Remington Model Seven Predator .243

N

Nannyhammer40

Member
I have never had rifle as frustrating as this one. Tried to develop a do all 1" or less load (white tail, coyotes and pigs) using the 90 grain Accubond. I have tried two different primers, W760, H4350, IMR 7828, IMR 4831, RE-17 and probably ten different COAL. Also tried adding more padding under tip of the stock. None of these loads shoot inside 1.25" and some of these five shot groups were 2-3". In an act of dumb luck, I tried the 70 grain TNT and RE-17 powder. It promptly shot two groups inside 1.25" and after upping the powder 1/2 grain its just inside an inch. So what gives, do these things only like light weight bullets? What bullets do you use in your Predator models. All groups where shot from a concrete bench with front/rear bags with Nikon P7 2.5 x 10 scope. Thanks in advance.....
 
I think you have the right idea with the bedding.. You may also want to try no bedding under the barrel, only the action..
 
Don't have the gun but the remingtons that I do have in 243 like the lighter grain bullets in the 60 to 80gr variety. My best groups have been with the 70gr NBT or the 75gr sierra HP. bot well under an in. And repeatable.
 
You might want to consider the Limbsaver deresonator on your rifle barrel. It looks hokey but works to fine tune a load.
 
Mine shoots 85 grain HPBT sierra right under and inch. Will check to see what powder Im using for it. In the process of doing the same thing as yourself.
 
I bought a Mod 7 wood stock when they first came out. Absolutely the worst shooting rifle I'd ever seen. Re-bedded the stock and floated the barrel, didn't work. Bedded under the chamber 2", didn't work. Bedded the barrel solid all the way, didn't work. Was a beautiful rifle but awfully skinny barrel! Wrote Remington about it and told them 3 1/2" groups was est it would do. They wrote me back that 3 1/2" groups were fine with them. Never have and never will get another Mod 7. On the other hand I've read of guy's with them that shoot fine.
 
Before doing anything drastic, have you bought a box of factory ammo to shoot and see if you get the same results?

As an example, I just recently bought a Tikka T3x in 243 Win. I decided I wanted to reload the Barnes 80 gr TTSX bullet but was not sure what powder to pick etc.. Wanting to verify accuracy out of the box I purchased a box of Barnes Vor-TX factory ammo for it. They happen to load the same bullet I wanted to use in my own reloads so that made it even better.

Right out of the box the Tikka shot 1/2 MOA. I shot it at 100 yards. Now that I confirmed the rifle would shoot, I set out to working up a load for it. It took me a number of different load configurations to get it dialed in and initially, I was getting 1-1 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards.

I would say after probably 6 load combinations using different powder weights and seating depths I got it dialed in and now am very happy with it. By the way, I used IMR 4064 with Federal 210 primers and Federal brass with the 80 gr TTSX bullet. The IMR 4064 powder works very well in the 243 Win from everything I have read and people I know who shoot the 243 Win. The probably I had, and why it took me longer to get a load worked up for it, was that I could find very little load data using IMR 4064 with the Barnes 80gr TTSX bullet. So, I had to start very, very conservative and work my way up.
 
Thanks for the comments.....I haven't shot any factory ammo through it so that may be an option if it ever becomes available for less than gold bar prices. I do have some RE-15 so I may give that a try as well. The part that kills me, I tried two loads to get the 70gr TNT under an inch but those 90-100gr loads just won't come together. Thanks again!
 
I apologize for not replying back sooner on load. Please reduce and work up to for your rifle. 41.5 WW760 85 grain Sierra HPBT. 3 shots will shoot into an inch.
 
I don't shoot light bullets in my 243. 95gr. Partition or 100gr. Hornady Interlock are the main 2 bullets I shoot. I load for 4 243's, 2 Kimbers which are mine, a son in law, and a grandsons both are Ruger Americans. 3 of them like the same load with one Kimber preferring a 1/2gr. more powder. The load is Nosler brass, Rem. 9 1/2 primer, 47gr. of RL26, behind a 100gr. Hornady. 47.5gr. of RL26 behind the 95gr. Partition with everything else being the same. All 4 rifles will put 5 rounds into an inch or better at 100yds. 3 rifles are 22" barrels with the 4th one an 18" barrel.
One of the 22" barreled rifles we chronographed the loads. The 95gr. load was idling right at 3200fps and the 100gr. load was bumping 3100fps.
I would highly recommend those 2 loads with the standard start a bit under that and work up. A trigger pull close to 3lbs or less would be a plus along with pillar bedding.
 
