Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Strange 7x57 groups.

This rifle has been a bit fussy with powders. Will not shoot anything with 760 or IMR4350. Have had some good results with Seafire's 3031 loads and 160gr NPs so will pursue that some more.

Shot these 4 shot groups this morning in my 257Rigby (7x57). Two distinctive groups at each set. Other loads have not shown this pattern.

Question?? ....... What would you suggest to improve these promising loads.

It just might be a scope problem. If that were my rifle, I'd switch scopes first to eliminate that as the problem. Naturally all the bedding and scope screws should be checked before removing the barreled action from the stock to check for problems there. I've had scope do just what your rifle is doing which is why I suspect that as the cause.
Paul B.

SC:

Do they bounce back and forth, or is it two or three close, then two or three close only a couple inches apart?

RM

If your scope screws are tight and everything is solid with the scope, it would look like a bedding issue to me...

Bob

I don't think it's a scope issue or bedding as it's not a problem with other loads. Will swap out to another scope to be sure.

It has done it a bit in other loads once in a while but not a pronounced as that. This rifle has been a bit of a trial for loads. Maybe another scope is a good idea;

I just hate it when a rifle does this crap because it can be caused by a single issue or a combination of causes. The only thing to do is to start the process of elimination. I'd start with the scope. Then bedding. Next, I'd make sure my ammo was straight. Please don't take offense, but I'd take a look at my bench technique too.

- I'm going to swap out the scope tonight.
- Bbl is free floated. Might slip a card under the forend tip and see what happens.
- Ammo was sized with collet dies and seated with Forster BR die.Seated 0.020" off the lands.
- No offence taken. Everything needs to be considered. Forend supported with Caldwell rest. Rear sand bag.

Seating depth, mounts/rings and scope.

I've been working with a 7x57 that seemed to really not like some (none) of the power / bullet combos I'd been trying, including IMR4350, Ramshot Hunter, and IMR4451. I finally got some good groups with 150gr NPT and RL17. Might be worth a try for you as you search for the right combo.

I'm going to check seating depth in the morning at the range. I don't think it's the scope as it does't group like that with other loads, but never say never.

Send it back to the guy you gave $10,000 to for it. Seriously. Or, get rid of that bullet and use the 140gr TSX/TTSX and RL 16. You likely have one heck of a sloppy chamber, with a gaping throat.

Switch powder & bullets. We are getting superb accuracy with 139gr Hornady GMX & BTSP, powder is RL19.

I’m with Sakohunter, 140 grain bullets and R19. The 139 gr. Hornady and 140 gr. Partitions are a couple of my favorites. When I get two groups like that it is generally from seating too close to the lands. I back Partitions off at least .050.

I too would first go to scope or mounting issues.

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I have some 120gr TTSX here that will be next if it doesn't get sorted out. As for the chamber, it was cut with a brand new match reamer with shorter throat.



Thanks, that is exactly what I am doing tomorrow.

Yes,

If everything is tight it's time to start playing with seating depth, specifically seating the bullet deeper.

Did the smithy do any testing before sending it to you?

It looks to me like No 4 might have been wanting to come together. I had something similar happen with one of my rifles, and a little more coal on the fire tightened it up nicely. Granted, that was with a 175-gr RN, but the initial pattern was similar. I'm curious to see how this is resolved for you. I've seen this very same pattern several times before.

Hey Dave .... Yes he did do some shooting with some PRVI factory loads and some 160gr Speers. He was satisfied with the Speers but reported the PRVIs didn't shoot well.

I did get a deer load with 120gr BTs & Varget but want to use these 160s at short notice for a moose hunt.