It’s causing me fits....thoughts?

My 15 year old son has a left handed Browning X Bolt hunter chambered 7mm-08 with a Leupold VX3i 2.5-8x36.

For the life of me I cannot get it to group all of a sudden.

I have tried the following:
- Took scope and Talley rings off and installed and torqued everything back down. Bases at 28 and rings at 17.
- Tried Hornady Superformance 139 gr. Interlock, Remington Core Lok 140 gr. and Nosler 120 gr.
- Shot off Caldwell The Rock with rear bag (what I normally use)
- Shot with a lead sled
- Paid close attention to amount of pressure into shoulder/sled. Made sure that as I applied more pressure the crosshair wasn't moving, etc.
- Cleaned Gun really good with bore guide and Dewey rod.

It is like I can't get it to zero. Shoot 2 shots 1.5" high and 1" right (.5" group), but the third shot is 4" high and 1" right. Okay, so maybe I didn't have the same back pressure on one, so I give it 4 clicks left. Next round shoots 1" left and 1.5" high, so I send another and it shoots into a .5" group, third shot goes 2" left and 4" high.

I'm at a loss?? I mean I just shot a .3" group with my 308 Win. My son cannot shoot a group either.

Please help!
Steve

1- Check for loose bolts action to stock

2- Barrel contact....If was previously "floated"

3- swap to a new scope...scope may have failed


That's three things I can think of right off! memtb

I'd try a different scope

I had the same thing happen to me on a Rem 721. Tried EVERYTHING! Scope had come apart inside. Sent it to Burris and they repaired and refurbished the entire scope.
Once the scope was remounted, the rifle shot like a dream again.

Big groups are 99% optics related in my experience. Have someone else check it out then try a different scope. Keep us informed. These are always fun

My 308 did this and I chased it for a while. It was my scope, try a different one on it and if it is better then use the leupold warranty.

I'd be surprised if it wasn't the luepold

I'd second trying a different scope.

Yep! Scope is more than likely the problem.

My Daughter shoots the same gun in their Micro Midas Lefty. She exclusively uses the Hornady Custom Lite Factory ammo, Leupold 6.5-20. shoots 1 moa pretty easy.

i adjusted the trigger as low as i could, about 2.5#

I agree with the other answers, try another scope and PLEASE update us on your findings.

Clean it, clean it, clean it, then when you are done clean it some more, Wear out some brushes in the barrel. Unless the barrel is shot out it probably has copper/crud built up. Check the muzzle. Twist a q-tip around on the bore and see if any cotton sticks to any burrs, that previously weren't there. Has the rifle been torn down recently and when put back together, proper attention wasn't given to all the "through the stock" screws. Are you shooting reloads or factory ammo. All that being said I had an old Remington 700 in .270win that suddenly stopped grouping. After doing all of the above I focused on the scope. a 3 year old 3-9 Leupold. I swapped scopes with my 30-06 and the .270 shot perfect groups again and the 30-06 shot like crap. Needless to say, Leupold did their magic and I got the scope, a scope back, from then and all is well again in the kingdom.

Sounds like a Leupold to me! Shoot more than 3 shot groups to confirm. I would swap scope and clean the barrel down to metal.

Joe S

Change the scope before you spend any more time or money chasing something else.

I bought a used 1980 Remington model 700 this spring,,, it would shoot pin holes from 3 or 7 shots,,, then a 4" flyer out side of the group...

The groups were consistant on every set,,, 5 sets all shot at 100 yards...

A flyer in my shooting sports is something over 1 1/2" to 2" in my shooting sports,,, years behind the F Class rifles has me well dialed in...

3 pin holes,,, then a flyer...
7 pin holes and another flyer...
Sometimes they were high and left,,, other times they were low and right...

The most inconsistent unpredictable fly-ers I've ever seen...

I knew a few things before taking the rifle to the range on the first and third outting,,, the rifle went through a full set-up and prep,,, the everything including a trigger and optic change up...

The only thing that came to mind was a chipped barrel crown since the cone leed where the bullet entered the lands was it emaculant condition...

My gun Smith friend check the crown and found nothing wrong with it,,, the plan was to knock off 2" of barrel and test,,, I can't own barrels shorter than 24",,, so I decided to throw on a new barrel with full trimming and true-ing...

New bolt as well,,, my gun Smith friend is a national match shooter and Machinist by trade,,, we decided to do the old bench rest bolt build up trick from the bench rest days,,, you know this trick...

Lath out the Outter back section of the bolt,,, collar it larger then spec and mill it down for a snug fit,,, Ha,,, a smooth well fitting bolt lessons the chances of issues that might arise down the road...

I'll be dammed if he didn't get lucky finding the puzzle to the inconsistent fly-ers,,, a bent firing pin in the worst spot,,, very rare for this to happen,,, but it happens once in a blue-moon...

The bent pin was between the shear release and the head of the pin that stops the pin on the back side of the bolt face...

The firing pin would release and for 50 to 100.000 thousands of a second it would hang up or slow down just enough to cause a fryer,,, who-da-thunk that something so small would be a factor in the shooting sports,,, that wobbled head would dig into the inside of the bolt slowing it down ever so slightly...

40+ years behind the rifle to get schooled once again,,, the lesson I gained from this small glitch is the things we can't see are challenging to investigate,,, messure,,, test,,, and try...

Remember,,, check our measuring tools and methods every time we use them,,, this is only a small % of information that I can freely share since its up to us to follow a protocol is search and repair procedures,,, don't get frustrated and keep the mind on task...

Is the trigger hanging up,,, what about the bolt,,, is there a nick in the leed cone or crown... Did my finger touch the barrel when I pulled the trigger,,, all the little things sometimes become the puzzle...

Cheers from the North as I'm sure you'll have it sorted in the days to come...

PS: Please keep us up to date on what you find out since it benefits all of us in the shooting sports...