300 win mag sight in problems? (Range Report with pics)

[bulldog4949]

I have a new (30 rounds shot) Browning x bolt 300 win mag. Swift 6-18x50 scope. Browning x-lock bases with blue loc tite and torqued with the Fat Wrench to specified inch lbs.

I shot 20 rounds of factory ammo to get it roughly sighted in and to see how it feels.
I loaded 5 rounds of 73 gr RL-22 w/ 180 gr partitions, and 5 rounds of 74 gr of RL-22 with 180 gr partitions to book COAL. Shot last night and i had about 4-5" groups.

I was letting the barrel cool for 5 min between rds. Shooting from a lead sled to take out as much error as possible. Going elk hunting in Oct and stressing to get a good respectable load.

Any ideas? Thx for the help guys.

 

[SJB358]

Man, Either your rifle just despises RL22 and the 180gr PT, or there is something up with the rifle itself. I have never seen any 300WM not shoot respectable with RL22 and any decent 180gr bullet. Not saying yours is not the exception, but 5" groups are way out of ordinary.

How did it shoot with factory ammo? What kind of factory ammo was it? Was it the same bullet weight? Sorry for all the questions, I feel pretty bad for ya, as I know how the hunt load development just before season is a major stressor. If RL22 doesn't work for you, I would begin looking at H4350 or IMR4350, but I have seen enough 300WM's shoot RL22 and 180's like they were made for one another. Scotty

 

[bulldog4949]

I know huh? Very frustrating. Factory ammo was 180 corelockts. 1 box through. Cleaned very thoroughly with sweets cause lots of copper in the barrel.

It didn't shoot well either. I am just baffled at how its performing. The 74 gr did have 2 bullets touching, but the other 3 were 2-3" off. Not sure if it was a fluke or not.

Looked online and seen several other x bolt owners had luck with this combo as well.

Not sure if I extend the Coal (i have Plenty of room) if this will change.

 

[DrMike]

What did the groups from the factory ammo look like? I realise it was during break-in, but they must have given you an idea of what was happening. Have you eliminated the possibility of a flinch? If the scope mounted tightly. Are the action screws properly torqued? Eliminate the simple first.

 

[SJB358]

I know huh? Very frustrating. Factory ammo was 180 corelockts. 1 box through. Cleaned very thoroughly with sweets cause lots of copper in the barrel.

It didn't shoot well either. I am just baffled at how its performing. The 74 gr did have 2 bullets touching, but the other 3 were 2-3" off. Not sure if it was a fluke or not.

Looked online and seen several other x bolt owners had luck with this combo as well.

Not sure if I extend the Coal (i have Plenty of room) if this will change.

You could extend the COAL some, but if you are already getting 5" groups, I don't see seating depth bringing you in that far. I would almost go out and get another box of decent factory ammo. I realize how expensive it is and you want to use your handloads, but if you shoot another brand of ammo and it is as bad as the Remington Factory loads and your handloads, I would start to look at the rifle as the faulter... I would expect decent accuracy at least in the 2" mark with RL22 and the PT. Just a great shooting combo. Might not be a 1/2" rifle, but it should be decent enough to hunt with... Since it is not performing, I would check with another brand of factory to see what is the culprit. Mike also hit the nail on the head, make sure it is not the mounts being loose or the scope not holding up to the rifles recoil. Another range session with a different bunch of ammo should give you a better idea of what you need to do. Scotty

 

[bulldog4949]

It could be possible flinching. I am resting my non trigger hand (left) under the rifle and on the bench. It is about the same as factory ammo. Maybe a bit better.

Letting the recoil of the rifle do its thing from the lead sled. I have not checked the action screws. How many in lbs should they be? 65 in lb or so? Thx guys for your willingness to help.

 

[DrMike]

I seldom use a Lead Sled because of the potential for excessive group size. The fore end jumps excessively from the Sled in my experience. When shooting for groups during initial tests, I also keep my left hand flat on the bench. I personally like shooting off the bags because there seems to be less muzzle jump.

 

[bulldog4949]

Mike i am with you. Gonna get good bags, check screws and reload some up. Head back out. Maybe the sled is my problem. Its great on my lesser calibers, but maybe the 300 is too much jump? It jumps out of the front "V" of the sled. Thats alot.

 

[Elkman]

I load mine just short enough to function properly, right almost to the end of the magazine. I am shooting a model 70, so your magazine may be longer, but I have never know anyone to have "plenty of room" with a 300win mag. They don't have a lot of room in the standard length action. If all else fails try 4350 mine shoots little tiny groups at published full loads. I also sight in with 180 Sierra BT's then adjust for my hunting bullet.

 

[bulldog4949]

I have plenty of room. I can get 3.510 to function properly and function in the magazine. That is .170 of room. The lands and grooves are 3.540'ish. That is .200" from book COAL.

