Hope Lodge Project

drakehammer

Beginner
May 23, 2015
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Four years ago, I put together a rig to occupy my mind while staying at the Hope Lodge during cancer treatment in Atlanta. It's a slightly modified Remington 700 SPS Varmint in 7mm-08. The following upgrades were made:
HS Precision stock glass bedded
Jewel 1.5# trigger
Threaded barrel with custom brake
Full Cerakote job
Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50
Night Force rail
Griffon rings (cool)
Named her "Black"
I broke the barrel in and she's been a safe queen since then.

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I've decided to gift this rifle to a dear friend who will turn 70 this month. I suspect he will use this rig during the Pennsylvania deer season from a comfortable ground blind covering a small field. Longest shot will be about 325 yards max and he will use a nice tripod for stable, accurate shot placement.

This weekend I toyed with a little load development before I give it to him. Using 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips over 45gr Varget with Lapua brass and CCI LR primers, I was surprised to get higher than normal velocity. Seated to 2.810" COAL to feed reliably from the magazine puts the ogive at 0.065" off the lands. This combination out of the 26" varmint barrel resulted in a 5-shot group with 3250 fps average velocity / 20 fps spread (chronograph placed ten paces from muzzle). Last shot I pushed out of the group to the right, otherwise I am reasonably satisfied for 111 yards.

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Hoping this 120gr NBT will perform well for him on deer at that velocity. In all my other 7-08s, I usually run this bullet closer to 3075 fps for best accuracy and DRT results.

This is fun!!!



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Nice build and it looks to be very accurate. Hopefully your friend will tag many deer with it.


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Agree. Very nice rifle, and am wishing for great success for the hunter!

Regards, Guy
 
A most thoughtful gift of a rifle that has been thought-out most carefully. Beautiful concept.
 
Very nice rifle. Seems very darned accurate and that 120 BT will pile up deer!
 
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