Reloading Belted Magnum Calibers

.257 Weatherby Magnum

      The .257 Weatherby Magnum is an explosive varmint cartridge loaded to 54,000 psi.   It is based on the .300 H & H Magnum case blown out, then necked down and shortened to operate in standard length actions.   For custom rifles that are not free-bored, maximum loads should be reduced by an extra 5%.   Even then, they should be approached with caution.

      Weatherby recommends using magnum primers.   The .257 Weatherby Magnum is usually the most accurate with 75 to 100 grain bullets, and it has about 150 fps more than the 25-06 Remington.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

6.5mm Remington Magnum

      The 6.5mm Remington Magnum was introduced in the mid-1960's and it is loaded to 53,000 psi.   The poor marketing of this cartridge made it impossible to compete with the more popular .264 Winchester Magnum.   Remington's short action Model 600 rifle was chambered for the 6.5mm Rem. Magnum, and its short magazine required extremely deep seating for bullets over 129 grains.

      The 6.5mm Remington Magnum uses bullets from 85 to 140 grain.   Remington factory ammo used a magnum primer, but standard primers also perform well.   This might have been a great choice for long range deer hunting, in the right rifle.   However, it is now considered an obsolete cartridge, and factory ammuntion is no longer available.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.264 Winchester Magnum

      The .264 Winchester Magnum was introduced in the mid 1950's.   This is a very flat shooting cartiidge, loaded to 53,000 cup.   Pressures in this cartridge tend to jump suddenly and the reloader should approach maximum loads with extreme caution.   The Sierra 120 grain bullet gives excellent results with H4350 and H4831 powder.   Standard and magnum primers both perform well in this cartridge.  

      Twenty years later, the .264 Winchester Magnum was almost forgotten when the popular 7mm Remington Magnum appeared.   The 7mm Rem. Mag. uses a wider selection of bullets and it delivers more energy because it can use bullets up to 175 grains.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.270 Weatherby Magnum

      For custom rifles that are not freebored, maximum loads should be reduced by an extra 5%.   Even then, they should be approached with caution.   Weatherby recommends using magnum primers.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

7 x 61 Sharpe & Hart

      The 7 x 61mm is one of the most efficient belted magnums of all.   This is an enherantly accurate cartridge with very uniform velocity.   Compared to other magnum cases, this cartridge produced high velocities with minimum amounts of powder.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

7mm Remington Magnum

      The 7mm Remington Magnum was introduced in 1962 and is the most popular magnum rifle cartridge of all time.   This cartridge is loaded to 52,000 cup and the recoil is similar to shooting a 30-06 with heavy bullets.   It's recoil is much more managable than any of the larger magnums and it is a very flat shooting cartridge.   It's easy to see why the 7mm Rem. Mag. is so popular.   I have seen great accuracy from shooters using 150 - 175 grain bullets.   Standard or magnum primers both work well in the 7mm Rem. Magnum.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

7mm Weatherby Magnum

      For custom rifles that are not freebored, maximum loads should be reduced by an extra 5%.   Even then, they should be approached with caution.   Weatherby recommends using magnum primers.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

7mm STW (Shooting Times Westerner)

      The 7mm STW was designed in 1979, by Layne Simpson, Field Editor of Shooting Times.   This is one of the most powerful 7mm Magnums and this cartridge is loaded to 54,000 cup.   The 7mm STW is based on the 8mm Remington Magnum case and it is necked down to use .284" bullets.   A long action is required for this huge cartridge.

      The 7mm STW is not very popular but factory loaded ammunition is available from Federal, Remington, and Winchester.   It can launch a 140 grain bullet at 3,400 fps and that makes this a very flat shooting cartridge.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.300 H & H Magnum

      The .300 H & H Magnum was designed by Holland & Holland, in England.   This was one of the first belted magnum cartridges ever.   It was soon known as the ultimate long range cartridge.   Winchester finally chambered their Model 70 rifle for the .300 H & H in 1937 and that was the first belted magnum in the United States.   The .300 H & H Magnum and the .375 H & H Magnum are the only cartridges that ever actually needed a belt.   They both have bottle neck cases with almost no shoulder to prevent forward movement from the firing pin strike.   That's why they are the "only" cartridges that should be headspaced on the belt.   All other belted magnums have a belt because of the marketing hype.   In the early days, only a belted cartridge was considered a true magnum.   If a new cartridge came along without a belt, it just wouldn't sell.   The belt was never intended to add any case strength.   That can easilly be proved by examining any belted magnum case that is cut in half.   The belt is always over the solid portion of the case.

      The .300 H & H Magnum is loaded to 54,000 cup and it is a very efficient cartridge that produces uniform velocities and excellent accuracy with 150 to 200 grain bullets.   Standard primers are used most often with the .300 H & H Magnum.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.300 Winchester Magnum

      The .300 Win. Magnum was introduced in 1963 and it is still one of the most popular magnum cartridges today.   This cartridge is loaded to 54,000 cup and has a great reputation for outstanding accuracy.   This cartridge is ideal for all North American game, except for the very largest bear.   The .300 Win. Magnum generates serious recoil in lightweight hunting rifles, when firing bullets heavier than 180 grains.

