Shot group question

[dale guthormsen]

Do you think switching bullets or messing with seating depth will help?

seating depth camake a difference, partularly on high, long b.c. bullerts.

 

[skipglo]

I also have a "shot group question". I have a Fierce 7-08 Edge. They have it shot in with factory loads (120gr Barnes TTSX). The target they supplied shows 1 shot and then 2 shots over lapping each other 1/2" low and to the right of the first shot. I have shot the exact same group as the target supplied 5-6 times. That first shot is always 1/2" different from the other 2. Any ideas?

Fire one....discount it....fire three!

 

[Swiftkill]

I don't think you should expect a light weight hunting barrel to shoot more than a 3 shot group, it is interesting to try, but I wouldn't be frustrated by shots 4 and 5 opening up, with a couple minutes between shots. So much depends on altitude and temperature due to metallurgical properties of steel, and obviously wind. If you are planning to take long Range shots on big game past 400 yards, the only thing YOU can do is make sure to put one or two fouling shots down the barrel before hunting. I would also sight in the gun in the temperature you plan to hunt. We know you may take a shot at 6 am in 20 degree weather and by noon it could be 50-70 degrees or more, depending on where you are and just the sun heating up the barrel and ammo can change things. Also, where you rest the forearm of your rifle matters: shooting off a rest or backpack is different than shooting off a bipod. And having your bipod on a log or dirt and leaves ids different than on a bench. And there's a difference between a concrete bench surface, carpeted bench surface and plywood bench surface. The gun needs to recoil the same way. You can probably notice differences in as little as 200-300 yards. Depending on how precise your rifle and loads can be. That's why hunting is different from calculated target shooting!!! And that is why long range hunting is risky. And that's why practicing in different scenarios is the responsible thing to do. IMHO.

 

[Swiftkill]

I have a fierce 28 nosler carbon fury. Using 168 gr vld Berger bullets with adg brass and h1000. I have a guy that is good at working up accurate loads and he has great numbers for this load/rifle and the barrel has been broken in well, over a hundred rounds through it. Both he and i have shot several groups at 700 yards and can hold groups to a half minute. But there always seems to be one and sometimes 2 shots that open the group to 7 or 8 inches. He is going to try upping and lowering the charge by 2 tenths of a grain. Is there anything else we should be trying? What would you do?

Do you have a friend or an acquaintance who might be a better shooter than YOU? Let them try shooting a group with your rifle!

 

[L.Sherm]

Do you have a friend or an acquaintance who might be a better shooter than YOU? Let them try shooting a group with your rifle!

This is the easiest way to find out its shooter error.

 

[Starlite]

I would have to throw the "firing pin spring" in for a possible solution. A weak pin can cause inconsistent ignition. Learned this on an F-class vlog. In the scenario where there is an unexplained flyer(s) in a string of fire, not necessarily the same number round within the string of rounds. He just started getting flyers.
A fellow shooter asked if he trusted his reloading. Yes- he did, friend said check your firing pin spring, he did and was noticeably shorter than a new one.
Spring replaced and no more flyers.

It's funny that you mentioned the spring. One of our club members was experiencing a similar issue of light primer strikes. It apparently was the firing pin too. Funny how a simple spring could be so problematic.

 

[Teri Anne]

I have a fierce 28 nosler carbon fury. Using 168 gr vld Berger bullets with adg brass and h1000. I have a guy that is good at working up accurate loads and he has great numbers for this load/rifle and the barrel has been broken in well, over a hundred rounds through it. Both he and i have shot several groups at 700 yards and can hold groups to a half minute. But there always seems to be one and sometimes 2 shots that open the group to 7 or 8 inches. He is going to try upping and lowering the charge by 2 tenths of a grain. Is there anything else we should be trying? What would you do?

It's my humble explanation to this malady that there are no flyers from the rifle or probably the load either. Stop and think for a moment about what may go wrong here? First of all a 7 inch flyer at 700 yards is still a 1 MOA group. The rifle shoots well, the ammo shoots well, what is t he last variable...the shooter. None of us are infallable, we all do minor things that can affect where the bullet's destination is going to be when the trigger breaks and the round goes off. Don't be too proud to say, "OOPS!" and quit trying to figure out why the rifle or ammo burped. Chances are that it was the shooter that burped. Quit trying to refine perfection in rifle and load that is 9 out of 10 times right there.

 

[Chas1]

Do you have a friend or an acquaintance who might be a better shooter than YOU? Let them try shooting a group with your rifle!

+1. That's how I eliminate similar instances and when the results are the same then and only then do I start messing around with equipment.

 

[tndeputy]

I think cheek weld and practice, I know I have to really watch this when i shoot at distance,and just a thought I don't shoot light weight rifles nearly as good as heavy ones which I have done most of my shooting with

 

[Julie]

I'm just going to be the devil's advocate here and, while all reaponses are good, it could come down to shooting technique. A repositioning of the stock on the rest, cheek pressure, how your rifle sets in your shoulder, really any difference can cause flyers at long yardage. I haven't been shooting long range long but I've seen guys shooting even at 100 yards shoot groups largee than the rifle was capable of due to poor shooting technique.

I appreciate the input, but I doubt that is the cause of the erratic groups. I have had no similar issues with the Remington, never had similar issues with my .300 Weatherby, 6.5 Creedmoor or any other rifle. It was just with the Ruger and not just with me shooting it. I even started doubting my handloads so I bought Federal Premium ammo and had the same results.

 

[Julie]

I think cheek weld and practice, I know I have to really watch this when i shoot at distance,and just a thought I don't shoot light weight rifles nearly as good as heavy ones which I have done most of my shooting with

Thanks for the response. This rifle was a Ruger M77V (heavy barrel). I have other rifles with sporter weight barrels and stocks that I shoot just fine.

 

[Julie]

Seven hundred yards is a long way off. Could the wind between you and the target have changed, causing the flyers?

 

[Julie]

I would have to throw the "firing pin spring" in for a possible solution. A weak pin can cause inconsistent ignition. Learned this on an F-class vlog. In the scenario where there is an unexplained flyer(s) in a string of fire, not necessarily the same number round within the string of rounds. He just started getting flyers.
A fellow shooter asked if he trusted his reloading. Yes- he did, friend said check your firing pin spring, he did and was noticeably shorter than a new one.
Spring replaced and no more flyers.

WOW! I never would have thought of that. I will keep that in mind for future reference. Thanks

 

[Riverguy]

Update, I'm going back to work on the river for 2 or 3 weeks. I have some ammo on order from fierce that i need to shoot to see how it does. We will have to wait till i get back home to shoot again.

The guy i shoot with is a very good shot and knows his stuff. We both shot the rifle several times, (5 shot groups) and had the same thing happen. My friend is fairly confident it is the barrel because he has had enough issues with some (not all) carbon fiber barrels.

I will update again after shooting the fierce ammo. Thanks for the input