Accurizing a Rem .270 win CDL SF

[Atlas 00]

Has anyone accurized a Rem 270 win CDL SF? if so, how and what kind of accuracy did you achieve afterwards?

I recently replaced the original stock with a Hogue(alum bddign block type) stock, set trigger to 2.5lbs(breaks like glass), and have good optics on it.

I do my part by reloading and setting the COL at about .010 off the lands to try to minimize the free bore travel(bullet jump). It seems to work with most manufacturers bullets, (with regards to staying around 1 MOA), but some times the groups open up to about 1.25" MOA.

Of recent, i bedded the stock in hopes that I could tighten up the groups a little more. It really didn't improve anything. If anything it stayed about the same overall.

I honestly feel the gun should be more accurate given the fact that I have worked on the rifle a little bit.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Kevin Cram]

You'll have to remember this is still a factory barreled action. Don't expect consistent sub 1/2 moa. The Hogue stocks are still a plastic tupperware stock with rubber on the outside. The aluminum bedding block may help a little but there is still quite a bit of flex in the fore arm in these stocks. I quit trying to bed plastic stocks. I couldn't get a good enough job to satisfy me. Bedding doesn't stick well to plastic, too much oil. Even though you bedded the barreled action was it stress free bedded with a completely free floated barrel? I do a accuracy package where I do as much to a factory rifle to enhance the accuracy shy of changing the headspace. I tear down and clean the rifle from top to bottom and inspect for any problems. I re-cut the crown true to the bore. On factory barrels this is done for production not for accuracy and it's one of the most over looked precision parts of the barrel. This is the last thing that can effect the bullets flight. A poor crown can have a great effect on accuracy. I lap the lugs ensuring even contact on both lugs. Occasionally I get a rifle that is severely off that the headspace needs corrected. I adjust the trigger for a clean , crisp pull weight with little to no creep or over travel set between 2-3 lbs. Unfortunately with Remingtons fabulous X-Mark pro triggers this is next to impossible so I make it as best as it can be and also be safe. The older factory triggers were much better and can be tweaked to suit. Best bet is to upgrade to a aftermarket trigger at this time. I lastly full action stress free bed the rifle (but not plastic stocks) and make sure the barrel is 100% free floated. With my accuracy package I typically can turn a rifle that shoots 1 - 1 1/2 moa into a 1/2 - 3/4 moa rifle. Good quality optics and proper mounting must also be taken into consideration along with good working knowledge of reloading.
All in all you did a little to help your rifle but not much, that's why your not seeing the return you hoped for. In the end it's still a factor barreled action so anything under 1 moa I would consider ok.

 

[Atlas 00]

Kevin,
Thanks for the reply. Good to see that I'm not too far off track with regards to how to accurize a stock rifle. I should have explained what I did a bit better.

Much of what you mentioned, I actually did accomplish. Trigger was replaced with an older Rem 700 model. Adjusted trigger to 2.5 lbs with a clean break (like glass) with no overtravel or creep. Stock was bedded stress free, (fully free floated barrel). Optics are very good and mounted properly, never had any issues in that department. Reloading is fine too, been doing it for the past 20 years with no issues as well. I definitely respect quality control in all aspects of the reloading department.

All in all, I tend to agree with you about the Hogue stock. There's only so much you can do with those type of stocks. I simply just wanted to see if it would work out any better given how cheap it is to bed a stock vice purchasing a whole new one.

Another question I have is about "pressure points". The original wood stock had a pressure point at the end of the stock. It's a fluted barrel that measures approximately .635 at the muzzle. I would have figured that it would shoot better free floated. I have heard that some skinny barrels just need to have pressure point. Any truth to that??

 

[Kevin Cram]

99% of barrels will shoot better if they are fully free floated. On a rare occasion and usually on very thin contoured barrel will one need a pressure point. I've only ever ran into one barrel that shot better with the pressure pad. This particular rifle no matter what you tried in it would not shoot any smaller than 1 1/2 moa. I tried the barrel free floated first, then after it didn't do what we hoped I mounted the stock in a fixture that would allow me to hang a string of weight off of the front swivel stud. I mixed up some marine tex, dolloped about a 1" long blob into the front of the barrel channel. I hung 20 lbs of weight from the front swivel then dropped the barreled action back in the stock to cure. Once dry I cleaned everything up and when removing the weights I now had 20 lbs of upward pressure. The rifle was no tack driver before or after but it did knock it down to under 1 moa. If your shooting a pencil thin barrel don't expect bench rest accuracy from it. Barrel whip is much greater on thinner contour barrels.

