7mm08 accuracy issue

[mbecnel]

I been trying to sight in a 7mm08. The first time got it dialed in at 50 yards then move out to 100 yards after about 8-10 shoots it was all over the place. Went home cleaned it really well change ammo.....first time I was shooting 150g federal fusion, second time Hornady SST 139g......Second time at the range it basiclly did the same thing as the first time...Could it be the barrel getting dirty that fast, warm barrell or ammo.

[thejanitor]

Hi- I do not think it is a dirty barrel issue since most of the group here all kind of agree they shoot good dirty and you clean them at the end of season....     But mine likes 120 gr bullets pushed pretty slow. VERY accurate, but I struggled with my 7-08 for years until 44man posted his recipe and it works perfect in all 3 of our 7-08 handis.   Try the o-ring and maybe space your shots out a little more, if it is the Light contour barrel heat IS a factor too.    thejanitor

[petemi]

I just went through the same thing with 140 gr. BTs.  All over the place.  Both my wife's and my 7mm-08s shot perfectly with 115 gr. Hornady HPs.  I'm still working on it.  Got interrupted by deer season, and the rifle got put away.  I'll get back on it in a week or so.  These are Handi Superlights.  I don't know exactly what the problem is.  I would think a 140 gr. BT would be the perfect bullet, but they're minute of pie plate at 50 yards.    It's not a fault with the rifle, they can and do shoot sub-MOA.

Pete

[mbecnel]

Hi- I do not think it is a dirty barrel issue since most of the group here all kind of agree they shoot good dirty and you clean them at the end of season....     But mine likes 120 gr bullets pushed pretty slow. VERY accurate, but I struggled with my 7-08 for years until 44man posted his recipe and it works perfect in all 3 of our 7-08 handis.   Try the o-ring and maybe space your shots out a little more, if it is the Light contour barrel heat IS a factor too.    thejanitor

Are you reloading or using factory loads? I don't reload, could you recommend a good 120g bullet??


Thansk

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

are these cut with a different twist rate?

[thejanitor]

I reload sorry if my post isn't helpful in that regard.  I use a 120 gr bonded bullet made "special" by a friend of mine.  My 7-08s have never tried a factory round so I am sorry I have no info to share.  But if you have a  friend who reloads please PM me for load info and maybe a few bullets for him to load you. I am not saying my load or bullet will fix your gun but it did mine which was shooting 2.5 inch groups at best at 100 yds. Now all three of ours are shooting just under an inch most days.    thejanitor

[quickdtoo]

My 20" Superlight 7mm-08 puts a couple 139gr Hornady BTSPs or 140gr TTSXs into a ¼"-½" at 100yds. 

Tim

[mbecnel]

Looks like most of you guys reload. I don't and know nothing about it but I do know a few guys that do. Could ya'll post the recipes that you are using?

[petemi]

All I can tell ya is if you don't reload, now's the time to do it.  I've got Handis that have champagne taste to go with my beer pocket book.  We're talking two to three bucks a shot for factory ammo. Reloading can cut that cost by two thirds and give you the satisfaction of coming up with the right load for the rifle.  I was awed by the supposed complexity of the process and waited til I was 69 to start.  Don't repeat my mistake.  Following published data and procedures, it is safe, simple and rewarding.  Do it.  Your buddies can help you get started.

Pete

[quickdtoo]

What Pete said!!  Both of my loads are marked on the targets, they're based on published data, worked up from recommended start loads from the publishers in ½gr increments, the Hornady 8th manual for the 140gr BTSP and Ramshot for the TTSX(XBT and Barnes TSX load notes), I load them just off the lands which is much longer than recommend COL(cartridge overall length), so my COL is irrelevent to other rifles and is only useful for my rifle, each rifle may be different, so it's important to know how the specific bullet fits in your chamber which an experienced handloader can easily ascertain with the correct tools.   

Tim

[OSOK]

I would start looking at the scope base and rings. Make sure everything is tight and stays that way with Loctite. Try the o-ring trick.
After that, get into reloading. not only does it give you more shots for your money, but you get to feed your rifle exactly what it likes.
Read the FAQ's if you haven't already. Plenty of accurizing tips in there.

[quickdtoo]

As OSOK recommended, see the Handi Basics 101 sticky to make sure you have the basics covered before you give up on the factory ammo, I only tried two factory rounds in my first one, both shot under 2" at 100yds with 140gr Rem and Fusion ammo thru the second hand home fitted barrel.  If you have the 20" Superlight barrel, heat is critical, keep it cool for best results, that's why I only shoot 2-shot groups, that an the fact the any big game rifle shouldn't need more than one shot, two at the most, if it consistently puts the first one where it's supposed to go that is. 

