Such a strange creature

[HeathSexton]

As you guys have seen me post about my problem Ruger MKII 77 30/06 and it's accuracy woes. I have spent much money on components, 2 stocks, played musical scopes, and still big groups. I put it away for a few months, usually a good idea with problem rifles, and revisited it today. Conditions were not idea, 25 degrees, but no wind, just cold as a well diggers ........ I put an old Vari-XII 3-9x40 with target dot on top, torqued everything down and hit the range. I FINALLY got it on paper, must have done a crappy job of bore sighting, 7 rounds at 50yds before I ever struck paper. LOL Got it where I wanted it and went out to 135yds. Prior to today 2.5" was a good group, 3"-4" was the norm. My first 3 shot group was right at 1", WHOA!!!! That was rounds 13,14,15 in 25 degree weather and only a sweat shirt and blue jeans and my shoulder was already tender from a couple days before. The last 2 3 shot groups were 1.5" and I am sure it was all me, I was pretty much over shooting by this point. I was throwing 1 out or the groups would have been very good.

Heath, what load did you assemble to make this turn around you ask???

That would be Federal Blue Box 180gr Power Shock from Wal-Mart for about $14 a box.

Why in the world would every load I put through it SUCK and this stuff shoot much much better?

 

[Guest]

I'd start with measuring the Federal loads that shot well. Check the COL, and consider using a similar bullet (flat-base, boat-tail, soft point, whatever) and also chrono the loads and duplicate that. I bet they're going a lot slower than your handloads, and that may be part of the issue. I'd be interested to see how your handloads compare to the COL of the factory stuff, too.

Think about what the differences are between your handloads and the Federals, and what the similarities are. Chase the similarities while you eliminate the differences, and you'll be happy!

 

[JD338]

+1 to what WM said.

JD338

 

[1Shot]

That Fed blue box ammo in about any caliber is very accurate stuff. My friend that has a gun shop that does sighting in of rifles for people uses this ammo if none is provided by the customer.

You may have had your loads loaded to too high a velocity. This is a common mistake many people make. They want all the velocity they can get and accuracy usually suffers. In over 30 years of reloading I have found a common trait that one grain of powder under a max charge given is usually really accurate.

For a 30-06 51.2 grs IMR 4064 with a 150 grain bullet is usually very accurate. Play with seating depth and better accuracy usually can be found.

One thought as to the accuracy of the Fed ammo. You shot a dozen rounds before you shot for groups. Your rifle likes a fouled bore. I have run into this before. I have a 25-06 that is just plain out right accurate. I cleaned the bore once really well with one of the good copper remover cleaners. It was squeaky clean. It took around 20 rounds to get it to shoot accurate again. The first 15 rounds looked like a shot gun pattern. No more squeaky clean bore on this rifle. I shoot it until the groups start to open up a little and then I just Hoppe's #9 a few patches and it goes back to putting them in the same hole.

 

[Anonymous]

As much as I hate to admit it, my M48 shoots the blue box Federals just as well as Nosler's own Trophy Grade ammo. I don't like their bullet- which I think is too soft in the .300 but the accuracy is right there with stuff that costs twice as much.

It also shoots to the same POI as the Nosler stuff...lucky man that I am.

 

[DrMike]

Well, hodgeman, that makes practise ammunition cheap for you (if you were intending to shoot Nosler Trophy Grade ammo). :grin:

 

[Anonymous]

Well, hodgeman, that makes practise ammunition cheap for you (if you were intending to shoot Nosler Trophy Grade ammo). :grin:

Yep... practice with blue box, hunt with red box. I like it when life is simple. :grin:

 

[DrMike]

Way back when (we were picking off the last of the dinosaurs), I found in a 7mm RM that I was shooting that Remington 175 grain CoreLock cartridges shot to the same POI as did Federal 175 grain TBBC. I practised with Remington ammunition and hunted with Federal. My first major purchase of bullets was from Jack Carter, ordering a large number of 175 grain TBBCs so I could handload for that rifle. I still have boxes of those bullets that haven't been used yet.

 

[HeathSexton]

I wasn't looking for velocity with my loads, I started low and worked up with about 5 different powders, weights, bullets, etc. Maybe the gun likes the bullets seated shorter because I tried them from .010"-.050" off, these are about 1 mile off the lands.

All I know is:

1: I'm glad it's finally shooting decent
2: at $14 a box, probably won't be reloading for it, even 180gr factory /06 ammo will probably take down whitetails.

 

[Elkman]

DrMike
Way back when (we were picking off the last of the dinosaurs), I found in a 7mm RM that I was shooting that Remington 175 grain CoreLock cartridges shot to the same POI as did Federal 175 grain TBBC. I practised with Remington ammunition and hunted with Federal. My first major purchase of bullets was from Jack Carter, ordering a large number of 175 grain TBBCs so I could handload for that rifle. I still have boxes of those bullets that haven't been used yet.

My gunsmith friend has a highly worked ruger in 300 win, mag. His best groups come from 180 Remington Core-lock factory ammo. 'You never can tellllllllllll" :grin: :grin:

 

[DrMike]

Heath,

More than one rifle has digested cheap factory with aplomb. My hunting partner swears by factory ammo for a couple of his rifles, and doesn't seem inclined to even attempt to handload. In any case, 180 grain chunks of lead and gilding metal will drop most any deer if the projectile is placed where it should go.