p14 sporter 7mm rem mag

[fleeterhousen]

hey guys, brand new to the forum because I inherited a rifle that I don't know too much about. I do know that it's a CAI sporterized
p14 chambered to 7mm rem mag. All I wanted to know is what you guys think of it (in terms of shoot-ability), and any info I might
need to know before I go blow up the mountains with it

It used to belong to my great-grandad who probably mail ordered it, but no one knows for sure. It's been sitting in a box for 10+ years,
and it took me about 2 hours to strip and clean thoroughly. Since I cleaned it, it looks a thousand times better than when I got it...
now I'm itching to go fire it!!!

 

[fleeterhousen]

okay... here's a question for all you gurus, bought a box of Winchester 7mm rem mags, stuck em in the mag, and they are VERY hard to chamber. After they've been chambered, they eject easy enough, but something about the chambering process is binding the brass up somewhere... I looked at the rounds for any abnormal wear/scratches, but they don't look "forced", so I'm left scratching my head. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for, or reasons why this would be happening would be appreciated.

cheers

 

[Just1short]

Great Granddad?

I don't think so. Black, composite stocks are a relatively new thing. CAI used wood stocks up until sometime in the 1990's. As far as "shoot-ability" goes most of the CAI Sporters were OK but not terribly accurate. I would have a gunsmith look at it because factory rounds should NOT be that difficult to chamber. In general, once you get it "tuned in" these are very utilitarian rifles.

Just my $.02

 

[fleeterhousen]

well, thanks for the attack on my TRUE STORY. you might want to take into consideration that I am in my twenties, and my great grandad passed away only 10 years ago. he was a reloader/shooter up until the last two or three years of his life, so the fact that he bought a gun in the "90's" like you say isn't that unrealistic. pppfffttt!!


BTW, I got the rounds to load easily now...

 

[BobbyT]

Posting in the C&R forum about a rifle your great-grandfather "probably mail ordered" implies it's an old rifle he bought 30 or 40 years ago.

If he bought it 10 years ago, he certainly didn't mail order it. Sarah Brady would throw a fit.

 

[fleeterhousen]

well, you guys have to forgive me... like I said, nobody was sure about how he obtained the rifle... I was just making assumptions.

you guys have been a big help, though.

As far as "shoot-ability" goes most of the CAI Sporters were OK but not terribly accurate.

so... are there things that I can do or add to the gun to increase the accuracy of it? I'm assuming that when you say "Tune it in," you're referring to custom reloads and honing in on what my gun likes... additional info would be awesome!

 

[Chipperman]

Bedding the stock and free floating the barrel (assuming it's not already been done) will help accuracy.

I'd have a gunsmith look at it to be sure it's safe, then just fire it. It may already be accurate.

 

[Big Ugly Tall Texan]

How does this one shoot for you?

Without regard to what other rifles of this type have done, how does this one shoot?

If you haven't already done it, take it to the range and work from a bench with a solid sandbag rest.

As for the original source of the rifle, your ancestor could have bought it in original condition and then did all the cool stuff your photos shows.

The P14 and P17 actions were some of the strongest bolt actions ever built, ranking alongise the pre-war Jap Model 39 Arisakas.

If you have an accuracy problem - and I didn't notice you mentioning that - sometimes you can improve things a lot just by changing the bullet weights.

Rifles are individuals. Some shoot better with light bullets while others shoot better with heavier bullets.

For example, a few years ago I had one of the Ishapore arsenal Enfields in .308.

Accuracy was sub-standard with 150 grain rounds -4-6 inches at 100 years. My groups were cut in half (or less) just by switching to 180-grainers.