Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Two shot groups?

I'd definitely say you have run the gamut. So much for my $0.02 of suggestion.

Beyond the bullets, I'd say your plan to have a master gunsmith inspect at some point is probably sound...or learn to live with the way it shoots and continue killing game.

It’s not a varmint rifle. Sight in for the 2 shots and quit worrying about it

Rule of thumb in the 2 in, 1 out seat bullet further out. I would seat that 101 lrx out in .005 increments. I almost guarantee you, you will bring that 3rd bullet in with the other two. How far off the lands are you with that 101 lrx?

So you seat closer to the rifling when you have two close and one out some?

Both my 257 Roberts, this custom and a Kimber 84M Montana were at the range 3 days this past 4 day weekend. I ran a COAL test and a primer test. It liked the final .050" off the lands and Fed 210 primers. ES was 8 and SD was 4. First two shots were .13" with the 3rd opening the group to 1.3". The best this rifle has done with the bullet/powder combination. Next will be a verification test where I will go add one shot at a time to a single group, either an hour apart or days apart; thus the barrel will be absolutely cold before the next shot.

Alan

Was the batch loaded 0.050" off the lands the furthest jump you tested?

If so, it may be worth testing increases in jump. Several accounts here that cite best accuracy as much as 0.100" of jump.

As long as I have been hanging around here, I always remember everyone saying to seat deeper when you are getting "2 in, 1 out" groups.

Everyone else always followed that up with "what does a 5 shot group look like?"

I tested 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 off the lands. Could have gone further but the groups were getting progressively worse.

Alan

I'd say you covered all bases!

I do this stuff professionally.....for a living.

Alan

Alan

Just curious. Have you tested closer to the lands? Say .010 off or even .020? I know general rule with a mono is far off the lands but I’ve had good results closer. Especially with a sleeker profile mono like an LRX.

Beautiful rifles gentlemen !!

RGRX what caliber?

I have in other calibers with other bullets and have found, personally, it's never worked.....so far!

Alan

Free float the entire barrel back to the receiver. The barrel is touching somewhere so as it heats up the stock puts pressure on the barrel. Look at the forearm the opposite direction from the bullet shift……
To test: fire three shots. Wait at least five minutes between shots. See if the third shot still moves. If it doesn’t, then it’s the barrel channel.

I will give it a try.

I wait 3 days and 5 hours between each shot. That way the barrel is nice and cold.

I would not open the barrel channel on that beautiful stock. Instead, I would keep working on loads. I have a custom .257 Robert's with tight bedding like yours that shoots extremely well with several different loads. If nothing else works, I would think about a second, synthetic stock.

All I know if spent a bunch of coin on a rifle and it shot like chit I take that barrel shove it up whoever built its ass.

I do especially with rifles with a bunch of freebore. My model 70 in a 375 H&H is one. I have buddies who will increase the powder charge to tighten up the group. The 6.5 Swede I have is another with a ton of freebore. I’m probably doing it wrong but it’s worked for me so far.

"Tight" bedding is fine, when done right. His rifle is exhibiting signs of a stressed barrel or action. As john boy was alluding to in his post. Also, for those of you that don't know this, the op is a competitive shooter (from what I remember) and also works for the Barnes bullet company. So the inaccuracy may be bothering him more than he is letting on. We all know this rifle is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The builder of this rifle may not be with us anymore, hence the reason he is not sending it back to him??? If it were mine, I'd be a little apprehensive to send it off to just anyone. Maybe a select few, but that is it. I wouldn't even want to work on it myself and that would be a first.. A rifle that beautiful deserves to be done right. As I said in my first post, a custom like that should shoot very well. The op probably wouldn't have posted the question, had he not felt it should shoot better. Also, from my experience, a rifle that shoots that poorly, is going to be a real headache. Regardless of what other loads you try. I'm also thinking if Alan hasn't rung it out by now, it likely is not going to ever shoot to its full potential because something is stressed and causing the inaccuracy.. Best of luck to GSSP.