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Hunting
The Basics, Starting Out
New rifle with a few questions
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<blockquote data-quote="Daves762" data-source="post: 1654608" data-attributes="member: 33751"><p>Is it more likely that my shooting ability with a 30 caliber rifle is pretty poor or that I got a dud of a gun?----- Centerfire rifle marksmanship is a learned skill. As in many rounds with good form to be good at it. Read up on all the human factors and speak them out loud if you have to while touching off a round. There is a reason why the range master in boot camp is screaming the fundamentals of shooting out loud as new recruits are firing their first live rounds down range. Practice the fundamentals and the skills will come with time and round count. </p><p></p><p>Should I continue to try to get the remaining copper out of the bore that's visible near the muzzle?---- I clean my rifles with either a bore snake or a one piece rod with the whole fancy getup. I never use a three piece steel rod that grandpa used. It will ruin the inside of your barrel faster then anything. Matter of fact I've had more rifles on my gunsmithing bench for work cause of improper cleaning attempts then all other factors combined. I clean the heck out of a bolt gun before I store it. But once I foul it and get it zeroed I don't clean it again until the seasons over with.</p><p></p><p>If I didn't "break in" the barrel properly (if you belive in that sort of thing), can any damage I did be remedied? As a machinist I personally believe "barrel break in" to be a few dozen rounds down the tube. Just to polish off any sharp edges on the chamber, lands and grooves. I personally believe the concoction of shoot clean shoot clean shoot clean is put out there by the guys selling the cleaning products. JMO relax fella's. Just fire a few boxes of ammo through a new rifle, while practicing the proper fundamentals of marksmanship before you start expecting tight groups.</p><p></p><p>Should I bother with trying to bed the stock yet? I would put a quality carbon fiber stock onto the rifle rather then try to glass bed a wood one. Unless you know what you are doing. Wood is old technology and is an organic material. It flexes, expands, swells, and contracts based on temp. humidity, and rain. Hunting rifles get wet, one way or another. Water, wood and accuracy are not friends. </p><p></p><p>What should be my next steps to getting sub MOA?---- Bubble level on the scope, cheek riser for proper cheek weld, and Start reloading. Trying to find a bullet, load, sub MOA combination by picking boxes of ammo off the shelf is like a dog chasing it's tail. You might get lucky, but reloading for a bolt gun is pretty easy especially with a 30 cal rifle. I learned with a Remington 308 bolt and loaded hornadys SST 150 grain (not a match bullet) and ended up with 3 rounds looking like a clover, all holes touching. So adjusting the powder charge is where matching the round to the rifles barrel whip happens. If you shoot a bow you know what "cant" does at range. A bubble level on a bow does the exact same thing on a rifle. It's worth the $30.00. And cheek weld, especially from prone, does not exist with a sporter stock. If your cheek bone is not mashed onto the stock, your face is floating around behind the crosshairs. Cheek riser, bubble level, and hand loads. Those three will shrink your groups pretty quick.</p><p></p><p>Just my opinion and experience. There are smarter guys out there so take in all opinions and make the best choice for you based on time, money, patients, and complicated recommendations. Which you are sure to get. I like solving problems and like turning regular rifles into accurate long range ones.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Daves762, post: 1654608, member: 33751"] Is it more likely that my shooting ability with a 30 caliber rifle is pretty poor or that I got a dud of a gun?----- Centerfire rifle marksmanship is a learned skill. As in many rounds with good form to be good at it. Read up on all the human factors and speak them out loud if you have to while touching off a round. There is a reason why the range master in boot camp is screaming the fundamentals of shooting out loud as new recruits are firing their first live rounds down range. Practice the fundamentals and the skills will come with time and round count. Should I continue to try to get the remaining copper out of the bore that's visible near the muzzle?---- I clean my rifles with either a bore snake or a one piece rod with the whole fancy getup. I never use a three piece steel rod that grandpa used. It will ruin the inside of your barrel faster then anything. Matter of fact I've had more rifles on my gunsmithing bench for work cause of improper cleaning attempts then all other factors combined. I clean the heck out of a bolt gun before I store it. But once I foul it and get it zeroed I don't clean it again until the seasons over with. If I didn't "break in" the barrel properly (if you belive in that sort of thing), can any damage I did be remedied? As a machinist I personally believe "barrel break in" to be a few dozen rounds down the tube. Just to polish off any sharp edges on the chamber, lands and grooves. I personally believe the concoction of shoot clean shoot clean shoot clean is put out there by the guys selling the cleaning products. JMO relax fella's. Just fire a few boxes of ammo through a new rifle, while practicing the proper fundamentals of marksmanship before you start expecting tight groups. Should I bother with trying to bed the stock yet? I would put a quality carbon fiber stock onto the rifle rather then try to glass bed a wood one. Unless you know what you are doing. Wood is old technology and is an organic material. It flexes, expands, swells, and contracts based on temp. humidity, and rain. Hunting rifles get wet, one way or another. Water, wood and accuracy are not friends. What should be my next steps to getting sub MOA?---- Bubble level on the scope, cheek riser for proper cheek weld, and Start reloading. Trying to find a bullet, load, sub MOA combination by picking boxes of ammo off the shelf is like a dog chasing it's tail. You might get lucky, but reloading for a bolt gun is pretty easy especially with a 30 cal rifle. I learned with a Remington 308 bolt and loaded hornadys SST 150 grain (not a match bullet) and ended up with 3 rounds looking like a clover, all holes touching. So adjusting the powder charge is where matching the round to the rifles barrel whip happens. If you shoot a bow you know what "cant" does at range. A bubble level on a bow does the exact same thing on a rifle. It's worth the $30.00. And cheek weld, especially from prone, does not exist with a sporter stock. If your cheek bone is not mashed onto the stock, your face is floating around behind the crosshairs. Cheek riser, bubble level, and hand loads. Those three will shrink your groups pretty quick. Just my opinion and experience. There are smarter guys out there so take in all opinions and make the best choice for you based on time, money, patients, and complicated recommendations. Which you are sure to get. I like solving problems and like turning regular rifles into accurate long range ones. [/QUOTE]
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The Basics, Starting Out
New rifle with a few questions
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