Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Accuracy gone bad! What to do?

Here's the story on my old Swede .

Got it 25 years ago as a pristine ex military issue. Husqvarna. I had it sporterized ad put Fajen Aristocrat stock on it and a Pentax scope. It shot every weight and every powder well, but R19 and Nosler BTs shot clover leafs at 100yd. Outstanding accuracy, the best big game accuracy in my Arsenal of Democracy. Took it as the back up to RSA 3-4 times, went to Spain, all good.

Over the years, I've moved on to other rifles and load development as that one was perfected, but over the years, I found it not grouping well. I wrote it off as shooting other recipes, maybe my skills sucked that day, whatever. I started getting concerned over the last year or so when I'd take to the range, which was 2-3x year. It won't group. Maybe that old scope went bad? Maybe it didn't like the loads, maybe a loose stock screw?

Well, I put a Zeiss Conquest on it, checked all the screws, used the same loads I used with the other Swede that are lights out. Results suck! Shotgun patterns. 3"+ at 100 yd.

I wracked my brain trying to explain it and couldn't until I recalled an event many moons ago. Returned from RSA with that rifle and claimed it at Delta bagage claim at Hartsfield. It was in a plastic tuff case, and it was damaged. The damned thing was run over by the luggage transport, complete with the vivid tire tracks!!!

I was hot and went to customer service who looked at the rifle (which had no visible mars) and asked if it was damaged. He'd need to know the extent of the damage to file a claim which has a $200 max. I told I wouldn't know until I shot it, which wasn't going to be within a week. He told me I had 48 per law to file a claim. Not knowing if it was damaged, I couldn't.

As I remember, I don't think I've gotten a good group out of it since. I did buy a Kalispel aluminum 2 gun case after that!

I think the barrel is trashed, which is bitch because it shot so well. What would you do to the rifle next. New barrel? Rebed?

Barrel/bedding aka stock problem. barrel could be shot. Time for a doctor visit.

Last barrel I had go bad was a 270 Krieger. Accuracy gradually deteriorated.It happens.

Pull the barreled action, check the stock for cracks, check bedding, check scope mounts/bases, in that order. If after confirming that all is well there, I'd confirm that the barrel is not full of copper or constricted with a carbon ring at the throat, confirm that the load you're using is the exact same the rifle shot bugholes with (same lot numbers, too!), use a proven good scope (even new, high $$$ scopes can be bad right out the gate) and if none of that solves the problem, rebarrel. You might even know someone with a borescope so you can cut to the chase on some of that stuff.

Will do. I fear the barrel was bent when the luggage cart rolled over the case.

I have used 2 different scopes with the same results. Haven't pulled the action yet.

Good chance it is just badly copper fouled. I would give it a thorough cleaning with a copper cleaner that actually works well, like KG-12 or M Pro 7.

Use one of the above copper solvents, otherwise you are wasting your time and money,

First things first....

I've use David Tubbs Throat Maintenance Bullets on a few of rifles and each one shot remarkably better groups than they did before.
http://www.davidtubb.com/final-finish-bullet-kits/tms-264

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIvvTxVnx_g

That's a new product to me. (yeah, I know who Tubbs is) Thanks for the links.

If accuracy went south after getting run over,I'm thinking bent barrel or cracked stock/bedding.

Take it out of stock and carefully inspect inside and outside of stock under good light. Do the same with barrel.

Next clean the barrel like your life depends upon it. Reassemble and shoot. Bed the action and shoot. Put an aftermarket synthetic stock on it and try that too.

If none of that works a new barrel is the only thing left.

Jordan Smith pretty much nailed it..

Before you go tearing the thing apart for a full cavity search, clean it.

One problem most don't realize is that the solvent or "copper remover" they use actually isn't worth dick. Barnes, Sweets, Butchs, Hoppes, Shooters Choice, they all SUCK for removing copper. People think they are removing copper from rifling with such products and they are not. They are either barely working or not working at all.

Seen it many times. Accuracy goes bad in a supposedly clean barrel. Then I run one of above said copper removers through it(ones that actually work) and the "clean" bore is loaded with copper. Then accuracy "magically" returns.....

