Mod 700 Classic 7x57 almost ready!

I had picked up this Classic in a trade awhile back and took it to my gunsmith friend to have it cleaned well thoroughly, pillar bedded and a Timney trigger added. The previous owner had a Mod 70 style safety added, leaving a big gap where the Rem safety had been too.
My gunsmith friend is closing his business, he's 70, recently was diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs and is having a tough time. I've known him over 20yrs and he is a good friend. Anyhow, I was visiting with him when I picked up the rifle and failed to try the safety out,etc. At home, when I tried it, it wouldn't budge (engage). I called and took it back, he had to just fit the Timney Housing a bit ( I don't remember exactly) or something in that Wing safety wasn't jiving with the Timney. So now, just waiting for the call...I shall miss my friend as he wraps up his business, family affairs, tries to enjoy his remaining time. I did talk to him, asked if he has his Eternal Destiny secured, he assured me he had, so that's great. This makes this "last rifle" he has worked on pretty special, though just having it is special to me...I've wanted one since 1982 when they came out! Double special....and a tad bittersweet.

Neat story, Jim. It is always sad to see the effects of advancing age and loss of prowess. I can see that this rifle will have special meaning for you. Thanks for sharing. I lost a favourite aunt to ALS and did some basic research in demyelinating diseases many years ago. I pray for his peace.

Sorry to hear about your friend. I'm sure it will be a rifle you will cherish as long as you own it.

Thanks guys.

Dropped by his shop yesterday, the Last official Day, and picked up the 7x57. Several old friends were there, visiting, it was a bittersweet meeting, happy our old friend was still getting around, but knowing that time is the enemy. I am blessed to have known and done business with Ray Frederico, may he have a good quality of Life...

preacher":13skusbb said:

May he have a good quality of Life...

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And Quantity!

Great story, and you've got a really special rifle by him as well.

Guy

Great story and a special rifle for sure. You will love that thing and think of your friend every time you pick it up. Spend some time with him with what time he might have left. Maybe take him out shooting with the rifle that he worked on for you. I imagine it would mean a lot to him.

David

Been working too hard to get to the range! I tell you, the Tax man ate my sack lunch and popped the sack in my face ( thank you ObammaCare!) it has been a genuine "swarm", but I handle the little rifle regularly, and read up on loads, etc. for this Jewel. Just checked on my friend and he is getting along OK. I am thinking of starting out with the 140AB and then jump up to the 175PT. I remember my old boss's Mod 700/7mm shot very well with the Speer 130BT, but I have some 145BT to try too...and 150NBT...and 120NBT/120 TTSX...and Hornady 175RN....its nice to have choices! When I finally do get to shoot this thing, I am going to the A/C Indoor 100yd range new in town! I didn't see where I could set up a chrono, but we shall see. $20/1 hr is not bad to get out of this heat! I'm not as fat since I took a PT job at Home Depot, ha. But I still sweat like crazy....not a big fan of it!

Sounds like a nice rifle. Looking to see how it groups.

Those old Classics shoot. Beautiful rifle in a truly Classic cartridge.

JD338

Preacher,you're bouncing around "the" bullet for your 7x57..... the 160 gr Nosler Partition.

I hear ya, but I have some Sierra 160 HPBT to try first....seems Sierra/Noslers shoot pretty close together/same charges or so close they're easy to tweek. I'm "almost" afraid to work up a load with the 160PT as "it may be so perfect I won't use anything else", ha, and I do love to experiment w/loads. However, in that little Kimber 84M 7mm/08 I had, nothing beat that old Hornady LM load w/139SST @3100fps (clocked) but they gave sticky extraction too. The fact they shot into 'bughole" 3 shot groups ruined me for anything else! I am looking forward to playing with this long throated Mod 700, I like heavier bullets at decent speed, guess I spoiled to two holes in my game!

Is the 7x57 Classic built on a .30/06 length action?

I have a CZ 550 7x57 that is built on a .30/06 length action and can seat a 160 or 175 gr NP way out there. It came from the factory that way,I never did anything to it.

Yep, '06 length action and came with that long Remington throating. I love it!

Great!

