I think we have a winner! It's nice when a rifle comes together...

Silverado

Silverado

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 98.6%
143   2   1
I've been doing some loading for an acquaintance; a Model 7 in 7-08. He asked me to see what I could do with handloads, and make him basically a lifetime supply of a good load.

I tried a few loads, and found this rifle to be acceptable at best, grouping around 1.25" with handloads. I finally decided to go a little further, and skim bedded the action (fully bedded the lug) with Acra-Gel.

The most promising load from the previous testing gave me this yesterday with 140gr SGK and H4350:

CCI21102009_00000.jpg


Not too shabby I think, for a pencil barreled hunting rifle. Mind you, that's at 100y. I'll stretch 'er out a little more today.
 
That is because you are closest to the magnetic north pole and the spinning bullets group better there!

Seriously though, nice work. 20 years ago I had a friend with a 6mm Remington Model 7 that i had the same request. Never did get a load that was consistently under an inch.

Great accomplishment!
Cheers,
Joe P.
 
Most accuracy testing is done with 5 shots. The two others needed to complete the group may be way out there. Also, you need more than one group to call it a winner. Today may be fine, yet tomorrow with the same load could yield a 2" group.

Silverado said:
I've been doing some loading for an acquaintance; a Model 7 in 7-08. He asked me to see what I could do with handloads, and make him basically a lifetime supply of a good load.

I tried a few loads, and found this rifle to be acceptable at best, grouping around 1.25" with handloads. I finally decided to go a little further, and skim bedded the action (fully bedded the lug) with Acra-Gel.

The most promising load from the previous testing gave me this yesterday with 140gr SGK and H4350:

CCI21102009_00000.jpg


Not too shabby I think, for a pencil barreled hunting rifle. Mind you, that's at 100y. I'll stretch 'er out a little more today.
Click to expand...
 
That's not the only group I shot... all were well under 1", nice little cloverleafs, this just happens to be the trophy group LOL

Also, if you notice these are all dead cold bore shots, spaced about 10 minutes apart. That's the only shot that matters while hunting. I feel that test proves more than shooting shots consecutively. Of course, it also proves that I have a consistent shot routine.

With a thin barrel like this, once it's zeroed for hunting I'll also test it in 2 quick shot strings, just to see if it throws the second quick shot; my experience is that a properly bedded rifle with consistent loads doesn't really throw that second shot very much.

I'll keep them all on one target today for reference.

On a side note, I'm not having nearly as much luck with his Ruger M77 in 300WSM. It groups all day long around 1.25 - 1.5", but probably could stand bedding as well, and has an awful trigger.
 
Good job.The 7-08 is a dandy cartridge. A 3 shot group is good for hunting loads. If you can't get it done with 3 shots,the animal is gone anyway. You are right to say that the 1st shot out of a cold barrel is the one that really matters. Some rifles tend to be a bit more consistent on POI if you put a fouling shot thru them prior to hunting.

Some lightweight barrels are very accurate and predictable for POI, if not overheated. I've experienced this with a Rem 700 Mtn Rifle in 7x57 and a Win M70 featherweight in .308 Win.
 
The_Shooter said:
Most accuracy testing is done with 5 shots. The two others needed to complete the group may be way out there. Also, you need more than one group to call it a winner. Today may be fine, yet tomorrow with the same load could yield a 2" group.
Click to expand...

Says who? You shoot 5 rounds at an animal often? Will the earth spin a different direction tomorrow? This is a hunting rifle not a bench rig. Looks like a consistent load to me. Yeesh.
 
The_Shooter said:
Most accuracy testing is done with 5 shots. The two others needed to complete the group may be way out there. Also, you need more than one group to call it a winner. Today may be fine, yet tomorrow with the same load could yield a 2" group.
Click to expand...

That was my usual number, rifle and handgun. I brought the number issue up and I can't recall whether it was on this site or another but the popular consensus of opinion at that time was three for rifle and five for handgun.
 
purple said:
Good job.The 7-08 is a dandy cartridge. A 3 shot group is good for hunting loads. If you can't get it done with 3 shots,the animal is gone anyway. You are right to say that the 1st shot out of a cold barrel is the one that really matters. Some rifles tend to be a bit more consistent on POI if you put a fouling shot thru them prior to hunting.

Some lightweight barrels are very accurate and predictable for POI, if not overheated. I've experienced this with a Rem 700 Mtn Rifle in 7x57 and a Win M70 featherweight in .308 Win.
Click to expand...

I've owned several 700 Mtn rifles, and got excellent accuracy from all of them. Especially the one I had in 7-08! There is something very good about that particular cartridge.

The very first group I fired had shot #1 about 2" away from the others, and that was from a freshly cleaned barrel. After that they settled in nicely. This barrel won't get cleaned again (at least by me) until the season is over.
 
wicked group

I got a M7 SS in 7-08, totally factory, only a trigger job. Shoots around 1" +/- with 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips & IMR 4007ssc (2850 fps).
 
SuperCub said:
For a hunting rifle, 3 shots, taken from a cold bore is perfect. Who shoots more than that at game anyways?


.
Click to expand...

My Big game rifles are tested using 3 shot groups. I am more concerned where the first shot lands than anything else. As for HB Varmint rifles, I do shoot 5 shot groups with them. Regards, Eagleye.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom