Hilltop
Veteran member
My gun groups better after a few 'fouling shots". After checking scope/bases/rings- Try the dirty barrel and then sell it if it doesn't improve. Good luck.
7mm R.E.M. Mag muley round?
- Thread starter killshot824
- Start date
MtnBuck
Member
Killshot, what size groups are you looking for? I've never seen a gun shot that bad tighten way up (i.e. under an inch) unless there was a mechanical issue like a bedding problem or loose screws. Sometimes I think it's better to cut bait (after the usual checks). I bought a new 7mm last year myself and none of my groups even with me behind the scope we're that bad so I'm wondering also if you got a lemon.
Predatore
Member
I have owned the 7mm mag Remington XCR for 5 years now and have shot it hundreds of times with great success. I have learned a few things over the years with my rifle.
1. I have shot only 3 different rounds (handloads) through this rifle: Barnes ancient bullets (can't remember), Hornady Interbond, and Nosler Accubond. I have found the Accubonds to shoot the best and accurately long-range (I only practice out to 500 yds), with consistent sub-MOA groups when I'm shooting well. It has quickly dropped many deer and elk as well. I have no reason to switch. My hard-core hunting buddy believes the Bergers are the best on the market, but I have not tried these. Worth noting is that I put in a 2.5lb Timney trigger, have a decent Burris BDC scope, and installed solid scope rings.
2. With the stainless steel barrel, copper fouling was especially bad for the first hundred rounds. I used KG-12 to remove the residue, with a lot of effort. My barrel shoots accurately with and without initial fouling, but after 20 shots I think it decreases a bit. The cheap stock also touches the barrel at the fore-end, so maybe that's partially to blame for the accuracy loss after the barrel heats up.
3. The 7mm mag is a loud bastard, so minimize shots without ear plugs!!! I have some hearing loss and am more apt to reach for the .308 if I for-see a shot without ear plugs.
Others have some good tips for looking into your accuracy issues, and I would clear those up first before blaming the gun itself.
1. I have shot only 3 different rounds (handloads) through this rifle: Barnes ancient bullets (can't remember), Hornady Interbond, and Nosler Accubond. I have found the Accubonds to shoot the best and accurately long-range (I only practice out to 500 yds), with consistent sub-MOA groups when I'm shooting well. It has quickly dropped many deer and elk as well. I have no reason to switch. My hard-core hunting buddy believes the Bergers are the best on the market, but I have not tried these. Worth noting is that I put in a 2.5lb Timney trigger, have a decent Burris BDC scope, and installed solid scope rings.
2. With the stainless steel barrel, copper fouling was especially bad for the first hundred rounds. I used KG-12 to remove the residue, with a lot of effort. My barrel shoots accurately with and without initial fouling, but after 20 shots I think it decreases a bit. The cheap stock also touches the barrel at the fore-end, so maybe that's partially to blame for the accuracy loss after the barrel heats up.
3. The 7mm mag is a loud bastard, so minimize shots without ear plugs!!! I have some hearing loss and am more apt to reach for the .308 if I for-see a shot without ear plugs.
Others have some good tips for looking into your accuracy issues, and I would clear those up first before blaming the gun itself.
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6mm Remington
Very Active Member
I'd try some 160 gr. Accubonds and Partitions and try working a load up for those, and I would shoot the one that my rifle likes the best. It would be your deer, antelope, bear, elk, moose, and just bout anything else you want to hunt load. My dad used the 160 gr. Partition for years on everything. Best of luck.
One of my XCRs will do that. The sweet spot is between rounds 20-50/60ish depending on temperatures. It'll come down to cloverleaf then start opening up again.
My 7mag XCR dang near cost more in load development that the rifle was worth. Gave up on 140gr ABs and switched to 160gr and started over. Out of pure stubbornness, I doubt I ever run out of 140gr ABs to reload for a cpl 7/08s.
Besides the issues with the 7mag, the rest of the XCRs(I) shoot extremely well.
Bonecollector
Veteran member
xtreme
Very Active Member
In the beginning I started using j36 bullets manufactured by Lost River Ballistics of Arco, Idaho. I even went there when they were in production. I still have the T36LRBT in both 140 and 160 gr We used Vit 560 at 67.1 CCI bench rest measured 3063 OA length of 3.280 My first shot at game was a Neb md at 467yds, wet about 20 yds. I no longer use them just because I can buy HSM 168 gr Berger. Totally happy with them. They chronograph 3067 and it has been pointed out to me that is faster than advertised. The only factory load I that out shoots them is the German RWS. Grizzly has provided another example of how good they are. I guess they could be laser guided.
