STEALTH -UPDATE

[Ian M]

Just worked on a new Win. M-70 Stealth and we broke it in and shot a bunch of groups. Noted some interesting improvements - first Winchester is using a new (to me anyhow) bedding compound, it is black, quite firm and they are doing both the lug area and the tang.
Second they are putting a dab of gorp on the lock nuts on the trigger assembly that is very tough and hardened. Tough crap to remove but doable with a sharp blade.
Tidied up the trigger to 3.5 pounds (from 8.0 pounds) and switched the stock bolts, torqued the suckers to 65 and went to the range.
After breaking in with twenty rounds, the rifleshot the following five shot groups:
Lapua 185 gr. 0.457"
Norma 168 gr 0.746
Hornady TAPS 168 gr. 0.587"
Black Hills Ammo 175 gr. 0.636"*
Federal 168 gr. 0.602"
Handload – 0.673"
45 Varget, 168 J4, Win brass and Primer

Prettty decent performance from a brand new rifle. Makes for a nice LR rifle that is not going to break the bank. Fellow put on a Bushnell 10x 3200 tactical - worked fine.

 

[jcpython357]

Ian, You mean to tell me Winchester is putting bedding compound on top of that HS stock, or are they using a different stock this year? Jay

 

[Ian M]

They are still using the same HS stock but they are finally doing a half decent job of bedding the sucker.

All HS stocks should be bedded, preferably skim-bedded for the whole action contact area - ain't no way that actions can be expected to be made uniform enough by the factories to ensure a constant fit. Close but not perfect by any means - I have been in the HS factory several times and have been told that more than once. This is particularly true for Rems., that is the one they bitched about most and also the one that they have made the most stocks for.
Have seen HS stocks that we could not get the action into - a little bit of work with a Dremel and then bedding and the rifle shot fantastic.

 

[jcpython357]

Ian, I've got an HS Sporter stock on my 700S/S 7mm08, I'm getting in the low 4s for 5 shots at 100 with 38 or 39grs. RE15, 150MKs, 3 of the 5 from 39grs. are less than 1/4", Do you think I could improve any If I had the stock skim-bedded, or should I leave well enough alone. Jay

 

[Ian M]

Jay,
I would be very happy with that accuracy and I would not try to fix something that isn't broke. My statement about most actions not being a perfect fit in HS stocks is not a blanket thing. The outside dimensions of most actions varies enough that they cannot all be expected to fit perfectly into any stock. But just like some don't fit perfectly, some will. I believe from what the factory guys told me that the % that don't is much higher than the % that does.
Very likely your action and stock have a perfect fit or a fit that contributes to excellent accuracy. I have never had such luck with my HS stocks, they are skim bedded and work well but did not shoot as well when I tested them as drop-ins.

As I mentioned one noteable experience was with a .338 Win. in a M-77 Ruger. No way it would fit into the stock but after about half an hour my friend got it into the stock very nicely, then bedded it and it is one of the most accurate .338's I have ever shot.

Do you have any more good 7mm-08 loads you could share?

 

[jcpython357]

Ian, 1. 39.5-41grs. of Varget with 150Bal. Tips, Varget didn't work well with the MKs, although I only went up to 40.5grs, maybe a hotter charge might work better, RE15 is the cat's *** for the 150MKs.
2. 40.3grs. H4895 with 120Hor.HP gets in the 1/2MOA range, good enough for Minute of coyote.
3. Got some 139SSTs that'll be getting a dose of RE15, in the 39.7-41grs. range, when I get around to them.
42grs. RE15 is the accuracy load for 168MK for 308, also. But that's another project. Jay