I agree that a fouled bore could be the culprit, but removing 2 action screws takes about as many seconds, and Husky's are notorious for cracking stocks, causing the exact problem the OP describes. I've been down that road before with Husqvarna's, and one particular rifle needed a thorough scrubbing, then later it needed a stock crack repair, and finally now it needs a new barrel. It's been around the block once or twice

Per suggestions, I spent the last evening scrubbing the bore and pulled the action and inspected the stock. It's a Fajen laminate, so pretty sturdy and all looks good. Barrel is free floated and I confirmed nothing binds.

Do you recall where on the rifle it was run over? Was it over the barrel or over the action? If it was over the action it is possible that the action got tweaked and your bedding is no longer doing its job. If it was over the barrel and the cleaning doesn't solve the problem (please let us know if it does), pull the barrel and set it up between centers and you should be able to determine if the barrel is bent.

The tire tracks were over the forearm area. It is a laminate, and they are strong. The barrel free floats so no extra pressure from a warped stock to factored in.

I'm going to try to take to the range this weekend and hope to give a good report.

Some folks here are pretty high on their bore cleaner. Has anyone done a test with Wipe Out than then looked with a scope and then the other stuff and looked with a bore scope?

It's possible that your bore grew copper in storage, but you don't strike me as the type that doesn't clean a bore before putting it up.

If that barrel got tweaked you're not going to see it with your naked eye. Hope it's a fouling issue but I'd be ready to put a new barrel on.



Travis

Yes. They all work eventually, but in my experience, and using a borescope, Wipe Out works faster, with less effort, and without risking any damage to the metal than anything else I have used.

JB Bore Paste works well, too, but most of my barrels have been treated with DBC so I can't use the JB Paste in them.

Range Report

The Swede is FUBAR!

Scrubbing the bore, removing and replacing the stock, changing scopes amounted to nothing. 3"groups from a rifle that once produced 1/2". Tried three different proven loads.

I gotta believe the barrel is kinked.

Re-barrel time.

I gotta agree.




Clark

How were/are your scope mounts/rings??? Did you check them or change them, before throwing a different scope on it?

New tube.

Rings and mounts are tight.

Bummer!

hatari;
Good morning to you sir, I'm sorry to read about your airline baggage mishap and the resulting issues with your rifle.

I'm surmising that the rifle is a small ring 96 action with a stepped military barrel?

If so, I will say that a couple years back I was able to find a military barrel in very good shape for $75 I believe I paid.

Now since the gunsmith was installing it on a 98 action there was a sleeve to be added to the barrel shank which of course wasn't free - but the result shoots very well.

Oh, I wanted the deep grooves and very fast twist that the original military barrels used as they seem to match up to the all copper bullets I've been using extremely well.

Anyway I hope you get your rifle sorted and shooting like it did before. Good luck and all the best to you this fall.

Dwayne

Maybe just worn out. The one Huqvarna .30-06 I had had a lot of rounds through it when I got it. Even so it regularly printed 1 1/2" groups. I put about a thousand rounds through it and when accuracy started to go it seemed like it went overnight. It rather quickly became a 3" rifle. I used copper remover until the barrel was spotless. I switched scope and mounts. Finally I glass bedded it. Nothing helped.

Dwayne,
Right you are about the m96 with the stepped barrel. ?there are some carbine military barrels floating around. I may grab one of them.

Was the POI off when you first shot it after the incident? If the barrel is bent (even a little) it would print noticeably off the original POI. If that didn't happen, the barrel isn't bent and the most likely culprit for damage would be (as others have proposed) a change in the bedding. I would try having it re-bedded first. It could be that the barrel just went away. But if the barrel was a real good one, try everything else first before re-barrelling to make sure that it is the barrel that was damaged or just wore out.

I agree, I don't see a "1/2 moa" rifle going bad over night. Especially to the tune of 3+ inch groups. Something else besides the barrel went awry. I'd check bedding or even re-do it if suspect, check freefloat on the barrel, look the stock over with a fine tooth comb. Change the scope mounts and rings or at a minimum, check to make sure they were not damaged somehow. Maybe a broken base or ring screw etc. A good shooting rifle is all about proper mechanics. I believe Jordan smith gave a good list of things to check. I'd be checking everything before replacing the barrel. JMHO...