Bringing old Elk gun back to life? 7mm RemMag

I picked my model 70 synthetic, push feed, rifle and a local gs, for 300.00. I mounted scope, and handloaded some 160 grain Accubonds with IMR 7828, .010 off lands to start. I shot 5 rnds into a group of 2 inches at 100 yds, not good enough for me.
Took rifle home and completely disassembled it and went through everything with a fine tooth comb, how could my purchase not shoot this handload???
I hand made pillars, which I epoxied into the stock, and free floated barrel. Also the crown wasn't consistant, so I chucked a .480 ball bearing in a visegrip, and cover it with valve grinding grease, 30 mins of work left the crown consistant in shape, eliminating the prior owners bad treatment.
Bedded action, and stiffened forearm, and remounted scope, and headed to the range, and found that my groups shrunk to a 5/8's group of 5 rnds. I think a fella can coax accuracy out of about any rifle with some elbow grease...
BTW the model 70 that I have had three action screws, the front trigger guard screw is so temperamental to torque specs, I removed it, and my rifle shoot better than it did.
 
Jack O'Connor,

Depends on the load, pushing a 175gr SGK to 2,800 fps at the muzzle with IMR7977 gives more than 1,000 ft/lbs energy past 900 yards. A max charge of IMR4064 under a 180gr SGK in 308 will drop below 1,000 ft/lbs energy just over 700 yards. But it should be pointed out that I consider these ranges well beyond the distances of ethical hunting.

If you are hunting big game, the animals won't be able to tell much difference once the bullet weight is over 140gr and the energy over 1,000 ft/lbs no matter the caliber or initial muzzle velocity.

Jimro
 
Mine certainly favors the heavier bullets. I like the Speer Mag Tip in 175 grains. The cap in the bottom left is the 7RM. That was at 200 yards with a Zeiss 4.5-14 scope mounted on it for load development. I've since gone to a Burris Signature in 2-7 power for hunting.

 
I don't hunt, but I can share my target .300 win mag evolvement over the years. I started out with purchasing a used mint R700 SPS sporter in 300 win mag for mid/long range precision target build. I spent 2 days shooting the nasty shoulder pounder and said "im friggin done with this !" After about 20 rounds total , my shoulder literally felt like it was blown right out of it's socket (and I was using my trusty PAST recoil pad). The SPS's use a flimsy composite stock and using factory 150 Core Lokt I got about 4 moa. Mostly from my own "fearfull flinch". After about $2K invested in a B&C Tac stock, a heavy stainless Sondero barrel, MUZZLE BRAKE and a nice long range scope I was ready for precision... so I thought. I tried a bunch of 150 to 180gr factory ammo and all's I got was an empty wallet, and best I could get was about 2 moa ?? I was not happy. I got a tip to try handloads using 208 Amax's and H1000 powder. So another $300 into .300WM handloading but it payed off HUGE. I was able to quickly hone in on about .9 MOA at 200 meters. So my experience showed me that some barrels are very finicky to bullet type and weight. Good luck with your 7mm RM, hope you get it sorted out before you end up with a broken shoulder..... my biggest tip, get a slip on recoil pad AND a PAST pad ! You will never be able to rid yourself of the big stick flinch if your constantly thinking about pain and recoil prior to breaking the shot... Here's a pic of my .300WM build, at 14 lbs and using a brake it has about the same kick as a potent hitting .308 , very manageable.

 
Consider soaking the barrel overnight with fresh Hoppe's, .

stopper the chamber and fill. use new brush for cleaning may need to repeat.

If reloading, the 7mmMag headspaces on the ring at the base of the case, so all you need to resize is just the neck, if you set the shoulder back, ala 30-06", the case neck will start cracking about the fifth reload.

Soft-seat the bullet long in the case and then load into the chamber (remove the firing pin from bolt) and then close the bolt. Openand remove the cartridge, the measure the casehead to .284 diameter which is where the bullet and the "leade" of the rifling meet. that is the sterting point of backing off the seating depth to where your best grouping will occur.

Good luck.
 
Thanks guys. I took it to a gunsmith and am waiting on the results. Three initial thoughts;
1. Probably a lot of fouling that a good cleaning would help.
2. (Separate post) Iron sights removed and filled with solder. Heat could have warped barrel.
3. Bolt had odd wear marks and grease leaking out.

And. No. I do not have a lot of trigger time on this and the recoil was kicking me like a mule.
 
Just to add something that edward hogan mentioned earlier; make sure you have good, steady bench rests. Forearm rest and a "rabbit eared" bag for rear portion of stock. Items like those REALLY help.
 
Hopeful the gunsmith can figure something out. 6 inch groups at 200 yards isn't exactly stellar...then again an elk is a pretty big animal.
 
Clean, clean ,clean

I have a pre 64 in 300 h& h that I got from an old family friend. It had an old weaver 4x on it and shot 4 inch groups the first time out. I cleaned that barrel with every product made right down to bare metal and it then shot two inch groups which were better but still sucked. I then took it to a gunsmith friend who cleaned, polished and adjusted the trigger as well as glass bedding. From that point on the gun has shot an inch or less with factory loads. Once I got it to shoot, studied dozens of videos and books and refinished the stock and checkering myself, and had a new rust blue put on by the smith. It looks and shoots better than new and is my favorite of 18 rifles I own. Oh,,,,and yea, I put a new Zeiss on it with new rings and bases.
 
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