Originally Posted By: Don FischerI bought a Mod 7 wood stock when they first came out. Absolutely the worst shooting rifle I'd ever seen. Re-bedded the stock and floated the barrel, didn't work. Bedded under the chamber 2", didn't work. Bedded the barrel solid all the way, didn't work. Was a beautiful rifle but awfully skinny barrel! Wrote Remington about it and told them 3 1/2" groups was est it would do. They wrote me back that 3 1/2" groups were fine with them. Never have and never will get another Mod 7. On the other hand I've read of guy's with them that shoot fine.

I had that happen with an early production Ruger Ultra ight in 223. Got the same answer from Ruger. Bedding it from stem to stern did work on mine. But Ultra light is a term they sure thrown around loosely. That Ruger with a 2-7X33 scope on it pushes 8lbs.
scared.gif
 
I have its granddaddy...a 1967 model
600. I free floated the barrel, acraglass bedded the action, and installed a rifle basix trigger. The only bullet I've tried in it are 90 grain nosler ballistic tips. I tried a loaded round I already cooked up for my 26" Remington. It's a little hot. The holes touched each other at 100 yards. Measured around a
.3" group. I've tried accubonds inquite a few rifles. None have shot impressive groups and I have had poor on game performance with them. Deer act like they were hit with a FMJ and run like they were not even it without blood trails... All were recovered. Is tell you to try another bullet besides bedding and free floating your rifle
 
Last edited:
I have a Mod 7 Pred in .223 syn stock, and it shoots lights out. Easily hold 5/8 to 3/4: groups with my reloads. You need to be realistic with these rifles and keep your groups to 3 shots as they will start to open up by the 4th shot. Keep your target shooting to 3 shot groups, and odds are you will find that it's a great hunting rifle.
 
Found a load out of the Speer manual today that has potential. Shot four rounds into .592 center to center at 100 yards. (Only shot four round groups to save bullets) Stopped at 44.5 grains of W760 with CCI 250 primers. Will shoot the load again in a few days to see if today was a fluke or not. Thanks for the info everyone has provided.
 
As mentioned there's absolutely no need for 5 shot groups in development with a hunting rifle. From what you've mentioned I don't think you ever get that gun shooting much better than say 3/4 moa consistently. That said, there are some things to try that'll cost next to nothing. Most of my Remingtons get a redneck bedding job.
That consists of removing the pressure point in the forearm with a dremel or a properly sized dowel wrapped in sand paper, and using blue painters tape to "bed' the lug and the front pad and rear pad where the action contacts the stock. I use the wide stuff , and I'll put down two layers on the front pad rolling them over the "lip" down into the recoil lug slot. the rear gets just one layer. I wrap the entire lug with a layer as well.

If you have enough screw to tighten it up at that point you can also add one layer of painters tape under the bottom metal at the contact point at the screw holes. This will take some pressure off the mag box if it's binding up. Do a google search on David Tubbs final finish. You might want to give that a whirl.
 
I would think getting a factory hunting rifle to shoot Honest 3/4" groups all day long would be pretty good. If you do your part.
smile.gif
 
Depends on the brand of rifle, and the shooter I guess. I've only played with two Rem 700's that were a chore getting repeatable sub moa groups. Both were unbedded pencil barrel mtn rifles. On the other hand... All 5 of the Tikka's I've owned have shot handloads into 1/4" groups or better, and the two ( 223,6.5cm) I spent the most time shooting developing were capable of repeatable 1/4" or less groups in still conditions. I won 6 factory sporter matches (1,2,and300 yds) in a row with a 5.8 lb Tikka superlite in .223. In my honest opinion I'd run from that mdl 7 243, and buy a Tikka. You'll be much further ahead.
 
Back
Top