I have seen several Coopers that are left-handed. Expensive though ....
Off-season project - 7mm Rem Mag
- Thread starter perma
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p_ham
Well-known member
If you haven't done so already, open up your action screw holes so you have clearance all the way around them. I usually do 5/16".
Stockys is bad for not making the blocking in the butt of the stock thick enough. Adding a piece of hardwood will help. You can also epoxy your recoil pad on.
Bronze goes with darker greens quite nicely. Forest green, OD, stuff like that. It's also good with browns and tans, grey, black, and oddly enough, some toned down blues.
perma
Well-known member
Didn’t think to epoxy the recoil pad. I think I’ll do that. I got a shim coming to increase it by 1/2” so I’ll wait to do that. I did bore the screws out but not to 5/16”. I was looking for a spec like that but couldn’t really find one, thanks for that.
Midnight blue would be a very unique color….
Your rifle's weight will make that Rem mag so much fun to shoot! My first 7mm RM was a Christmas gift from my wife, Mod 700 BDL and it kicked about like my old bolt action 30-06. Then I read about Mag Na Porting ( only magazines back then (1980, Al Gore had not invented the Internet yet) (eye roll) and sent the rifle to them. It made it even softer "feeling", kept the "cheek bite" I call it un-noticeable, so I shot it more!)
I feel for you Lefties! Back in the Army, the Lefties sure put alot of hot brass down their own neck while the Righties were putting it down my neck, ha. Listen, Scripture says the Tribe of Benjamin were Left Handed, so no shame! Either learn to do it how Perma is doing or just "save your money" and buy it outright. Coopers, Mk Vs, Seekins, etc...(Heck check out and get ol Randy Selby to make you what you want!) Yes, its only a small time of "delayed gratification", and you will be so happy the rest of your life! ha You can do this, go for it!
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perma
Well-known member
It’s been a hot minute for me to shoot a 7 mag but if I remember, the recoil was ever so slightly worse than my -06. I believe it was because the wood stock on that Browning was significantly lighter. If I were to put that 7 mag action and barrel on the OE stock the -06 had, I’m betting I wouldn’t know the difference.
With this Stockey’s I bought, and this is not an exaggeration, a 30-06 180g shot had the kick of a 22-250 at worst. This new gun is getting the same exact setup down to the action. Only difference is the caliber, color and fluted barrel design.
perma
Well-known member
Well the $#!+ show continues!
I was finally able to get a dremel tool to file down the trigger guard. I didn’t have stone to file down so I had to use a steel bit. Stupid idea. While I achieved the goal, I filed down more than I needed. Steel on steel is for damage, steel on stone is for detail. Oops. A bastard file tidied it up a bit. It won’t show when it’s assembled but it’ll get cerakoted.
Trigger finally fits straighter but still hits the firing pin intermittently. I took @p_ham ’s words of wisdom and saw that the oversized safety lever is rubbing on the stock. I took a drill and file and got it narrower but got too happy with the file and took too much from the bottom. Now, there’s a 1/8” air gap between the stock and the trigger guard. Sigh….
Finally, I must have bored out my screw holes too crooked on the stock. My rear action lines up fine but my front seems like it’ll touch the screw when I tighten it. I’ll have to bore it out a little more but I fear that I’ll have to add pillars to fix that.
ThIs Is FuN…..
I was finally able to get a dremel tool to file down the trigger guard. I didn’t have stone to file down so I had to use a steel bit. Stupid idea. While I achieved the goal, I filed down more than I needed. Steel on steel is for damage, steel on stone is for detail. Oops. A bastard file tidied it up a bit. It won’t show when it’s assembled but it’ll get cerakoted.
Trigger finally fits straighter but still hits the firing pin intermittently. I took @p_ham ’s words of wisdom and saw that the oversized safety lever is rubbing on the stock. I took a drill and file and got it narrower but got too happy with the file and took too much from the bottom. Now, there’s a 1/8” air gap between the stock and the trigger guard. Sigh….