Just put my 2.5x8 VIII on it and measured some bullets touching the rifling...my throat isn't as long as yours elkman, mine touch from 3.275 down to 3.1, which is still pretty long. I am noticing that my bolt lift (cocking) is pretty hard. I suppose its when my smith had to tweak this Timney to work with the Wisner Mod 70 flag safety. If it turns into a problem I'll have it looked at, meantime I am going to assemble a trial load with one of these bullets. Hopefully I'll get to shoot soon.

Well, being who I am, I located a "new to me" gunsmith who, happily, lives/works only 3 miles from my home! I contacted him, will take the rifle to him on Monday. If my bolt is hard to open ( cock) I lose one big "sign" of high pressure loads ( initial extraction) and , well, I just can't abide that, ha. Not that I am going to load this jewel super hot, I want to realize its full potential. It may turn out to be one of those rifles that are intolerant of warm loads and I want to be able to catch it beforehand. Preaching tot he choir, I know! lol I learned this the hard way, back in the very early 90s.
At this time I only had one rifle ( had previously thinned the herd for Bible college) It was my 1917 sporter, '06, and I had worked up a load with the "new" Barnes 180 X bullet. I got bughole groups with it over 57gr IMR 4350( around their load manual max at the time) and a BR2 primer, Remington cases. Rounded primers, easy extraction, several loads per case, etc. Since this rifle still weighed close to 10lbs (ugh) I had obtained a Mod 70 Classic FWT, in 7x57 that just would not shoot and had it rebarreled with a douglas barrel 30-06, 23" long. I had zeroed it with the then new 180 Light Magnum load and for grins put one of the 180X loads up the spout. At firing, a thin wisp of smoke went up and bolt lift was hard (heel of hand hammertime,ha) it blew that primer and opened the primer pocket up big time! It didn't hurt that Model 70 fortunately, but later on, when I worked up for that Mod 70 with the 180X it (a) didn't like the bullet at all accuracy wise and (b) topped out at 54gr! Sheboygin! I knew better, but I just "had to see" how it shot in that new rifle, duh! So glad I didn't bulge the chamber or worse. I found Hawk and Swift Scirocco bullets to be pretty sticky also, plus, they bumped up fast.

Preacher. I have an M70 FWT in 7x57 that wouldn't shoot worth spit. Had my gunsmith glass bed it, free float the barrel, tune the trigger to 2.5 pounds and still no go. The barrel also fouled very badly making load work up a royal PITA. Finally tried firelapping the barrel. The rifle now shoots anywhere from .50" to one inch depending on whatever bullet I decide to use. That rifle is fast becomeing my #1 favorite. I have two other 7x57s, a Ruger #1 and a custom based on a commercial FN Mauser action. All shoot one inch or less. If it ever stops raining long enough, the M70 and Mauser will go to the range to test out a potential load for elk. We just ended roughly two weeks of thunderstorms with very heavy showers and local flooding. FWIW, I'm working with some old two core Speer Grand Slams and H4350.
Paul B.

PJGunner":3424l33e said:

Preacher. I have an M70 FWT in 7x57 that wouldn't shoot worth spit. Had my gunsmith glass bed it, free float the barrel, tune the trigger to 2.5 pounds and still no go. The barrel also fouled very badly making load work up a royal PITA. Finally tried firelapping the barrel. The rifle now shoots anywhere from .50" to one inch depending on whatever bullet I decide to use. That rifle is fast becomeing my #1 favorite. I have two other 7x57s, a Ruger #1 and a custom based on a commercial FN Mauser action. All shoot one inch or less. If it ever stops raining long enough, the M70 and Mauser will go to the range to test out a potential load for elk. We just ended roughly two weeks of thunderstorms with very heavy showers and local flooding. FWIW, I'm working with some old two core Speer Grand Slams and H4350.
Paul B.

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I was wondering if you were alluding to firelapping. It has been a God Send from my P64 338.. It is like night and day difference. Now all of the shots from a clean bore stay with the rest of them on paper and it still fouls a touch, but NOTHING close to what it did. Very impressed by it.

I get out to Tucson fairly often PJ, we will have to link up. Was just there for two weeks and boy did it rain.. Hard to believe the desert was getting that much rain. I got soaked out hiking up on Mt. Lemmon.. Worth the soaking though to get out of the heat.