Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7 x 72 R with .284 | 170gr | Sako Hammerhead bullet and 22 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Somchem S365, Vihtavuori N555 and IMR 4831.
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% | 36,042 psi | 89% | 2303 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,795 psi | 86% | 2274 fps | 96.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,260 psi | 89% | 2336 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-23ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,317 psi | 87% | 2320 fps | 98.1% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,550 psi | 90% | 2267 fps | 98.9% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,737 psi | 88% | 2267 fps | 98.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,201 psi | 87% | 1493 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,882 psi | 88% | 2280 fps | 96.8% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,608 psi | 90% | 2303 fps | 96.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,708 psi | 88% | 1532 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,419 psi | 90% | 2349 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,201 psi | 89% | 2323 fps | 96.4% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,243 psi | 84% | 2215 fps | 98.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,302 psi | 87% | 2260 fps | 97.6% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,418 psi | 87% | 2224 fps | 98.2% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,954 psi | 86% | 2313 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,143 psi | 89% | 2221 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,244 psi | 87% | 2238 fps | 96.1% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,679 psi | 88% | 2283 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,563 psi | 88% | 2339 fps | 97.4% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,245 psi | 89% | 2244 fps | 98.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,502 psi | 78% | 2306 fps | 97.4% |
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>> | 86% | 31,633 psi | 78% | 2208 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,547 psi | 80% | 2218 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,921 psi | 74% | 2185 fps | 96.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 94% | 29,646 psi | 73% | 2182 fps | 95.8% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,055 psi | 84% | 2218 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 84% | 28,036 psi | 69% | 2087 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,252 psi | 65% | 1332 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | 36.1 gr | 90% | 31,720 psi | 78% | 2192 fps | 95.3% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,372 psi | 80% | 2211 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,498 psi | 65% | 1365 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,836 psi | 78% | 2244 fps | 99.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,808 psi | 83% | 2274 fps | 95.5% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,140 psi | 79% | 2169 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,243 psi | 82% | 2215 fps | 97% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,054 psi | 81% | 2175 fps | 97.6% |
| Somchem S365 | 34.1 gr | 82% | 25,498 psi | 63% | 2070 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,340 psi | 70% | 2054 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,199 psi | 82% | 2195 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,315 psi | 82% | 2231 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | 37.7 gr | 92% | 29,399 psi | 72% | 2198 fps | 95% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,021 psi | 69% | 2054 fps | 95.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 96% | 27,891 psi | 69% | 2195 fps | 95% |
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 45 powders for 7 x 72 R loaded with the .284 | 170gr | Sako Hammerhead. Alliant Reloder-26 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,395 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,493 fps to 2,395 fps. Accurate 3100 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 45 of the 45 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 74–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 170.0 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, Alliant Reloder-25 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, Vihtavuori N555, IMR 4831 rank at the top here: for 7 x 72 R with the .284 | 170gr | Sako Hammerhead they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2700, Accurate 3100, Alliant Reloder-25 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.