Looking at buying a new rifle... Custom? Semi-Custom?

[MinnesotaHunter]

I wouldn't discount the idea of a burr on your crown either. Do you tap your turrets well after adjustment to ensure the erector tube followed? It could explain the seeming one shot delay in the adjustments taking.

This could definately be a scope issue, worth checking on your AR.

If you do end up looking at the semi custom, I am with Buzz in that the 700 is a great and high value platform to start on. I bought a barrelled action and then put the rest together myself. It was a great way to do it for me.

 

[noharleyyet]

My custom has a 700 short mag donor action also....but I'll stick with the Sako tout.

 

[npaden]

I pretty much agree that it has to be a scope issue that is making it shoot this bad. It has been a 1.5 MOA gun for 7 years, it should still be a 1.5 MOA gun.

Really trying to decide if I should take a really long lunch break and swap the scopes out and see what happens or if I should just use my AR15 to hunt with this weekend. I have Hornady 55 gr soft point bullets that I use for pigs with it. They would probably be adequate for deer.

 

[BuzzH]

This close to your hunt, I would use the AR and deal with it later...you have all winter, spring, and summer to figure it out.

Good luck on your hunt and with what I also believe, is a scope issue.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

One thing about it if you buy a pricier scope and it doesnt fix it you will have it for your next gun. You can double check the mounts when you switch scopes. Better glass is never a waste of money.

 

[WapitiBob]

Don't discount the gun and it's mounting in the stock. Eliminate the possibilities one at a time. Scope is easiest. If that isn't it, look to the gun. Despite what you often read, free float isn't always the answer. Progressive addition of business cards in the end of the stock will let you know real quick.

 

[belly-deep]

Don't discount the gun and it's mounting in the stock. Eliminate the possibilities one at a time. Scope is easiest. If that isn't it, look to the gun. Despite what you often read, free float isn't always the answer. Progressive addition of business cards in the end of the stock will let you know real quick.

I don't think a bedding issue would suddenly cause a wandering POI

 

[npaden]

I think I'm going to swap the scopes out tonight and try it again tomorrow morning. The scope on the AR15 is actually a little nicer than the one on the A-Bolt anyway. Both are Nikon Monarchs, the one on the AR15 is 4-16x 50mm side focus and the one on the A-Bolt is an older 3-12x 42mm. Hopefully it is a scope issue and I'll be taking the A-Bolt hunting with me this weekend.

 

[WapitiBob]

Hope it works out.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

Something else to check is the screws that hold your action to the stock, if they are loose that would affect the POI as well.

 

[Dan O]

If you can mount the rifle in your lead sled check the scope to see if it tracks by adjusting 8 clicks up then 8 right then 8 down and 8 back left. You should be back at the original point of aim. Try to use a target that has the one inch squares to help you see the progress as you adjust.
Dan

 

[npaden]

Swapped the scopes out between the 2 rifles tonight. The bases were solid, so that wasn't an issue. Screws holding the rifle to the stock are all tight as well. Got some cheaper ammo to sort everything out. Printing up a bunch of targets and will be starting out at 25 yards tomorrow morning, hopefully before the wind gets up too much.

 

[bobbydean]

npaden,

if you figure this out, you will feel so good about yourself. If you don't, the new rifle is a no brainer. Easy to explain to your wife.

Just do not fix the problem, after buying the new rifle!

 

[npaden]

Well, it's not the scope.

Here's the scope on my AR15 after getting it adjusted. The shot on the left was one last shot getting it sighted in. I clicked it over 8 clicks and fired off 3 more shots. So even the tracking on the scope seems to be fine.

Again, this is just an average type group for this gun, the wind was blowing close to 20 mph pretty much directly at me by the time I shot this group. That Rock River Arms AR15 really is a tack driver.

Okay, so I said I had checked the screws holding the stock to the action and I thought I had checked them. I was still getting pretty crappy results out on the range even with the new scope and I went through and checked everything one more time. The screw right at the baseplate at the front of the magazine was loose. Way loose. I guess I hadn't checked that screw. I tightened it up and that seemed to help the grouping quite a bit. I got a bigger screwdriver and really torqued down all the screws and got the others to turn in a little bit as well. I was kicking myself thinking that could have been the problem all along.

