Light contour accuracy.

[markg208]

I'd like to start a poll on what accuracy everyone is getting out of light contour custom stainless steel barrels. (number 2 contour and under) I'm talking consistent accuracy not a cherry picked random group. I had a featherweight contour duplicated and chambered in 308 that I never could get to group consistently better than 1 moa. Just curious as you never really here much about accuracy out of light contours.

 

[bultinkle]

10 shot group 130tmk tikka lite contour chopped to 16" with a 19 ounce can.

 

[Gary in MD]

For me, it seems like one of the biggest challenges in getting the best accuracy out of the sporter weight barrels/rifles is technique. The light weights just ride the bags differently then the heavy barreled guns. The light weights tend to jump as opposed the heavy guns recoiling more or less straight back. My Tikka T3lite is a prime example, I didn't get the groups I was hoping for in the beginning but changing the way I hold the rifle made a big difference. The same with a few other sporter weight rifles that I have, not much problem keeping 3 shot groups well under an inch at 100.
Just my experience with the sporter weights.

 

[sable tireur]

Remember the feeding frenzy when Remington introduced their M700 Mountain Rifle?

Remington Model 700 Mountain SS

Need to know:

• Name: Model 700 Mountain SS
• Manufacturer: Remington Arms
• Type: Bolt-action Sporter in stainless steel
• Barrel length: 22in
• Overall length: 41.25in
• Calibre: Various. 25-06 Rem to .308 Win
• Stock: Bell & Carlson synthetic
• Weight: 6.2lb
• Trigger: X-Mark Pro externally adjustable single-stage
• Magazine: Floor-plate, four shot

Barrelled action:

Keeping to the Mountain's lightweight theme, the barrel is stainless steel for anything the environment can throw at it. It is profiled to a No2 style to reduce weight and shortened to 
22in. This means a muzzle diameter 
of 0.568in with a 14/1mm thread, while the outside diameter (OD) at the fore-end is 0.578in with a starting OD of 1.2in at the receiver — so a very pronounced decrease in rifle barrel diameter to reduce weight overall.

Tested:

• I shot six to seven rounds before the point of impact wandered, so in any real hunting situation that's not going to be a problem.
• The Remington 140-gr Core-Lokt rounds shot 2,757fps for 2,364ft/lb energy, with three-shot groups hovering around the 1in to 1.25in mark. The heavier Federal 150-gr loads produced 1.25in groups at 100 yards and 2,655fps for 2,348ft/lb energy.

This article is from 2019 although the actual rifle release is from 25 years ago.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/rifle/remington-model-700-mountain-ss

 

[mongo4567]

I have had many very light barrels on factory guns, nothing custom. I've found the hold to be very important as mentioned above. I've also found that I needed to be very slow in shooting groups (they heat up quicker and it can impact group size). I don't expect more than 3 rounds in a short time. I have encountered wandering zeros many times. The wandering pattern has also been repeatable in my experiences (my latest is about a 1 MOA counterclockwise circle). This is why I always verify a cold bore single shot after all my testing.

Some guns are just more accurate than others. I get frustrated if I cannot get about 1 MOA out of a hunting gun/load with the right bullet weight. I have found and hunted with some that don't meet that of course. I also just consider it special and just a pleasant surprise if I get one that shoots to my capability.

 

[RichCoyle]

My .25 caliber wildcat firing 85 grain G.S.Custom bullets at 3,119 feet per second weighed 6lb 15 oz. with a Swarovski z5 5-25X52. One time I fired three, three shot groups at the same target. The 9 shot group measured 3/4". I killed one sheep and two deer before I pulled the barrel and switched to 6.5mm. The weight stayed the same. The groups with Hammer Shock Hammer bullets averaged 3,190 feet per second. For some reason I switched to five shot groups with it. They ranged between 1/2" and 1".

I should inform you I hold it like I would a BB gun. At the bench I don't do the cheek weld or hold on to the rifle. I gently put my cheek against the stock in order to see through the scope. My trigger hand is barely holding the pistol grip while the other is touching the rabbit ear rear sandbag.

Maybe if a good shooter used this rifle it would really be consistent.

 

[Pdvdh]

The majority of my rifles are built or purchased for backpack hunting. Less than ~ 10lbs all decked out. Barrel contours on the smaller/lighter side compared to many rifle builds used by LRHs.

I can't think of a single reason smaller contour barrels will be as stable and provide consistently equivalent precision, than a similar quality larger contour barrel.

I expect to have to work harder to find a load that shoots well from a lightweight barrel, compared to a heavier contour barrel. I also believe powder-puff capacity cartridges are more apt to shoot well in smaller contour barrels than will the larger capacity cartridges. .223 Rem chambered barrels often shoot nicely in many plain-Jane lightweight factory rifles. 300 RUMs not as consistently well.

