Don't no how much it helps but I shot Winchester long range hunters I believe is the name they use 165gr accubonds in my xbolt they shot just a bit over 1in groups at 200
6.8 Western Accuracy Expectations Unrealistic?
- Thread starter HuskerHunterFisher
- Start date
Reviving this slightly older thread for anyone looking for more info on the 6.8.
To the OP, how did your rifle like the choice ammo?
I have one in a xbolt Mtn Pro with talley lightweights that had to be lapped, i’ve had some talleys that were kinda bad before but these were by far the worst. Once at the range it shot the factory 165 ablr’s in a vertical string but all about 1/4 inch apart, the 162 copper impacts were worse at about 2” moa but all the same elevation..all shots were at 100 yds. After that session I checked the bedding (all good there) and retorqued the action screws to 45 in lbs ( top screw was around 35 in lbs and the bottom was maybe 25 in lbs from the factory). next session the 165’s grouped at about 3/4” in a nice close to horizontal line and 162’s around 1 moa. Picked up a couple boxes of Choice ammo (150gr ab’s and 155 lrx) the 150’s all touch at 100 yds and 155’s are a consistent 1/2-3/4 moa. I don’t handload and I have always had great luck with Choice Ammo. Might be worth it to put a little more torque on your action screws. I also have a 6.5cm in a mtn pro and it shoots the best at 40 inch lbs..that is a 3 shots in 1 hole rifle with 130gr terminal ascents.
To the OP, how did your rifle like the choice ammo?
I have one in a xbolt Mtn Pro with talley lightweights that had to be lapped, i’ve had some talleys that were kinda bad before but these were by far the worst. Once at the range it shot the factory 165 ablr’s in a vertical string but all about 1/4 inch apart, the 162 copper impacts were worse at about 2” moa but all the same elevation..all shots were at 100 yds. After that session I checked the bedding (all good there) and retorqued the action screws to 45 in lbs ( top screw was around 35 in lbs and the bottom was maybe 25 in lbs from the factory). next session the 165’s grouped at about 3/4” in a nice close to horizontal line and 162’s around 1 moa. Picked up a couple boxes of Choice ammo (150gr ab’s and 155 lrx) the 150’s all touch at 100 yds and 155’s are a consistent 1/2-3/4 moa. I don’t handload and I have always had great luck with Choice Ammo. Might be worth it to put a little more torque on your action screws. I also have a 6.5cm in a mtn pro and it shoots the best at 40 inch lbs..that is a 3 shots in 1 hole rifle with 130gr terminal ascents.
HuskerHunterFisher
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I ordered the 165 gr Accubond LR from Choice. The rifle likes them okay, my best groups are right at 1 MOA but typical groups are around 1.15-1.25 inches at 100 yards. It worked well enough for me to shoot two antelope a couple weeks ago in Wyoming, but I'm still going to off-load the set up after hunting season. Planning on building a 6.8 with a friend of mine who builds and shoots PRS matches.
I don’t blame ya there..love the caliber and I think for the most part it’s very accurate. One other thing to note is the browning triggers aren’t that great..crisp but heavy. I installed mccarbo trigger springs and brought all 4 of my x bolts from 3.5-4lbs down to 2.5ish lbs and they all shoot better from it.
HuskerHunterFisher
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I didn't know a guy could even replace just the springs...I did buy a timney trigger and put that it since the factory trigger wouldn't adjust lower than 3.75 pounds of pull. The trigger job helped as much as anything on it.
I also love the caliber and the short action. I'm not giving up on it, but definitely disappointed with all the time and effort spent trying to make a $1000 rifle shoot worth a damn.
I’ve revived alot of rifles that “didn’t shoot” with either a new trigger or a lighter spring. I’ve done a lot of r&d on trigger pulls, rarely does a rifle with over a 3.5 lb trigger pull shoot great, under 2 lbs kinda scares me for a hunting rifle and 2.5-3 lbs is the ticket.
Wind Gypsy
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I'm not aware of any situation where trigger pull weight impacts mechanical accuracy of a rifle but certainly less pull weight helps shooters break triggers with less disruption of the POA.
I cheat it like everyone else and like a lighter pull weight. In an ideal world we'd become better rifleman and shoot 3-4# triggers just as well.
My solo xbolt rifle does have the aftermarket trigger spring to bring the pull weight down.
I cheat it like everyone else and like a lighter pull weight. In an ideal world we'd become better rifleman and shoot 3-4# triggers just as well.
My solo xbolt rifle does have the aftermarket trigger spring to bring the pull weight down.
Mtnhunter1
Well-known member
Question for you all that are shooting factory 6.8 Western ammo. Have any of you ran a chrono while shooting the factory ammo?
Just curious as I have been reloading for three different X-bolt rifles in 6.8 Western. I have zero experience with the available factory loads.
Just curious as I have been reloading for three different X-bolt rifles in 6.8 Western. I have zero experience with the available factory loads.
Does it have a muzzle break? I have an xbolt pro that would never shoot better than 2 MOA. Did everything I could think of... check screw torque, different scope, bunch of different factory and handload ammo combinations and always shot 2-3 MOA no matter what. One day I took the muzzle break off and was astonished to see it print a .5 moa group. Has shot .5 to 1 MOA ever since I took the break off.
