jweigel
Well-Known Member
With all the Nosler 28 info since its inception, I want to post the results of a refresh of an old school 7STW. This gun started out as a Remington Sendero. I picked it up used and shot 700+ rounds through it myself over the last couple years. I added a Greybull Stock and Timney Trigger and topped with a VX6 4x24. Very accurate with 180 VLDs. I tried and tried to get 195VLD and even Chinchaga 196g bullets to shoot but they would not pattern below 1 MOA. Given the $$ we push through these guns I thought time to re-barrel to match today's heavy bullets.
I ordered a Bartlein #18 Medium Palma 5R 30" finished in a 8.25" twist. I had Bartlein flute it. Dropped the barrel, Holland HD Recoil lug, and gun off with Nathan Dagley with Straight Shot Gunsmithing here in ND. Nathan blueprinted the action, Fluted the bolt, installed and chambered the new barrel. Nathan had previously modified the action to accommodate a Wyatts 4" mag well. Had my Nosler brass annealed, sized and ready. Loaded up some fire forming rounds with 76g of N570, F215 primers and 195 VLD bullets to break in barrel and test seating depth.
The chamber with the new barrel was .020 shorter the factory (....throat erosion???) with the lands at 3.18 with the 195s. CTOL was 3.166. Fired one shot and cleaned for 15 rounds. Here is the first 5 shots through the new barrel gun at 200 yards...cleaning in between every shot.
Dial to get on target and forgot I was at 200 yards. Next 5 shots.
Next five
Finished fire forming after 50 rounds, never ever having so many hits touching at 200 yards. These 76g fire form loads average overall around 3000 fps. Best seating depth was around .030 OTL or 3.150 CTOL with an COAL of 3.900. Started working up powder to test for pressure. Loaded one each 76,77,78,79,80,81. I started to get ejector marks at 80g and very strong marks but no hard bold lift at 81. Speed was just over 3200.
It was rare to have a group over .5 moa. Even the higher velocity was still darn good (crazy good for me).
I did load an 82 grain and did get a hard bold lift.
I went back and did three shot groups from 76,77 and 78. All were less then .5 moa and most interesting is the velocities were all about the same with the average of the 78 being slower then the 76. Obviously there was node here and I settled on 78 grains which is just over 3000 fps.
ES are under 20. Should be easy on brass and still get the job done. After around 80 rounds since the last cleaning, I gave it a good cleaning and was amazed at how little copper there was.
Thanks to Bartlein and Nathan at SSG.
I think this old caliber can still run with the new dogs.
jjw
ND
I ordered a Bartlein #18 Medium Palma 5R 30" finished in a 8.25" twist. I had Bartlein flute it. Dropped the barrel, Holland HD Recoil lug, and gun off with Nathan Dagley with Straight Shot Gunsmithing here in ND. Nathan blueprinted the action, Fluted the bolt, installed and chambered the new barrel. Nathan had previously modified the action to accommodate a Wyatts 4" mag well. Had my Nosler brass annealed, sized and ready. Loaded up some fire forming rounds with 76g of N570, F215 primers and 195 VLD bullets to break in barrel and test seating depth.
The chamber with the new barrel was .020 shorter the factory (....throat erosion???) with the lands at 3.18 with the 195s. CTOL was 3.166. Fired one shot and cleaned for 15 rounds. Here is the first 5 shots through the new barrel gun at 200 yards...cleaning in between every shot.
Dial to get on target and forgot I was at 200 yards. Next 5 shots.
Next five
Finished fire forming after 50 rounds, never ever having so many hits touching at 200 yards. These 76g fire form loads average overall around 3000 fps. Best seating depth was around .030 OTL or 3.150 CTOL with an COAL of 3.900. Started working up powder to test for pressure. Loaded one each 76,77,78,79,80,81. I started to get ejector marks at 80g and very strong marks but no hard bold lift at 81. Speed was just over 3200.
It was rare to have a group over .5 moa. Even the higher velocity was still darn good (crazy good for me).
I did load an 82 grain and did get a hard bold lift.
I went back and did three shot groups from 76,77 and 78. All were less then .5 moa and most interesting is the velocities were all about the same with the average of the 78 being slower then the 76. Obviously there was node here and I settled on 78 grains which is just over 3000 fps.
ES are under 20. Should be easy on brass and still get the job done. After around 80 rounds since the last cleaning, I gave it a good cleaning and was amazed at how little copper there was.
Thanks to Bartlein and Nathan at SSG.
I think this old caliber can still run with the new dogs.
jjw
ND
