I’m accumulating materials to begin handloading for my recently-acquired Schultz & Larsen M68DL rifle in 7x61 S&H, and I’d be very interested in hearing the experiences of others handloading for their S&L rifles. The two things that make handloading a S&L a little bit different are the rear locking feature and longer-than-usual throat (or leade). The leade in my 7x61 S&H keeps most bullets anywhere from .07” to .10” from the rifling if the cartridge OAL is kept to a length that will fit the magazine (which is 3.40” long).

I’d be interested in hearing about accuracy with the longer-than-desirable bullet jump, and how the brass-stretching problem (common with rear-locking rifles) can be mitigated. For example, is it necessary (or desirable) to neck-size, rather than full-length size? Information about the number of times the brass can be reloaded would be helpful too.

[I should probably add that I'm talking about the earlier series of S&L rifles, with the four rear locking lugs (from the 1960s and 70s), not the new series with front-locking actions.]

I owned two 7x61 Schultz and Larsen rifles, both rear locking, the M60 cock on closing and 1:12 twist and the M65 cock on opening and 1:10 twist but in all other respects both rifles identical, free bored and 26" barrels.
The M60 was my fathers rifle and I ended up keeping it and using it for several decades of hunting. Ran out of factory ammo while he had the rifle so I ever only used handloads.

The 1:12 twist barrel did not stabilise 175gr bullets for long range shooting but were okay for close range, however it handled every other bullet weight superbly and was a 'fast' barrel producing high velocity.
I tried others down to the 139gr Hornady Spire Point but settled on the 160 gr Sierra SPBT exclusively for our various species of deer including big reds, chamois and tahr.

Partially F/L sized cases to headspace on the shoulder as you should for all belted magnums if you want good case life, and seated the 160 gr Sierra to the same OAL of the Norma factory 160gr cartridge. Didn't worry about bullet jump, couldn't want for better accuracy with the factory OAL.

I used both the early S&H cases and the later Super cases and found the early case better as it had thicker sidewalls so lasted longer. The rear locking effect was a myth, the four lugs are huge in a cylindrical action with minimal cutouts for case ejection and the magazine well. Have had case head separations from other action types including modern Mauser type actions and didn't see the Schultz and Larsen as being any harder on cases than other high intensity loaded cartridges.

Loaded the 160gr Sierras to an honest 3000fps MV with IMR4831 and never looked back. This load hit hard and long and was superbly accurate. Close range hits were thumpers and long range most often DRT kills too.

By the way always load the magazine from the bottom, loading from the top usually sees the bolt failing to pick up the first round.

My well used M60 got a bit tatty in later years so I did a full strip down and reblued everything and redid the stock finish plus a new recoil pad. Reassembled the rifle including remounting the scope bases and the 6X Kahles in the rings. The S&L was not free floated, everything just as it came from the factory when my father purchased the rifle new. First shot saw a perfect 1/2" high at 50m POI on the bullseye, second about 3" left, adjust scope to put crosshair on the bullet hole then everything after that virtually down one hole at my 1/2" setting at 50M.

Traded on a new Rem SPS 7mm-08 as my sons didn't like the recoil as they started hunting and shooting.

The one I had showed a dislike of BT bullets. Maybe the 1-12 twist?
I still have a box of unfired Norma brass if interested.

+1 for what eagle27 said. I've had three S&L rifles in 7x61 (56, 60 and 65) in the past and never had any problems with case stretching. Mine didn't like extreme boat tailed bullets or 175s very much either, but all of them liked the 150 Nosler Partition. These days I'd try 140 TSXs. I also had no problem making 7x61 brass from 7mm Rem Mag when I needed to.

One other nuisance with them involved scope mounting - I found that fired rounds frequently hit the windage adjustment turret on ejection and fell back into the action. I just rotated the scope 90 degrees counter-clockwise, making the elevation knob into windage and vice versa. Obviously works only with symmetric reticles like the typical duplex.

Great rifles and extremely well-made!

quote:

Originally posted by bpesteve:
One other nuisance with them involved scope mounting - I found that fired rounds frequently hit the windage adjustment turret on ejection and fell back into the action. I just rotated the scope 90 degrees counter-clockwise, making the elevation knob into windage and vice versa. Obviously works only with symmetric reticles like the typical duplex.

When Schultz & Larsen went from the M65 to the M68, one thing they did was to slightly lower the ejection port to help with the problem you've described. It's possible that they also slightly relocated the extractor and/or ejector to change the angle of ejection. I have a M68DL, but not a M65 to compare it with.

One other thing I was wondering about is the bedding. My M68DL is fully bedded (in wood) for the entire action and barrel channel. I've assumed that this is how they came from the factory. Have any of you guys tried glass-bedding the action and/or free-floating the barrel to improve accuracy?

I've also noticed that the ones I've seen have not had stock cross-bolts. This struck me as perhaps a little unusual. All the Sako rifles I've seen in hunting calibers, for example, have had at least one cross-bolt.

Never had an issue with the factory full length bedding and lack of crossbolts. Had a few tumbles with mine and a lot of scrambling around in thick bush and alpine monkey scrub. Always tried to protect the stock and apart from the odd little dent or two the stock seemed very resilient. One thing was that once dialed in for a load the POI never changed in wet, dry, or otherwise weather. I just left the factory bedding alone.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Never had an issue with the factory full length bedding and lack of crossbolts. Had a few tumbles with mine and a lot of scrambling around in thick bush and alpine monkey scrub. Always tried to protect the stock and apart from the odd little dent or two the stock seemed very resilient. One thing was that once dialed in for a load the POI never changed in wet, dry, or otherwise weather. I just left the factory bedding alone.

That's really helpful information, eagle27. I'll just leave the bedding as is and won't worry about stock damage from the absence of crossbolts.