Impulse buy - Remington 7 Kuiu .308

[Newtosavage]

Was going stir crazy so I stopped by my local Academy store, and after my required waiting in line outside while 6ft distancing, I went in and was astonished to find one of these on clearance. I have never even seen one before. Price was right. it felt light, functioned and handled so well I just had to give it a try. Spec's say 5.5 lbs. and I'll be damned if it isn't 5.5 lbs. That 16.5" barrel is gonna bark! Already looking at linear brakes for it. Any suggestions? Anyone else had one of these?

With a 2-7x33 Leupy on it, it's 6 lbs. and 3 oz.

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[Newtosavage]

First trip to the range went pretty well. Used up three partial boxes of .308 I had laying around. 180 Core-lokt's pack a punch from this little rifle! But they were useful for breaking the barrel in. After the 20-round break-in I shot a pretty nice group with 150 grain Core-lokt's. Plenty good for any hunting rifle and I'm sure it will only get better with more rounds down the pipe and some good hand loads.

This is going to make a great truck/box blind/heavy brush gun and will double nicely as a youth gun for (hopefully) grandkids someday with some reduced recoil loads.

Never had much serious thought about subsonics and a can for pigs, but then I've never had a threaded .308 before, so... Hmmm.

 

[OXN939]

I just got rid of a little 16" .308- they are definitely stout in the recoil and muzzle blast department. Mine shot those 130 grain Barnes TTSXs well too, which also gave back some of the velocity lost with barrel length.

 

[Jonoton]

I have one as well, also an impulse buy at Academy. Have not shot it much yet, just some blue box Federal 150gn stuff, but that shot well enough and was on paper from the first round.

I am debating whether to keep the plastic stock, or sell it before I scuff the Kuiu camo up and put on something else.

Also have the 130gn Barnes to start load development.

 

[Montana Slim]

Sounds like just a terrible impulse buy in a time of uncertainty.... let me know when you are tired of all that muzzle blast and recoil so I can impulsively take it off your hands

 

[Newtosavage]

Sounds like just a terrible impulse buy in a time of uncertainty.... let me know when you are tired of all that muzzle blast and recoil so I can impulsively take it off your hands

I'm sure I'll have my fun with this little rifle and it might run it's course. I dunno. Lots of things to tinker with on this rifle. Great looking stock without the stupid Remington Monte Carlo cheek swell that I friggin' hate. Classic model 7 action. Pretty cool 16.5" threaded barrel that I might put a can on, but since I'm cheap, I'll probably try a linear compensator instead (just being real).

This thing strikes me as the ultimate truck gun to be honest. Can't be 35" total length.

Got a set of Leupy bases and rings on the way. Next up is a set of .308 dies because I can't seem to find the ones I had.

I'm already considering rebarreling this to something more interesting than .308, but not sure what.

 

[Montana Slim]

I don't have one (model 7), but I sure like them. I saw a 6mm stainless the other day - had me wanting to make some room....

 

[Newtosavage]

Just plucked through the goop they put in the screw that actually adjusts the trigger weight (as opposed to the one they say is "user adjustable" but really doesn't do crap). Got the trigger range now from 2.5-3.5 lbs. using the "user-adjusted" screw. Before, it was 4-5 lbs.

Glued the internal screw back to the new setting so it won't come loose. If I can't hit what I need to hit with the trigger set between 2.5 and 3.5 lbs. then I have bigger problems.

I do like this x-mark pro trigger when it's properly adjusted. Very crisp.

 

[Newtosavage]

Looking at Remage barrels now. So many calibers. So little time...

 

[Newtosavage]

Let the glue dry overnight on the trigger, and tested it again this morning. Lowest setting (user-adjustable screw removed completely) is 2 lbs. 12 oz. and highest setting with user-adjustable screw all the way in is 4 lbs. 2 oz. I set it to a hair over 3 lbs. like all my other rifles, and it's perfect now. Very crisp break with zero takeup and very little overtravel. I think I'm going to like this trigger after all, despite all the people online who say throw it away.

Pretty sure I'm going to put a Remage barrel on this model 7 action. Any suggestions on caliber?

 

[Mudpuddle]

How does the stock feel? Does it have a hollow feel or does it feel a little more solid? I've been eyeing a model 7 in stainless but I haven't handled one in person in probably a decade. Back then I felt that if a stock wasn't walnut I wanted nothing to do with it. Now I'm reconsidering due to weight and not being worried about scratches, etc.