Finally, I must have bored out my screw holes too crooked on the stock. My rear action lines up fine but my front seems like it’ll touch the screw when I tighten it. I’ll have to bore it out a little more but I fear that I’ll have to add pillars to fix that.
ThIs Is FuN…..
p_ham
Well-known member
...and people wonder why bedding is so expensive!
cahunter805
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People are always amazed when you tell them it takes me twice as long to prep for bedding than to actually bed it and clean it up.
perma
Well-known member
No doubt about that. Gunsmiths are worth the money.
The good news is that I got the front screw bored out enough to clear threads, so maybe there’s a chance I won’t need to pillar.
I plan on using epoxy to fill the gaps. I will have to file a lot of it down and I won’t really have a choice but to paint the whole stock to hide it. It brings me back to using a textured paint which I kind of wanted from the beginning. That with a clear coat would be nice to have.
perma
Well-known member
Decided to take the gun out today to shoot it. Gun did great, recoil is hardly noticable. The epoxy held up well and the bolts didnt rub on anything, trigger was a bit stiffer than i'd like so I'll have to tune it down.
Groups were pretty rough, but considering the following, I was around 1.5" sub MOA:
- Frigid cold fingers
- Breaking in a new barrel
- Cheap Hornady bullets (130g lead soft point whitetails)
- Loose slip-on recoil pad
- Poor bench rest (used my range bag and my off-hand for support)
I imagine if I used a lead sled and higher quality bullets, I would likely overlap.
Had a small panic attack when one round wouldn't chamber. Found out that it was the round itself. I measured it with a dial caliper and compared it to other rounds and everything was the same. I thought it may have been a .30 cal bullet but it measured at .284. No idea why that one didn't like the gun but those Hornady bullets are too damn cheap.
Groups were pretty rough, but considering the following, I was around 1.5" sub MOA:
- Frigid cold fingers
- Breaking in a new barrel
- Cheap Hornady bullets (130g lead soft point whitetails)
- Loose slip-on recoil pad
- Poor bench rest (used my range bag and my off-hand for support)
I imagine if I used a lead sled and higher quality bullets, I would likely overlap.
Had a small panic attack when one round wouldn't chamber. Found out that it was the round itself. I measured it with a dial caliper and compared it to other rounds and everything was the same. I thought it may have been a .30 cal bullet but it measured at .284. No idea why that one didn't like the gun but those Hornady bullets are too damn cheap.
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cahunter805
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That looks like a decent start.
I wouldn’t use a lead sled ever. Get yourself some good front and rear bags or a bipod and rear bag.
I wouldn’t use a lead sled ever. Get yourself some good front and rear bags or a bipod and rear bag.
perma
Well-known member
Interesting. Why so?
Recoil needs to be absorbed. Holding a rifle in a lead sled can lead to scope and stock damage. I use an adjustable front rest and rear bag. mtmuley
cahunter805
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For me they don’t allow a good cheek weld at all leading to a non natural shooting position. Also if using weight in them they are very hard on scopes and stocks. Can crack a stock.
Same.
perma
Well-known member
You learn something new every day. Had no idea.
std7mag
Well-known member
Closer to 2MOA judging by the picture.
Heavy trigger, shivering in the cold can cause that.
The bullet you have is still capable of 1/2 MOA.
Ditto for the front rest & non stabilized rear.
Not only can lead sleds cause the forementioned issues, but they teach & enforce bad habits.
Heavy trigger, shivering in the cold can cause that.
The bullet you have is still capable of 1/2 MOA.
Ditto for the front rest & non stabilized rear.
Not only can lead sleds cause the forementioned issues, but they teach & enforce bad habits.
perma
Well-known member
I suppose but I’ve never shot sub MOA with any Hornady bullets, even polymer tips. After I caught the one that wouldn’t round, I pretty much lost any confidence in their ammo. Really wish I would have brought my good federals, just to satisfy curiosity.
Their muzzleloader bullets, on the other hand, are pretty top notch.
I’ve never had any issues with the interlocks but I don’t have a rifle that will shoot eldxs for whatever reason
