New Rifle Troubleshooting

Pacecount

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Joined
Nov 23, 2015
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159
Location
Boise, Idaho
I picked up my new rifle a few weeks ago (7mm rem mag) broke in the barrel, got my velocities and went to the range to zero at 200. She is shooting over a minute. I feel like I am getting fliers and cannot call the shots. I want to clean up the groups and thought I might ask for feedback in the hopes of narrowing down an area to focus on:

1. Me?
*PICTURES @ 200 yards*
*i was getting bi-pod hop on concrete with 7mm. The first pic is on bipod and the second is on bag... all prone.
*i picked up my 6.5 to check myself and the last two pics are the 6.5...all 6.5 shots are on bi-pod prone. Pic 3 is with a clean cold bore. Pic 4 is with an adjustment up 3/4 MOA.
2. Barrel does not like the ammo... looking for educated feedback... twist rate 1:9 Proof barrel 24".
*i do not reload. I gave the gunsmith a box of 162 gr ELDX and he put the lands at .7.
*i have done some reading and it seems guys are having successs with this ammo at .3?
*the 6.5 CM is shooting 142 gr eldx.
3. Highly sensitive stock? Manners EH 1A hunting stock

I would show how awesome the rifle looks but it don't matter until I get her shooting.

Much appreciated!

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I would op that barrel does not like ammo. I got a proof 300 win that shoots my loads an easy 1/2 moa. I tried the precision hunter bullets in it when I first got it and it shot like **** I mean prolly around same groups yours is shooting. Also how much do you shoot magnums? To me personally it is a different beast shooting a magnums vs nice fast little SA calibers. To me it exaggerates your shooting form imperfections. Best of luck brother you will get it figured out. Just go over the gun really good for torque values, make sure barrel is completely floated and no high spots, and I would try a few different ammos.
 
Try a few different boxes of premium ammo, also a solid like TTSX or GMX
I know they're expensive but only way to see what it likes unless you handload
Nosler Trophy Grade 140gr Accubonds or 160gr Accubonds are usually very forgiving.

I've built many rifles none with a proof barrel but all of them but one shot accubomds well, the one rifle a 7mm-08 with a #1 Benchmark 1-9 twist would only shoot Hornady GMX factory ammo,
I generally shoot factory ammo for the most part.
 
so where are your lands for the 162eldx? .7? or .07?

what is the over all length of a factory loaded 162eldx? (I have not bought any factory loaded, but I do load my own for my 7 mag with them)
 
The first thing you should do is double check to make sure it's free floated and everything is properly torqued.

Also, most factory rifles won't really settle in and shoot consistently until you have fifty plus rounds down the tube.

If you are consistent MOA or sub MOA shooter with other rifles, you should be able to do the same with this one once you get each other figured out.

Sometimes that will require finding just the right bullet and load, some will shoot just about anything and some don't want to shoot no matter what you do.
 
so where are your lands for the 162eldx? .7? or .07? what is the over all length of a factory loaded 162eldx?

I was told .07... I do not know the answer to the latter... I will have to get back with you. How far are you off the lands?


I appreciate the reply(s)... I just got back from a long lunch break. I took her to another gunsmith who I probably should have used to begin with.

A Plan
1. I put her on a sled to eliminate me as the issue... no change.
2. I tried HSM 168 VLDs... she hates them more... women!
3. Gunsmith noticed the rounds loading from the mag had a small scratch across the bullet. He is going to relieve and polish the area causing this.
5. Gunsmith shot her too and noticed she opened up her groups a bit more when hot... will double check the float.

B Plan
Speak with local guys about hand loading eldx to see if that works.
Try other ammo.
 
VLD bullets are notoriously picky about seating depth . I would try something more forgiving, Berger Hybrids, Sierra Match Kings, Nosler Accubonds or Ballistic Tips. One or all of those should shoot well . If they don't, something in the rifle is flawed .
 
Keep it off a Lead Sled. They are no good for groups.

I would just try a few more brands of ammo for now. Or get some custom loads worked up for YOUR rifle. I would suggest trying the 175 Berger Elite vs. 168 VLDs. My .280AI did not like the 168s much, but love the 175s. And 160 NAB, 160TMK, 180 Hybrid, etc.

I have found ELD-X to be hit or miss. Some rifles love them, some hate them.
 
Keep it off a Lead Sled. They are no good for groups.

I would just try a few more brands of ammo for now. Or get some custom loads worked up for YOUR rifle. I would suggest trying the 175 Berger Elite vs. 168 VLDs. My .280AI did not like the 168s much, but love the 175s. And 160 NAB, 160TMK, 180 Hybrid, etc.

I have found ELD-X to be hit or miss. Some rifles love them, some hate them.
This^^^^
 
OP said this was a custom cut chamber from his smith but he is using factory ammo
lets work the numbers---- OP said the rifle was throated to run the 162 eldx at .07" off the lands

my remington saami spec chamber hits lands at 3.400" C.O.A.L----BUT the saami spec maximum length for the cartridge is 3.290" --so in my rifle I would be .110" off the lands if I loaded to saami spec max

since we dont know the actual length that Hornady loads their factory 162 eldx hunter ammo to, we would have to assume that they would not load longer than saami spec for factory ammo--IF this is the case then the OP's chamber would be shorter than a saami spec chamber--assuming that the smith chambered it as he stated then we would have to assume that the eldx would hit lands in his rifle at 3.36"??? that would be the saami spec max plus the .07" jump

as a reference, the 162eldx hits lands at 3.4" in my saami chamber, and my accuracy node is at 3.345" so I have a .055" jump to lands-- where did the .070" jump to lands come from?

we really need to know 2 things about this if we think it might be a "jump" problem--1st is what is the overall length that the factory 162 ammo is loaded to-- then, do the 162's really hit lands at .07" jump

really if you have a custom chamber cut, you should probably be reloading your own ammo-- also when you tell the smith to cut the chamber for .07" jump you are giving him a specific task to do--as long as he did this you can't really blame him--a better thing to say might have been " cut the chamber so it shoots factory 162eldx ammo really good" then you would have been leaving the chamber cut up to him


first I would check torque on bases, rings, stock/action screws etc -- was the stock free floated? does the stock have pillars, was it glass bed? have you tried tightening or loosening the action screws at all--- did you check the scope? maybe the OP has a scope issue and another scope would fix the problem? after checking all details then I would try different factory ammo to see if you can find which is most accurate for your combo

just for reference

39401d1474043344-hi-mv-7mmremmag-7mm-rem-mag-case-drawing.jpg


saami-standardized-7mm-remington-magnum-chamber-dimensions1.png
 
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