Just my experiences and opinion... Others will disagree.

Having stated that, you can often find a nice tomato in a bushel of discarded tomatoes. I think it boils down to 1) how demanding and critical is the precision required for your application and 2) how much time and effort are you willing to invest in meeting and maintaining that precision?

 

[memtb]

My .25 caliber wildcat firing 85 grain G.S.Custom bullets at 3,119 feet per second weighed 6lb 15 oz. with a Swarovski z5 5-25X52. One time I fired three, three shot groups at the same target. The 9 shot group measured 3/4". I killed one sheep and two deer before I pulled the barrel and switched to 6.5mm. The weight stayed the same. The groups with Hammer Shock Hammer bullets averaged 3,190 feet per second. For some reason I switched to five shot groups with it. They ranged between 1/2" and 1".

I should inform you I hold it like I would a BB gun. At the bench I don't do the cheek weld or hold on to the rifle. I gently put my cheek against the stock in order to see through the scope. My trigger hand is barely holding the pistol grip while the other is touching the rabbit ear rear sandbag.

Maybe if a good shooter used this rifle it would really be consistent.

Rich, when I first got my (semi) lightweight .375 AI, in the lightest contour that Douglas offered……a #2 contour I think! I tried to use that technique when developing a load for it! It was kicking the snot out of me and the groups weren't very good…1 to 1 1/2".

A friend of mine wanted to try it out…..he immediately shot a 3 shot group @ 3/4", which was better than my groups. Embarrassed and a bit "****ed" I asked just what the heck he did to get that group. He told me that the biggest thing that he'd ever shot was a 30-06, and he was scared of how badly it would kick…..he said that he held on to it with a near "death grip"!

With that little bit of knowledge ….I change my technique. My groups immediately improved and the "felt" recoil was substantially less! I can now get sub 2" groups @ 300 yards fairly regular!

I guess that you don't use the same technique on every bull ride! memtb

 

[L2land]

The majority of my riflles are built or purchased for backpack hunting. Less than ~ 10lbs all decked out. Barrel contours on the smaller/lighter side compared to many rifle builds used by LRHs.

I can't think of a single reason smaller contour barrels will be as stable and provide consistently equivalent precision, than a similar quality larger contour barrel.

I expect to have to work harder to find a load that shoots well from a lightweight barrel, compared to a heavier contour barrel. I also believe powder-puff capacity cartridges are more apt to shoot well in smaller contour barrels than will the larger capacity cartridges. .223 Rem chambered barrels often shoot nicely in many plain-Jane lightweight factory rifles. 300 RUMs not as consistently well.

Just my experiences and opinion... Others will disagree.

Having stated that, you can often find a nice tomato in a bushel of discarded tomatoes. I think it boils down to 1) how demanding and critical is the precision required for your application and 2) how much time and effort are you willing to invest in meeting and maintaining that precision?

I've got a 700 from Red Hawk Rifles when they did their Alaskan clones. It's all fluted out and is 8lbs with sling and 10 rounds on the stock. I ve had .33 moa 5 shot groups off front and rear bags with only a moderate trigger hand grip and shoulder squeeze. 168 VLDs single feed from the ultimate "powder puff" 7mm-08

 

[Wedgy]

As Gary stated mine recoiled up instead of back and required a different shooting technique and I could get 4 shots in a string before POA wandered and drifted to the right. Cold bore groups at 600 yards were just over 4" which was good enough. Funny thing was I could put the Magneto Speed on it and it shot the same but a varmint contour would open way up with the MS on it.

 

[bamban]

500 yards, shot with hammer forged skinny barreled 300WM. FGMM 190 SMK. No cool down between shots, running the bolt grabbing rounds from internal mag. A friend shot this, not me.

 

[ButterBean]

Some of my best shooters have been sporters

 

[markg208]

My .25 caliber wildcat firing 85 grain G.S.Custom bullets at 3,119 feet per second weighed 6lb 15 oz. with a Swarovski z5 5-25X52. One time I fired three, three shot groups at the same target. The 9 shot group measured 3/4". I killed one sheep and two deer before I pulled the barrel and switched to 6.5mm. The weight stayed the same. The groups with Hammer Shock Hammer bullets averaged 3,190 feet per second. For some reason I switched to five shot groups with it. They ranged between 1/2" and 1".

I should inform you I hold it like I would a BB gun. At the bench I don't do the cheek weld or hold on to the rifle. I gently put my cheek against the stock in order to see through the scope. My trigger hand is barely holding the pistol grip while the other is touching the rabbit ear rear sandbag.

Maybe if a good shooter used this rifle it would really be consistent.

What barrels are on them?

 

[Rich Coyle]

Pac-Nor custom to match ultralight Weatherby six lug. Twisted barrel flutes reduce weight another seven ounces.