New Fierce Rifle not grouping as expected

[NotAMillennial]

It's 53 to be exact ;-)

 

[CVCOBRA1]

If you can get it to shoot you could save the company.

 

[aushunter1]

nothing really stood out as a potential issue other than the action screws , they were at approximately 23 in. Lbs

No offence to the OP but in general so many people do not understand what torque is & how important it is, whether scope rings & bases or action.

I think its one of those things that gets left behind & never looked at by many a shooter, most likely because most wouldn't ever take their barreled actions out of their stocks very often if ever!!
If they did then we wouldn't probably be having this conversation.

In saying that all things related to shooting are a learning curve.

Even if I get a new rifle I take it out of the stock, clean re grease the actioned barrel, clean the bore etc.

I have accurized all my rifles at a set action torque but mainly with handloads which if you want to shoot a custom rifle I think its a hobby you will want to take up

 

[L.Sherm]

Everyone makes a turd once in a while. I personally would never expect a rifle to repeatedly shoot factory ammo accurately because factory ammo qc is not great and lot to lot variances are not conducive to accuracy over several lots.

Rfurman this is so true, anybody who shoots factory ammo if you find one that shoots you better buy enough of that lot for the life of the barrel, because you never know when they change something then it's to late.

 

[packgoatguy]

Thanks again to all for your insights, and especially to WeiserBucks!!!

 

[Tangent]

Rfurman this is so true, anybody who shoots factory ammo if you find one that shoots you better buy enough of that lot for the life of the barrel, because you never know when they change something then it's to late.

That is not my experience shooting factory ammo out of my custom rifles. Factory ammo has come a long way. My custom rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA 5 & 10 shot groups using factory ammo, and I regularly take them out beyond 1,000 yards without any problems. I never went through any process to see which factory ammo would shoot better than others. I just bought the ammo I wanted to shoot.

To me, if you are hand loading for accuracy, there is something wrong with the rifle. That's fine if you're making up for a deficiency in a $700 off-the-shelf rifle. However, in the OP's circumstance, I think a $4k 'semi-custom' rifle should absolutely be expected to consistently shoot sub-moa, and really should be shooting 1/2 MOA with factory ammo. If not, the manufacturer owes it to you to make it right.

 

[Joefrazell]

That is not my experience shooting factory ammo out of my custom rifles. Factory ammo has come a long way. My custom rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA 5 & 10 shot groups using factory ammo, and I regularly take them out beyond 1,000 yards without any problems. I never went through any process to see which factory ammo would shoot better than others. I just bought the ammo I wanted to shoot.

To me, if you are hand loading for accuracy, there is something wrong with the rifle. That's fine if you're making up for a deficiency in a $700 off-the-shelf rifle. However, in the OP's circumstance, I think a $4k 'semi-custom' rifle should absolutely be expected to consistently shoot sub-moa, and really should be shooting 1/2 MOA with factory ammo. If not, the manufacturer owes it to you to make it right.

I wish this is the way it was always

 

[FURMAN]

That is not my experience shooting factory ammo out of my custom rifles. Factory ammo has come a long way. My custom rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA 5 & 10 shot groups using factory ammo, and I regularly take them out beyond 1,000 yards without any problems. I never went through any process to see which factory ammo would shoot better than others. I just bought the ammo I wanted to shoot.

To me, if you are hand loading for accuracy, there is something wrong with the rifle. That's fine if you're making up for a deficiency in a $700 off-the-shelf rifle. However, in the OP's circumstance, I think a $4k 'semi-custom' rifle should absolutely be expected to consistently shoot sub-moa, and really should be shooting 1/2 MOA with factory ammo. If not, the manufacturer owes it to you to make it right.

I can promise you most ammunition will change variables when changing lots and that is a fact. I can not even maintain the same powder charge when I change lots of Hodgdon powder. It would be ludicrous to believe the same does not happen with the ammo which has many components of different lots. The Hornady match ammo is some of the best I have ever seen and I have seen over 100fps shift lot to lot in the 65 prc.

Your second point is one of the dumbest things I will read this week. Even the best factory ammo still has crap es and sd which are required to be small to shoot consistently long range period. You believe what you want don't be spouting that trash on here for new readers to see. Factory ammo will never compete with hand loads by someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[FURMAN]

I wish this is the way it was always

Me too but that is the case only in dreams.

 

[Tangent]

I can promise you most ammunition will change variables when changing lots and that is a fact. I can not even maintain the same powder charge when I change lots of Hodgdon powder. It would be ludicrous to believe the same does not happen with the ammo which has many components of different lots. The Hornady match ammo is some of the best I have ever seen and I have seen over 100fps shift lot to lot in the 65 prc.

Your second point is one of the dumbest things I will read this week. Even the best factory ammo still has crap es and sd which are required to be small to shoot consistently long range period. You believe what you want don't be spouting that trash on here for new readers to see. Factory ammo will never compete with hand loads by someone who knows what they are doing.

I'm not sure what you're getting all fired up about buddy, I'm just stating my experience. No beliefs or wishes, just thousands of rounds, using multiple manufacturer's and various lot numbers. I typically see SDs in the high teens and low twenties, which is good enough for me to hit an MOA size plate at 1,000 yards and IPSC at 1,400 yards.

 

[Tangent]

8 shot group of 143 ELD-X at 100 yards, grid is 1"

 

[Tangent]

10 shots (two 5-shot groups separated by ~ 30 minutes) at 425 yards
Edit: 140 ELD-M

 

[Tangent]

5 shot group 162 ELD-X at 100 yards

 

[Tangent]

5-shot group at 100 yards, still factory