7 wsm build

chrishatley

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
101
Location
statesville,nc
Hey guys, I need some opinions and advice here. I'm trying to build my Wal-Mart model 70 7wsm to shoot better. The longest shots I've taken so far is 467 yds. My group was a little over 4" without flyers counted. The rifle is a bone stock super shadow, with the trigger adjusted down to a little over 3 pounds. That's as low as I could get it and still pass safety test. It has a Bushnell Banner 4x18x50 scope setting in a dead nutz one piece mount. Right now I'm shooting a 150gr. Sierra matchking behind 72grns. of magpro. Wlrm primer with a col of 2.855". That should be .010" off the lands. I'm thinking of getting: the houge overmolded stock with aluminum bedding block, jewell trigger, and a brake. If it still won't shoot accurately out until I run out of MOA, mabey an aftermarket barrel as well.What do you guys think about this combo? I really like the looks of the stock, and the rubber would be a plus as this will mainly be a deer rifle, but that doesn't matter if it won't shoot. Also, what brake do yall' recommend? I only weigh about 155 pounds, and this rifle kicks me pretty good! Thanks in advance do any help!
 
Hey guys, I need some opinions and advice here. I'm trying to build my Wal-Mart model 70 7wsm to shoot better. The longest shots I've taken so far is 467 yds. My group was a little over 4" without flyers counted. The rifle is a bone stock super shadow, with the trigger adjusted down to a little over 3 pounds. That's as low as I could get it and still pass safety test. It has a Bushnell Banner 4x18x50 scope setting in a dead nutz one piece mount. Right now I'm shooting a 150gr. Sierra matchking behind 72grns. of magpro. Wlrm primer with a col of 2.855". That should be .010" off the lands. I'm thinking of getting: the houge overmolded stock with aluminum bedding block, jewell trigger, and a brake. If it still won't shoot accurately out until I run out of MOA, mabey an aftermarket barrel as well.What do you guys think about this combo? I really like the looks of the stock, and the rubber would be a plus as this will mainly be a deer rifle, but that doesn't matter if it won't shoot. Also, what brake do yall' recommend? I only weigh about 155 pounds, and this rifle kicks me pretty good! Thanks in advance do any help!

Which brand of dies are you using? I've noticed that a great many of my flyers have dissappeared since I went to Redding and Forster bullet seating dies (my 2 cents).

Flyers count when you're long range hunting. A group is the distance measured between ALL of your bullet holes. Of course you can judge for yourself when you've pulled a shot and not count it but be honest with yourself when it comes to measuring your group size. It's the only real measure of your ability and your equipment to deliver shots in the field.
I don't want to seem mean but I fear that many people love to discount flyers and that's how so many people get their factory sporters to shoot in the .3's and .4's (when they do their part: AKA they've never shot a 1/2MOA group but blame themselves or the wind or whatever it takes to hold onto their belief that they own a tack driver). Sorry, pet peeve of mine.

You're my kind of guy, I'm always trying to get my rifles setup on a budget so I've learned a few places to cut corners and a few places that I shouldn't have. Anyway, I can't say anything about a Houge overmold except nobody seems to claim them on their long range rifles. I suspect that they're too soft (not rigid enough to work in field positions). Bell & Carlson's work, as do H-S Precisions, McMillans are fantastic but a bit pricey. Any one of them should work nicely when bedded to your action properly.

Jewell triggers are great but a bit pricey. I have a Timney on my Winchester 7WSM and it works but I wish it was a Jewell. When you're talking barrels I don't know 10% of what some of these guys do but I'll tell you what I do know.

When you're buying a barrel be sure to use a competant gunsmith who will at least true your action if not blueprint it when installing your new barrel. He (I guess it could be a she? Anyone ever know of a woman gunsmith? There must be a few around???) will probably have a recommendation on a brand of barrel (Hart, Krieger, Broughton, Rock, Lilja, etc.) which will undoubtedly be the finest rifle barrel you've ever had the pleasure to shoot (or clean for that matter). I did make another mistake which I've regretted, and that was putting too heavy of a barrel on one of my first customs. I think it was a #17 Hart on a 7mm Rem. Shoots great! But now it mostly lives at home because I hate packing it. Go with something more reasonable if you want a heavy pipe, like a #5 or a #4.

