New long Range Savage 7Ultra

[E4aker]

Here is a picture of my new long range rifle. It took me about 6 months to source all the parts but it finally came together. Here are the Specs...

Savage 111 action
Pillar bedded in a Mcmillan A-5 with Adj cheekpiece and buttplate
7mm ultra 30" pac-nor 3 groove #7
SSS Recoil Lug
SSS 12oz. trigger
25moa EGW Base
Burris Tactical Low Rings
Leupold 6.5-20x50 LRT

I bought 8 lbs of US869 to play with, along with some 180 bergers and 160 accubonds. I've been told the 180 Bergers will come apart at the Rum velocities in the 3 groove....I'm hoping they don't. Worse case I can shoot the accubonds which look like a nice bullet. I loaded up some loads with the 180's for testing/breakin which I should get to this week. (100gr., 101gr., & 102 gr.) I shot one round through this rifle the day I finished it to make sure everything functioned fine. It chronoed @ 3316 with a 180 berger in the lands over 100 gr. US869 and sparked by a CCI250 primer. A 180 berger at 3400 would be devastating!!! More testing to come.

 

[SUNDEVIL]

Great looking rifle. Nice choice of parts!

 

[tjonh2001]

nice stick. you just gotta love those 7's...

 

[captacademy]

Nice looking rifle.

 

[gamedog]

Very nice Earl. I'm still working on parts for the action you sold me.
Keep us posted how that rifle turns out for you. Looks great!!

 

[royinidaho]

Earl F.,

Very nice all the way around.

I'm especially interested in the 180 Bergers performance in that particular barrel. Would you please, pretty please, keep us posted on how they shoot, and if they come apart.

Also, what's the twist on the barrel?

I'm gathering as much info as I can regarding bullets dusting due to the 3 groove bore or thin jacket for a project that's in the making.

Thanks

 

[MagMan]

I'm gathering as much info as I can regarding bullets dusting due to the 3 groove bore or thin jacket for a project that's in the making.

What kind of info are you looking for? I've dusted 175 SMK's, 180 Bergers & 200 Wildcats.

Earl you never mentioned what twist you have. If you have a 1 in 7 twist you'll be stuck with the 160 AB's and possibly TSX's.

I don't believe the 3 groove barrels are as tough on bullets, more importantly is the twist.

I was getting 3350 with 100.3 grains of US 869 and the 180 Bergers in a Rock pipe...that was also more pressure than I cared to run.

I know you said you bought 8lbs of US 869 but don't rule out Retumbo it does great things with the 7RUM.

 

[E4aker]

Sorry I forgot to mention barrel is a 1in9" twist.

I finally went out to brake the rifle in. I've found the US869 to be pretty heat sensitive. I was shooting in about 90 degree heat. and velocity averaged 3358 over ten shots. There was some ejector marks on the cases, but no hard bolt lift. I decided not to push it harder then that. I had loads in 101 gr. and 102 gr. loaded but chose not to shoot them do to the pressure signs on the 100gr. loads. When I shot the test load it was around 65 degrees in the morning and the velocity was 3316 with no ejector marks/pressure signs. I'm not to happy about that. I am happy about how it shot the bergers. Both 5 shot groups were under 1/2 moa with the barrel being cleaned between each shot. Every bullet did find it's way to the target with no Blow-Ups!

I think I'm going to stay with the 100 gr. load and play with the seating depth @ long range to see if I can get any improvements. Overall I'm very happy with the rifle. I plan on taking it to 1000yds next week. I'll try to get some pics with the followup.

 

[silvertip-co]

Great rifle! I think it's great to see Savage, the working man's rifle, gain wide acceptance in the high dollar world of custom built long range hunting rifles. I was shooting my mail order 110DL .264 26" at long ranges in 1965 when I was a teen and had noooo idea what I was doing. I wish Al Gore had invented the internet then so I could be well informed about LRH we all are here.

 

[gamedog]

How's your rifle working Earl?

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Very nice Savage!

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Is your action trued up in any way?

 

[CentreHit]

Hi Earl,

WOW, that is one nice rig you have there and as another Savage supporter I say - fantastic mate!

Glad to see you have given it pride of place - right smack bang on the kitchen table for all to see, just love it.

 

[E4aker]

Thanks for all the compliments....

The rifle has been working out great. I've got around 80 rds. down the barrel and it is a shooter. I took it out the other day and print a few sub 6" groups @ 1k yards with the 180 bergers. I was shooting it next to my f-t/r .308 in some less then perfect conditions and it was like night and day compared to the 155 palma bullets. The load I ended up settling with is the 180 berger over 99.5gr. of US869 with a CCI 250 deep in the lands. This load gives me AVG. velocity of 3358 with no pressure signs. I have the rifle zeroed @ 375 yds and it is a solid .25-.5moa gun at that range. I was lucky to try it out on a South Carolina whitetail about a week ago. Not long range...258yds. But i was more then happy with the results. More pics to come!

Tyler, Action has no accurizing work done to it.