In November of 2004 I received a Win Model 70 Featherweight 7mm WSM as a graduation gift from my wife. She topped it with a Leupold VXII 3X9 scope w/ Leupold rings.
I had to wait forever to test or develop any loads, due to health issues, two surgeries and healing up enough to be able to get out and do this. Not feeling "right" about shooting the rifle until I had received my diploma, I went ahead and had it fitted with a Limbsaver recoil pad (I hated to cut that beautiful, tiger-striped stock!) and a muzzlebrake from Williams gunsmithing services - I didn't want to end up back in the hospital from shooting it. I was finally able to graduate with my Masters of Science in Environmental Resources this May I started on my Ph.D. (a nutritional and metabolic study of a local deer herd) last January, and after a long vacation, I'm going back to the lab on Thursday, but I digress...), so this month, it was time to take the gun out and see what it could do.
With a Winchester LRM primer and 62.7 grains of IMR 4350 under a 140 gr. Sierra Boattail, the rifle delivered a 0.54 inch, 3-shot group.
Using a the same WLRM primer, 61 grains of H4350 EXT and a 160 grain Sierra Hollow-Point Boattail, the rifle again delivered...
a 0.48 inch, 4-shot group.[
] This on a cement-block shooting bench that wobbled back and forth from the recoil every time I pulled the trigger (yikes! - told the range master about that one!)
Thanks for letting me ramble a bit. Guess I feel like I really have accomplished something today, and this semester. The recoil pad and muzzlebrake work very well, but by the end of the day I still felt "thumped" pretty well inside my chest where the work was done. I would recommend either the Limbsaver or Williams Guide Series muzzlebrake to anyone who has issues with recoil.
So, I'm wondering... are these results really typical of a 7 WSM?
