Marlin XL7 30-06
- Thread starter pollo
- Start date
steveNChunter
New member
I'd say your rifle probably has the common .30-06 twist rate of 1:10. So it should shoot most factory loads pretty well. I'd try anything between 168 and 200 gr but you may find accepable accuracy with bullets a little lighter or heavier.I do not own nor have I ever shot an XL7, but the twist rate is what you should go by when considering bullet weights/lengths. My advice is buy a box of what you want to shoot and see how it does. Odds are it will be fine.
steveNChunter
New member
That would be a pretty safe bet. If you are using the rifle for deer hunting you might try some 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips in the future. They are usually very accurate and give great expansion.
Boomer58cal
New member
I've been impressed by both Nosler accu-bond and Hornady SST's in the 150-180g range.
Plus...it's a 30-06! If you're hand loading and work up a load for your specific rifle you should be able to get MOA with almost any 06.
Let us know how she shoots. I'm looking for a new 06.
Plus...it's a 30-06! If you're hand loading and work up a load for your specific rifle you should be able to get MOA with almost any 06.
Let us know how she shoots. I'm looking for a new 06.
Truckn14269
New member
If you look on the side of your barrel close to the barrel nut, it there a JM... Or REP stamped in the barrel?
FrankenMauser
New member
Oh, don't go there, Truckn. That pointless discussion has nothing to do with the questions asked in this thread.
Pollo - My XL7 does fantastically with 165 gr weight class bullets (165, 168, etc), and nearly as well with 180s.
It has repeatedly printed printed groups between 0.493" and 0.530", and consistently comes in at less than 1" (100 yards) ... even with cheap bullets and experimental loads.
The only bullets mine doesn't like are Ballistic Silvertips (168s or 180s).
I'd try what FM suggested and use 165 grain bullets. I used to be a die hard 180 grain shooter in my 06 rifles. However with todays premium bullets I see no need to go heavier than 165 for hunting purposes in an 06. The velocity gain from going to a lighter bullet is nice to have at normal hunting ranges. Another big plus is the less recoil you get from a 165 grain bullet which makes it a lot more comfortable to shoot and easier IMO to find accuracy with especially at the bench.
Thread about upgrading the XL7 rifle.
Thread about upgrading the XL7 rifle.
Truckn14269
New member
FrankenMauser..
I'm not discussing anything im inquiring out if sheer curiosity I would like to find one for myself in stainless a while back hadnt heard much about the accuracy of the REP barrel.
I'm not discussing anything im inquiring out if sheer curiosity I would like to find one for myself in stainless a while back hadnt heard much about the accuracy of the REP barrel.
FrankenMauser
New member
I apologize for jumping on you, then.
I'm just tired of the general sequence of events that follows that question in most threads. (A total loss of focus on the original topic, and a pointless discussion of theories about REP vs JM barrel quality. ...followed by some Remlin/Marlington rants.)
Sorry for jumping on you.
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G-town Hunter
New member
FrankenMauser
Not a problem... I understand where your coming from, I got caught up in that whole JM- REP thing when I first started looking into them... The convo does tend to go in that direction when it comes up doesnt it.... Haha. My only gripe with the X7 is that every one I have put my hands on (emphasis on I) the fore end has made contact with the barrel on one side or the other. Wouldn't this affect accuracy at some point?
Not a problem... I understand where your coming from, I got caught up in that whole JM- REP thing when I first started looking into them... The convo does tend to go in that direction when it comes up doesnt it.... Haha. My only gripe with the X7 is that every one I have put my hands on (emphasis on I) the fore end has made contact with the barrel on one side or the other. Wouldn't this affect accuracy at some point?
Crankylove
New member
The forend touching the barrel does affect accuracy..........at least in the one example I've shot.
Frankenmauser replaced the factory stock on his XL7 with an aftermarket laminate that free floats the barrel. No matter what load combinations we tried with the rifle in the after market stock, it could never get back to the accuracy and consistency it had with the factory stock. I don't recall if Frankenmauser ever tried shims or rebedding the action with the laminate stock, but he did end up selling it and dropping the action back in the factory stock to regain the groups he couldn't get with the aftermarket stock.
Frankenmauser replaced the factory stock on his XL7 with an aftermarket laminate that free floats the barrel. No matter what load combinations we tried with the rifle in the after market stock, it could never get back to the accuracy and consistency it had with the factory stock. I don't recall if Frankenmauser ever tried shims or rebedding the action with the laminate stock, but he did end up selling it and dropping the action back in the factory stock to regain the groups he couldn't get with the aftermarket stock.
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FrankenMauser
New member
With significant barrel heating, there may be problems that arise from fore-end contact. But, as Crankylove mentioned, my rifle's performance actually went to crap when free-floated. It 'needs' the factory pressure points (one on each side of the stock, about 1/2" or so back from the tip of the fore-end).
My rifle may have benefited from pillar-bedding in the Boyds stock I tried, but I didn't bother with it. I toyed with different action seating methods, shims, and action screw torque; but ended up taking the easy way out.
The simplest solution was to drop it back in the factory stock and make the XL7 my "mountain rifle".
However.... the gentleman I sold the Boyds stock to said his rifle responded quite well to the barrel being free-floated, shrinking his groups by about 1/3 of their previous size (taking him sub-MoA by just dropping it in the Boyds stock). For those curious, my rifle is a North Haven JM from the first few months of production, and the other gentleman's rifle was a 2012 Illion REP (also .30-06).
My rifle may have benefited from pillar-bedding in the Boyds stock I tried, but I didn't bother with it. I toyed with different action seating methods, shims, and action screw torque; but ended up taking the easy way out.
The simplest solution was to drop it back in the factory stock and make the XL7 my "mountain rifle".
However.... the gentleman I sold the Boyds stock to said his rifle responded quite well to the barrel being free-floated, shrinking his groups by about 1/3 of their previous size (taking him sub-MoA by just dropping it in the Boyds stock). For those curious, my rifle is a North Haven JM from the first few months of production, and the other gentleman's rifle was a 2012 Illion REP (also .30-06).
G-town Hunter
New member
FrankenMauser
Do you think an aluminum bedding block could have made any difference in the performance of you rifle?
Do you think an aluminum bedding block could have made any difference in the performance of you rifle?
steveNChunter
New member
I wouldn't mess with it. I've heard alot of XL7 owners say they floated their barrels and the accuracy fell off. They put those pressure points in there for a reason and contrary to popular belief, free floating doesn't ALWAYS improve accuracy. Some of the cheaper light sporter barrels do better with a pressure point in the stock. If your'e able to get close to MOA accuracy with it, I'd leave it alone. You might make it shoot worse and then wish you had those pressure points back.