Am i doing something wrong?

[Blacktail]

I have been loading for my 7 mm STW for about 2 years now and have had decent success with the 140 accubond, 140 tsx and the 160 accubond. All around 3/4". The 160's the first time out i used 79grains of H-1000 and got the gun to group under 1/4" at 3212 fps I thought finally found my load. Went home loaded up 20 not changing a thing. The last to times i have gone out to check zero for a trip and could do any better than a hair over 3/4" I havent changed anything i am aware of. What the heck am i doing wrong?

[shootinfool]

I have found that this has happened to me in the past. It is indeed very frustrating. I have found that more often than not mine was caused by a difference in temp. I don't know if this is the reason why, but that is the only variable(that I am aware of) that changed from one firing to the next. I have found that I have even loaded 50 or so at one time and went out and one day they shoot .3-.4 and then a couple of weeks later, they shoot .8-.9. same load, loaded at the same time, same set up and everything.

[boomtube]

"... got the gun to group under 1/4" at 3212 fps I thought finally found my load. Went home loaded up 20 not changing a thing. The last to times i have gone out to check zero for a trip and could do any better than a hair over 3/4" I havent changed anything i am aware of."

Doubt you are doing anything "wrong", you just fired more rounds and have gotten a more true picture of what your rifle and loads are capable of doing on a regular basis.

The 1/4" groups would make you competetive in a formal Bench Rest match against rifles with custom actions and triggers with expensive custom barrels while firing custom bullets and using 36X scopes. Doubt your STW is capable of that except for an occasional random group. And I KNOW no hunting bullet is consistantly capabile of that kind of grouping.

I think your 3/4" accuracy is really GREAT for a truly high powered hunting rifle and ammo! Smile a lot and don't worry about it.

[Blacktail]

Originally Posted by boomtube

"... got the gun to group under 1/4" at 3212 fps I thought finally found my load. Went home loaded up 20 not changing a thing. The last to times i have gone out to check zero for a trip and could do any better than a hair over 3/4" I havent changed anything i am aware of."

Doubt you are doing anything "wrong", you just fired more rounds and have gotten a more true picture of what your rifle and loads are capable of doing on a regular basis.

The 1/4" groups would make you competetive in a formal Bench Rest match against rifles with custom actions and triggers with expensive custom barrels while firing custom bullets and using 36X scopes. Doubt your STW is capable of that except for an occasional random group. And I KNOW no hunting bullet is consistantly capabile of that kind of grouping.

I think your 3/4" accuracy is really GREAT for a truly high powered hunting rifle and ammo! Smile a lot and don't worry about it.

Thank you i was kind of thinking that. You helped put my mind at ease.

[ol mike]

Originally Posted by shootinfool

I have found that this has happened to me in the past. It is indeed very frustrating. I have found that more often than not mine was caused by a difference in temp. I don't know if this is the reason why, but that is the only variable(that I am aware of) that changed from one firing to the next. I have found that I have even loaded 50 or so at one time and went out and one day they shoot .3-.4 and then a couple of weeks later, they shoot .8-.9. same load, loaded at the same time, same set up and everything.

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Had i wrote a reply sooner it would have said ^^^^ these same words.

This has been very irritating to me also ! right up there w/ my rifles changing point of impact..Top quality stocks-rings-scopes -barrel ---still nothing works the same day in day out.
I pondered it all many many times and am at a loss w/ both.

It's like Joe Dirt's dad says how does a posi-track in a hemi work --it just does--..