Does anyone have any experience loading the 7mm Remington rolling block model 1901 with new PPU brass?I have heard of potential headspace/brass problems when reloading. Seeking advice.........Smitty

Timetripper wrote on Sep 21^st, 2019 at 11:17am:


My experience was similar. A chamber cast or a couple of reduced loads will tell the tale.

The problem with mine was in the forward part of the neck.

In my south american 7mm RB I neck expanded my 7x57 brass first (to about 30 calibre from memory) and then slowly turned down the sizing die until the action would JUST close.  That ensured that the shoulder was formed at the right length in my rifle.  Worked fine and although the bore in mine is worn (not pitted, just worn) it shoots amazingly well.  Of course it likes big 175 grain round nose bullets the best.  Mine also has a massively long throat and I seat my 175 grain RN bullets out until they are barely still held in the case mouth.  I still have to try some loads in this RB with a Lyman cast bullet that I bought a mould for.  Just WAY to many project guns to get around to it yet ...
Enjoy your 7mm RB!

I've been shooting the 7mm rolling blocks since back in the late 1960s.  Early on I started making my brass by necking down and trimming military 30-06 brass.  That brass is a bit heavier than civilian brass and I get lots of re-loads from each case even with full length re-sizing.   I usually shoot a 170 grain jacketed bullet over either 4320 or 4350.  Can't remember the charge, but just look it up in a reloading handbook.  Keep the loads at the bottom end of the suggested loads as the Remington action is springy.  Even with a crappy bore most of these rifles will still shoot pretty good.

I also have a load using 4198 under a 168 grain gas check lead bullet which is very pleasant to shoot, especially in the carbine.

If you carefully read Barnes Cartridges of the World,  I think he makes mention of the fact that the original 7mm Spanish Mauser cartridge was a bit different from the later 7MM Mauser.

George