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
