Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7 x 72 R with .284 | 168gr | Nosler Custom Competition bullet and 24 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Somchem S365, Hodgdon Hybrid 100V and Vihtavuori N150.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 25.6"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,578 psi | 88% | 2306 fps | 96.5% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,521 psi | 90% | 2267 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,550 psi | 90% | 2323 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,882 psi | 88% | 2339 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-23ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,940 psi | 86% | 2323 fps | 97.8% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,143 psi | 89% | 2274 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,360 psi | 87% | 2270 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,143 psi | 87% | 1503 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4064 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,535 psi | 90% | 2228 fps | 97.4% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,447 psi | 87% | 2287 fps | 96.5% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,216 psi | 89% | 2310 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,636 psi | 88% | 1539 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,056 psi | 89% | 2352 fps | 99.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,491 psi | 87% | 2323 fps | 96% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,347 psi | 90% | 2270 fps | 98.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,940 psi | 86% | 2264 fps | 97.4% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,056 psi | 86% | 2231 fps | 98% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,724 psi | 90% | 2362 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,752 psi | 88% | 2228 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,867 psi | 86% | 2244 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,273 psi | 87% | 2287 fps | 96% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,114 psi | 86% | 2346 fps | 97.1% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,897 psi | 88% | 2247 fps | 98.2% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,154 psi | 77% | 2306 fps | 96.9% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 25.6"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,286 psi | 82% | 2260 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,330 psi | 85% | 2221 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,242 psi | 79% | 2221 fps | 95% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,617 psi | 73% | 2188 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 94% | 29,341 psi | 72% | 2185 fps | 95.4% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,678 psi | 83% | 2221 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | 34 gr | 84% | 27,746 psi | 68% | 2090 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,208 psi | 65% | 1342 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4064 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,360 psi | 85% | 2182 fps | 96.8% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,357 psi | 77% | 2198 fps | 95% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,069 psi | 84% | 2264 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,440 psi | 65% | 1371 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,517 psi | 78% | 2247 fps | 99% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,417 psi | 82% | 2277 fps | 95.2% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,778 psi | 78% | 2175 fps | 97.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,895 psi | 81% | 2221 fps | 96.7% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,706 psi | 81% | 2182 fps | 97.3% |
| Somchem S365 | 34.1 gr | 82% | 25,222 psi | 62% | 2073 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | 31.6 gr | 80% | 28,036 psi | 69% | 2057 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,851 psi | 81% | 2198 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,938 psi | 81% | 2238 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 94% | 31,053 psi | 76% | 2251 fps | 95.6% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,760 psi | 68% | 2057 fps | 95% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 98% | 29,196 psi | 72% | 2244 fps | 95.7% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 47 powders for 7 x 72 R loaded with the .284 | 168gr | Nosler Custom Competition. Alliant Reloder-26 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,398 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,503 fps to 2,398 fps. Accurate 3100 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 47 of the 47 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 73–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 168.0 gr projectile in 0.284" calls for a 1:11.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 3100, Alliant Reloder-23, Hodgdon TrailBoss reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Somchem S365, Hodgdon Hybrid 100V, Vihtavuori N150 rank at the top here: for 7 x 72 R with the .284 | 168gr | Nosler Custom Competition they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2700, Accurate 3100, Bofors RP7 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.