BAR 7mm mag loads

[ForneyRider]

Anyone load for BAR in 7mm Mag or other magnum BAR?

I made some 162gr Interlock loads consisting of the following. Winchester F/L sized in Lee dies, CCI 250 primer, R22 powder. The Interlock bullets had lead tips that were pretty bad.

Groups were fist sized at 100 yards. The 1st and 2nd shot weren't bad, but the
rest were wide left or right.

Even with the bad tips, my bolt action 7mm shoots these acceptably for 100 yards hunting ammo.

Interlock, SST Interlock, and Partition are the only cannelured bullets that come to mind. What else has a crimp groove for 7mm? Do I need to roll crimp these loads?

 

[ForneyRider]

Factory Hornady 162gr Interlocks were doing the same, although the initial 2 shots were tighter.

 

[dogrunner]

Have three BARs & use handloads exclusively in all.......two are '06's & the reason I mention them is that I stuck with my old bolt gun load of 57.5 of IMR 4350 under a 165 Sierra..........under an inch at a hundred on a good day....surprisingly the more accurate of the two is the lightweight 20" version...Both rifles will run a close second to my ancient M/70.

The other is a lightweight .338...........best load I've found is again 4350 under an Accubond 225.........that rifle will shoot tight clusters well under that inch mark!

Often wondered about the propriety of that relatively slow burning powder in those autos.....but unlike a Garand the gas ports are closer to the ignition point and there's no operating rod to screw up.....anyway, the foregoing work well for me and I've experienced no problems with any of the foregoing over the last twenty five years.

 

[ForneyRider]

Have three BARs & use handloads exclusively in all.......two are '06's & the reason I mention them is that I stuck with my old bolt gun load of 57.5 of IMR 4350 under a 165 Sierra..........under an inch at a hundred on a good day....surprisingly the more accurate of the two is the lightweight 20" version...Both rifles will run a close second to my ancient M/70.

The other is a lightweight .338...........best load I've found is again 4350 under an Accubond 225.........that rifle will shoot tight clusters well under that inch mark!

Often wondered about the propriety of that relatively slow burning powder in those autos.....but unlike a Garand the gas ports are closer to the ignition point and there's no operating rod to screw up.....anyway, the foregoing work well for me and I've experienced no problems with any of the foregoing over the last twenty five years.

thanks for the info. do you crimp? Do you have any COL sensitivities in your guns?

 

[dogrunner]

FR: Far as COL goes I'm really 'pickey' about checking ammo I use in an auto loader. I use case gages by Wilson and Dillon and if the stuff I make is to be used in a hunting circumstance I always run each finished round thru that gage to assure proper chambering. I'll also dry cycle a few thru the specific rifle just to assure myself it'l work.

Learned my lesson a long time back when I some how managed to seat a new to me bullet design too far forward & managed to 'pull' the projectile and dump a full case of powder in that M/70......real mess when you're back in the woods & don't have a knock out rod handy.

Use that gage to assure your case is in spec. and be sure the ogive of your bullet doesn't present any issues & you'll be ok.

By the way, the dies I use are NOT small base, Dillon for the '06 & RCBS for the .338.....The Dillon stuff taper crimps & I use a Lee FCD on the latter caliber but I'm sure it'd work ok if I skipped that stage.

Personally I don't care to 'roll crimp' as even slight variations in case length can, in my experience, create differing neck tension issues.

 

[JimKirk]

FRider
What type grouping do you get with other factory loads, you only mention Hornady factory loads. Some rifles just will not group a certain brand of bullets, I have no clue why, but it just happens from time to time. I have one rifle that will shoot Hornadys very well, but the other basicaly hates Hornady, why who knows.

Jimmy K

 

[jwbinnig]

FRider is my brother. This 7mm mag BAR is a 1990 model in good looking order. Came with a Redfield Lo-pro 3x9 with see thru iron sight scope mounts. After sighting in scope, I had 2 at a half inch in the bull. Then I would get these flyers up to 3 inches. I showed the gun to a friend at a lease and he slid a dollar bill down on the right side of the fore stock and it was tight where it was not on the left. Wondering if the fore stock needs floating. On a BAR? I am not sure have never owned one. Also I know these see thru mounts are suspect, but I have enjoyed them on my Husqvarna 270 with mauser bolt. The BAR had the iron sights as the 270 and in a pinch I like having them.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Clark]

I have two 300WM BARs and one 338WM BAR.

One of the 300WM BARs came with a 7mmRemMag regulator.

I made my own regulator and tuned it up to my loads.

They take a couple hours to make, and so now I just buy new ones and re drill the hole.

The regulator is just a 9/16-24 ultra fine thread bolt with a hole in
it. If FALs have adjustable by pass gas, BARs have fixed jets.

a) 7mm Mag is .066" hole
b) 300 Mag is .077" hole [p/n B3176146]
c) 338 Mag is .059" hole
d) My home made is .078" hole
e) recoil buffer [p/n B3176065]

What does it all mean?
If your loads are too hot and the cases eject too far, open the hole.
If you loads are too wimpy and it jams, get a smaller regulator, maybe from a different cartridge.

 

[dogrunner]

Clark: Also have seen cases where the wrong valve was factory installed.....friend had a .300 m that was mistakenly fitted with an '06 one......solution was as you suggest...........

That said tho, the NEW BAR's don't use the same gas regulating system as the earlier models........the valving is now very similar to a carburation system utilizing a needle valve like screw.......open or close it as needed. Bleed off of excess gas is accomplished thru a vented piston in the newer ones.

Actually, if you look at an early BAR you'll also find a gas port structure quite a bit different in appearance to the 2nd one........

 

[Clark]

Dogrunner, it sounds like you know more about BAR gas regulation than me.

For loading 7mmRemMag with 162 gr, I used to do 68.3 gr Re22, but I am now using 65.5 gr H4350.
Both do ~ 3050 fps with a 26" barrel.