Sako A7 accuracy issue

[MTGunner]

tmanoid, good to hear your A7 shoots well. Took my A7, 7MM Magnum to local gunsmith, Dennis Olsen in Plains, MT. He will bed the first 3-4" of the bbl. and bed the recoil lug. If he decides the entire action could benefit he will bed around the aluminum bedding block. Hoping this will solve issues. Thanks for the reply. MTG

 

[Gary in MD]

My A7 is a 30-06 with the fluted barrel, I did a quick bedding job and floated the barrel. It is shooting one of the first loads that I tried fairly decent. 150 grain Sierras and a maximum charge of Staball6.5
Gary

 

[MTGunner]

Gary, good to see you have solved out the problem with your A7. BTW, mine is in a 7 MM Magnum that sports a 26" fluted barrel. With hope upon getting it back from the gunsmith the groups will improve. One can only hope.
I have to say that I have sold too many very good shooting rifles that I should be horse whipped for doing so. The last was a Remington 700 SPS that had lots of work done and it shot sub one inch groups off the bench. This was in a 300WSM that I took to Africa on three trips and NZ in 2016. It became a safe queen and decided to sell it. Mistake! This is the Remington that I sold. It was a one and done rifle as long as I did my part. MTG

 

[Gary in MD]

Gary, good to see you have solved out the problem with your A7. BTW, mine is in a 7 MM Magnum that sports a 26" fluted barrel. With hope upon getting it back from the gunsmith the groups will improve. One can only hope.
I have to say that I have sold too many very good shooting rifles that I should be horse whipped for doing so. The last was a Remington 700 SPS that had lots of work done and it shot sub one inch groups off the bench. This was in a 300WSM that I took to Africa on three trips and NZ in 2016. It became a safe queen and decided to sell it. Mistake! This is the Remington that I sold. It was a one and done rifle as long as I did my part. MTG

I feel your pain, I've sold a handful of rifles over the years that I regret!
It always seems like a good idea at the time….
Gary

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

I have an A7 in 2506, I dont believe I ever got 2" groups but I do remember the groups being unsatisfactory with a variety of lead core bullets. I finaly loaded up some 100gr ttsx and is a lazer now

Hey, was just reading through this thread and come across your comment. I am going to start load development on an A7 Long Range in 25-06 and am curious what load you had that shot well. I just loaded up some 100 ttsx's over 49 grains of H4350, 49.5 and 50 to do some grouping tests but haven't gone to the range yet. Brass used is from Barnes factory ammo, CCI 200 primers and seating them to 3.200 COAL, 2.685 CBTO as per the Nosler manual to start with. Neck tension I set at 2 thousandths. Hoping I'm close but the factory stuff I shot to get the brass from was 100 grain TTSX and shot a little over an inch at 100 so I wasn't to impressed. Just wondering if you'd care to share with me what worked best for you. Thanks!!

 

[MTGunner]

Went to the range today with my Sako A7 and Tikka T3X both in 7 Magnum. The Sako A7 shoots 160 Accubonds in sub minute groups and the Tikka shoots 140 BT into bug hole groups at 100 yds. off the bench. I have had to change the recoil lug on the Tikka. Plus, and I find this to be pertinent, I shoot cold bore shots like I am hunting. I will fire a shot and wait until the bore is cool before I fire another.
The one thing I have found is that proper barrel break in is a must. Also, a thorough cleaning after range work. I moly all of my hand loads. Yes, old school. But they work. So, time and handload work up works for me. Here's hoping that you all find that sweet spot on your rifle. MTG

 

[Tikkamike]

53.5 gr H4350
Federal 210's
Nosler brass

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

I have owned a Sako A7 in 25.06 for over a decade maybe close to 2 decades. I absolutely love it! I love the smooth action, Sako extractor, the three lug bolt design and the trigger. The one I bought was the cheapo stainless version with a horrible plastic stock. I think I paid $650 for it. Intially, I was not pleased with accuracy. It was all over the place. However, someone suggested that I check to make sure the barrel is free floated. Mine was not. There was a piece of plastic touching the barrel about midway down the stock. I read where Sako said that was by design. I used a sharp knife and removed the plastic. I tightened the screws without a torque wrench to hand tight. I lowered the trigger weight. From this point forward it will shoot sub MOA 5 shot groups. I am not sure if it was the lack of free floating or the tightening of the action screws. I think it was the former. I only shoot factory ammo. I currently use hornaday whitetail 117 grain loads. They are cheap and easy to find. The gun groups 5 shots right at 1 inch at 100 yds. Some three shot groups are .5 MOA. For factory ammo, anything at 1 inch or less is fine with me. I have also used Remington Corelokts 100grain they shoot about the same. The factory stock on my gun was embarrsingly bad. But the gun shot good after I free floated it, so I left it alone until this year. This year I finally bought a Bell and Carlson stock for it. Wow! what an improvement! It looks better and feels better (recoil is slightly less not that recoil is bad). It does not shoot any better. I have not bedded the action. It does not seem to need it. But i have read were alot folks say to bed from block. The Bell and Carlson stock fit perfectly. There is slight front to back movement until you torque down the action screws. I bet with reloading the 5 shot groups could be consistently .75 MOA or better. I have hunted with 25.06 my entire life (48 years). I love it! I have shot too many deer, pigs and coyotes to count. I have also shot 2 Elk without problem. I never had a critter go more than 25 yards.I hope this helps some folks.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

53.5 gr H4350
Federal 210's
Nosler brass

Tried this load and it shot well, 53.3 shot a nice 1/2" 5 shot group! Best this gun has ever shot. Thanks for that info!!