Thanks for the replies thus far fellas .
I would say that the bedding isn't a issue as the barrelled action sits in a McSwirley and the barrel is free floated.
The crappy two stage trigger could be a candidate for replacement ...... I will see how the hand-loaded Sierra 120's / TSX 120 's pan out and go from there..
Its a stalking rifle as such and the first shot which counts - but its nice to be able to put three shots into under 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Without the scope it comes in at 2.99 kgs - so with the Burris Fullfield II on top you are looking at around 3.5 kgs max.
Gus
You haven't said what "the real bastard" is. Groups, recoil, repeatability for first shot-cold barrel, or what?
Given the dirth of info, non-the-less here is what I recommend at this stage. Glass-bed the recoil lug for perfect fit, and the action area, making sure the action sits absolutely flat in the stock. If either front or rear screw has more than a half turn between coming snug and tight, it's not flat, and is torquing the receiver. A quarter turn or less is better.
Adjust that trigger if possible to 2.5 to 3 lbs, crisp, no creep. Or replace it with one that will. Personally I'd lose the two stage for jump-shooting/"still -hunting"/ "snap shooting". I'm not sure what you mean by "stalking rifle", but if it's a situation where one is stalking an animal, then taking a rest, the 2 stage would work fine for me, adjusted to no more than 3 .5 lbs second stage.
On the bench, double your hearing protection and shoulder padding. Much of perceived recoil (leading to flinching) is noise and muzzle-jump.. more noticeable on the bench than when firing at game. Leads to habitual flinching in either bench or hunt situation. You may have a case - can check it by having a friend hand you the rifle without you knowing if it is hot or not, and having him observe you firing the unknown. Can happen to anyone.
Mag-Na-Porting or a muzzle-break will reduce muzzle-jump, more so in heavier calibers than in light. Also increases noise-levels, however. Hence the doubled ear protection on the bench. I use it on the bench no matter what I'm shooting. Makes a noticable difference in my comfort levels, and groups.
If the issue is rifle caused group size, experiment with different factory loads first., then try hand-loads if possible. Neck-sized only, or neck-sized with very slightly bumped back shoulders usually show a significant reduction in group size in my experience. I once had a factory standard rifle that shot 5 inch groups with factory ammo, and sub-MOA with neck-sized only hand -loads.
Obviously the chamber was at least partly to blame, cuz the handloads were straight out of Speer#8, and nothing special.
Also, this .25-06 ALWAYS threw the first round from a clean, cold barrel 4 inches high and left. I never hunted with a clean barrel... I'm adaptable, and I sure wish I still owned that rifle...
I am using for open-tundra caribou a Rem 725 rebarreled to .260 with a 700TI light barrel, glass bedded, free-floated, factory trigger adjusted to about 3 lbs. Also a Mauser 98 with heavy 27 inch bbl in '06, 2.5 lb Timney trigger pull weight. Both will shoot +/- 2 inch groups, factory ammo at 300 yards, but it's way harder with the lightweight....
