Christensen Mesa issues

[kobermannt]

Hello,
I purchased a Christensen Mesa 7mm rem mag back in January. I completed the barrel break in process exactly as Christensen recommended and I've got about 140 rounds through it. This is including 3 factory ammos ghat Christensen recommended to me. I've gotten maybe 3, 3 shot groups that are sub moa. Besides that, I'm lucky to get a group under 2 moa. I tried a different scope and am having the same issue. I sent it in to Christensen and they ran it through some machine they have and said it passed their accuracy test so they sent it back. They didn't even fire a live round through it! Needless to say, I'm very mad and frustrated at Christensen. I paid a lot of money for this rifle that won't even shoot sub moa. I have a $300 savage that I can shoot .5moa with all day long. I am just curious if anyone else has had issues like this with Christensen and if so, were you able to determine what was wrong with the rifle and how to fix it?

thanks for your help

 

[nso123]

Have you torqued the action screws and also made sure there isn't a pressure point anywhere in the stock that would be touching the barrel? Also, I assume it has a comp on it. Have you **** it without the comp to see if it tightens up?

 

[kobermannt]

I haven't tried removing the comp yet. How do I check for a pressure point in the stock?

 

[nso123]

I haven't tried removing the comp yet. How do I check for a pressure point in the stock?

Take a piece of paper and run it under the barrel from the forearm to the receiver and be sure it's floated. The paper shouldn't snag between the barrel and the stock.

 

[kobermannt]

Ok I will try that. I shot some Barnes Vortx 140 gr and was able to get a 0.4 moa group and a 0.7 moa group but I went and shot that same ammo the next day and couldn't get a group under 2moa

 

[nealm66]

Man, it kinda sounds like you got something that comes loose or a bad scope or something. Are you shooting off a rest or bipods? What kind?

 

[kobermannt]

Ive tried 2 different scopes and am having the same issues. Ive used sand bags, a Harris bipod and Ive also used a BOG death grip

 

[nealm66]

Well hopefully others will chime in. There's always so many possible things that can cause bad groups but yours is definitely a weird one. If it were mine I'd be looking at something other than the rifle, especially if I sent it in and everything checked out. I'd definitely stay with a good rest with a new rifle till I had groups and data but that's just me. Maybe you got a bad batch of ammo. I have a Mesa long range in 300 prc that's very accurate and doesn't have the pressure issues I hear a lot about. Haven't had the swollen base issue with reloads either. Hopefully you get yours figured out

 

[LoneTraveler]

The rifle shifting between large and small groups, Scope, Bases, Rings, Or bedding, Action screw torque or barrel bedding should find the problem.
When checking free float put the rifle in shooting position on rest, Then check the barrel and stock clearance with a bill or business card. Even get in shooting position behind the rifle and have some one check the barrel free float.
Some times you may be torqueing the rifle in the rest by shooting position.
Some stocks are not stiff enough to allow the use of a bipod without the stock contacting the barrel. Sliding the rifle back on sandbags will also change barrel free float.

Good Luck in finding the problem and a the cure.

 

[Taylor Volk]

My friend bought a Christansen (carbon barrel can't remember model) in 7RM in early spring 2020 I want to say. He was very excited as this was his first "magnum" rifle. He started sending me pictures of his groups at 100 yards and I was surprised. He had never shot anything really bigger than his .243 win that he had for 20 years, so I figured the 6" groups at 100 yds were from poor recoil management. Then I shot the rifle surprised that the recoil was surprisingly low. We tried almost every factory ammo available at the time and nothing grouped under 5" @100 yds. He sent the rifle back twice and Christansen said there was nothing wrong both times. It wasn't the scope and it was mounted correctly. The only fix was to return the rifle and he ended up getting a browning hells canyon, which shot MOA out of the box with factory ammo. I was frustrated for him it took a lot of time and a lot of wasted ammo right before ammo quickly came unavailable. I will not recommend Christansen to anyone.

 

[Dozer83]

I have Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 300 rum and 6.5 prc. While I haven't shot the 300 rum yet I actually bought it first and liked how the stock was stiff so I bought the 6.5 prc. During break in it shot pretty good, but nothing very impressive, I would say around 1 moa but didn't measure. What I did notice about the 6.5 prc was the stock isn't as stiff and when I pick it up around the forend the stock touches the barrel, so on it if you loaded up on bipod, or bags I'm sure the stock would be touching the barrel so I'll be changing the stock eventually. Not for sure if that's your problem but as mentioned above you might have someone check to see if the barrel is free floating while your in shooting position.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Did I read correctly that the rifle had a brake or can fitted?
If so, take it off and shoot some groups.
I have heard some barrels just don't like stuff attached to the end of them.
I have only one rifle with a brake, it does change POI for me, but not so much on group size. I will be putting a brake on my 300RUM, at just 7lbs it kicks fast.

Cheers.

 

[Baboltin]

Take the stock off clean it out and check the bedding. CA rifles are unless you purchased the top of the line summit TI or something like that still a production based rifle and they do crappy work on the bedding job. A lot of the times the rifle will start to group then throw a shot so take it apart and possible have a good gun smith clean up the bedding then take it and shoot it and see what it does.

 

[TXmountainhurnter]

Hello,
I purchased a Christensen Mesa 7mm rem mag back in January. I completed the barrel break in process exactly as Christensen recommended and I've got about 140 rounds through it. This is including 3 factory ammos ghat Christensen recommended to me. I've gotten maybe 3, 3 shot groups that are sub moa. Besides that, I'm lucky to get a group under 2 moa. I tried a different scope and am having the same issue. I sent it in to Christensen and they ran it through some machine they have and said it passed their accuracy test so they sent it back. They didn't even fire a live round through it! Needless to say, I'm very mad and frustrated at Christensen. I paid a lot of money for this rifle that won't even shoot sub moa. I have a $300 savage that I can shoot .5moa with all day long. I am just curious if anyone else has had issues like this with Christensen and if so, were you able to determine what was wrong with the rifle and how to fix it?

thanks for your help

my Ridgeline was bedding sloppily. I expoxy bedded it and the groups were twice as tight