EXPRESS
Well-Known Member
I have a Remington 700 Titanium 7mm-08 that is driving mad.
The 2nd shot of a group is always, consistently as far as 3 or 4" to the right, with the average group being around 3MOA. With load it likes I can get 2MOA groups. I would like for it to shoot sub MOA. I've tried everything from 130gn SMKs to 162gn A-Max, 140gn tsx, 140gn Partitions, 160gn b-tips, 140gn b-tips, 140gn failsafes, Federal primers, CCI primers, VVN140, VVN160, H4895, VVN133…the list goes on…
I bedded the rifle myself, although I can see no faults in the bedding. The barrel is fully floated.
On a gunsmiths' advice the I milled the section of bedding material back closer to the recoil lug. Now it only has about 1" of bedding material forward of the lug.
He reckoned that would solve the problem. BUT IT HASN'T!!!!!
I am %100 sure there are no issues with the scope, rings and bases. The trigger is a Timney with a very crisp, easy half pound pull, scope a Leupold 4.5-14x42, shooting off a pibod and rear bag at a distance of 150 yards.
I've just come in from a target session, where I was also shooting with my .300win mag - .46MOA, .308win .200MOA, .204Ruger .25MOA - so it's not me.
This rifle is prone to heating up, but I was waiting a good 5 minutes between each shot, (and it's pretty bloody cold too) without getting out of my seat to ensure the best possible consistency in my shooting technique. The barrel was basically cold for each shot.
Then, just to spite and confuse me, the last group of the session didn't string wide, but high, and so did the next one. The worst part was that it was a very nice group! I measured it at .52MOA. Nothing came even close, the next best group was 1.85MOA. next best was 2.75MOA.
I will try the same load tomorrow and see if it wasn't just a fluke.
I realize this is a lightweight hunting rifle, but I would like to get it down to sub MOA. Next weekend I'll be hunting chamois in the mountains where a 350 yard shot is quite likely to present itself. An 8" to" 14group at the range is just not acceptable.
What can I look at?
I have thought about putting a pressure pad in the front of the stock, but the stock is very flexible in that point and I had to mill out a large gap to ensure it wouldn't come into contact with the barrel.
Since the stringing is consistent, it makes me think that something twisting as the barrel heats up even the slightest amount.
I could get it rebarreled by one smith in the UK who will do the work over a weekend when I go to visit, but that will cost me about $1,200 - without even doing any action work. Otherwise a smith here can do it but it will take at least 9 months and still cost about $900.
Should I try re-bedding? Maybe bed the entire barrel? What else could I check?
The 2nd shot of a group is always, consistently as far as 3 or 4" to the right, with the average group being around 3MOA. With load it likes I can get 2MOA groups. I would like for it to shoot sub MOA. I've tried everything from 130gn SMKs to 162gn A-Max, 140gn tsx, 140gn Partitions, 160gn b-tips, 140gn b-tips, 140gn failsafes, Federal primers, CCI primers, VVN140, VVN160, H4895, VVN133…the list goes on…
I bedded the rifle myself, although I can see no faults in the bedding. The barrel is fully floated.
On a gunsmiths' advice the I milled the section of bedding material back closer to the recoil lug. Now it only has about 1" of bedding material forward of the lug.
He reckoned that would solve the problem. BUT IT HASN'T!!!!!
I am %100 sure there are no issues with the scope, rings and bases. The trigger is a Timney with a very crisp, easy half pound pull, scope a Leupold 4.5-14x42, shooting off a pibod and rear bag at a distance of 150 yards.
I've just come in from a target session, where I was also shooting with my .300win mag - .46MOA, .308win .200MOA, .204Ruger .25MOA - so it's not me.
This rifle is prone to heating up, but I was waiting a good 5 minutes between each shot, (and it's pretty bloody cold too) without getting out of my seat to ensure the best possible consistency in my shooting technique. The barrel was basically cold for each shot.
Then, just to spite and confuse me, the last group of the session didn't string wide, but high, and so did the next one. The worst part was that it was a very nice group! I measured it at .52MOA. Nothing came even close, the next best group was 1.85MOA. next best was 2.75MOA.
I will try the same load tomorrow and see if it wasn't just a fluke.
I realize this is a lightweight hunting rifle, but I would like to get it down to sub MOA. Next weekend I'll be hunting chamois in the mountains where a 350 yard shot is quite likely to present itself. An 8" to" 14group at the range is just not acceptable.
What can I look at?
I have thought about putting a pressure pad in the front of the stock, but the stock is very flexible in that point and I had to mill out a large gap to ensure it wouldn't come into contact with the barrel.
Since the stringing is consistent, it makes me think that something twisting as the barrel heats up even the slightest amount.
I could get it rebarreled by one smith in the UK who will do the work over a weekend when I go to visit, but that will cost me about $1,200 - without even doing any action work. Otherwise a smith here can do it but it will take at least 9 months and still cost about $900.
Should I try re-bedding? Maybe bed the entire barrel? What else could I check?
