What cartridge to push .284 180s at 3000?

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Shmackey

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I'm looking to push the Berger 7mm 180 bullets out of a 26" barrel at 3000 fps. It looks like the latest overbore crazy mags (28 Nosler, 7 RUM) can do much more than that. So what's a smart step down from those that will reliably hit 3000? Extra points for being a non-belted case and not having a rebates rim, but those are not total dealbreakers.

The 280AI looks real nice but not sure if it's got the gas in the tank.
 
Don’t think in a 26” the 280AI is going to get there.

7wsm, 7RM, 7 STW, 7 Dakota, 7-300, 7RCM. There aren’t that many options between 280 and 284win class and the 7mm RUM class.
 
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Don’t think in a 26” the 280AI is going to get there.

7wsm, 7RM, 7 STW, 7 Dakota, 7-300, 7RCM. There aren’t that many options between 280 and 284win class and the 7mm RUM class.

Interesting. I take it if the 7wsm does it, the 7 rsaum does it too. And the 300 wsm necked down to 7, which I guess gives you a bit more neck.
 
Yes - I was in a board meeting this morning and neglected the 7-300wsm and 7rsaum, but yes, performance wise, they’ll match the 7wsm.

A 7mm 180 at 3000 is drastically overbored. No way around it. Nothing on the list here has good barrel life.

I have to ask - why are you so concerned with both 3000fps AND 26”? Stick a 31” tube out front and even the 284shehane will approach 3000. Not much difference in handling between 31 and 26 on a bench. Equally, for hunting, nothing will know the difference between a 180 at 3000 or 2900, or a 160 at 3000... what’s the application which dictates high velocity and aerodynamics AND a short barrel?
 
what’s the application which dictates high velocity and aerodynamics AND a short barrel?

I've got the opportunity to shoot at 1500 yards frequently, and in my (limited) experience with that task, the high-bc 284s at 3000 do very well. As for the barrel, it's just because I happen to have a couple of them. But if going to a much longer one gets me the right ballistics, I suppose I should just set them aside and be willing to get new barrels.
 
If you can get 2700 at the muzzle you're good to 1500 yards. You can do that with most any 7mm and with barrels shorter than 26"
 
What are you running bullets into at 1500yrds? Pleasure or competition? I assume NOT hunting and NOT competition. If both are true, then 7 rsaum or a straight up 7RM would get my money. Belts only matter if you size wrong. 284 Shehane and 7 Dakota are fun. Dakota kinda sucks for brass supply, and you won’t have brass last forever.

ELR isn’t a high volume game. Barrels don’t last many shots, but you won’t typically shoot as many at 1,500 as you could at 600-1,000.
 
1500 you say??? I chuckles I does, 162 eldm/x @3200 with the stw or a 147 over a prc case full of h1000 (but that's not 7mm I realize) would both serve you well.
 
It beats another 300 blk thread.

I too would be interested in knowing the exact application, also what has been tried already and is most successful thus far?
Agreed on the bo, I chuckle because a friend has become quite interested in elr, we're testing several to see how they stack up against the stw, so far the prc looks better on paper and has less oomph for the trigger fool, but it shall be a fun endeavor nonetheless, his slow twist 6-284 has shown enough intrigue with 85s to warrant a faster twist exploration with 105/107s to push the limits out "yonder". I enjoy these threads as our modern technology allows us to surpass the efficiency of what was previously believed achievable.
**edited for auto correct
 
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If your shooting 1500, I dont think mobility is real high on the priority list, might as well go with the longest barrel you can get imo. I happen to have a recurring love affair with the 7RM, I drive 162s to 2990 from a 24, a 26 got me 3050 with the same loads. Run 'em long and load 'em hot, and you can drive 180s to 3k from a 26, but adding another 4" barrel would make that a lot easier. Going to a larger case would as well, tho i think the STW is about as much capacity as the .284 bore can use comfortably (ish).

Eventually Id kinda like to build a 28 nosler set up to run 3.6"oal, in an ultramag 700.
 
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