Gun is inherited and very special, as such load development started. Walnut stock OEM.

I've been having really bad groups hand loads with IMR-4350, 4064 and 4320. Bullets Nosler 150 BTH, Hornady 139 SP Int and all four of the Hornady 162's. Barrel is 1:9.5 twist and 22". Going to try Varget next I guess. Still could be a hardware issue. Plan on ripping it apart to see what's going on. Also switch to a one piece scope mount/ring or extended tactical base. Scope is a Vortex tactical 1" 4-12X40 I believe which also could be bad. Anyway had trouble getting on paper at 100 yards, went to 50 yards and get 2"- 4+" groups. It has a short box so I lightly Lee Factory crimp at the cannelur. Still didn't mater when I worked on the jump either. Hornady brass and Win.

Ideas on a load, maybe I'm in the wrong realm to start with. Thanks!

Scope or mounting issue. Yank it all. Start over...

4" groups at 50 yards ain't right. I would make sure everything is tight, bore is clean, and ammunition is concentric.

Does the wood stock patriot use the plastic bedding block like the synthetic ones do?

If so that would be the first thing to check, even before the scope.. they’re garbage.

Pick a bullet:

120 BT
140 AB or Partition
150 Eldx




P

How does it shoot with factory ammo?

EDIT: I bought a Patriot in 6.5 Creedmoor for one of my son's friends to use on his first deer hunt. I didn't expect much, but was pleasantly surprised how well in shoots the 125 grain Winchester/Olin Deer Season XP and the 129 grain Hornady American Whitetail factory ammo.

I’d try RL 15 or Big Game with 120 or 140 gr. Ballistic Tips. And a scope that you know is good.

Hot load, as in slowly working up to a bit over max, of H414 and a 140 grain ballistic tip. Hotter I went tighter groups got in my Remington Model 7.

Then add Big Game powder...

DF

Kinda. I thought the OP would respond.



P

44gr of Varget with 120bt for me out of my model 7

My recommendation is 43.0 grains of WW-748 with a 139 grain Hornady spire point. That's a load from Ken Waters' Pet Loads I've been using since 1991 in six different 7mm-08s. Other bullets in the 139-140 grain range will work, too.

Reloder 17 and 140gn Nosler Accubond works OK in my Rem 700 7mm/08. Other bullets like the 145gn Speer Grand Slam grouped around 5 - 6"@100m

Well. I am going to add my 2 cents. Don't go chasing rainbows with different powders and bullets just yet. Save that step for the fine tune.

Pull the damn scope, check mounts and REPLACE with a known scope.

Just saw that OP posted 7/31...........................

I agree. It would be very difficult to find a bolt action to spray at 50 yards. I would change the scope.

Um, my apologies to the OP !

& I do fully recognize your sentimental attachment to this firearm.

There has been some solid advice given here, but why are we discussing accuracy issues of a low end / budget rifle, in the "Long Range Hunting Forum" ?

Not meaning to be a dick, but surely the hunting rifle forum would have been more appropriate.

i have got the best groups with H414 powder in all 4 of my 7mm-08`s. i build the first 7mm-08 before anyone ever manufactured rifles or ammo.good luck with yours its a great cartridge,Pete53

as has been posted that scope might be the problem ?

Budget rifles dont shoot well? Hmmm, I’ll tell mine it cant really shoot as well as it does

Do this first^^^^^! And if the barrel is free floated on these rifles check it and make sure it clear

Also make sure your bolts holding the action and stock together are tight

Its not the load.....

Got pics of those groups?

They may have clues.
Are your groups round or linear? One group, or two separate
clusters? Two grouping is an easy diagnosis of thing moving. 3 shots aren't going to show much. You need 6 or eight for this to show patterns.

A flat based Sierra or maybe Hornady is what i would try if
you want to see if the thing will shoot. If they won't work,
likely nothing will.


Let's see pics.

In my 7-08, one of the most accurate loads is the 140 SGK HPBT over 42.5 Varget. That bullet seems a bit more expansive than NBT's. I use it to chest shoot WT's and it puts'em down with authority, good exits, internal damage is impressive. I didn't get a chance to chrono, guessing around 2,800 or so from a 23" barrel.

DF

I am not sure but a guy sounding like Hydrashocker traded off his 7-08 at the local LGS I frequent. After badmouthing the hell out of it, they took it on trade for a Savage Axis, a small box of condoms, two used N95 masks, some rubber dogshit made in China and he had to pay them $250 for boot. They told him to come back soon. MB

FORGET load development until you have a mechanical baseline for accuracy.

Buy 2 boxes of Federal blue box 140gr ammo, pull the scope and replace with something that you know works, then try a 5-shot group.

Actually, when you're replacing the scope, check and tighten ALL of the screws.

After that, if you still have accuracy problems with factory ammo, look at bedding.

Pretty certain Mossberg Patriots can't be bedded. They have a plastic insert for the magazine to snap into that rests against the underside of the action and is sandwiched in place by the stock. Not much of a way to do any bedding on these that I can figure out.

You either need a new family, or a new dictionary.

second on the R17

What about bedding the 2 inch area in front of the recoil lug? All I ever fid anyway and always improved accuracy.