7mmWSM project completed

[308 nate]

I just finished my 7mmWSM project and thought i'd share some pix. and info.
Blueprinted Savage 12 single shot action.20 MOA Ken Farrel base bedded to action.8" one piece aluminum barrel block.Krieger four groove 1-9 30" tube.Elk Ridge rainbow camo 3-1/2" bench rest stock.I am waiting for funds for a better scope and rings(all donations accepted

) but for now I have a Leupold 6.5-20x40 and burris signature rings.All gunsmithing done by me for me.And this is what she looks like.









[ 05-14-2004: Message edited by: 308 nate ]

 

[308 nate]

cont...from previous post.






first three shot group after 30 shot barrel break in.Yeah three shots..I chickened out.
conditions:15 mph gusty winds from the 9 o'clock position.



five shot group shot at 700 yds. 3-1/2" hor. x 1" vert.
conditiond: same as above.


load information: Winchester 7mmWSM brass.necks turned just to uniformity.
Bullets: Hornady 162 Amax
Primers: Federal Gold medel match 215.
powder: Ramshot magnum 75grs.
Velocities measured with my pact cronoghraph:3,240 fps.
no pressure signs in my gun.
will post more load info as I discover it.

This has been an extremely fun project!My first barrel block project.
308nate

P.S. By the way my wife looks better then my guns any day! And she also supports my gun and reloading addictions...she can even out shoot me sometimes....but don't tell Her I said that

P.s.this is the second time I posted all this tonight.The first time around I didn't know that you could only have 8 pix per post so I lost all my info

 

[BountyHunter]

308 Nate

Good looking gun. assume 9 twist barrel there?

Try the JLK 168 BC .690) and 180 BC .738) when you can.

head down to Iowa when you can to shoot 1k BR and plan on shooting the Nationals on Labor Day at the range in Ohio. they will also have a mile match.

BH

 

[Brien]

hey nate...
i have a 9" twist 28" krieger on a remy 700 7WSM.
i have been shooting berger180's and 140 nosler bt's for my best accuracy.. this is on a hs precission vertical grip adjustable lop/cheekrest.
how many shots do you expect to get out of your barrel.. i am up to around 550 or so shots(have to look at my book) and i am getting quite a bit of copper.. whatam i up against.. this barrel is shooting better now than it ever has but i am getting copper now. am i on the barrels downside or what???
Brien

 

[Brien]

forgot to say that is one dandy rig you have there.. Brien

 

[Brent]

Nate,

Ours almost look like twins! It turned out very nice, great job!

Looks like it fits in there like it grew there.

Did you machine the block? Is the bore in your block 1.2, or 1.25, a little smaller than the 1.35 in mine?

 

[308 nate]

Brien,
thanks for the compliment.
first of all I'm a fairly new gunsmith and this is my first experience with the 7mmwsm
but I will be dissapointed if acuraccy drops off before 2000 rounds.As far as copper showing up now I would not say that is a sign of your barrel being on it's way down.(thinking out loud)In my experience if a barrel is cared for properly they only get smoother. is it possible for a barrel to get to smooth and have more surface area touching the bullet perhaps pulling more copper off.In my mind machining marks running true with the rifling is not a bad thing but other obstructions like copper deposits or machining marks that don't run parralel with rifling will cause excessive copper fouling take it for what it's worth and correct me if I'm wrong, hope to never stop learning.

Brent,
thanks for the compliment.
Yes, I did all the machining on the block.The bore is 1.25 for 10" then straight taper to .950 at 30"
308nate

 

[Brien]

hey nate,
i talked to my smith last night.. i should have thought about it.. but i shot the rifle around 60 or 70 shots since last cleaning because i was getting ready for an egg shoot, it kept shootingg well so i hated to change anything as long as it kept it up.. when i got home i plugged it in to my outers foul out 3 and it had lots of copper all the way through.. smith said thats probably normal for shooting that many rounds through it.. Bythe way the last 2 shots i fired from it at the shoot (before i cleaned it) connected with the egg at 500yds... so i think the copper is mainly my fault!
what is your opinion???

 

[308 nate]

Hi Brien,
It sounds like you have a heck of a nice shooting rifle.
I like to clean my rifles every 50 rds.Another thought I had was if flame erosion or friction heat from the bullet could cause heat cracks in the surface of the throat but I'm still learning in that area.But I wouldn't worry about it.Two of my riflrs have krieger barrels and I get copper out of them after 50 shots but usually only takes 5 patches to totaly clean.I use pro shot copper solvent and a brush, I also use butch's bore shine. They seem to work very well for me.

also Sunday morning I shot a hundred yd. 3-shot group with my 7mmWSM the group measures
.050 from center to center I know it probably was accident or mayby just luck
but I just about fell off my chair when that 3rd.shot went through the same whole! looks about like a single .30 cal.hole.mayby I'll post a pix sometime.
good shootin',
308nate

 

[308 nate]

http://tinyurl.com/6phaa

click on the above link to see some 700yd. 3&4shot groups from the 7mmwsm.This was using winchester brass weighed to within 2/10ths of a grain.outside neck turned just to uniformity.70 gr. of retumbo.Federal 215 Gold medal match and a Hornady 162 amax.Can't wait to try the new sierra 175 with mag pro powder.will post result when I get around to it.

[ 09-02-2004: Message edited by: 308 nate ]

[ 09-02-2004: Message edited by: 308 nate ]

 

[Warren Barrett]

308 Nate, what are your velocities using the 70gr. Retumbo with 162 Amax.
thanks, Warren

 

[Guest]

308 Nate , would you mind if I E-mailed you with some questions about your action?

 

[308 nate]

wb,
I'm getting 3155 fps.with 70gr. of retumbo and 162gr. amax

JDJones75,
thanks for asking.I welcome any questions you may have and will do my best to answer them.
[email protected]

 

[Warren Barrett]

308 Nate, thanks for the reply.