The New Guy, 1st Savage, 1st 7mm RM

Hey guys, I am completely new to the Savage world, 1st time with a 7mm. I'd like to pick some of your brains and just ask for some thoughts and opinions. Also my first brand new out of the box rifle.

Well like I mentioned the cherry is popped and the rifle that did it is a 116 Weather Warrior 7mm Rem Mag, Accustock and trigger.
On top I mounted a Nikon Monarch 3.5-12 42 using DNZ game reaper mounts.

I'm not going to get to fire this baby until Wed, so what am I in for?

I've read plenty about the tack driving potential of a Savage , which is what made me take the leap, that and my stepson has been talking them up as the best bang for the buck.

I guess right now I just want to know if you guys can offer any advise on anything to add to make this rifle "better". I know I need to put some lead downrange first but just asking for some advise on things to keep in mind or look for later. i.e.: should I tear it down, oil, check all bolts/screws inside out are tightened? Anyone know if these guns "prefer" any specific types of ammo?

On a separate note, I also went ahead and picked my stepson up a 'Trophy Hunter' 308 packaged with a Nikon 3.9 40 scope. It has the accutrigger but not the Accustock. Would tossing on a featherweight Boyd thumbhole stock make a big difference in accuracy over the standard stock? Same question for 7mag.

Before shooting it I would clean the barrel and check the action screws for tightness. My new savage had some kind of coating in the barrel so I cleaned ot real good. I purchased a torque wrench so that everything from action screws to scope base and rings were torqued to proper specs. You might want to invest in one. Other than that I would just shoot it and go from there. Try some different brand and weight ammo. There are alot of breakin barrel info online and I don't know which ones to believe. Maybe some of the experts can add something about that.

See I was thinking about picking up a torque wrench but wasn't sure how handy it would be, I guess the more you deal with guns the handier it becomes :).

Other than than looking over gun and oiling it a bit then only other small things I could find were that a lot of folks were saying to pick up an SSS recoil lug and a limbsaver and it seems like most guys are adjusting their triggers to 3lbs which is what I was thinking about setting mine at before I started reading.

Still a whole lot more reading and researching to go, I appreciate the reply back40.

Yea, clean the barrel out real good and check all the screws as back40 suggests. A torque wrench is nice, but people have been getting by without them for 100years. Your new rifle will more than likely shoot small groups...and maybe even from the very start. If it doesn't, don't worry. It make take several attempts with quite a few types of ammo to find one it likes...and the more you shoot it as it gets broken in it will start to group even better. There is no way to predict what ammo it will like, but Hornady ammo seems to be pretty consistant, and has worked well for many in the Savages.

Other than maintenance stuff with 7RM you'll want to pay attention to your bullet weights and construction against the anticipated shot distance when shooting game. 7mag is very destructive at close range so avoid body shots if your super duper close and hit the neck. It's got looong reach but you have to have the skills to back that reach up ethically. Don't waste too much on premium bullets. It's got plenty of power and even core lokt's will do the job. I like 140gr bullets as a general use round. Blast is kinda big as with all magnums. Recoil isn't any worse than a .30-06. Keep your shot strings limited so you don't heat the barrel up too much. 7mag is a warm round, 3 will usually heat a sporter barrel enough to change point of impact pretty substantially.

If you have an accustock there is a tutorial how to torque the screws properly on this site. Maybe someone can show you where the srticle is under how to section off the home page.I personally get a different stock like a bell & carlson carbelite or one of stockys many choices for savages.