 

[Newtosavage]

How does the stock feel? Does it have a hollow feel or does it feel a little more solid? I've been eyeing a model 7 in stainless but I haven't handled one in person in probably a decade. Back then I felt that if a stock wasn't walnut I wanted nothing to do with it. Now I'm reconsidering due to weight and not being worried about scratches, etc.

The appearance and fit are good, but it does have that hollow sound to it. I may try to fill the gaps in the forearm with some JB Weld or something, to see if that helps. It doesn't bother me that much though. I do wish the surface was a little more tacky. Even though it has some raised textured "bumps" on the forend and grip, the finish is fairly slick. It's not a huge priority for me to replace because I see this as a truck gun or something my grandkids will be shooting and beating up someday, but if I do decide to use it for a custom build, it will be getting a new stock.

 

[Newtosavage]

Alright, this is a bit more like it.

Sold the plastic Kuiu stock, and replaced it with this factory Remington laminated wood stock with a genuine Limbsaver recoil pad.

Wood stock started out at 2 lbs. 5 oz. with the limbsaver pad on it (not bad at all) and I was able to remove 5 ounces of weight by drilling out the buttstock and removing that god-awful Schnabel tip. Now the stock weighs 2 lbs. exactly and the whole rig is 7 lbs. on the button - exactly what I was looking for.

Going to make a great deer blind and pig gun this fall.

Total rifle length is 35" and it now balances right at the center of the hinged floorplate. Perfect.

I free floated the entire barrel but I haven't bedded it yet. Eventually I will, but first I want to see how it shoots without bedding. Off to the range next!

I

 

[Newtosavage]

Shot pretty darn well without even bedding it. 1.25" with reduced recoil (H4895) hand loads. That stock really soaks up the recoil too, and I love that Limbsaver pad.

Should have time to bed it this weekend.

 

[awildswanger]

Please keep the updates coming!

 

[wildwilderness]

Let the glue dry overnight on the trigger, and tested it again this morning. Lowest setting (user-adjustable screw removed completely) is 2 lbs. 12 oz. and highest setting with user-adjustable screw all the way in is 4 lbs. 2 oz. I set it to a hair over 3 lbs. like all my other rifles, and it's perfect now. Very crisp break with zero takeup and very little overtravel. I think I'm going to like this trigger after all, despite all the people online who say throw it away.

Pretty sure I'm going to put a Remage barrel on this model 7 action. Any suggestions on caliber?

Are you still planning to rebarrel? New caliber?


I just picked up an impulse model 7 a few months ago. I like them better than the short action 700!

 

[Jonoton]

New stock looks great!
I found a good deal on an old but unused McMillan KS stock for mine, and sold the plastic stock as well. I plan to do my first bedding job this week - have devcon, pillars, modeling clay, shoe polish and TIME.

I keep thinking I should put a DBM on it, but the two options are PTG (can't get excited about their ordering system) or Badger (almost what I paid for the rifle!)
I've contacted a handful of other manufacturers who make good DBMs for 700s, and they have all responded directly - no plans to make one for the 7 :/

One of my favorite aspects of this little rifle is that it nearly is fully enclosed within the scabbard of the Vorn backpack I have been hunting with. That will probably keep me from rebarreling with something longer.

I'm looking forward to seeing how bedding effects your accuracy.

 

[Newtosavage]

Are you still planning to rebarrel? New caliber?


I just picked up an impulse model 7 a few months ago. I like them better than the short action 700!

Yea, I definitely like this Model 7 better than any 700 I've had. Super quick lock time and the ejection port is actually larger than a SA 700. Lots to like about it.

I have come to prefer the hinged floorplate for my hunting rifles. Cool thing about this M7 bottom metal is that it weighs practially nothing (3 oz!). Not sure what it's made of (cast aluminum maybe?) but it's super light unlike the bottom metal on my Howa, which weighs 1/2 lb. all by itself!

I'm really surprised I was able to get this stock down to 2 lbs. without really that much work. I spent a lot more time working down a Boyd's stock for one of my Howa Mini's, and I only got it down to 2 lbs. 5 oz. It's longer though. Boyd's never really resized their stocks to fit the Mini's unfortunately.

I'm still undecided about what I'll do with this. I could rebarrel it but I could sell it and buy a stainless Model 7 for about the same price, and I prefer stainless rifles. Decisions, decisions. If I do sell it, this won't be my last Model 7 for sure.