      I have discovered two very accurate loads for my .300 Win. Magnum.   Nosler makes a great 180 Grain Balistic Tip bullet that is hard to beat.   I have found the best results with it using H4350 powder and a standard Federal primer.   For varmint hunting, I like the Speer flat base130 grain Hollow point bullet.   Both of these bullets deliver consistant MOA accuracy in my hunting rifle.   The 130 grain Speer bullet can be driven to 3,420 fps.   This particular round has a very flat trajectory and the recoil is similar to shooting a .308 Winchester.   The only limiting factor is that this bullet is a bit wind sensitive at extreme long range.   The Speer 130 grain bullet was originally designed to be used on varmints, but it does a great job on the small deer and coyotes.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.300 Weatherby Magnum

      The .300 Weatherby magnum is the most popular Weatherby cartridge ever.   For custom rifles that are not freebored, maximum loads should be reduced by an extra 5%.   Even then, they should be approached with caution.   Weatherby recommends using magnum primers.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.     

.308 Norma Magnum

      When reloading maximum loads for custom rifles that are not free-bored, you should reduce the powder by an extra 5%.   Even with this reduction, such loads should be approached with caution.   Magnum primers are usually preferred.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.     

.338 Winchester Magnum

      Winchester introduced the .338 Win. Mag. in 1958.   This cartridge is powerful enough to easily handle the largest game animals in North America.   The maximum chamber pressure of this cartridge is 54,000 cup.

      It takes a while to get used to this much recoil and many shooters wouldn't even care to try a .338 Win. Magnum.   I've seen a number of shooters that just couldn't handle this much recoil.   However, they would be surprized to try this caliber in a Browning Auromatic Rifle with a muzzle brake.   That's really not too bad!   This cartridge would be my first choice for large Grizzly or Alaskan brown bear.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

340 Weatherby Magnum

     The 340 Weatherby Magnum was designed in 1962 to deliver slightly more velocity than the popular .338 Winchester Magnum.   However, this cartridge can achieve almost 150 fps more velocity using bullets of the same weight and diameter.   As you might expect, recoil is brutal.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

8mm Remington Magnum

      Remington introduced the 8mm Rem. Magnum in 1977.   The maximum chamber pressure of this cartridge is 54,000 cup.   This cartridge was designed from the .300 H & H Magnum case, using the full length and increasing the case diameter.   It also has a 25 degree shoulder.   This gives the 8mm Remington Magnum a huge case capacity that is similar to the .340 Weatherby Magnum.

      The recoil from an 8mm Remington Magnum is quite severe but you would expect that from a flat shooter with this much energy.   This cartridge does well on the largest bear and elk at long range, but it's too powerful for use on any other North American game.   The 8mm Remington Magnum is a good choice for hunting most large African game.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.358 Norma Magnum

      On custom rifles that are not free-bored, maximum loads should be reduced by a full 5% frm those listed. Even with this reduction, such loads should be approached with caution.   Magnum primers seem to be preferred.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.375 H & H Magnum

      Magnum primers are recommended.   Due to heavy recoil we recommend that all hunting loads be crimped to prevent the bullet from moving.   The 235 grain bullet due to its lack of a cannelure cannot be crimped into the case.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.416 Remington Magnum

      The .416 Remington Magnum was introduced in 1988.   It is loaded to 54,000 cup and it kicks harder than a .458 Winchester Magnum.   This cartridge is based on the 8mm Remington Magnum case and it can deliver a 400 grain bullet at 2400 fps.

      The .416 Remington Magnum requires a long action rifle and it is strictly for hunting the largest, most dangerous game animals in the world.   Reloading die adjustments are critical due to the thin case neck.   If the crimping and seating screw adjustments are not set exactly on the bullet cannelure, the case can easilly be crushed in loading.   It's best to crimp these cases with a separate operation.   The .416 Remington Magnum is a monster of a cartridge for anyone to shoot well.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.      

.450 Marlin

      The .450 Marlin is the latest of the belted magnum cartridges.   It was introduced by Marlin and Hornady to fill the gap between the .444 Marlin and the .458 Winchester Magnum.   The new .450 Marlin is designed to fire large blunt nosed .458" bullets between 350 and 400 grains and it's loaded to 43,000 psi.   This case has a wider belt than any other belted magnum cartridge.   Its belt was designed this way so that it will only fit in a chamber that is designed for this cartridge.

      The Marlin Model 1895M is the first production firearm to be made for this caliber.   This is a lightweight, big bore carbine that comes with a factory ported barrel.   This handy little rifle has incredible recoil, but at moderate range this is a very potent black bear stopper.   The .450 Marlin is now the most potent caliber that is available in a lever action rifle.   It looks like this is becoming a popular combination with eastern hunters.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.    

.458 Winchester Magnum

      The .458 Winchester was introduced in 1956.   It is loaded to 53,000 cup and it's a fairly compact cartridge that fits in a standard length action.   The .458 Win. Mag. can deliver a 500 grain bullet at 2200 fps, giving it over 5,000 foot pounds of punch.   This performance has made it a favorite for hunting the largest, most dangerous game animals in the world.

      Reloading die adjustments are critical due to the thin case neck.   If the crimping and seating screw adjustments are not set exactly on the bullet cannelure, the case can easilly be crushed in loading.   It's best to crimp these cases with a separate operation.   The preferred primer is usually a standard primer.   Handload these cases with the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die to increase case life, and ensure a perfect fit in your chamber.