Tim

[gcrank1]

"A man that shoots factory loads is either rich or doesnt want to shoot much",  ......

[mbecnel]

"A man that shoots factory loads is either rich or doesnt want to shoot much",  ......

I only hunt not much target shootin

[44 Man]

My shorty 7-08 will shoot 150/140/130/120 gr bullets into less than an inch.  It shoots the 140's the best, and it will put all of those bullet weights within an inch of each other so no changes are necessary when switching bullet wt's.  BUT I couldn't do much better than yours for the first 50 shots or so.  It took me over 100 rounds to get it sighted in but I had a bad scope I was dealing with also.  After I changed the scope, I had it sighted in exactally where I wanted it in 4 rounds.  I have owned 3 different 7-08 Handi barrels and all shot into less than an inch at 100 yds, so I'm sure yours will shoot well also.  I cleaned mine when I received but then I did not clean it again except to pull a dry 'Bore snake' through it when I was done sighting in.  So I'm sure yours will shoot if you check mounts, rings, scope, and don't clean it again until done.  Give it a try and let us know how it goes.  44 Man

[mbecnel]

My shorty 7-08 will shoot 150/140/130/120 gr bullets into less than an inch.  It shoots the 140's the best, and it will put all of those bullet weights within an inch of each other so no changes are necessary when switching bullet wt's.  BUT I couldn't do much better than yours for the first 50 shots or so.  It took me over 100 rounds to get it sighted in but I had a bad scope I was dealing with also.  After I changed the scope, I had it sighted in exactally where I wanted it in 4 rounds.  I have owned 3 different 7-08 Handi barrels and all shot into less than an inch at 100 yds, so I'm sure yours will shoot well also.  I cleaned mine when I received but then I did not clean it again except to pull a dry 'Bore snake' through it when I was done sighting in.  So I'm sure yours will shoot if you check mounts, rings, scope, and don't clean it again until done.  Give it a try and let us know how it goes.  44 Man

Are you reloading or is that with factory ammo

[44 Man]

I'm shooting reloads.  But they are not 'fussy' ones.  I took the data from a book, used the 'middle' powder wts and the published O.A.L.  My problem apparently was my Burris scope or the 'extended' ring I was using to position it for proper eye relief.  I would start to sight it in, walk the rounds to 'about' where I wanted them then I would run out of ammo.  When I came back to 'fine tune' it, then it was shooting all over again.  It was my scope or mount that was the problem.  I kept at it because it was a 'new' barrel fitted to my frame at the factory and I didn't know how good or bad it might shoot.  When I put the other scope on, it immeadiately shot fine!  (wish I had done that sooner)  I do have a box of Federal Fusion bear claw factory ammo that I inheirited with my 'old' 7-08, since it is marked $48 on the box I have hesitated to shoot any of it.  As I said, mine is shooting VERY well now with 150 gr Rem core locs, 140 gr Hornady sp's, and 130 gr Speer sp.  I did have a few 120 BT's, and they shot well but I did not shoot those for groups as I only had 6 of them.  As Quick said, read the shooting tips, check your scope and mounts, and try again.  Personally, I think you have a scope/mount problem as I had, it's rare but it does happen!  (even to a Burris!)  44 Man

[OldSchoolRanger]

Don't give up on the 7mm-08.  I bought my 7-08 a couple of years ago, and couldn't get it sighted in, I had other toys to play with so I put it away, then tried again the following year when I had nothing to do.  Same problem, finally I decided that I was going to get the rifle sighted in.  Went thru all the problem areas, checked the scope base, rings, etc..  Continued to have the same problem. I finally changed the scope like 44 man did, but still had the same problem, turns out, the first scope was bad, and the second scope, a scope of known reliability went bad.  Who would have thought that would happen.  After I put a new scope on it, added an O-ring, and finally got it zeroed.  That was also after, I changed the synthetic fore end to a wood one which fit looser.  Now I have a strange looking rifle, schnabel wood (brown) fore-end, black synthetic stock, cheap Simmons 8 Point scope, but she shoots. 
BTW I sighted in using factory Remington 140gr PSP ammo, for some reason, my 7-08 didn't like the Federal 150gr Classic loading.