I gave up a long while back on a 1957 model 70 in 270. I’m a Nosler guy from head to toe. It’s my go to bullet. I picked this rifle up from my lgs and saw it was pillar bedded correctly, floated just fine. I loaded up H4831 SC and 140 grain ballistic tips , yawned, and went to the range to see if she was going to give me half inch groups or three quarter inch groups like my other pre 64’s.
I got 2 1/2” groups, with two shots here @ 1/2” and two shots @ 1/2”, 2 1/2” apart. Two years of experimenting with different powders, rebedding 3x, three scopes. Nothing changed. She was trying to tell me she hated Noslers and I was too stubborn to listen.
I had a box of TTSX’s laying there and just for kicks, before I sent her down the road, I sat em on top of 58.5 gr of H-4831sc. You know what’s next in this story I know…
Quarter inch groups.
I also had a custom 700 300 RUM rebarreled to 300 Win mag as I was tired of getting beat up at the range. The KDF muzzle brake had zero effect on recoil. It was fierce. New Bartlein barrel installed. Broke it in and wondered which Nosler it wanted. 165 grain or 180’s? Neither. Two inch groups out of a new benchrest barrel. After it was apparent this rifle too didn’t like Noslers I tried TTSXs and she liked them too. But she absolutely loves Sierra Gamechanger @ 165 grain. Bugholes.
If a rifle doesn’t like your choice of bullet I immediately think “scope”. If the scope proves ok, I look at bullets, assuming the bedding is ok.
