Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Browning 1885 - 7 WSM

Local shop has one new on sale for $850. What do you think? How's accuracy on these models. It has the octagonal barrel and limbsaver type pad. Anyone shoot one in WSM.

I haven't shot one in 7 mm WSM but have a few others and they are great rifles. Very well made and accurate. If you like the caliber buy it. Lee Shaver does a trigger job on them that helps accuracy also.

Edited to say Winchester 1885, not Browning. I'm not sure I want the WSM recoil. Looks like the 7 WSM is more potent than my 7 Rem Mag.

The 7s are equal. I like mine.

Gmack,

The Winchester 1885's in any caliber are "No" lightweight rilfes.

Doc

If you decide not to buy it I would appreciate you PMing me some contact info for the seller.
Thanks

I bought it. Now I notice that there isn't much room to thumb the trigger with a scope in place. Anyone have any field experience with loading and firing?

So glad you bought it. Now I won't...

I have a 270wsm with a Leupold LR scope on it. It is kind of tight to cock with your thumb. A buddy of mine showed me how you can cock it by partially cycling the lever. However to uncock the hammer I still have to do that the old fashioned way.

Congrats on the purchase. Those are very well made guns. If you decide you don't like it then let me know.

Tom

Thanks Tom, really like it so far. I figured out the scope setup on my second try. I looked in a Boddington book (autographed by the way) and he mentioned that low scopes don't work. It looks high now but fits me perfectly and balances extremely well.

Picked up some loaded PP's, brass and dies today. I may be able to get out this week to sight in. For now I mounted a Redfield Golden Fire Star 3x9 that gave me exemplary service on another rifle. I'll post a target (if it's presentable ).

Don't you mean hammer?

Of course..... I guess that's why proof readers have job security. I read that several times and didn't catch the error!

Shot this target Saturday. 68.0 RL 22/ F215M/ 154 Hornady SP. I am well pleased so far! This is a 3/8" group of (3)

My 1885 in 7mm Rem Mag did the exact same first rattle outta the box. It was the first rifle I ever owned that shot one-hole groups. I have had many since but, they were custom barrels.

Wish I still had that gun !!

The only Browning Hi Wall I've had experience with was a friend's of mine, until recently. I will be putting it into my safe shortly! (gotta make room...Dad, come and take your rifle home!)
It was originally chambered in 270 Win, and was rechambered to the Wby.
He was shooting the 90 gr Sierra's, 100 gr Hornady's, and 150 gr Winchester Power Points in it, with very good accuracy. He was also seeing one hole groups with the lighter bullets.
I shot a mule deer and a coyote with it using Wby's 100 gr spire point ammo, and performance was very impressive at 200 yards. Recoil levels were very manageable.
I'm going to try the 110 gr T-TSX and AccuBonds in it. Should be a fun, flat number!

In comparison between shooting the WSM's and regular magnums in the same calibers (270, 7MM and 300), I've found that the recoil of the WSM's has been noticably less, with the same bullet weights. Also found that I really preferred to the 300 WSM over the Win Mag.


Nice group! Hot load!
Hornady's manual shows 64.6 gr as max with that powder and bullet.
Are you getting pressure signs?
Did you chronograph this load?

My hunting partner is getting 1/4" groups out of his Model 70 7MM WSM, with 160 gr AccuBonds and Partitions, with MagPro and IMR 7828 powders, at just under 3000 fps.

Doesn't take too much to get accustomed to it.

Yeah, I realized later it was hot! Absolutely no pressure signs though. Funny, my buddy had his chrono there but I didn't think of getting a reading for the load.

I swear I saw a load on-line of 69.4 max with a 150 when I chose to try 68.0. After researching more I found the error. I won't shoot it again. I loaded up some more but later pulled the bullets and substituted 140 Sierra GK - which would be a max load with that bullet.

I also had 64.0 RL 22/154 Hornady load with me that wouldn't shoot well. I'm going to try the 68.0 RL 22/ 140 SGK today.

I wasn't sure how well this barrel would shoot. Looking thru it it didn't seem to have a good bore finish, certainly not lapped, and I've never thought that about my other rifles. But, it shot that good group at 100 yds and later it cleaned up easily... so what do I know.

The trigger was very reasonable out of the box. The only negative with the rig is the weight, as someone said above... a mountain rifle it is not.

I will post another picture after todays range session.

My target is a 1" square with 1/2" open center. I had a stamp made up so I could stamp my own heavy weight paper. I believe in the "aim small - miss small" theory.

Well, this time I managed a slightly sub 1/4" group of (3) at 100 yds with the 68.0 RL 22/ 140 SGK. With (13) rounds I also shot a .625" group (first) and a 1.5" (5) shot group.

Another nice group!

Looks like you've got two good loads.

Are you going to try any 160-162 gr bullets in it as well?

I've got the one load, remember the first accurate load is hot - even though I got no visual pressure signs, I will not load that again.

I've had good luck with 162's in my 7 RM's. Right now I'm thinking I'll stay with lighter bullets in this rifle. My reasoning is that, due to the long 28" barrel, it might be somewhat better to get the bullet out of the barrel faster for best accuracy off a rest. It might not make any difference.