Request for .275 Rigby/7mm Mauser Load Data

[franzfmdavis]

Would anyone be so kind as to share load data with which you have had good success with hunting plains game?

I realize that is a broad category of various size animals, but I would appreciate data for various size projectiles you may have used.

I currently have stock of: 139g Hornady SP Interlock; 160g North Fork SS; and 175g Hornady ELD-X, and am open to getting other bullets.

If the load uses H4350 that would be even better as I have quite a bit of it. I also have quite a few Remington 9 1/2 and Winchester WLR, and CCI BR-2 large rifle primers so loads using these primers would be ideal since large rifle primers are difficult to get.

For reference, my rifle had a 22” barrel with a 1:8.66 twist.

The iron sights are regulated for the factory Hornady .275 Rigby bullet, which I have discovered can be reproduced with: Hornady 139g SP Interlock; 47g H4350; CCI 200 large rifle primers; OAL 3.180”; 2,680fps.

However, I have a scope on the rifle, so I would like to develop a load for a heavier bullet that is more suitable for larger PG and then sight in the scope for that projectile.

Thanks ya’ll!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I will hopefully have more information for you later this fall as I have a 7x57 M70 en route to me as of today. But I have one load that I developed for my son's rifle. It uses 140gr North Fork SS bonded cores. It uses IMR4350. If you use Hodgdon's website to get a starting load, you can work up from there. I'm hesitant to share exact load as the one I developed went above maximum.

This is obviously not in a heavier bullet as you requested. Frankly with the bonded bullets like the NF and A-Frame I don't think you need to and in fact may be slowing the bullet down to where expansion is not as good.

When it was all said and done my son's two biggest animals were a Zebra and an Ayala. The zebra was a frontal quartering shot that passed through a lot of meat on the animals left shoulder, completely severed the blood vessels from the heart. The stallion dropped at the shot. If it weren't for the Jack Russel Terrier that was on it quickly, it would not have got up. But it did, ran 20 yards and dropped dead for good. Bullet was found under the skin behind the right shoulder. The heart just rolled out of the body cavity no longer attached to anything.

 

[Dewald]

I use 47gr of H4350 behind a 160gr Nosler Partition at 2650 fps in my 24” FN 7x57 and 46gr H4350 behing a 175rgr Stewart Hi Performer or Woogleigh Weldcore in my 21” Brno Mod 21H.

Both loads use CCI 200 primers

 

[hoytcanon]

50.0 grains of RL-19 with 150/154 grain bullets has been my "go to" hunting load for many years in many rifles... always excellent performance.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

@franzfmdavis
Good morning. I will send you some load data this afternoon that we have used successfully. I have to go to the city this morning to pick up my new visa and Colombian "green card".

Safe shooting

 

[WAB]

I use IMR 4064 primers, WLR primers and A-Frames in 160 and 175 gr. weights.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I have had good results with 43Gr of H4350 & 175Gr Speer Grand Slam in the past. Please substitute the Speer Grand Slam with your Hornady ELD-X 175Gr Red Tip and let me know your results.

 

[franzfmdavis]

I just received a response from Rigby, which might make my plans moot for the Highland Stalker. However, I can still use some of this data for the Ruger No. 1.

Thank you all for sharing!

 

[roverandbrew]

I just received a response from Rigby, which might make my plans moot for the Rigby. However, I can still use some of this for the Ruger No. 1.

Thank you all for sharing!

I had to do that to my 275 Highland Stalker. The rifle now loves the 170 grain Norma Oryx bullet. Between South Africa and Zambia last year the 170 grain took about a dozen plains game (Sable and Wildebeest to Impala) without an issue. I noticed zero practical difference between the 275 w/ 170s and a 30-06 with 180s under 150-200 yards. I will be using the 175 North Forks in a few weeks at Takeri with @spike.t. I will push some thoughts after the trip.

 

[franzfmdavis]

I will hopefully have more information for you later this fall as I have a 7x57 M70 en route to me as of today. But I have one load that I developed for my son's rifle. It uses 140gr North Fork SS bonded cores. It uses IMR4350. If you use Hodgdon's website to get a starting load, you can work up from there. I'm hesitant to share exact load as the one I developed went above maximum.

