Little upgrade on the STW...........

**Strut10** · 10-14-2007, 02:50 PM

Talked to my smith a while back about tweeking my Model 70 7-STW a bit for accuracy. He said he was really swamped.....but he'd look at it........couldn't promise when he'd get around to it.

I took him the gun (which shot 1" groups at 100 yds. the way it was....I just wanted better). He popped it out of the stock and looked at the bedding. Said it wasn't bad but could use a little work. I also wanted him to set the trigger to 24 oz. and crisp it up. I left. That was Sunday nite.

Monday afternoon my cell phone rings. It was the smith. The STW was done!!!

He said since he had it apart & in the vise already when I was there....he started on it. Then it turned into a personal thing for him. He figured he'd remove all variables and if it didn't dhoot when I got it back it was either a load devlopment issue or the barrel. He tore out all the old bedding and completely re-did it. He set the trigger to a VERY crisp 24 oz. Then he re-crowned the muzzle, lapped the locking lugs and scope rings, re-torqued everything and was done. I went over to pick the thing up. He said "no charge for the lapping of the lugs or the re-crown job. We didn't discuss those so it's on me."

That's around $100 of free work!!

Now I just need a chance to get out and shoot it some. I tossed some of my old reloads (they had some to be desired) through it last weekend. It was throwing 2 through one hole and a 3rd off a little one way or another. I have a couple batches of Sierra Match Kings loaded & ready for trying. I've got big hopes for this gun when I dial in the right load.

**doubleA** · 10-15-2007, 10:07 AM

It was throwing 2 through one hole and a 3rd off a little one way or another.

Man I just hate that when that happens Back in 1989-90 I had a 7mmSTW built right after seeing Simpson's writing about it. My STW shot best with R-22 and IMR-7828 and the then new Nosler Ballistic Tips and using fireformed 300 H&H and 8MM Rem brass. I havent shot this rifle in years but it has put alot of meat in the freezer.

**Leo** · 10-15-2007, 02:09 PM

I suspect "lapping" the lugs was all it needed. But I suppose we can't know for sure now.

Honestly, with that much work done on the gun I hope it shoots as least as good as it did before. Rebedding and recrowning IMHO adds more variables

If you want to get sub MOA you should change only ONE thing at a time. You might get lucky or you might be screaming next time you shoot this rifle.

What you are describing would have lead me to look at the following.

Strip down the bolt, degrease and totally clean the firing pin mechanism.
Lapp the lugs
Square the bolt face
Square the receiver

Hope what he did works out for you.

**Shaun_300** · 10-15-2007, 04:01 PM

Sounds good to me Strut! That was mighty nice of him to do all that for ya for free. And right away too.

Good luck with it man, hope it shoots better for you!

**Strut10** · 10-15-2007, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Leo

Strip down the bolt, degrease and totally clean the firing pin mechanism.

Forgot to mention he also put a faster pin spring in.

**Leo** · 10-15-2007, 09:07 PM

Excellent!

An inconsistent lock time will indeed mess with accuracy. Faster firing pin spring is a very good move.

**Strut10** · 11-23-2007, 05:44 PM

So anyways..........

Got her on paper here at the house at 150 yards with 2 different loads. 84.0 gr. of R22 seemed to group lower than the IMR-7828 load. But it printed tighter. So I chose to load a box of 130 gr. Sierra Match Kings with the R22. I took the her to the OTPG Blast Off where the first shot at the gong at 300 yds. hit right where it should have. So that was boring. Then we went to the 600 yard mark. A little wind to figure in and guesstimating drop because I hadn't time to chrono the load........took, I think, 2 shots to get on the metal at 600 yards. I think the plate was 11"x14". Hit it every time the trigger was pulled. Kinda got boring again.

Kinda neat to have a sporter weight gun that'll hit a deer-sized target every time at 600 yards. Next step is to put paper at 600 and see what kind of a group the gun (and me) can actually hold at that distance. My guess is 5"-6"............which will neccessitate putting a target at 700 or 800 yards to see how that goes. I'm really liking this gun right now.

**PA_Spike_King** · 11-23-2007, 09:43 PM

Strut maybe you should just skip all those tiny yards and go for at least the 1,000yrd mark.

LOL

**Strut10** · 11-24-2007, 01:09 AM

We're getting there.

I'm just about out of turret adjustment at 600 though. Need to do a little tweeking of the mount/ring combo to get a full compliment of elevational adjustment outta my scope before I go shooting 1000 yards. Plus............around here, it takes some forethought and some good relationships with neighboring landowners to go busting 1000 yard caps.