Accuracy Vanished! Update May 06

[ScreaminEagle]

I've lost my mind! My 257 Rob has lost it's accuracy over the last year and a half. My go to load, that used to shoot dime sized groups at 100yds, is now shooting groups the size of a pie pan. What is going on? I switched scopes with one I know is solid and the problem continues. The problem is, I have probably only shot 40 rounds through it since last year. Barrel is free-floated, action bedded solid, screws torqued to specs. I have shot hundreds of rounds through it. My dad shot thousands through it, and he bought it used. Is it time for a new barrel?

 

[DrMike]

I seriously doubt that your barrel is shot out. Accuracy doesn't go to pieces that rapidly due to shooting out the barrel. It is a more gradual phenomenon. I'd be more inclined to think that action screws have tightened or loosened, or the stock has warped due to temperature humidity changes, or some associated phenomenon. Most of my rifles are wood stocks, and I have no choice but to be alert to the changes due to humidity. And though synthetic and/or laminate stocks are less susceptible to humidity changes, they are nevertheless affected to a degree by such changes. I'd certainly rule out the torque on the action screws and the possibility of a binding point in the barrel channel before I began to make major changes to the rifle.

 

[gerry]

I had a similar problem a few years ago with my 35 Whelen, asked about it on 24hourcampfire and one of the suggestions was to give the bore a good scrubbing with JB compound and it worked. Even though it was cleaned on a regular basis, enough powder fouling stayed behind to eventually cause a big problem. The accuracy came back after a good cleaning with the stuff, it`s worth a try.

 

[SJB358]

I had a similar problem a few years ago with my 35 Whelen, asked about it on 24hourcampfire and one of the suggestions was to give the bore a good scrubbing with JB compound and it worked. Even though it was cleaned on a regular basis, enough powder fouling stayed behind to eventually cause a big problem. The accuracy came back after a good cleaning with the stuff, it`s worth a try.

Same here, I use IOSSO with a Kroil soaked patch to really get at the rifles and clean them good. Nothing else I have found yet can break up the carbon that is rock hard layered in the bore. Every hundred rounds of so, I give them a good scrubbing. You would be surprised what comes out of your bore. Those patches come out BLACK for a few good scrubbings. I think your probably good, you just need to get at that barrel and clean it up real good..

 

[Guest]

Gerry and Scotty beat me to the punch, but I strongly suggest getting some BoreTech Eliminator and using my regimen to clean it:

3 soaked patches down the bore
Wait 10min
Run 1 or 2 soaked patches down the bore
Repeat until first soaked patch comes out clean.

Now, bear in mind that you'll be going through layers and layers of carbon and copper, and the first run through may take a week of working on it each night. Might take 300-500 patches, though probably less. After the first thorough cleaning, it will get easier by far. I've "rebarreled" many a shot out rifle with this method. People are always thankful I saved them $450 or more!

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Thanks guys. I was hoping that the barrel wouldn't just quit on me like that. I ensured that the barrel was free-floated and action screws torqued before I shot it, so I know it wasn't that. I'll have to order some jb paste and kroil oil.

You know if you guys would have agreed that the barrel was shot out, I could have used that as leverage when telling the wife I need to order a barrel from Hart!

 

[DrMike]

Man, you should have let us know what was working in the back of your mind! We could've made life work for ya'.

 

[SJB358]

Might as well save the favor for a 35 Whelen!

 

[honkeetonkin]

Another thing you can try that was suggested to me a few years ago here that worked great is a foaming bore cleaner from outters or a silver and blue can of the same product( I cant remember the brand off hand). It took my 25 06 from 3 in to three shots touching

 

[efw]

Another thing you can try that was suggested to me a few years ago here that worked great is a foaming bore cleaner from outters or a silver and blue can of the same product( I cant remember the brand off hand). It took my 25 06 from 3 in to three shots touching

I believe you're thinking of Gunslick. With a nylon brush it works MIRICLES.

