Bolt lug contact and amount of free float

[Tac-O]

Also, there's one more variable that I'd like to nail down at some point, but I have no chrono. See this thread:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...f-you-who-use-a-lee-factory-crimp-die.243257/

How that thread relates to the group pictures I posted here, is that the best target was shot with brass that had 3 firings. The one with the large stringing was shot with brass that had 1 firing. I think it was a different lot of cci200 primers also. But, I don't think either of those things would cause that pattern. If there were any effect, I think it would be a random dispersion.

 

[Tac-O]

Your barrel could be walking but ime it's just shooting technique.
Only apply pressure with you pinky and ring finger, keep thumb and middle finger relaxed. Squeeze what it takes to hold a full bottle of beer with your pinky and ring finger.
Use scope shadow to remove parallax. Yes a fixed parallax can have a lot of error if your eye is misaligned.
Focus on your reticle, not the target as you break the shot.
Lay on the ground and preload your bipods with a tear bag instead of on the bench
These are things that I find help me

Yes, I've been working on trigger control. I've been working on minimal pressure with two smallest fingers, just to stabilize, and then breaking the trigger by basically pinching my thumb and trigger finger together (I've got my thumb in line with the top of the stock just on the edge of the tang. This has given me zero movement at trigger break during dryfire practice and has seemed to help my precision a lot recently.

 

[P7M13]

Tired after a string of shots? How old are you and what do you weigh?
Do you do anything to strengthen your shoulders, upper body and abdomen? These help.
Are you getting consistent cheek weld?
If you're shooting right handed, are you right eye dominant?
What height are your scope rings? Even though your Prarie Hunter stock has a comb, are you getting adequate eye height?
How firmly do you seat the butt into your shoulder? Is it in the exact place every time?
How does your face feel after a box of shots? Do you feel your face has been smacked?

Might be heat, but I imagine it's technique and flinch, and you might be shying away from the recoil. If you can, set up a video cam to film you taking your shots.
If you feel your face getting smacked, and you're holding the rifle properly, the stock geometry is wrong, and with minor adjustments (comb, length of pull, recoil pad) it can be improved significantly. You can develop horrible habits from flinch caused by bad stock geometry.
Three exercises I do at home to help (gettin' old is a beotch): elevated pushups, dead arm lifts (8-15# dumbbell in hand, lift from hip to horizontal, hold for 10 seconds). Last one is do sight acquisition drills: (scope at lowest power, weapon cleared, no one around) from carry position, identify a point of focus, pull up to shoulder and acquire the target. Pay attention - your scope reticle and shadow ring should be the same every time, and your buttstock should be resting in the exact same location. You're developing muscle memory here. Where the same outfit every time for that. After you've become consistent, use different outfits (coats, sweaters, what-not).

 

[Tac-O]

Tired after a string of shots? How old are you and what do you weigh?
Do you do anything to strengthen your shoulders, upper body and abdomen? These help.
Are you getting consistent cheek weld?
If you're shooting right handed, are you right eye dominant?
What height are your scope rings? Even though your Prarie Hunter stock has a comb, are you getting adequate eye height?
How firmly do you seat the butt into your shoulder? Is it in the exact place every time?
How does your face feel after a box of shots? Do you feel your face has been smacked?

Might be heat, but I imagine it's technique and flinch, and you might be shying away from the recoil. If you can, set up a video cam to film you taking your shots.
If you feel your face getting smacked, and you're holding the rifle properly, the stock geometry is wrong, and with minor adjustments (comb, length of pull, recoil pad) it can be improved significantly. You can develop horrible habits from flinch caused by bad stock geometry.
Three exercises I do at home to help (gettin' old is a beotch): elevated pushups, dead arm lifts (8-15# dumbbell in hand, lift from hip to horizontal, hold for 10 seconds). Last one is do sight acquisition drills: (scope at lowest power, weapon cleared, no one around) from carry position, identify a point of focus, pull up to shoulder and acquire the target. Pay attention - your scope reticle and shadow ring should be the same every time, and your buttstock should be resting in the exact same location. You're developing muscle memory here. Where the same outfit every time for that. After you've become consistent, use different outfits (coats, sweaters, what-not).

I'm 33 and about 5'10" and 150-155 lbs. I run about 40-50 miles a week, occasional situps/pushups/pullups, and hike once or twice a week up something really steep with a 50ish lb pack and trekking poles. I shoot about 100 arrows with my 70lb bow a week. So, I'm actually in pretty decent physical condition. I guess "getting tired" could be a bit misleading! Not physically tired, but more as if near the end of 20 or 25 rounds I feel as though I'm not as settled behind the trigger, my trigger control doesn't feel as solid, and my head really starts to hurt from my muffs (sometimes I wear a hat with them and shouldn't because that makes it worse). I know I don't have a bad flinch, but possibly a slight one at times. All this is evidenced by the fact that I usually put up better groups in the first half of my session. I keep forgetting to do this, so hopefully I can remember today. I have a couple of dummy rounds that I need to mix into my live rounds and then load my magazine blindly, that way I can monitor my trigger control and any flinching that happens throughout the session.

