how Speer decided that 52gr was OK.