2920 fps out of a 23" barrel (gun had a BOSS that I cut off and had barrel recrowned so barrel is abnormal length)
Mr Drysdale
Active Member
- Mar 24, 2013
- 440
- 333
Not quite as good as grizzlies 300 yard group.
Shot from my Remington 700, 7RM...300 yards with 160 accubonds, 62.0 IMR4831 at 2970 fps.
Have had great luck on big-game with the accubonds...been shooting them since 2011. I also shoot the 140 AB out of my 7-08 as well. Between the 2 rifles, I've killed 19 elk, 6 deer, a black bear, shiras bull moose, a desert bighorn, and several pronghorn with either the 140 or 160 ab's.
Shot from my Remington 700, 7RM...300 yards with 160 accubonds, 62.0 IMR4831 at 2970 fps.
Have had great luck on big-game with the accubonds...been shooting them since 2011. I also shoot the 140 AB out of my 7-08 as well. Between the 2 rifles, I've killed 19 elk, 6 deer, a black bear, shiras bull moose, a desert bighorn, and several pronghorn with either the 140 or 160 ab's.
- Feb 8, 2012
- 39
- 0
I appreciate all the tips! I it's definitely not rings and bases I do know that. I am going to have to try a really good deap copper clean that's about my last option before sending it out or getting rid of it! Does any one have any suggestions on a solvent they have used with good results for a deep clean like that?
- Feb 8, 2012
- 39
- 0
Thanks for the info I am going to definitely have to try the deep copper clean vs what I have been doing! I'll post results once I get a chance to shoot again!
- Feb 8, 2012
- 39
- 0
Honestly at 100yrds I would like to see 1" or better I don't see any reason that shouldn't be acheivable but I am consistently shooting 2"/2 1/2" groups now and it's the only rifle I own that I have this issue with and have had other guys shoot the gun to satisfy myself that it wasn't me just having a bad day. I do know the factory stock is garbage but barrel is free floated all the way back and have considered buying aftermarket stock with bedding and dropping a trigger into it but am worried about spending hundreds of dollars and not seeing the results I want. I am leaning more towards getting rid of it or just stuffing it away in the safe and forgetting about it and go buy a new one haha
fackelberry
Active Member
Use Wipeout bore cleaner foam, Spray it in your barrel and let it sit overnight! Make sure your gun is level so it sits in it and doesn't run out. You can put a plug of papertowel or Kleenex in your chamber so the foam doesn't reach that. You will be amazed at what comes out of a "supposedly" clean barrel. If there is copper fouling in it, when you do go to clean it out the next day it will be really blue! I also use the Wipeout/Patchout bore solvent also. Stuff is great!
fackelberry
Active Member
What kind of scope did you use and how many M.O.A. angle bases did you have on your factory Winchester rifle to shoot it to 1 mile? Just curious.
A couple of things that i think might help is changing shooting rest, changing targets (that one makes a huge difference for me) and bullet jump. I know i wont have my lead sled out hunting with me but if i can take all my doubt of pulled shots or breathing or any other variables from my grouping during load development it its worth it. After i find my load i want to use and get sighted in then ill practice in field positions at extended ranges. For me to find a good starting point for bullet jump is take a re-sized casing and start a bullet that i have colored with a black magic marker completely into casing with my press but keep it really long. Put the casing and bullet into the chamber and mash the bullet into the casing with the bolt of my rifle then take the cartrige out. Some times it takes a tap or 2 from a cleaning rod to get the bullet dislodged from the lands. The neck of the casing will scrape the magic marker off the bullet so you can see where the bullet was in the casing while contacting the lands before trying to get it out of the rifle. Then i use my press to shove the bullet back into the casing until the scrape marks on the bullet are right at the end of the casing. That will give you your lenght to the lands. I usually subtract .020 and try that for bullet jump. In my experience the Barnes TTSX like 25 to 30 thousands jump and Accubonds 15 to 20. My 280 shoots awesome groups with 140 gr Accubonds at .120" jump. I hope this helps but if anything needs clarified let me know and ill try.