 

[P7M13]

Thanks, you said it -- I forgot to mention the non-firing round in the mix.
At your level of activity, where you are, I'd say you're more than 'pretty decent physical condition.'
Sounds mental then. Are you alone? Shooting paper is boring. Bring a friend, do small competitions, take breaks. Good luck!

 

[Tac-O]

Thanks, you said it -- I forgot to mention the non-firing round in the mix.
At your level of activity, where you are, I'd say you're more than 'pretty decent physical condition.'
Sounds mental then. Are you alone? Shooting paper is boring. Bring a friend, do small competitions, take breaks. Good luck!

Thanks! I shoot solo and hunt solo, but not by choice. I just haven't met any to go with yet. I've only been in Utah for 4 years and only start hunting and shooting hear about a year ago. I grew up in Illinois hunting for 20+ years, but that was with a slug gun. That's a different ball game!

 

[Canhunter35]

Yes, I've been working on trigger control. I've been working on minimal pressure with two smallest fingers, just to stabilize, and then breaking the trigger by basically pinching my thumb and trigger finger together (I've got my thumb in line with the top of the stock just on the edge of the tang. This has given me zero movement at trigger break during dryfire practice and has seemed to help my precision a lot recently.

Your grip is an issue. Your thumb should be dead and not involved in squeezing the trigger

 

[Tac-O]

Your grip is an issue. Your thumb should be dead and not involved in squeezing the trigger

I didn't word that very well. It's not an actual pinch; it's more of just a steady but very light downward thumb pressure along the top of the grip throughout the whole sequence of breathing, steadying, and breaking the trigger. I think the pressure has helped me steady the left/right float of the reticle during trigger break.

 

[Tac-O]

Here's today's. Not bad, but it looks like a slight POI shift from group 1 to 2. I'm not sure what caused it, but I'm thinking cheek pressure or shoulder pressure.

 

[OG10]

Looks like it's getting better with practice.One thing I have found with light weight rifles is you must be consistent with both fundamentals, and fallow through.Dont forget to dryfire practice when you get to the range or even at home if possible.Another option if you have a 22lr is to "warm up" with a 22lr to self check things like trigger press and flinch.Keep it up you wiil get it, if you get down to Texas give me a call we can go out to my range and burn some powder.

 

[P7M13]

I don't think it's heat.
1,6, 7 & 10 / 1, 7 & 8 the flyers could just be heartbeat + breathing + heavy trigger.
IMO, it ain't the gun or your loads, it's technique that you will perfect with practice.
Move your training to 200 and shrink those groups.

 

[blackbrush1]

Send your stripped barreled action off to be cryo'd. Inexpensive and very effective. Call Whidden and ask him about the process.

 

[Tim Sharp]

Additionally, I might check the crown with a lupe. It may have a bur which is causing inconsistencies.

FWIW: I have had great luck using the 150 Sierra SBT or SPT with 52.2g IMR4064, Win Brass, CCI Primer, OAL 3.220 (always work up in your rifle).

I have two questions for everyone.

I was recently reading something about checking bolt lug contact for squareness. The instructions were to put sharpie on the rear face of the boot lugs, then cycle the bolt 10 or so times. The amount of sharpie worn off each lug should be the same.

I did this and the picture shows each lug. This is a Tikka bolt. Does this look good enough?

The other question is, how much free float do I really need on my foreend? I have a .30-06 t3x superlite that's bedded into a Boyd's laminate prairie Hunter stock, with torque set to 65in/lbs. I have a little less than 1/16" free float. Is this enough? Do I need more to be sure the barrel isn't hitting the foreend during recoil?

Thanks!

 

[jdyoung]

I have two questions for everyone.

I was recently reading something about checking bolt lug contact for squareness. The instructions were to put sharpie on the rear face of the boot lugs, then cycle the bolt 10 or so times. The amount of sharpie worn off each lug should be the same.

I did this and the picture shows each lug. This is a Tikka bolt. Does this look good enough?

The other question is, how much free float do I really need on my foreend? I have a .30-06 t3x superlite that's bedded into a Boyd's laminate prairie Hunter stock, with torque set to 65in/lbs. I have a little less than 1/16" free float. Is this enough? Do I need more to be sure the barrel isn't hitting the foreend during recoil?

Thanks!

Lugs appear fine.
Now , as to how much free float. Back in the day, when we would question if more free float was needed , the answer was achieved by taking the barreled action out of the stock, applying lipstick appropriated from our female better half to the portion of the barrel encased by the forearm. Then carefully putting the rifle back together so as not to bump the barrel in the barrel channel leaving an unwanted mark.
Shoot the rifle !
Carefully take barreled action from the stock. If there are any lipstick marks in the barrel channel left by vibrations of that "painted hussy barrel", dress 'em out. Repeat "glammin' up the barrel" and shooting until you are satisfied you have enough free float.
Now a days , I will use Jarrows Inletting Ink. Jarrows comes in black n gold, and is more pliable/softer than the lipstick so more care is needed when assembling/reassembling.