Cross
 
Cross, thanks for the input. Im using rcbs dies. I'm setting the fl sizing die so that only makes marks about two-thirds down the neck. As for flyers, all of my flyers are my fault. This load kicks the crap out of me. I would never shoot a game animal outside of probably 275 yards.....until I can hit paper every time. Hence the need to further my education!
 
Cross, thanks for the input. Im using rcbs dies. I'm setting the fl sizing die so that only makes marks about two-thirds down the neck. As for flyers, all of my flyers are my fault. This load kicks the crap out of me. I would never shoot a game animal outside of probably 275 yards.....until I can hit paper every time. Hence the need to further my education!


Chris,

What I'm speaking of is a benchrest bullet seater die. The Forster is a great one (or Redding and maybe a few others) and it will usually seat your bullets straighter than will the standard RCBS die. I think it's only about $60. Being turned on to benchrest seater dies was my #1 step forward in reducing my group sizes.

Cross
 
Cross, I'm still using the regular seating die. I have been turning the round a lot while seating, rather than with one stroke of the ram. I read this helps with bullet runout? Also, what brake do you recommend? Thanks, Chris.
 
I usually stroke the press 1/2 the way, stop, turn the cartridge 180* & finish seating the bullet, I am now just starting to measure bullet runout & don't have enough data to say it works for sure but the last hundred rounds have shown positive results. There is unanimous praise for the Muscle Break as well as the Pain Killer, most 'smiths that i've dealt with have their own version as well, write down all your questions & contact a 'smith to discuss (that way you only have to call once!), you can answer your bbl questions as well as your break questions in one place.

Good Luck! keep us posted.
 
Last edited:
Yea Tank, I'm sure the recoil is the big reason. I normally shoot 5 shot groups, and the last two are rough. I absolutely need a brake. I'm glass bedding the factory stock now. The whole fore end was hollow, so I filled it with epoxy yesterday. I hope all that epoxy will add some weight, and help a little until i have a brake installed.
 
Yea Tank, I'm sure the recoil is the big reason. I normally shoot 5 shot groups, and the last two are rough. I absolutely need a brake. I'm glass bedding the factory stock now. The whole fore end was hollow, so I filled it with epoxy yesterday. I hope all that epoxy will add some weight, and help a little until i have a brake installed.


Something else you could have done to add weight is put some lead shot in the stock. Where you filled the forend, if you would of thought of it, you could have added some some lead shot and epoxy over it. If you can pull you butt plate off, drill some 5/8 or 3/4 inch holes, add some shot, and fill with epoxy. That would help to reduce some recoil. I was never a real big fan of Winchesters light weight rifles. My brother had a 243 Super light weight that kicked like a 300WM. It was accurate and put many a deer in the bed of a truck though.

Tank
 
Might consider a Vickerman or Ponsness-Warren seater then you have a seater for all calibers and when you build a new rifle all you need is to have the smith build a sizer die when he does the barrel. Vickerman are no longer in business but GMW builds one just like it.
 
I forgot to mention that I am trying two Hogue stocks now. One is pillar bedded and one has the aluminum block. They both seem to shoot quite well and the felt recoil is surprisingly low. One rifle is a .257 Wea. IMP the other is a 7MM on a 8x68 case. Is very similar to a 7STW and neither seems to recoil. Part of the fix must be the stock. Don't know if I like the bubber coating but mostly aesthetics. It should be durable and easy to hold on to. Jury still out.
 
Not a bad idea tank, I might just do that. I put the rifle back together last night, and it feels considerably heavier. Mustang, thanks for the input on the stock. I really want to use one of these, as it is a hunting rifle. I think the overmold would be nice in the woods. I bought some 168 grain berger vld hunting bullets, and some h1000 today. I guess i'll go to the loading shack and try to work something up. Anybody know where to start?
 
Not a bad idea tank, I might just do that. I put the rifle back together last night, and it feels considerably heavier. Mustang, thanks for the input on the stock. I really want to use one of these, as it is a hunting rifle. I think the overmold would be nice in the woods. I bought some 168 grain berger vld hunting bullets, and some h1000 today. I guess i'll go to the loading shack and try to work something up. Anybody know where to start?

I'm shooting 70 grains of H1000 behind a 168VLD. Setting it off with CCI250s and jammed into the lands. It's keeping me right at 1/2MOA.

Cross
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top