I am shooting a Seekins and my buddy has an X-Bolt that we are both shooting Choice ammunition. We’ve been shooting the Accubonds, Barns LRX, and Winchester 170 grain Power Points. We’ve Chronographed those three as have both experienced velocities that match or exceed. We’ve had good accuracies out of the Choice, but the Power Points has too many throwers for my liking. I didn’t Chronograph Winchester Silvertips, but they shot terrific out of both our rifles.
bluegrassdan
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So the first couple of things I would check if you brought it to the shop would be:
1. Muzzle brake- is it on tight?
2. Are the action screws torqued evenly and at the right amount of torque- on Remington style actions this is usually somewhere in the 55-65inlbs range. If it does not group, back them all the way off, tighten to 50inlbs and shoot it, then tighten them to 55inlbs and shoot it and so on until you get to 65-70inlbs. Somewhere in that range you should see the groups tighten up, then open back up when you go too tight. Back them all the way off, then tighten back to the torque that gave the smallest round groups with the least vertical stringing.
3. Is the action sitting in the stock without binding? Take it out of the stock and look for shiny spots, sand or Dremel those away until it does not touch and re fire. If it shoots well after that- then skim bed the action into the stock. You want the action to sit flat and not have side pressure anywhere on the action.
4. Are the scope bases on tight and straight, same for the rings (cheap rings often have non square dovetails where they sit on the bases and this can cause them to move during recoil.).
5. Is the trigger at a good weight (2-3lbs max) and consistent from pull to pull.
If at that point, you still cant get decent groups, and the ammo is match quality, then I would say maybe that's just the best that barrel can do, either live with it or sell it. Light hunting rifles can be a royal PIA to get to shoot as well as a 25lb PRS rifle or F class rifle with a heavy barrel. But, that is usually due to the guy behind the trigger not taking that into consideration if everything else is good to go.
1. Muzzle brake- is it on tight?
2. Are the action screws torqued evenly and at the right amount of torque- on Remington style actions this is usually somewhere in the 55-65inlbs range. If it does not group, back them all the way off, tighten to 50inlbs and shoot it, then tighten them to 55inlbs and shoot it and so on until you get to 65-70inlbs. Somewhere in that range you should see the groups tighten up, then open back up when you go too tight. Back them all the way off, then tighten back to the torque that gave the smallest round groups with the least vertical stringing.
3. Is the action sitting in the stock without binding? Take it out of the stock and look for shiny spots, sand or Dremel those away until it does not touch and re fire. If it shoots well after that- then skim bed the action into the stock. You want the action to sit flat and not have side pressure anywhere on the action.
4. Are the scope bases on tight and straight, same for the rings (cheap rings often have non square dovetails where they sit on the bases and this can cause them to move during recoil.).
5. Is the trigger at a good weight (2-3lbs max) and consistent from pull to pull.
If at that point, you still cant get decent groups, and the ammo is match quality, then I would say maybe that's just the best that barrel can do, either live with it or sell it. Light hunting rifles can be a royal PIA to get to shoot as well as a 25lb PRS rifle or F class rifle with a heavy barrel. But, that is usually due to the guy behind the trigger not taking that into consideration if everything else is good to go.
shb
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WapitiBob
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If my rifle shot 4" groups at 400 every time I shot it, I wouldn't care one but what it shot at 100. The groups won't be bigger than 4" and will kill anything but maybe a chipmunk at that distance. Go shoot at 600 and 800 and see what it does.
AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!!!!
shannerdrake
Well-known member
I love a revived thread.
I have no patience for and give no time to rifles that don’t shoot and shotguns that don’t cycle.
I will give a rifle a “chance” to shoot three or so different types of factory ammo and if it won’t do it with that then I’m done. The bullet matters too much (unless target shooting only) to sacrifice what I want/need trying to make a rifle shoot. I’ve played around with 3 Black Friday $250 (including scope) Savage specials that would shoot sub MOA so I’m not going to suffer a $1000+ rifle not doing it.
Thad all being said, we need to be honest with ourselves the practical difference between 1 and 1.5 MOA really doesn’t matter for hunting. So if it shoots well enough to do what you need it to do and you “like” it. Then like one poster said….avoid the wormhole.
I have no patience for and give no time to rifles that don’t shoot and shotguns that don’t cycle.
I will give a rifle a “chance” to shoot three or so different types of factory ammo and if it won’t do it with that then I’m done. The bullet matters too much (unless target shooting only) to sacrifice what I want/need trying to make a rifle shoot. I’ve played around with 3 Black Friday $250 (including scope) Savage specials that would shoot sub MOA so I’m not going to suffer a $1000+ rifle not doing it.
Thad all being said, we need to be honest with ourselves the practical difference between 1 and 1.5 MOA really doesn’t matter for hunting. So if it shoots well enough to do what you need it to do and you “like” it. Then like one poster said….avoid the wormhole.
But you must have internet worthy accuracy. mtmuley