I shot this 3 shot group.

Nothing spectacular, but way better than it had been.

I clicked it over 4 clicks left and down 4 clicks and thought I was going to be set.

First shot looked perfect, it's the one right at 2" high and just a tiny bit right. Next shot was 1" left and 1" high, not terrible, then the next 3 shots were all right there in the red, if I could call that a 3 shot group it may be the best one I've ever shot out of this gun.

I should have stopped right there and called it good. I would have been really happy and thought everything was fixed for sure. But I didn't...

Here's the last 3 shot group.

The one that is 2" high and 2" left is the first shot of the group. I did notice that that bullet had a dent in the soft point. (I was shooting Federal Blue Box Ammo). It was getting pretty windy by that time and I'm hoping that the dent might be the reason for the flyer?

The next 2 shots weren't bad, especially compared to what it had been shooting, if you throw out the flyer up and left, and add these shots to the 5 shots on the previous target that would be 7 shots a little over 2 MOA with blue box ammo. I wouldn't have shot the bullet with the dent, but I was down to my last 3 shots so I used it.

Also the barrel was probably pretty warmed up there toward the end, I shot the last 8 shots back to back and the barrel gets pretty warm after about 4 or 5 shots. It was in the 30's out with the stiff wind so when I felt the barrel it didn't feel too hot, but I think that might have just been the fact that my hands were pretty cold and the barrel felt nice and warm.

I am leaning toward I am good to go hunting this weekend with the A-Bolt but I will limit myself to about 200 yard shots. If the wind calms down I will try to shoot a few more rounds. I have another box of blue box ammo I just left it at the house thinking that the 30+ rounds I brought with me would be plenty. On a good note, I did find a use for the 9 rounds of Federal Ballistic Tip ammo that I had left over.

Hard to believe it may have been something as simple as tightening the screws that hold the stock to the action. I could have fixed that without swapping the scopes out!

Thoughts?

Thanks, Nathan

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

That would definately do it.

 

[BuzzH]

I think you found a good part of the problem, there is never anything good that will come from things being loose on a rifle. The platform has to be solid, or you're up chit creek before you even start.

IMO, at this point, I think if you were to bed and float you would get better results.

I also bet with hand loads, as a few on here have suggested, you could get to MOA...

 

[sbhooper]

I think you found a good part of the problem, there is never anything good that will come from things being loose on a rifle. The platform has to be solid, or you're up chit creek before you even start.

IMO, at this point, I think if you were to bed and float you would get better results.

I also bet with hand loads, as a few on here have suggested, you could get to MOA...

Maybe even with different factory ammo. Lots of reasonable types to try.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I also bet with hand loads, as a few on here have suggested, you could get to MOA...

Not to discount this, but some rifles can be so finicky that trying a few different premium factory loads might get you somewhere as well. I have a Tikka T3 in 7mm Rem that couldn't get 3 winchester accubonds inside 3 inches, but it would shoot hornady interbonds under an inch easily. I was pissed when hornady discontinued the round, but I did end up finding that it liked Federal trophy bonded tips. It is just a picky gun, but when I found it's taste, it sure does shoot.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Maybe even with different factory ammo. Lots of reasonable types to try.

Beat me to it.

 

[npaden]

The Winchester E-Tips I've been shooting for the last 5 years have grouped decent in the past. I've never gotten anything better than 1.5 MOA though and I've tried quite a few different factory loads.

I went to all the hunting and gun shops in town last night and none of them have any in stock though. None of them had any decent ammo in stock actually.

I have 7 - 160 grain Federal Premium accubonds and 5 - 150 grain Winchester Supreme e-tips and one more box of 150 grain Federal Blue Box left.

I figure the safest bet is to just stick with the Federal Blue Box ammo for now, I could fire off a 3 shot group with the Accubonds and have 4 left to hunt with that should be plenty though. Heck I could fire off a 3 shot group with the E-Tips and have 2 shots left and that should be plenty for a whitetail hunt.