Is it Me or the Rifle?

[Tikka]

With all the suggestions you are getting, you could be broke before you even try half of them BGbasbhat, but I will add that I have become a real believer in Hammer bullets, esepcially for accuracy and performance. They do not carry the eye popping BC of some, but I have them shooting lights out accurate in all my hunting rigs and they flat out perform on game.
I've found that with all copper mono bullets (like Hammer/Barnes) you can drop the weight of the bullet with more velocity, and still get great terminal performance, even on bigger animals. I've gone to the 160g Hammer Hunter in my 300WSM and I would not hesitate at all to use it on elk. If you lived close by, I'd even give you some to try.

X2 I love hammers…

 

[BGbasbhat]

Thanks all, sorry for the delay, June was a bit crazy for me with work/family/etc.
When it's not 114 out here, i'm planning on getting back out...

 

[LorenzJohnPaul5]

I’m sure someone has already stated this, but here goes:

1. Pull action from stock-check bedding and make sure all is good
2. Put together and retorque the gun per specs
3. Check trigger-maybe have gunsmith look it over and set it at 3 lbs if possible. (Trigger needs to be crisp and consistent)
4. Buy different lots of ammo-I know this sounds crazy-federal blue box, Winchester white box, Remington corelocs..and any other type of ammo you prefer. (Choosing 180 gr to keep consistent)

Why the cheap ammo? I dunno, but I have had decent results with them. If you find a brand that gives decent results, then buy the expensive (upper scale) if that ammo type and see what it does. (My gun likes the federal blue box and loves the higher end federal ammo)

I use a lead sled (without using sand bags on the lead sled-I let the gun bounce me a bit but it’s solid enough to be consistent)

Goto 50 yards and shoot 3 shot groups with the ammo. (You’ll get results within 6 rounds)

Shooting 50 seems to give a certain amount of confidence in your ability and the ammo. (You should shoot tight or even clover leaf groups at this range)

Pick best grouping ammo and move to 100 and see what happens.

Keep it consistent with you approach to shooting.

Good luck.

 

[RELH]

As stated above, Federal factory ammo is great for consistent tight groups in most rifles. When I was building up rifles using Shilen match barrels, I got the best results in many calibers with Federal ammo using the Sierra bullet. In the magnum calibers Federal Partitions even gave groups of one inch or better at 100 yards.
RELH

 

[BGbasbhat]

Thanks John Paul, yep done all steps 1-3 (a couple times) and put through anything from reloads to Fed Premium to Fed Blue to Core Lokts, Hornady, match grade, premium hunting, 150gr to 210gr, pretty much every factory box under $85. Can never get the consistency I want out of 3-5 shot groups...always a flyer or two so it kills my confidence in my shooting and setup.

 

[LorenzJohnPaul5]

Call “unknown munitions” out of Idaho. Tell them your story.

They may suggest some things for your gun or just suggest ammo choices.

They make great custom ammo (spendy-but you have already spend $$ and time so?) and can tailor for your gun.

It may be $100-200 for their ammo, but you’ll get good advice and suggestions for success.

 

[RELH]

If your flyers are shot #4 & #5, do not worry about it. By the time you get 3 shots off at a animal and you missed, that animal will be in the next county fleeing from you.
I always tested using 3 shot groups and wanting under one inch with factory ammo since most hunters are not reloaders.
When I tested with Federal factory ammo, I found it was not that easy to use my reloads and beat the factory ammo. I had to work at it with most rifles, but every now and then I would luck out and get 1/2-3/4 inch groups with the first tested reloads.
I got my best results on my reloads with Sierra bullets, but this was 25 years ago and there is now many more great bullets on the market today.
RELH

 

[BGbasbhat]

Thanks RELH, it's never the 1st shot (I guess is a good thing), but rather shot #2 or #3 that is out of grouping, and lends to my questioning my setup or my shooting. I usually shoot 3 shot groups to try and keep the barrel cool, but noting the first post's pictures, there is always a flyer that takes my good group of 3/4" out to 1.5", and is driving me nuts!

 

[Cahunter805]

I’d pull that scope off and at least send it to leupold for them to inspect.
With the scope off I’d check out your scope mounts. What brand are you using?
A very common problem with many rifles is the furthest forward scope base screw being to long and it bottoms out on the barrel threads before actually tightening the base.

 

[BGbasbhat]

Thanks CA, yeah summer is a good time to check things over. I've torqued and retorqued the rings with the scope off, but don't think i've checked the depth of that first screw for contact. Further, may also be able to put on another scope to test things also.

 

[Cahunter805]

Thanks CA, yeah summer is a good time to check things over. I've torqued and retorqued the rings with the scope off, but don't think i've checked the depth of that first screw for contact. Further, may also be able to put on another scope to test things also.

It will still torque down and the screw smashes into the barrel threads. Easiest way to check is remove all the screws and check the front screw to see if it’s contacting the threads. Then reinstall just the front screw and wiggle the base to check for play also.

 

[BigPig]

3 shot groups are telling you virtually nothing. They just aren’t statistically significant and leave too much to chance. 10-20 shot groups actually start to give you useful info. What you are calling a flyer might just be one shot on the outer edge of the rifle’s natural cone. Shoot more and you’ll learn more.