Browning Abolt for long range rifle?

[drewman]

Long time reader first time poster.

I just have to say how much I like to read this site. Lots of great question and all the responces are good and well thought out.

I've been shooting a Browning Abolt in 338wm for the past year. The rifle is all stock with a Boss muzzle brake. Well I cannot get it to shoot worth a darn. On day it's better than an inch the next its throwing them to the moon. I've reloaded every bullet wt. with a many powder and primer combos. I would love to accurize it. Any idea where to start? Is a new barrel in a new chamber(since I'm not sure how much more load developement with a 338wm I can take)a good idea? Are the Abolts worth building a good 600yr rifle out of?

I've shot service rifle comp for a few year and am confident with a 600yr shot and open sites at the range but would love to break into long range hunting.

 

[GSPointer]

A pal of mine had the boss system on his rifle (Only in .308) but took it off and that improved the rifle no end.

Been looking at the same action as well as a win mod 70 for a 300wsm project. Be interesting to see who says what. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[skip AI]

Are you shooting from a bipod?
I have an A-Bolt in .300WSM and it shoots .9" at 100m with Factory loaded Accubonds.
If your not shooting from a bipod have you developed a "flinch"?

 

[drewman]

I've been shooting off a bench sometimes off a rest or sand bags. And I know I haven't develope a flich because I can pickup the 270 or the ar15 and button hole them all day long.

I just think there is more to the problem than ammo/shooter. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[MagMan]

Have you read this, Jon A's A-bolt .

 

[Buckmastr]

I have the same set up and the accuracy improved when I put a new Timney trigger spring kit in. Browning has a brutal trigger that wasn't adjustable low enough for my liking. I estimate it near 2-3 lbs now and I love it. Its one thing for the gun to group but its another to have it go off when you want.
You have a 26" bbl as well so there is no reason it shouldn't group decent even with factory laods. I have a muzzle break on mine because its a synthetic stock and beat the heck out of me on the range. Also a higher power scope 4-14 helps get the groups tighter too.

 

[MagMan]

It's not mine, I just remember reading about it.

A friend of mine does have a few A-Bolts and he thinks it shoots great when 6 out of 20 group (not necessarily in the same spot). Course he's the same guy who figures he's good to 500 yds even though he's never shot past 200. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But he's still a friend. I avoid talking talk long range with him.

 

[James Jones]

if you have tried to get the BOSS tuned in and still haven't gotten it to shoot well , I would look at having it bedded , the barrel free floated and the trigger worked. If it shoots good one day and not the next then its likly having to do with some sort of bedding contact issues.

I personaly would have the boss taken off and have a good brake installed if you feel the need for a brake.

But the A-Bolt action is as good as any to build on as long as the job is done right and a good barrel is installed.

But first , assuming you have a good scope , check all the scope mounting hardwear make sure that its all tight and the scope is not in a bind , then bed the rifle and relieve the barrel is not touching the stock. After all this is done and everthing has checked out ok pick a bullet you want to shoot and get a load for it where its about the velocity you want then try to dial the barrel in again. The BOSS system causes a major pain for the reloader because it is desgined to tune the gun to the load where in reloading your trying to tune the load to the gun , if you try to many loads and try to tune each one you end up chasing your taill till the barrel is shot out!!

 

[drewman]

Thanks you for all the good input to the problem.

Magman thanks for the link to Jon A's rifle. Looks like he lives close to my next of the wood in the N.W. His rifle is exactly what I had in mind for my build.

JDJONES thanks I think the Boss sucks and I have been doing exactly that.(chasen my tail)

 

[Tom Brush]

I have to disagree with removing the Boss. I have two A-Bolt rifles with the Boss. Both work as advertised. My .300 Winchester will shoot most any 180 gr. bullet into 1/2 inch at 100 yds. (including several factory loads). I have been working with the 185 Berger VLD and 3-shot groups are averaging around 1/4" at 100 yds. I have a load for the 165 Hornady SST that shoots around .150 average for 3-shots. I have taken an antelope at 483 yds. with the Hornady. Both the Berger and Hornady are seated to touch the lands so they are too long for the magazine. I shoot 2 shot groups until I get both bullets to go thru the same hole. I can adjust to a new bullet weight with 10 bullets. I just shot a test with the Sierra 200 gr. Game King seated deep to magazine depth (I have to get a .375 Magnum clip to allow longer OAL.) The two shot groups ranged from .937 with #3.5 to .067 and .254 with a 2.7 setting. My 22-250 has shot several groups at 200 yds. that were under 1/4".

I did modify my rifle to fully free float the barrel. It is the synthetic stock S/S Stalker model. I also relieved the forend tip under the barrel quite a bit. Before I did this work it was inconsistant. One day grouping good but the next it was over 1 1/2" at 100 yds. Relieving the stock under the barrel at the forend tip is critical. I believe that the barrel is flexing and hitting the stock during recoil. I have done most of my shooting with the CR device. I have switched back to the Boss and found that it really does reduce recoil and barrel rise.

Tom

 

[DONTSTROKEME]

I have got the same thing with a wood stock, it has a Vari-x 2 3-9 power. I couldn't shoot it without flinching with the factory recoil pad, so I bought a Limbsaver and WOW. Good fit and made a world of difference. I can shoot 210 Barnes XLC bullets with 78 gr RL22 @ 2890FPS and they don't hurt. I personally have to shoot 4-5 rounds through it before I begin to settle down and I actually become more accurate the more I shoot it...to a point. No BOSS but I am thinking about a Muzzle Brake to tame it a little more but I have a Mercury Tube that I am going to install this winter to see how it helps.

Sorry I haven't sat down and done a real range test but it is winter and I will have nothing to do....

Joe Oakes

 

[Guest]

As folks are saying, the Browning is more than capable to shoot 600-700 yards, but the trick being to co-ordinate tuning the BOSS with your loads. I have put MANY bullets down the barrel of my 300 Winchester Magnum S/S to try to find the secret behind it.

When I talked with Browning they told me that adjusting the BOSS is a slow process where a 1/4 turn change can send you past the sweet spot and open your groups back up as much as an inch.

Building the sweetspot charts is an exhaustive process where they increment the BOSS by a single sitting, per group. Their advise was to select the setting of a round that was closest to what I wanted to shoot, and use that as a starting point. After putting more than 500 rounds through mine "chasing my tail" that turned out to be the best advise. Mine now shoots 1/2 MOA and that's good enough for this rifle.

BTW I also used QUICKLOAD to help determine the correct powder/bullet combo to use.

JK

 

[justgoharder]

sorry for my ignorance but what is 'quickload?'

 

[James Jones]

quickload is a computer load program , their are several out their.