Reloading for the Remington 7400

[Ryan Williams]

I just picked my self up a Remington 7400 on 30-06 for a song. It only had 26 rounds through the gun and is in mint condition.

I have many rifles and reload for them all, however this is my first 30-06 as well as my first semi auto rifle. I bought it as more of a backup/fun hunting rifle. (My primary is a Kimber bolt gun in 7mm) Now I know relatively speaking the 7400 is not a 'nice' rifle, but again, It was a deal I could not pass up.

My question is reloads. I have never owned a 30-06, however I have dies and everything else I need for this caliber.

Does anyone have experience with this rifle and reloads for it? there are literally hundreds of bullets in various weights for the 30 cal and I'm not sure where I should begin.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Just treat it like you were loading for a Garand and youll be golden.

Researching loading practices for a garand will yeild you much more results than for a 7400 even though all the nuances apply to both rifles perfectly. Some manuals even have garand specific loads

 

[sansone]

since it is an autoloader, make sure you full-length size the cases. You may already be aware. My 7600 is basically the same gun except where your gas piston is, I have a manual pump. If I neck-size only the pump needs to be "persuaded" to close breach fully. Bullet choice should not be a problem although the gas-piston may not throw the bolt far enough back with light powder charges.. Nice gun, enjoy it

 

[Captcurt]

You may need to get a set of smallbased dies. Sometimes semi's need to be sized down more in the area near the web to feed properly. Loads are a matter of personal preferance, but I have had good luck with 180 gr. Speer, Nosler Accubonds, and Hornaday SST and Dupont IMR 4350 powder. Some manuals have loads designed specifically for semi's.

 

[BrocLuno]

I think it's a very nice gun. Load development should be fun. But starting with Garand info would be where I'd go

 

[sansone]

yes maybe on the small-base dies. If full-length sizing with standard dies is not good enough. You can tell without firing by manually pulling the bolt ALL the way back and release. I'm sure you know the return spring is closing the breach when firing

 

[R.W.Dale]

I've owned over a half dozen examples of the Remington 7400/7600 series rifles.

NOT ONCE has a small base die been needed, nor fir any of the other countless autoloading firearms I've owned. IME small base dies are a crutch for folks who refuse to set their FL die up properly (IE 1/4 turn into the shellholder). Almost without fail on any reloading forum when the question comes up if a person needs a SB die set for a particular rifle the problem and preceved need miraculously disappears once we convince that person to adjust their FL die properly.

 

[alfack]

I've owned over a half dozen examples of the Remington 7400/7600 series rifles.

NOT ONCE has a small base die been needed, nor fir any of the other countless autoloading firearms I've owned. IME small base dies are a crutch for folks who refuse to set their FL die up properly (IE 1/4 turn into the shellholder). Almost without fail on any reloading forum when the question comes up if a person needs a SB die set for a particular rifle the problem and preceved need miraculously disappears once we convince that person to adjust their FL die properly.

+1

I reload for my 750 and do not use small base dies. You may want to pick up a case gauge to measure your work.

 

[LoonWulf]

+2
I used to neck size for my 7400 as it was where i had my die set for my 700 also. It failed to close maybe 3 or 4 times. If it were now where i dont hunt at least one day out of the week, Id probably have bought a second size die to handle just that gun and full length resized. I also used the same load in my 7400 as my 700 with no issues. 4350 and 165 ballistic tips do wonderful things in the 06