Old Winchester 7mm

[Nesikep]

We were given an old Winchester 7mm Rem Mag, had a bit of fire damage on the stock, but is otherwise in great shape.. I was wondering how hard/expensive it is to put a scope mount on it, as well as where I can look up how old it is, The serial number is G1160xxx. I really like it, might look for a new stock for it though. We figure it was from the 1960's or so.

I've also asked a couple people about my old Cooey .22, some say it could be from the 30's, no serial number (but a much newer one I have has no serial either), steel trigger guard, and the stock is rounded where it joins the barrel.... I'll try and get some pics of both.

 

[Orerancher]

Numrich might have a stock and scope mount for it.

If it's been through a house fire, I would have a GOOD gunsmith have a look at it.

:2cents:

 

[dun]

Made in the early 70s. Mounts are availabe just about everywhere. Replacing the stock is no big dealm they;re easy to find. But I agree with having a qualified gunsmith check it out since it was in a fire.

 

[Nesikep]

The stock was just a little charred, 90% of the stock is fine, it certainly didn't get hot enough to affect the metal.

Buddy looked at it, he'll probably bring it to his gunsmith because he gets good cash deals there and he's very good as well, Figures I can get scope mounts, new composite stock, reblued, and a muzzle brake installed for about $400, scope extra... He recommends a Bushnel 3200 series, I'm thinking of something like a 4-12x 50mm... you think that's adequate?

 

[dun]

a 50 objecive lens may require higher scope bases and that can lead to the inability to get an adequate cheek weld so accuracy may suffer. I don;t know where bushnell is in their cycle now. Through the years the ranged from excellent to poor in quality. At their best they were as good as top of the line Nikon, Leupold, or Burris. At the low end they weren;t as good as cheap simmons or tasco.

 

[Nesikep]

My friend has them on several of his and his son's rifles and likes them, before I spend the money I'd like to look down them a few times in different lighting conditions. Good point about the mounting, I think this rifle has drilled holes in the top for the scope mount, though by the size I'd say they're only to be used as a guide for mounting them if you really want a rigid mount.

Was playing around with the rifle a little tonight, I really like the action on it, WAY better than the 308 we have, it feels tight and not like it's going to bind up or fall out, trigger doesn't have much 'feel' to it though. On the Cooey I modified the trigger mechanism to get it to what I liked (a little motion, getting easier before it releases), but I wouldn't try it on this thing, far more complex.

thanks for the help as always dun

 

[Craig]

Shoot it before you have it threaded for a muzzle break. 7mm recoil in some rifles is really not bad at all. As for the 50mm objective, that's what I would go for. Especially if you hunt in dark timber. Bushnells elite series scopes are a really good value. I have a 4200 6-20x40, I like it and have no complaints. I must add though that I am a huge fan of burris euro diamond scopes. They are right up there with the best!

 

[Nesikep]

Other than a bigger bang, is there a downside to a muzzle break?

 

[dun]

Other than a bigger bang, is there a downside to a muzzle break?

It changes the barrle harnomics and can cause a change in accuracy also the zero may change from one installed to it not installed.

 

[Nesikep]

friend of mine said the muzzle brake on his friends Winchester model 70 (also a 7mm Rem Mag) helped both accuracy and recoil. I'd probably leave it installed, can't see why I'd want to remove it. I would get it installed, and the rifle reblued all at the same time, Apparently there are some drop-out magazines for them as well, and that would be the cat's meow... would make it so much quicker to load.

 

[Craig]

If you do put a break on it, make sure you do some research and find one that really works. Some do work better than others.

 

[Nesikep]

It's going to the same shop that installed it on the rifle I spoke about, it's a reputable place.

I like the idea of the 4200 series bushnell scope with 6-20x since my goal is to hit about 450 yards or so, which is a good ways out there. How are the drop compensator scopes? I figure it's going to be a lot more money.

 

[Craig]

Drop compensators are nice if you take the time to see where your rifle actually hits at each mark and are shooting out to a thousand. Most people seem to dial it in at 100 or 200 yards and expect to just be able to use the reticle and be on the bullseye all the way out. You need to see where your rifle hits at each mark on the reticle, then make a cheat sheet for ranges. You might not end up with reticle marks falling on 100,200,300,etc. It might be 100, 250, 400. Unless your talking about a custom reticle matched to your rifle and a specific loading. Personally I like a #3 German reticle, heavy post and sidebars with no or a fine vertical wire, even better with an E dot. Less garbage in your field of view, and heavy enough to be seen in low light. For 7mm mag at 450 yards I would go with a basic reticle and zero at 200 yards. Practice to find your hold over at 500 on an elk target and your golden.

 

[Nesikep]

OK, sounds like I'll pass that option up... When the season comes around, I will be shooting from the same place to the same place every time, so I might even zero it at the full distance... that's the only use the rifle will see, and I'll still have the other rifles for shorter ranges

 

[tamarack]

Pre-64 made Winchesters are the better bolt action as they have controlled round feed and a more positive extractor. They are good accurate rifles. After 64 they are still good but they are push feed bolt action and different extractor built cheaper to sell more rifles.Winchester came out with the classic rifle in the 90s I think, I have one of the newer classic featherweight rifles in 7mm08 a great gun I have used to take antelope and deer up to 400yrds. The 7mm mag is a good rifle for just about anything in our area. I would look for one of the new scopes like Scorpion I have got one for my 22 and like it they make a bullet drop comp. turret comes custom made for your rifle and the price is reasonable. A muzzle brake is good but always wear hearing protection because they are loud. I know people that have ones that you can turn off or on. On is great for target practice but when hunting you rarely have hearing protection and in the excitement of shooting something you never feel recoil in my experience. Good hunting and enjoy new rifle it is a good one.

 

[Nesikep]

I'll say this rifle chambers much much nicer than our ParkerHale .308... the extractor is so tight on it if you chamber a cartridge without it coming up from the magazine, you have to slam the bolt to get it to work, and it munches the heck out of the brass. It shoots straight but is a frustrating rifle.

 

[tamarack]

I think the Parker is controlled round feed which means you have to put the shells in the mag to chamber them not supposed to put one at a time in chamber without running through mag first.

 

[Nesikep]

sounds about right.. but it's a PITA

 

[skyhightree1]

Nesi my 7mm has never had more than 5 rounds through it and I bought it back in mid 2000's that a kickin SOB its a rem 700 with synthetic stock I hope I never have to shoot it more than once ever again.

 

[Nesikep]

My dad said this one doesn't kick too badly, perhaps even less than the .308
I think before I take his word on that, I'm going to fire 5 rounds through it and see what my shoulder says about it, then decide.