7mm RUM

Bought a new rifle:

These are the specs of the Remington Model 700 Sendero SF (Stainless Fluted barrel) 7mm Ultra Mag – 26 inch barrel. Weighs 10.8 lbs without a scope, and has a mercury recoil system (tube filled with mercury in the stock – when recoil goes back, mercury goes forward to counter the recoil) and Pachmayr White Line recoil pad. The overall length is 47 inches. The guy who sold it to me said there were about 60 rounds fired through it. I understand the barrel life on these is about 1500 rounds.

SCOPE
This is the scope I’m putting on it: http://www.huskemaw.com/lrh_home3.php
See it in action here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHWH5GWNt5g – Huskemaw 5x20 scope 7mm Mag Sendero 725 yard mule deer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuEcZazhWYE – Huskemaw 5x20 scope 7mm Mag shooting 900 yard target in 10 mph crosswind.

I actually sent my rifle to the Huskemaw store in Wyoming for them to mount it and work up the bullet data on it, so that I can dial it in to 1000 yards and shoot accurately. I am having them send me the “recipe” for the bullets so that I can reload.

RATE OF TWIST
The rate of twist is 1:9.5. This means that the bullet will make a full revolution every 9 ½ inches. This is a limiting factor on the type of bullet you can use. For example, Berger Bullets recommends a 1:9 twist for their 180 grain. However, for their 168 grain, the recommended is 1:10. So, because my barrel twist is faster, I can shoot the 168 Grain accurately without the bullet “keyholing.”

RELOADING
I also got the reloading dyes (RCBS) (It’s the FL Die Set), 200 rounds of never-fired empty Remington brass, and 100 rounds of fired brass. Guess it’s time for me to get a gun vice and look into bullets, powders, reloading manuals, etc. I also received 60 rounds of the 140 grain Core-Lokt ammunition with my purchase.

AMMO
There’s not a lot of ammo readily available, thus I might as well look into reloading:
http://www.midwayusa.com/BROWSE/BrowseProducts.aspx?pageNum=1&tabId=3&categoryId=9367&categoryString=653***690***

BRASS
I was looking at the 200 brass cartridges, and wondered why each one wasn’t all shiny and new-looking. On this page it has the reason why the brass is discolored:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=1601132599


BERGER BULLETS
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voyw1H-0CBI

On the Berger site - http://bergerbullets.com/Products/Hunting%20Bullets.html

It has the 168 Grain Match Hunting VLD with a BC rating of .617 (recommended twist between 10 and 9). I wouldn’t want to do the 180 grain with the higher BC as you would need a twist of 9 or less, otherwise it produces bullet wobble (from what I understand).

I haven’t, however, found any reload data on their website, other than what they say about the VLD on http://bergerbullets.com/Information/Tech%20Info.html

Not even the Hodgdon site has Berger loads http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp - but, it looks like theHodgdon Retumbo powder is the best for reloading the 7mm RUM.

So, to reload Berger bullets, guess I’ll need to find a Berger manual. I understand that they are finicky loads, but once you get the right load for your rifle, you can get a really long range flat shooter that won’t be affected as much with wind drift, because of the higher B.C.

BARNES BULLETS
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6uo0E6nuJ0

I was looking at the Barnes page for reloading: http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/7mmRemingtonUltraMagWeb.pdf

It looks like you get the highest Ballistic Coefficient (the higher the better) from the 140 Grain Banded Spitzer Solid (BC .464) – but I’m not hunting Cape Buffalo!

Tipped TSX has BC of .450.

Next highest after the TSX is the 160 grain MRX BT (BC .439)

On the .pdf file, it lists the twist rate for loads as 1:9.5 with a barrel length of 24”. I’m not sure how that translates to a 26” Barrel with a 1:9.5. Probably the same.

One good thing is that Barnes sells their own ammunition for the 7mm RUM (in case I don’t have time to reload) – the Cor-Bon DPX Rifle 7mm RUM 160-gr TSX listed in the ammo link above has .392 BC. But, they list it at $80 for a box of 20!

MUZZLE BREAKS
I think I’m going to get this Muzzle Break.

Hopefully I will have it all set up in time for this next hunting season.