 

[Atlas 00]

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of trying the "pressure point next". I really don't have much to lose, i just don't like the idead of not free floating a barrel.

Don't get me wrong, I am trying to stay realistic with the whole project because in the end it is still just a stock hunting rifle. I have always tried to bring out the full potential of each of my rifles. Plus it's always enjoyable seeing good hits at long distance.

Thanks again for the info, good talking to you.

anyone else feel free to chime in.

 

[Hntbambi]

Not to berate your abilities but are you capable of shooting smaller groups? Repeatable accurate shooting is a deteriorating skill. I laid off shooting a lot for 5 years and I can definitely see a difference in the groups. It does come back with proper practice though.

Even with a new gun, I float the barrel and bed the action before the first shot. It may not make your groups smaller, but it can make them more consistent and keep the POI from shifting around.

Is your scope working properly? Is it mounted stress free? Is the paralax adjusted properly?

Many things contribute to accuracy.

 

[benchracer]

Since your factory rifle is shooting very near MOA, I am inclined to believe that your rifle/scope combination is mechanically sound. It is possible that you may find something to tweak that makes a difference, but not likely IMO.

I really think that your best bet would be to continue to experiment with hand loads. With 20 years of experience at hand loading, you have far more experience than I do. Keeping that in mind, my advice may or may not apply.

FWIW, here goes: I think that the emphasis on minimizing "bullet jump" receives much more attention than it deserves, especially where factory rifles are concerned. In the same way that one lets the rifle determine the optimum powder charge or primer type for a given load, why not let the rifle tell you what seating depth it likes with a given style of bullet?

The first time I loaded ammo using Berger bullets, I followed the recommendation on the Berger website for tuning seating depth and found it to work well. Since then, I have used the same procedure with every other bullet that I have loaded and found that it made a big difference regardless of the bullet type.

In the course of load development for five rifles, I have yet to find one that shot its best with the bullet seated anywhere near the lands. Of course, none of my rifles are bench rest or custom rifles. I don't know if that accounts for the difference between my results and the conventional wisdom compiled by a large number of accomplished long range shooters or not. Given that you are shooting a factory rifle, it may be worth a try... ...or not.

Just some food for thought.

 

[Atlas 00]

Gents,
All good points. Thanks for the conversation. I totally agree with you guys. I take all of what you have said into consideration and definitely do my part by eliminating as much human error as possible. Good advice though.

I'm able to get my other hunting rifles down to 1/2 to 3/4 moa all day long with reloads, so the shooting isn't the issue. I ensure the optics are solid and not an issue. I was just checking to see if anyone had some advice that I hadn't tried yet.

 

[baldhunter]

For some reason my Rem 700 CDL 270 does not shoot boat tail bullets worth a hoot.It shoots flat based in near one hole groups.Try some Hornady 130gr SP and see how it shoots them.

 

[ken snyder]

Something to try thats almost free! Totally strip your barrel bore clean, absolutely no chance of any jacket, powder or carbon ring then let Kroil® soak in it for about 20 minutes. then spray automotive brake cleaner down the barrel, dry with a patch and immediately oil heavily and patch dry. Choose your bullet and dont switch brands. Some rifles want a heavily fouled barrel and totally refuse to shoot clean. You might find that after doing this your rifles accuracy will improve after about 6 - 8 shots, then after that only clean your barrel when accuracy deteriorates or when it is stored for a lengthy time. - barrels love a proper fouling!

 

[Atlas 00]

Interesting that your gun doesn't shoot BT's very good but shoots flat base excellent.

I have heard of guns having an ever-so-slightly blemished muzzle crown, such that it disturbs the boat tail bullets just a little bit more than a flat base bullet as it leaves the barrel.

In fact, I had a friend do some testing on a 7mm mag out West because he said that it did about the same as yours, (not good with BT's, but very good with FB bullets). He said that it was due to a very tiny burr at the end of the barrel just inside the bore and out of normal view from the naked eye, unless you knew it was there and looking for it. He said he found it by dragging a stretched out q-tip from just inside the bore and he saw it snag on something. He then took a flashlight and found the culprit. Probably came about from rough cleaning process.

In the end, he had it recrowned and it shoots great with all kinds of bullets, both BT's and FB bullets.

He said that he was told that it is a characteristic of flat base bullets to be less disturbed by small muzzle crown burr's than boat tail bullets. In his particular case, it proved to be true.

I'd like to hear from someone that knows more on this if able. that kind of ballistics info is above my G2.