Model 7 Accuracy
Question:
> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com > Newsgroups: rec.hunting > I got a new Model 7 last fall, a stainless barrel and composite stock, in a > .260. > After putting about 200 rounds of varying powders and such, I found my rifle > to > be at most a two shot wonder. I can keyhole the first two but then I have to > let the barrel thoroughly cool down. In five shot groups I did get some 1.25" > groups, which I still consider to large. Due to weather and time I only fired > 140 gr. bullets. I expect better groups with lighter weight bullets.
The Model Seven is a field rifle, not a bench or varmint rifle, and one doesn’t fire long strings in the field. If your first two shots reliably touch each other, you have a winner and no hand-wringing over its performance is justified. My Model Seven in .260 shoots 120s, 140s, and even 160s with equal aplomb. With the 160s it’s the modern equivalent of the classic 6.5×54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer cartridge that was used effectively on everything up to elephants in the old days. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I got a new Model 7 last fall, a stainless barrel and composite stock, in a >.260. >After putting about 200 rounds of varying powders and such, I found my rifle to >be at most a two shot wonder. I can keyhole the first two but then I have to >let the barrel thoroughly cool down. In five shot groups I did get some 1.25" >groups, which I still consider to large. Due to weather and time I only fired >140 gr. bullets. I expect better groups with lighter weight bullets. By the way >My trigger was lightened to 2.5 lbs. and I’ve had no problems with it. If I >never get it to shoot better it’s still a sweet little rifle.
I have one in 7-08 in a laminate stock, also stainless, and I really had to fight it to get to where I am, which is that I have found one brand of ammo (Winchester SuperX) that it will shoot under 1.5 MOA. That’s letting the barrel 5 minutes between shots. I would be happy for you if you got tighter groups than 1.25" (100 yards?), but I wouldn’t get too bummed if you don’t, if I were you. It’s a hunting rifle, not a benchrest rifle, and 1.25 MOA is great hunting accuracy. You won’t get more than 2 shots anyway at a deer, and you said you are keyholing on 2 shots, so that’s GREAT… I posted a similar question to the group a few weeks ago, but then I was getting 3-inch groups with a horrendous wandering zero (so really more like 5 inch groups over 10 or 20 shots- bad bad bad). Mine turned out to be very picky about ammo and to a serious stock problem. Funny, the only other laminate-stock Model 7 I’ve seen in a shop, also had the same problem, which was that the stock was pressing hard against the barrel on the left side up near the pressure point… I free-floated my barrel and things are much better now… -jeff Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
I got a new Model 7 last fall, a stainless barrel and composite stock, in a .260. After putting about 200 rounds of varying powders and such, I found my rifle to be at most a two shot wonder. I can keyhole the first two but then I have to let the barrel thoroughly cool down. In five shot groups I did get some 1.25" groups, which I still consider to large. Due to weather and time I only fired 140 gr. bullets. I expect better groups with lighter weight bullets. By the way My trigger was lightened to 2.5 lbs. and I’ve had no problems with it. If I never get it to shoot better it’s still a sweet little rifle. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I got a new Model 7 last fall, a stainless barrel and composite stock, in a > .260. > After putting about 200 rounds of varying powders and such, I found my rifle to > be at most a two shot wonder. I can keyhole the first two but then I have to > let the barrel thoroughly cool down. In five shot groups I did get some 1.25" > groups, which I still consider to large. Due to weather and time I only fired > 140 gr. bullets. I expect better groups with lighter weight bullets. By the way > My trigger was lightened to 2.5 lbs. and I’ve had no problems with it. If I > never get it to shoot better it’s still a sweet little rifle.
I’m going to contradict myself a little. First, I think your expectations are out of line. Ultra light barrelled factory rifles don’t shoot real well on average; yours is way better than average. Second, I got *lucky* and got one which is better yet, probably shoots as good as any factory rifle I’ve ever seen of any weight or configuration. Third, I think there is something you can do to improve your rifle if the problem is groups opening up as the barrel heats. Often, the pattern of groups opening up as the barrel heats is a matter of unrelieved stresses in the steel being temporarily relieved by the temperature change. This can be from residual stress in the steel or from a barrel/action joint that is not perfectly square and smooth. You might consider having the action trued, the chamber set back a thread, and the barrel face trued. After that is done, have the assembled barrelled action (bolt and all springs, scope mounts, etc removed) cryoed by an outfit which does multiple (3 repetitions) cycles of heating and cooling, not a fly by night single-chill place. Probably, if it was me, given that I seldom ever fire more than 2 shots out of my model seven other than at the rage, I’d just be happy with what you’ve got. Tom Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
