new rifle to the range...7mm 08 Featherweight Winny

Northwoods Hunter · Dec 28, 2005

I got my new Winchester Mod 70 Featherweight Stainless 7mm 08 yesterday. I was very impressed with it....fit, finish, everything is straight and tight. The checkering was beautifully done.
I topped it with a 2.5-10 Bushnell 4200 and loaded up a few rounds...

1) 140 gr Rem factory PSPs..............1.05"

2) 45gr RE 19...140 gr Nosler SB.......0.52"

3) 48gr RE 19...140 gr Nosler SB.......1.16"

4) 41.5gr RE 15...140gr Accubonds.....0.70"

5) 39.5 gr RE 19..150gr Sierra SBT....1.02"

6) Federal factory 150gr TBBC...........1.00"

I tinkered with the trigger as best as I could....it came at over 6 lbs with lots of creep. I could get it to a tad over 4 and got most of the creep out. I think I'll take it to my Smith for more "tuning".
I am very happy with the rifle....it shot evrything pretty well, especially the ol solid base spitzers.
Loads of loads to try yet but it looks like this one is a definite "keeper". :grin:

roysclockgun · Dec 29, 2005

I had two Winchester Ultimate Shadows. Both had rough, creepy triggers. I liked everything else about the rifles, save for those triggers. A local smith worked his magic and I was very satisfied with a lighter, crisper trigger.
Glad to hear that you are experiencing such wonderful accuracy, right of the rack. No?

firstshot · Jan 4, 2006

Northwoods Hunter

Glad to hear your new Mod 70 Featherweight Stainless 7mm 08 is shooting so well. I "almost" bought the same rifle this past spring as it sure is a fine looking rifle; however, I wound up choosing the Rem 700 Mtn LSS primarilly for the laminated stock. Like yours, mine started with about a 6LB trigger but I was able to adjust it myself and now it's a clean crisp 2 1/2Lb pull.

I don't know if it's the caliber or if you and I just wound up with good guns, but I've found that so far the 7mm-08 seems to shoot everything I've tried very accurately. Here are the loads I put together over the spring & summer:

Glad to see you tried the Nosler SB's as I've heard nothing but good things said about them and was wandering how would shoot. I've been planning to try them and after seeing your results they are definiely on my "To Do" list. I also want to develop a load for the 120 Nosler BT's and give them a try on coyotes.

I used the 145 Speer (HotCor) to deer hunt this season. Took a nice enough 8PT at about 75 Yds with a broadside behind the shoulder shot which was a complete pass through with a quarter size exit. Deer went about 20 Yards and dropped.

Yea, take that puppy to a good smith, get that trigger down to 2 - 2 1/2 Lbs, and even though you are already shooting some excellent groups, you'll probably see some improvement.

You're going to love the 7mm-08!!!! :grin:

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

longwinters · Jan 4, 2006

It is one beautiful rifle. Just cannot beat stainless and walnut. . . although stainless and laminated is mighty fine too. My son has the Rem LSS and it is a nice looking rifle also. He wont part with it for nothing.

I think Northwoods Hunter has probably had several 7m-08's but I bet this is one he will keep a while.

Long

roysclockgun · Jan 5, 2006

Longwinters wrote: "It is one beautiful rifle. Just cannot beat stainless and walnut. . . "

Now we are entering the realm of personal preference. IMO once one gives up the beauty of well done blued steel on gun metal, why stick with a wooden stock. After hunting all week in wet snow a couple years back, I had to completely strip off what remained of my walnut stock's finish and re-finish. Composite stocks are impervious to weather and just need a wipe down with a piece of terry cloth to look good. Wood will cause your groups to walk sometimes, when weather changes. Composite stocks will not do that. Old rifles, bedded solid in walnut will cause groups to walk as the barrel heats up. Composite stocks will not do that.
My own preference for "beautiful" is a rifle with a rich figured walnut stock and deep blued steel. But for getting the job done in any sort of weather and rough hunting, I'd opt for one of my rifles with a composite stock. For me, practicality beats pretty in the field, every time.

Northwoods Hunter · Jan 5, 2006

We almost always hunt all season in cold and deep snow up here where I live. We've hunted for four generations here and in Canada and Alaska with wooden stocked rifles....never had to ever refinish one.

Newer wood stocks are sealed with tougher finishes than before. As far as in the field...you never need to wipe down a stainless action but you better wipe down that blued carbon steel one or it will rust before your eyes.

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roysclockgun · Jan 8, 2006

The finish that got wasted, due to hunting all week in rain, was on a Ruger M77, made around 1968, so I assume the factory finish was some sort of poly urathane (sic). Whatever it was, after that week, when I dried out the stock, there were patches of bare wood showing all over the stock, but especially on hand wear stops. That incident convinced me to never again pay for walnut on a rifle or shotgun that I intended to use for hunting in dirty weather. Same goes for shotguns. I hunted many years on the Eastern Shore of Md., shooting geese and ducks. One of the most popular water fowl guns was the Browning A5 long recoil semi-auto. I saw many of those guns stripped of finish after a number of years spent in the blinds. I am not saying that some finishes for wood do not combat nasty conditions better, I am merely saying that in my 50 years of hunting experiences, I have seen countless wooden stocks in dire need of re-finish, due to being hunted in bad weather. Most water fowl hunters that I know, will always buy composite/plastic stocks for that game, when they go for a new water fowl gun today.