7mm Backcountry, 3-Die Set

The set includes three dies designed specifically for the 7mm Backcountry cartridge:
• Neck Sizer Die – Resizes only the case neck, leaving the body at fired dimensions. Due to the durable nature of the Peak Alloy™ case, neck sizing is preferable to full length sizing.
• Expander Die – Gently bells the case mouth to allow smooth bullet seating without abrading or damaging the bullet jacket or the nickel plating on the Peak Alloy™ case.
• Bullet Seating Die – Seats bullets to the correct overall length (OAL) for the 7mm BC.

1. Gather, sort and inspect your fired cases.
    a. Use only 7mm BC cases that are designated as reloadable by their manufacturer.
    b. Reload cases only for the firearm they were originally fired in.
    c. Inspect each case before reloading.
    d. Discard any case showing cracks, splits, fractures, bulging, dents, deformation, flaking or peeling of the nickel plating or any other visible damage or wear.
    e. Sort your cases by length.

2. Clean cases.
    a. Remove fouling and debris using safe methods for nickel-plated cases.
    b. Avoid harsh solvents, abrasive tumbling media or ultrasonic cleaning.
    c. Do not deburr primer pocket.
    d. Take care not to remove plating during cleaning.

3. Do not trim or deburr.

4. Lubricate cases with a wax-based lubricant evenly to the outside of each case before resizing.

5. Neck size the case.
    a. Run each lubricated case through the neck sizing die. Set the die per RCBS instructions before sizing.

6. Flare the case mouth.
    a. Run primed case through the expander die to gently bell the case mouth. Apply only the minimum flare needed for the bullet to enter the case mouth without scraping the bullet jacket when the bullet is seated.

7. Reprime the case.

8. Charge the case. Use only verified, lab-tested 7mm BC load data.
    a. Always follow published reloading data. Peak Alloy cases do not exhibit traditional pressure signs. Start at the published minimum load and work up in small increments. Never exceed the published maximum powder charge. Be mindful published data for the 7mm BC is high pressure loads for Peak Alloy cases only.

9. Seat the bullet.
    a. Placing a bullet in the flared case mouth, press into the case with your seating die with one smooth continuous stroke to correct COAL specified in your load data. Ensure the bell/flare is removed from the case by measuring the case neck and the very end of the case. Do not stop partway and restart or seat with separate pushes.
    b. During seat/taper crimp, crimp your case mouth .001"-.002" smaller than the neck at the base of the bullet.

10. Final inspection of loaded rounds.
    a. Verify COAL
    b. Confirm bullet seated correctly (straight)
    c. Confirm primer properly seated (flush or slightly below case head)
    d. No damage to case body, neck, mouth or case’s nickel plating
    e. Removal of all lubricant from your rounds

11. Store ammunition properly
    a. Store finished 7mm Backcountry ammo in a cool, dry location away from heat, moisture, direct sunlight and extreme temperature swings. High-pressure cartridges may be more susceptible to degradation from improper storage conditions than traditional ammunition. Periodically inspect stored rounds and discard any showing signs of corrosion, case damage or primer deterioration before use.

A neck size die resizes only the case neck, which is sufficient for cases fired in the same rifle. This approach helps preserve the Peak Alloy™ case integrity by minimizing the amount of working the case undergoes each reload cycle. RCBS recommends reloading alloy cases only for the specific firearm in which the cases were originally fired.

The 7mm BC uses a nickel-plated Peak Alloy™ case. Flaring the case mouth very slightly before seating the bullet prevents the bullet jacket from scraping or cutting into the nickel plating. Damaging the plating exposes the underlying alloy material to potential corrosion and weakens the case. The dedicated flare die controls this process precisely. Flare the case mouth only enough to allow smooth bullet entry—do not over-flare.

Additionally, unlike traditional brass cases with case mouths that can be slightly expanded to allow for bullet seating with an expander ball or similar process during resizing, the 7mm BC requires a dedicated expanding or flaring operation.

This die set is designed exclusively for use with Peak Alloy™ steel alloy cases that are designated as reloadable by Federal Premium, Remington Ammunition, or the manufacturer of the case. Specifically, only reload bright nickel-plated cases, such as those from:

• Federal Premium Terminal Ascent® 7mm Backcountry ammunition
• Federal Premium Barnes® LRX 7mm Backcountry ammunition
• Federal Premium Berger® Elite Hunter 7mm Backcountry ammunition
• Remington Premier Long Range Speer® Impact 7mm Backcountry ammunition

Other 7mm BC ammunition offerings (such as Federal’s Fusion or Remington’s Core-Lokt) are not recommended for reloading by the manufacturer. These rounds are plated only on the exterior, and when the round is fired, the uncoated surface is exposed, introducing the risk of corrosion, particularly if the cases are washed prior to reloading.

Use only published, laboratory-tested load data from trusted sources. Reference the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center (https://hodgdonreloading.com/) for current reloading information for the 7mm BC. Federal Premium has also released official reloading data available on their website (federalpremium.com).

Only use load data that has been specifically developed and laboratory-tested for the 7mm Backcountry with Peak Alloy™ cases. Because Peak Alloy™ cases do not exhibit traditional pressure signs, using unverified data creates a serious safety risk

Traditional pressure-sign indicators—such as flattened primers, primer pocket loosening, ejector swipe marks on the case head, or stiff bolt lift—are based on how brass cases deform under pressure. The Peak Alloy™ case material behaves differently than brass. These familiar signs may not appear, or may appear only after dangerous pressures have already been reached. This makes following verified, lab-tested load data exactly—and never exceeding maximum charges—absolutely critical.

No—do not trim or deburr Peak Alloy™ cases. These processes remove the nickel plating that protects the underlying case material. If a case has stretched beyond usable length, discard it rather than attempt trimming. Similarly, do not deburr the primer pocket, and take care not to remove plating during any cleaning operation.

Use a wax-based case lubricant when resizing Peak Alloy™ cases. Wax-based lubricants help reduce the force required to work these cases through the die and reduce the risk of damaging the nickel plating. Avoid lubricants containing harsh solvents that could damage the plating or the Peak Alloy™ case material.

The number of reloads you can expect from a Peak Alloy™ case cannot be estimated from your prior experience with brass cases. Steel alloy cases behave differently than brass at higher pressures and prior assumptions about case life do not apply. Careful inspection before every reload cycle is essential. Discard any case that shows any sign of damage. A rough rule of thumb is 3 reloads per case.

Before each reloading session, confirm the following:
• Use only reloadable Peak Alloy™ cases from Federal Premium, (Terminal Ascent®, Barnes® LRX, Berger® Elite Hunter). Remington (Premier Long Range) or other manufacturers. Do not use brass or non-designated steel or alloy cases.
• Use only lab-tested, published load data specific to the 7mm Backcountry.
• Never exceed published maximum powder charges.
• Always start at the minimum (starting) load and work up carefully.
• Do not rely on traditional pressure signs—Peak Alloy™ cases may not exhibit them.
• Inspect every case before reloading. Discard any case showing cracking, bulging, deformation, or plating damage.
• Do not trim or deburr Peak Alloy™ cases.
• Use wax-based lubricants when sizing cases.
• Store loaded ammunition in a cool, dry environment and inspect periodically.

Currently, RCBS does not offer dies for other cartridges that use Peak Alloy cases.