This is obviously not in a heavier bullet as you requested. Frankly with the bonded bullets like the NF and A-Frame I don't think you need to and in fact may be slowing the bullet down to where expansion is not as good.

When it was all said and done my son's two biggest animals were a Zebra and an Ayala. The zebra was a frontal quartering shot that passed through a lot of meat on the animals left shoulder, completely severed the blood vessels from the heart. The stallion dropped at the shot. If it weren't for the Jack Russel Terrier that was on it quickly, it would not have got up. But it did, ran 20 yards and dropped dead for good. Bullet was found under the skin behind the right shoulder. The heart just rolled out of the body cavity no longer attached to anything.

Awesome! Your son took the zebra and nyala with the 140g North Fork SS?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Awesome! Your son took the zebra and nyala with the 140g North Fork SS?

Yes sir. In hindsight I think I'd prefer the 160gr version, but he was 13 at the time, and I was trying to spare him recoil. The zebra, which started as an impala hunt when Jacques @JKO HUNTING SAFARIS took him alone on while I watched from a high spot, was not planned. To say I was nervous when the impala moved out and the zebra moved in and I saw took their attention is a bit of an understatement. But the bullet performed well with a properly placed shot.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I like the 160 gr Swift A Frame. This data is from a Win M70 with 22 inch barrel.

 

[ActionBob]

I just received a response from Rigby, which might make my plans moot for the Highland Stalker. However, I can still use some of this data for the Ruger No. 1.

Thank you all for sharing!

We had JJ Peridot open our Rigby HS up as referenced in that letter. Shooting 175 grain Federal loads just fine now. I feel the 140 grain class soft lead bullets are just not adequate for hunting Africa. Too explosive on small game especially small predators and not a tough enough bullet for consistent performance on larger Plains Game. We were restricted to a limited selection of factory ammo until now.

 

[benchracer]

Would anyone be so kind as to share load data with which you have had good success with hunting plains game?

I realize that is a broad category of various size animals, but I would appreciate data for various size projectiles you may have used.

I currently have stock of: 139g Hornady SP Interlock; 160g North Fork SS; and 175g Hornady ELD-X, and am open to getting other bullets.

If the load uses H4350 that would be even better as I have quite a bit of it. I also have quite a few Remington 9 1/2 and Winchester WLR, and CCI BR-2 large rifle primers so loads using these primers would be ideal since large rifle primers are difficult to get.

For reference, my rifle had a 22” barrel with a 1:8.66 twist.

The iron sights are regulated for the factory Hornady .275 Rigby bullet, which I have discovered can be reproduced with: Hornady 139g SP Interlock; 47g H4350; CCI 200 large rifle primers; OAL 3.180”; 2,680fps.

However, I have a scope on the rifle, so I would like to develop a load for a heavier bullet that is more suitable for larger PG and then sight in the scope for that projectile.

Thanks ya’ll!

View attachment 622911

This is a Ruger #1A specific load:

Norma brass
Fed 210
Nosler 160 Partition @ 3.010
50.0 RL-22
Avg MV 2700 fps from 22" barrel Ruger #1A

This load was developed by me specifically for Plains Game hunting. I have not yet taken it on a Plains Game hunt, but have taken several Whitetail deer with it.

The key with this combination is the average muzzle velocity of 2700 fps. The powder charge listed above is what it took to get me there. Work up this combination across a chronograph.

If you want a more frangible bullet, the Berger 168 Classic Hunter can be substituted with the same powder charge and OAL and will produce the same MV and point of impact.

 

[ActionBob]

I asked my PH for the loads he uses in his old Mauser 7x57. He has it dialed in to shoot very accurately for his night hunts. The 162 grain bullets is a Hornady ELDX.

IMR4350 = 43gr
STD primer BR2
162gr

IMR4350 = 45gr
STD primer BR2
150gr

 

[FlyGuy]

The 4350 burn rate powders are ideal for the metric marvel case.
Any premium, 160gr lead core bullet at 2650fps is the gold standard for medium plains game species, within reasonable hunting distances.
The 150gr TTSX going as fast as your rifle will safely shoot it, is an outstanding choice if you want a flatter trajectory.