I'm with others though; JB sounds like the way to go in this case. You've got some very serious if the bore is your issue, and JB is serious medicine.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Might as well save the favor for a 35 Whelen!

Not yet! I've got my eyes on something else.

 

[Hegland]

You know if you guys would have agreed that the barrel was shot out, I could have used that as leverage when telling the wife I need to order a barrel from Hart!

As far as I know, nobody here as told your wife that you don't need a new tube...

 

[JD338]

SE,

A good cleaning can do wonders for accuracy.
Let us know how you make out.

Now, about that build..... :wink:

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

Agree - I'd scrub the heck out of that bore, then shoot some fouling shots through it and see if it comes back for you. After checking all the requisite action screws, scope mounts, etc.

Heck, sometimes I've just had a bad day at the range. Once I got the nut behind the trigger back to working right, accuracy was just fine.

There is a point though, when it's time to phone Krieger and order up a new barrel, even the best ones don't last forever.

Mostly I'll agree w/Dr. Mike - my Kriegers have tended to "go" gradually... Not all barrels are so kind however, sometimes they'll give up pretty quick once they decide that they're done shooting well.

*Also - not uncommon to have to "chase the lands" by seating the bullet out a bit farther as a barrel wears... Common among target shooters.

Guy

 

[ScreaminEagle]

*Also - not uncommon to have to "chase the lands" by seating the bullet out a bit farther as a barrel wears... Common among target shooters.

Guy

I read up on barrel wear last night and this method sounds good to me. I think I'm going to scrub it good with JB paste then make up some fresh loads with the bullets seated farther out.

Hopefully i can get it to work. Although, a blueprinted action and new Hart barrel keep calling to me!

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Now, about that build..... :wink:

JD338

Sorry, that's classified for now!

 

[Guy Miner]

"Hopefully i can get it to work. Although, a blueprinted action and new Hart barrel keep calling to me!"

Absolutely nothing wrong with that!

I had a .30 cal Hart - it started life on a .30 mag 1,000 yard bull barreled prone rifle. Later, unscrewed, shortened on both the muzzle and breech ends, re-chambered for .308 Win and mounted on my Model 70 target rifle. Still later, it was shortened again on the breech end, chambered fresh for the .308 Win again, and used for a couple thousand more rounds of competition. I wasn't the original owner of said barrel, and have only a foggy idea of the total round count through it, but it was pretty impressive. That same barrel was chambered three different times and used on two separate rifles. It shot well with all of them.

Come to think of it, I sold it to another guy. Don't know how it's doing for him. Fine I'd think.

Guy

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Well, I just ordered some kroil, JB paste, and the VFG pellets that you use to apply the paste. I'll give an update after I scrub the tube out real good.

 

[AzDak42]

I've seen this come up a few times and my checklist goes like this

- Clean the hell out of it as mentioned above
- Check/Clean the chamber, not just the bore
- Check action screws
- Check scope mounting and torque down
- Check the crown - even a little ding can cause serious havoc
- Shoot from a lot of 'known' ammo. (Just had a guy I bumped into at Bruno's Shooter Supply tell me about a bad lot of factory 22-250 that took him weeks to figure out.)
- Change brand, bullet weight, and bullet construction
- Have someone else shoot it to eliminate you as as the problem
- Make sure your rest isn't causing problems. (I have a Weatherby .308 that shoots like hell if their is a bag under the tip of the stock.. put the bag right under the mag well and she's a dream.)

Don't laugh at this, but I even found that I was losing about 1/2" on my groups when I'd stop for coffee before I went to the range. Caffeine is evidently not my friend anymore.

 

[Guest]

AzDak, I've found the same thing on several of my rifles, not just Weatherbys, with regard to where I rest them. I've come to the conclusion it's the flimsy excuse for factory stocks that is to blame. So, until the entire world (my rifles and those I'm working on for friends) all have better furniture, I've taken to resting on the front action screw, as that gives me ample room for my shooting hand, bolt operation, etc., without interference from the sandbags or rest. Like you, I found it to be worth maybe half to three quarters of an inch in groups at 100yds.