Accuracy Issues... Cant figure it out

[bukmaster9]

I brought a 300 Win mag and 7wsm, both very good custom guns which have always shot well to the range the other day. Neither would shoot accurately. I went home and cleaned them both very well. Went back to the range and no difference. The only thing I can think of is the heat is causing some sort of problem??? Handloaded ammunition . Any thoughts??? I need to figure this out .

 

[Michael Smith]

First thing I would check is Scope mounts then I would check the stock and see if there were any changes affecting the barrel. Factory ammo or handloads? Some powders are temp sensitive and if it was a hot day it could be a factor.

 

[bukmaster9]

First thing I would check is Scope mounts then I would check the stock and see if there were any changes affecting the barrel. Factory ammo or handloads? Some powders are temp sensitive and if it was a hot day it could be a factor.

Handloaded ammo.... The scope and stock screws all are tight

 

[Joefrazell]

Maybe try again in another week or so. Maybe you were just having a bad day or two? Not trying to be ride either. But it does happen

 

[Michael Smith]

What powder did you use and is it temp sensitive. Saw a guy on another forum with something similar. Turned out to be taking his ammo from a cool vehicle laid em in the sun and gave em plenty of time to heat up.

 

[FreedomLoader]

I have a Savage LRH in 25-06 that is FINICKY! It has to be cleaned with a copper solvent every 25 rounds. It has found 3 bullets it likes. No factory ammo, please. It HATES CCI primers. And God save you if the seating depth is off .002". Other than that, it is a sweetheart and shoots sub .33 moa out to 400 yards. Could you share a little about the ammo you are shooting?

 

[philipbrousseau]

when was this ammo loaded that you were using?

 

[YZ-80]

What powder did you use and is it temp sensitive. Saw a guy on another forum with something similar. Turned out to be taking his ammo from a cool vehicle laid em in the sun and gave em plenty of time to heat up.

"I say, I saya Boy........that seems like a plausible exlaination to me. Now let me show you how to build a paper Aero-plane!"

 

[YZ-80]

I had this happen the other day with my 6.5-284. It was about 91 degrees out and I had the ammo stored at about 73 degrees. Loaded with H4831sc. Grouped great at 100 but things got really wacky at 300. Not normal at all with this rifle and my pet load is solid. H4831sc should be able to handle this temperature swing but I've had bad days at the range in the past in "extreme" weather, high humidity, etc. In general, I do not like shooting in the summer months here in the mid-Atlantic. Of course, if I was honest with myself, I'd admit that this was all due to climate change but I'm just not feelin' it yet.

 

[Wedgy]

Assuming you did not have a chrono to see if these were normal velocity ?
Heat can play games depending on the powder but so can mirage. It's strange that both are doing it at the same time... too much coffee / operator error. Did you change shooting rests, glasses or any other gear ?

 

[Michael Smith]

"I say, I saya Boy........that seems like a plausible exlaination to me. Now let me show you how to build a paper Aero-plane!"

Be vewy vewy quiet boy lest you give away our age...

 

[Alibiiv]

Handloaded ammo.... The scope and stock screws all are tight

Where were your reloading components stored? I just posted a thread about maintaining the integrity of primers, there are a number of extraneous variables involve with primers; and....... reloading components. Also some powders are heat sensitive, were your rifles our your ammunition left laying in the sun or were your components exposed to extreme variant temperatures?

Also you wrote that you reload and that the screws on your rifles were all tight, were they torqued or hand tightened? I suspect that this is not the cause of the inaccuracy because it is happening to two rifles at the same time, however throwing it out for thought. Also sometimes it is important to check the nut behind the trigger too; it happens sometimes we all have bad days and sometimes two !!

 

[Frog4aday]

If BOTH guns shot well before and BOTH guns are suddenly shooting poorly, then it would seem the issue is with the shooter (we all have 'those' days) or the heat affecting your ammo in a negative way. Imagine your ammo was loaded at the 'edge' of a node. Add a bit more heat, a bit more velocity occurs, and you are now outside the node. It happens. Come October, and everything seems right with the world again? Then you'll know, I suppose.

 

[LaHunter]

Did you notice if your bolt was a little 'sticky' when ejecting the spent brass?
Maybe just a little more effort than normal when opening the bolt after firing?
If you developed your load recipe in cooler temps, and your powder is affected by higher temps, then it could be temp related. A chrono could be useful in helping diagnose , or rule out, certain factors.