Ready to give up on this rifle, any suggestions?

[Dr. Vette]

I had one rifle in my life that I couldn't make shoot. I never sell guns, but I sold that one to a gun shop. Couple years later it's still on the shelf at the gun shop. So I say to myself, I'm not gonna let that rifle beat me. So I bought it a second time. It lived in my safe for a year or 2. Recently I started back working with it with no success. Multiple powders, ladders, projectiles. Never shot a 1" group. 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" was the best. So I say to myself, I'm gonna fubar it or fix it.
Ran a sequence of tubbs final finish/ cleaning procedure.
Now it's a 1/2 moa shooter.

I have one that I'm seriously thinking of trying the Tubbs on, as it's cheaper than a rebarrel.
Nice to know it can work.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

Conditions were perfect today. Tried my best load to date (59gns H4350 w/ 160 Sierra hpbt game king) just as a base to go by, it shot 3 rd group at 100 at 11/4" which I could live with if consistent. Same load other than I crimped the bullet and the 3 shot group opened up to 3". Tried same load again with fed 210m instead of 215m and had 21/8" group. using a crimp and it shot 7/8"…… IDK, will play some more tomorrow and if doesn't work I'm going back to old faithful, only two weeks until deer season, sako 85 in 30-06 it shoots everything great… lol !

Im not following what 11/4" means???

 

[IHFarmer07]

Im not following what 11/4" means???

One and a quarter inches

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

The only rifle I ever got rid of because I couldn't get it to shoot properly was a model 70 in 7mm WSM.... every time I got a good group, it couldn't be repeated consistently. My mate had the same experience, he even rebarrelled his in the process as he was too stubborn to concede defeat. My suggestion is just sell it.

 

[chav0_12]

One and a quarter inches

It was either that or 2-3/4 lol.

 

[chav0_12]

It doesn't happen to have a BOSS on it does it? I think Winchester did that with some of their rifles. I have a Browning A-Bolt in 7mm WSM with a BOSS that I can't get to shoot reloads either. I'm not overly worried about it, it's sitting in the safe with a new stock, trigger spring installed and no optics. I've bedded the action in the new stock and haven't shot it since I've done that. I haven't spent enough time with to try and get it to shoot. I'll probably just rebarrel since I hate the BOSS. Seems harder to tune than reloads. That gun has shot good groups with factory Federal 140gr Nosler BTs but I never loaded any 140s for it. I do have some 140gr AccuBonds on my shelf for it, I should run some factory stuff over the chrono to see what they do.

I'd try a new bedding job on the rifle and see if it can help. It's probably fine since it shoots factory ammo just fine. Have you tried to replicate the factory speeds with the same bullets to see if you can get it to shoot? If it won't do that then there's something wrong with your reloading process. I'd start by getting my hands on some of those Hornady bullets and see if I could replicate the speed trying a few different powders that will keep the ES/SD low.

 

[Lodom01]

My 7 wsm likes a huge jump .200

 

[Hugnot]

Some of my rifles that did not shoot well did better when I became less annoyed and let the barrels cool off. That fixed my 6mm-06 problem child that heats up fast with powder charges approaching 60 grains thru that small bore thin barrel. Lots of heat & fouling - fast. Now, being more prudent I can hit within a inch, first shot at 300 with a cold barrel; the next 2 hit about the same but when things heat up groups open to 4-6 inches. This is acceptable for a sit & wait hunting rifle used by an olde guy. Hate to think of using it to shoot 20 with 1 minute between shots.

Then there is the re-barrel option.

 

[DJ Fergus]

No, used rifle.

I've saw several wsm M70s during the last few years of New Haven production that had prematurely shot out barrels. Word on the street was that those barrels was of softer steel. I'm not saying that's your problem but it is something to think about. If nothing else, you have an excellent donar action for a Sherman short or some other short action cartridge that you could use ADG brass with.

 

[asd9055]

winchester m-70 s/s synthetic 7mm WSM. I have tried 11 bullets (at multiple seating depths), 6 powders, three primers and three different cases. I have neck sized and full length sized. Two different scopes, bedded rifle and can not get this rifle to shoot any hand loads consistently. I have almost 200 rounds down this bbl trying to get some kind of load and I'm no closer now than when I started! Here is the kicker, it shoots federal fusion 150's lights out! Hornady outfitter 150 GMX shoots better than any handload I have made….. I know you are going to say just shoot the factory ammo and be happy. I can't do that. the only thing I have not done is crimp the bullet. I have never crimped any of my other rifles and never had a problem. I will try some tomorrow with a crimp and report back. I am open to any suggestions, is there anything I have left out? I love the rifle and would really like to get an accurate load before I shoot the bbl out… tks!

I dont think Winchester made any WSM caliber rifles with the BOSS that I know off.

 

[Recon$$]

I had a used rifle that was torturous finding a handload that shot 1/2 or better. After about 8 range sessions and countless reloads I figured it out. The node was very tight. I documented it and sold that rifle with that information. To mad at the **** thing to ever trust it. Once I don't trust something it has to go.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Some barrels are meant to be tomato plant post.

The stainless ones hold up real well outside.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I see a few issues come into my shop with accuracy diagnosis problems.
A rough throat is often an issue.
The Tubb's Final Finish bullets can help.
Eccentric chambers, poor bedding, scope bases that do not match the action profile and screws touching the barrel. Have also seen bolt handles touching the stock.
Have you measured the twist?
Is the stock pillar bedded, or a bedding block?
All this can cause poor accuracy if not bedded sufficiently.

Cheers.

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

There's a reason why the 7mm WSM never became as popular as the 270 or 300 WSM's...they are tedious. While the concept looks sound, with good ballistics, they don't seem to deliver acceptable accuracy. I think it's better to have an outfit that tests my skill, not my patience. Better to get a 7mm Rem Mag.