 

[bulldog4949]

Scope rings tight! Action screws tight! Must be shooting technique. Shouldn't a hot barrel effect accuracy? Some are telling me 5 min between shots is too long.

 

[DrMike]

I doubt that heat is a problem. Even pressure in the barrel channel wouldn't normally cause that much walking of a bullet. It makes scant different whether you wait one minute or five minutes between shots. In fact, five minutes should ensure that you are returning to the same or similar conditions. Remember, You can over tighten action screws. While it is possible that the rifle is simply flawed, many of us have been afflicted with a severe flinch without even being aware of the malady. I'd be more inclined at this point to question the use of the Lead Sled, opting to eliminate the simple problems first. An old saying in medicine says, "When you hear hoof beats, don't look for zebras." The only exception was a South African physician friend whose saying was, "When you hear hoof beats, look for zebras." The point is, the common problems should all be eliminated first as there is a reason they are common. There is always the possibility of a crown that was poorly cut (I've seen a surprising number from good factories), a barrel missing the last several inches of rifling (it has happened) or a barrel that is of the wrong calibre (it is not unknown). Being able to say to the factory representative that you have checked scope rings, actions screws, rest, shooting technique, etc., makes the case for factory remedy that much more convincing.

 

[BeeTee]

I have a new (30 rounds shot) Browning x bolt 300 win mag. Swift 6-18x50 scope. Browning x-lock bases with blue loc tite and torqued with the Fat Wrench to specified inch lbs.

I shot 20 rounds of factory ammo to get it roughly sighted in and to see how it feels.
I loaded 5 rounds of 73 gr RL-22 w/ 180 gr partitions, and 5 rounds of 74 gr of RL-22 with 180 gr partitions to book COAL. Shot last night and i had about 4-5" groups.

I was letting the barrel cool for 5 min between rds. Shooting from a lead sled to take out as much error as possible. Going elk hunting in Oct and stressing to get a good respectable load.

Any ideas? Thx for the help guys.

First, I'd eliminate the scope and mounts as the cause of problem.

Second, eliminate a bad barrel bedding or stock problem.

Third, use a lead slug to measure the inside diameter of the bore.

I once owned a Ruger #1B in 25-06 with an .003" oversize bore that wouldn't shoot consistently. Sometime later, I bought a new Ruger 77 stainless 7RM that shot 5" groups at 100 yards with factory ammo - 2-1/2" groups with handloaded 140BTs. On both guns, I tried different scopes with the factory Ruger rings. Nothing helped. Didn't own them long...

 

[bulldog4949]

Mike well said. I am not using the sled anymore. On to sand bags. I can see the grooves on the crown end. All the way to the end. All cleaning has been done by a Tipton 1 piece coated cleaning rod.

Beetee, what if I measure the rifling from the muzzle end? With calipers? Will this prove anything?

I have a .270 in the same x bolt model and its fantastic even out of the lead sled. The 300 maybe too much for the sled and not safe if the recoil cant happen naturally.

 

[elkeater2]

Is it a proven scope? How old? Do you have another to try on there? Recently, I burned up about 75 rounds of componentry using a scope that wouldn't hold zero. It was an older used Swift - probably just coincidence, because they don't have a bad rap and have been around a long time.
Like DrMike, I quit using anything mechanical, just bags. My mechanical rest was touchy about forend sideways pressure, return to battery slop, springs, etc. Bags don't have all those moving parts! The bottom of the pistol grip, the stock heel, or a swivel stud touching or hanging up during recoil can mess things up too. Somebody needs to start a thread on "Bench tips and tricks for load development, best groups, hunting rifles, and economy!" Maybe I will....
Elkeater2 :wink:

 

[bulldog4949]

Brand new scope. I have 3 others just like it on other rifles and all good. I am going to tighten action screws to 40 in lbs, run a dollar bill under barrel and start ruling stuff out. I doubt its the rifle, prolly the operator.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

change scopes, tighten action screws to 60 in/lbs, and set the coal to max mag length, if still a no go, ya somethin bad goin on.
RR

 

[Canuck]

I would try torquing action screws at proper specs as a first step...

 

[bulldog4949]

Torquing screws to 40 in lb per Fat Wrench instructions for non pillar bedded synthetic stock, checking floating barrel, etc.....Buying factory ammo, sand bags and going to the range after work. Will have pics and an update tonight. Thx.

 

[BK]

300 win mag.

Swift 6-18x50 scope.

Those two statements make me cringe. .300 Magnums (particularly light ones, like your Browning) eat scopes for lunch. My buddy's dad FUBARed three midline Bushnell scopes on his .300 before he bought a Leupy 3-9x. If you have another scope you could swap, that's where I would look first.