Custom Rifle accuracy expectations??

[SBruce]

Not good. Not how I expected this to turn out. Has this scope performed well for you on other rifles? Might it be worth placing a different scope on the rifle to rule that out?

Howdy Paul,
One of my thoughts also. The scope is a brand new Leupold VX7L 4.5-18X56 with VH reticle (med/fine crosshair with additional holdover dashes) used on 18X for all shots. This is a $1900 scope brand new outa the box.

I've got a brand new/boxed Huskemaw 5-20, or a Leup. MK4 8-25, or a NF 5-22 that i could try, but overall - this is the third scope that has been on the rifle (including the aformentioned NF 5-22) since I first had the gun in my hands. It had the NF on it just prior to sending it back to Kirby.

Recent groups shot with other rifles show that the NF is in fact capable of consistant 1/2 MOA groups. Perhaps I should put it back on the gun before any further load testing? The Mark 4 also has shot consistant 1/2 MOA when previously mounted on a custom upper AR-15. Maybe I'll try it, beings it's 25X. This is the best group it's seen @ 200 yds, and an AR has dual recoil, somewhat similar to a muzzle break.

What say ye?

 

[captacademy]

That accuracy would be tough to live with, I would'nt keep it. I would get rid of that barrel and send the rifle to a different smith and have it re-done, with a different make of barrel!

Sorry S Bruce, I was hoping your rifle would come back and meet your expectations!!

 

[SBruce]

That accuracy would be tough to live with, I would'nt keep it. I would get rid of that barrel and send the rifle to a different smith and have it re-done, with a different make of barrel!

Sorry S Bruce, I was hoping your rifle would come back and meet your expectations!!

Yea, it is surely tough to live with, and hard on the shoulder to do all this load testing! I put a scope on it that will shoot bugholes from another rifle......still no joy.

Out of 25 - 3 shot groups, I managed to get only 3 that were 1/2 minute spread. I tested the 175 Berger VLD with .007 jam, and the 165 Nosler BT with the same seating. 2 different powders with the 165 in 1 grain increments, and another powder with the 175 in 1 grain increments.

It's currently out for evaluation by another shooter and gunsmith.

 

[captacademy]

I would just saw that barrel in half, and would not waste any more time on it.

 

[Pdvdh]

Howdy Paul,

What say ye?

I think you've given it more than the college effort. A rifle that wants to shoot should not require this level of intensive effort. You've got other rifles that shoot well, and you've demonstrated you can shoot them well. You've about done it all. If the builder is satisfied that this rifle meets his warranty standards, and you're not satisfied with the rifle - there is a point of diminishing returns on your investment of time and money. Not to mention the continuing aggravation. Shooting is supposed to be fun. This rifle is taking ALL the fun out of it, and has for an extended period of time now. So sorry. I'm feeling some anguish and all I'm doing is following your Thread.

I'd extend one last opportunity to the building gunsmith. The opportunity to change your final experience for the better. If the response is negative and non-productive, I would push the closest ejection seat button, and escape this toxic environment of pain, and agony forever and ever.

Moving forward to brighter days ahead, perhaps replace the barrel using the services of a different, accuracy-minded gunsmith. The building gunsmith may actually have done everything right. The barrel could simply be a turd. But the commonly expressed custom rifle accuracy warranties don't normally include fine print disclaimers of non-responsibility in the event the barrel smells and shoots like a turd. Not in my experience. Even a meticulous, accuracy minded gunsmith should have some expectation that once in a blue moon, the finished product will not perform to an acceptable standard. Correcting those relatively rare defective custom rifles should not make or break the success or failure of his business. The lasting damage to a reputation isn't the fact that a poor shooter will once in a blue moon leave his custom gunsmith shop. That lasting damage is the failure to step forward and remedy the few that fail to measure up - consistent with the expressed performance warranty. This is simply the opinion of one 57 year old shooter that's been avidly shooting rifles and reloading ammunition to optimize rifle accuracy since I was 14 years old. My seasoned opinion. Anybody and everybody is entitled to their own.

I sure hoped for better. Still do.

 

[COBrad]

phorwath, well said.
My experience has been similar in that a rifle that will shoot will usually shoot a number of loads well, and with a little tweaking will shoot something very accurately, conversely one that does not want to shoot seems to make that known from the start and just does not get much better.
I would hope that, in the end, the smith would make it good... but I had one built buy a reputable smith that specializes in ultra-lights, that was an inch and a half gun, even with his "tuned" hand loads. That gun also had a few other issues, in fact the rifle was simply unacceptable with the fit and functioning problems it had. In the end it turned into a mess that never should have happened, with a smith that refused to stand behind his own guarantee.

 

[SBruce]

Thanks again for the words of encouragement, and your responses.

My words to the smith who built the rifle (while he had it back for evaluation) were:

"I'm willing to go whatever route you think is best. If after more shooting; you still feel the rifle should be shooting quite a bit better than it is, or if it's overly picky about the ammo used or hold used, then lets re-barrel/re-bed/re-crown-brake; whatever it needs, I'll split the cost with you. That last thing I have time to do is shoot a 1/2 dozen bullets/powder combos to find one or two that a gun will reliably shoot 1/2 minute or under. I also don't have time to learn a rifles' personality if it's a picky SOB.

I have no interest in "picky" rifles." end quote.

His response was basically that it had proven itself to him, and it sounded as if he was able to get consistant 1/2 moa out of it from a couple different lightweight bullets.?

So I guess; based off that conversation, I feel it needs to be evaluated by another smith who is also a shooter. If he feels the need to re-barrel, I am certainly not against that. At this rate, I'll have this one shot out and an un-curable flinch developed before I ever take any long range game with it anyway.

Based off my experience with powder capacity and magazine capacity (short action on this gun) I am thinking that if a re-barrel is done.........maybe a 7mm version. I can go down to 7mm and shoot bullets of the same weight with quite a bit better BC (.4+ for 165 grn 30 cal VS .6+ for 165 7mm cal) Maybe kill two birds with one stone that way.......I mean, if I gotta pay for another barrel, then I might as well get some additional benefit out of it. Heavy, High BC 30 cal bullets steal alot of powder room in the short action magazine. I am unsure how long a 165 7mm is compared to a 180 30 caliber. Maybe I am going in reverse??

Any thoughts or experience with the 7-300 WSM?

 

[COBrad]

Did barrel break-in and first groups on a new custom 270 WSM today. Once the first 10, shoot one and clean, were fired, I fired three- three shot and clean- groups. Results were 1/2 - 3/4", all at 100 yards. This was a break in load, starting charge with bullets seated snug into the lands for fire forming the new Norma cases. This is what I expect from a custom rifle. Based on past experience I expect a rifle that starts out like this to be a shooter, with proper load development.

 

[alcesgigas]

I hope this doesn't make an *** out of me, but after I "discovered" this thread/post and read it through I was reminded of a basic--albeit so much so--possibility. Further, you may have made this a matter of course long before, but: Does the bolt contact the stock when the rifle is fired or even when the action is cocked?

I had a Sako Vixen and a M70 that did--both displayed those horizontal strings--until, quite by accident I noticed... I sure hope you get this working for you soon.