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Factory hunting rifles, with match accuracy?

Brian564

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Dec 8, 2014
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31
Are there any production rifles that come in walnut hunting stocks, and have true match barrels that are cut/broached rifled instead of hammer forged or buttoned? I believe that most rifles can shoot more accurately than most average shooter can manage, but wondering if someone out there is pushing the envelope on the accuracy of hunting rifle.
 
A walnut stock would be your limiting factor. Most people don't know this, because like you said, "most rifles can shoot more accurately than most average shooter can manage" so they don't know when their stock is causing a POI deviation.

Field & Stream July 2014: 16 Range Tests Revel The Truth About Field Accuracy, by David E Petzal;
Page 42
...The Test
We shot a Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 Synthetic and a Vanguard Series 2 Sporter (wood stocked) from the bench to get them both printing dead on at 100 yards. Then we removed both stocks, soaked them overnight in a bathtub, reassembled them in the morning, and fired again at 100 yards...
I can't make a table to show the results as in the magazine; but the walnut stock shot the same size group, only that it shot the group 5 inches lower and one to the right of where the group was the previous day.
There was no difference with the synthetic stock.

So if you ever feel like hunting in anything other than sunny days, get a synthetic stock.
RainyHowa1500_zps35a40041.jpg
 
I have been shooting and fooling with firearms for at least 48 years. I have never worked with ANY Rem 700 that I could not make shoot really accurate. Some took a little more work that others but they all came around.
 
Field & Stream July 2014: 16 Range Tests Revel The Truth About Field Accuracy, by David E Petzal;
Page 42
I can't make a table to show the results as in the magazine; but the walnut stock shot the same size group, only that it shot the group 5 inches lower and one to the right of where the group was the previous day.
There was no difference with the synthetic stock.

This is a very valuable post. Thanks for the information!
 
I have been shooting and fooling with firearms for at least 48 years. I have never worked with ANY Rem 700 that I could not make shoot really accurate. Some took a little more work that others but they all came around.

What would you say are the factors making this fairly inexpensive mass produced rifle this inherently accurate? Anything special in stock or barrels? Thanks
 
the further you depart from a full F-class rifle the less capable it will be. they weigh 18 pounds. they have a custom action , jewell trigger, , big mcmillan stock and a tractor axle contour match barrel . the barrel costs 350 plus 150 to install. 500. the barrel of a factory rifle installed less than 50$ or less than 10%. like a car engine that costs 2500 or a car engine that costs 25,000; which will perform better? i have a .243 remington bdl varmint ( wood stock) with a hart barrel . it shoots great. but not like a full f-class rifle.
 
I have a pair of Remington 700 5R Milspecs (.308 & .300WM). Haven't shot the .300 yet, but the .308 shoots like an F-Class rifle. .25" to .3" groups @ 100 on average with my handloads. The only things I've done were replace the XMP triggers with tuned factory old-style triggers and retorqued the action screws to 65 inch lbs.

A little heavier than your average hunting rifle, but if you swapped the stock with one more geared towards hunting, and not bench shooting (like the factory stock), it would make one hell of a hunting rifle.

One of the most accurate factory hunting rifles there is, is the Sendero. I highly recommend them. I have several of them, and they're all accurate.
 
Some of the best match guns are wood but they are pillar and Devcon steel bedded. I Have seen some good shooting remingtons including a bunch of 40xes and .2 to .3 groups are not the norm. Most custom guns in competition Only agg in the ones and twos and that is PPC which is the most accurate cartridge made. I actually prefer a good laminated stock or a fiberglass McMillan (not the cheap plastic or glass ones) Matt
 
In general to make a factory Rem 700 shoot free float the barrel and glass the action area. Adjust the trigger down to 2 1/2 pounds. Use Leupold type mounts blue lock tight on the BASE screws but not on the ring screws. Properly level and mount a QUALITY scope. Work up a hand load that it likes. At least that is what I do.
 
I would argue on the scope mounting suggestion, as I have strayed away from Leupold mounts after almost 20 years of using them. LOL I honestly feel that a good quality picatinny rail and a good set of rings is stronger and more precise than the old Leupold dove-tail and windage rings & bases. Nothing wrong with the Leupold, I just feel that the pic rail is stronger and locks the scope down better. Also it adds some rigidity to the action if you are shooting a very large caliber with lots of pressure.

But I do agree that the easiest way to find out if a Remington will shoot is to bed the action, float the barrel, lap the bore, tune the trigger, properly torque the action screws, and ladder test handloads in it till you find your peak accuracy. When you do, that's as good as it's gonna shoot, until you put an aftermarket barrel on it.
 
I re-measured this group's overall width the other night, then subtracted for caliber (like you are supposed to do), and I came up with around .257" for this 3-shot group with my 5R .308 @ 100 using my handloads with Berger 210 VLD's.

Keep in mind, this is a 6" target, not one of the a big ones. Oh, and I stuck it to my Pelican case just to take the picture and to transport it home. :D

F4D8AF24-AC7B-4C88-8FDD-205386A5E195_zps0o0decse.jpg
 
Are there any production rifles that come in walnut hunting stocks, and have true match barrels that are cut/broached rifled instead of hammer forged or buttoned? I believe that most rifles can shoot more accurately than most average shooter can manage, but wondering if someone out there is pushing the envelope on the accuracy of hunting rifle.

Brian do you have weight or price constraint?
 
Brian- i believe the average shooter can shoot better than most of the factory rifles . if you have shot a 13.5 pound 6ppc or an 18 pound 6.5-284 ; properly built you will see just how good you can shoot. dime size will be the bigger ones. sporter weight rifles are more finicky and factory barrels vary widely from ok to...... . lot of rounds are fired each year trying to find a load the rifle "likes"
 
I'm not after one myself as I don't shoot targets. Just curios and looking for information. Thanks guys, I'm learning a lot here lightbulb
 
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