Model 700 BDL. 243, sporter barrel. 5 shot group at 100yds. 3 shots touching and 2 shots touching 2in apart. Sound like a possible bedding issue? Rifle was shooting way better than this a year ago with the same load.

Nothing changed and now the bedding is bad? Maybe try shooting some more.

Maybe the scope moved

Is it glass bedded or just as it left the factory?

maybe it's the 100grNP's.....

What kind of scope and mounts? Is everything loctited? Front base screw not too long? Good quality mounts and rings?

The barrel was free floated by the previous owner. It's not glass bedded. It's kinda strange. It used to shoot really good. Now not so much. I've tried every different screw torque poundage, cleaned the bore, not cleaned the bore, shot a lb of powder trying various different loads. It just won't put 5 shots in a decent group. It may be just the excuse I've been looking for to rebarrel in 260 and buy that hs precision I've always wanted.

A barrel doesn't go bad overnight. You switch barrels and you are still going to have problems. Why not fix them, instead of throw money at it with something that's not going to fix it?

It's a luepold VX3I 4.5x14 sitting in luepold 2 piece base and rings. No loctite but freshly tourqed to spec.

If you are using standard windage adjustable mounts, start by tossing them in the trashcan. Buy some dual dovetails, if you like leupold mounts. ALWAYS use blue loctite on the base screws. The scope, well you takes your chances with that one.

Check your action screws and base/ring screws to ensure everything is properly snugged up. Then take 16Bore’s advise and try shooting some more. Also, be conscious of your rifle’s position before touching off to ensure your horizontal hair is, in fact, horizontal. A slightly tilted hold can mess up your groups in a hurry. Another thing to try is to let your barrel cool for about 5 minutes between shots.
Hope this helps.

Do you have another scope you could switch to eliminate that variable also?
After that it could be shooter error. What is your current bench setup? Lead sled? Bipod/rear bag? Have you had anyone else try to shoot the rifle and see how it groups for them?

Just shoot a 3 shot group.

Well I just removed the luepold scope, rings and bases. Installed a different set of luepold rings and bases these just happen to be dual dovetail. Mounted a spare Nikon on it. Same exact thing 3 shots almost in the same hole and 2 shots in the same hole 2in away. I believe I have ruled out the following. Screw torque, scope issues, copper fouling and the barrel is still free floating all the way like it's always been. The only thing lingering in the back of my mind is about a year ago I necked down about 100 RP 308 cases to 243 with one pass through a die. Cases came out pretty short "can't remember how short" but I shot and loaded them anyway until they wore out which wasn't long. Could those short cases have left a ring inside my chamber like a 22 short will do in a long rifle chamber. Looking back that's about the time this whole thing went to hell in a hand basket.

2" up could be a hot barrel.

Boom!

9 times out of 10 it'll put 2 through the same hole and 1, 2in away with a 3 shot group. Same results just less shots. And there's no rhyme or reason when the flyers gonna come. It could be any shot in the sequence. With the low recoiling 243 I can almost see the flyers hit the paper through the scope. Very frustrating.

What is the sequence of the shots? Does it shoot 3 then move for the other 2 or does it shoot 1 shot to point A then next shot to point B then back to point A in other words alternate 2 different groups. Also did you torque everything with a torque wrench?

If it is in a wood stock, I would suspect bedding since it seems the scope/mount system has been replaced. Bed it, it's easy and kind of fun.

With a 5 shot group it seems like it'll start out great. 2shots touching. Then maybe throws the 3rd and 5th shots. I have a torque wrench and have tried 35,40 and 45lbs on the action screws.

Not getting the front stud in the front bag from time to time are you?

It's is still plenty accurate for normal deer hunting I know but this rifles main purpose is banging 6in x 6in steel plate at 4-500 yds. It was a pretty darn consistent 3/4 inch rifle a year ago. Hell it was what an older 700 was supposed to be. Pretty much anything you fed it went an inch or better. Beautiful little cloverleafs.

I'll pay attention to that next time.

When it was shooting 3/4” was that with the necked down 308 brass or was that 243 brass? Necking down from 308 to 243 in a single pass is IMO way to much. Probably created a donut in the neck/shoulder junction. Also neck thickness can be much thicker also. Did you redevelop a load or just load your previous charges?

As a member of the group, I have no explanation..

g