6.5-06 issues

wisconsinteacher

Handloader
Dec 2, 2010
1,965
243
I'm having an issue with my 6.5-06. I can't get it to group consistently. I've tried 4 powders, 6 bullets, 2 kinds of brass and 2 different scopes. I always get a flyer or 3 My best 6 shot group at 100 is 1.5". Sometimes I can get a nice group of 3 then the next group with the same load opens up to 1.5-2"

I've had the barreled rifles since Jan 2017. In that time, I have only hunted once with it. I have 600 rounds down the barrel just in load development trying to find something that will shoot MOA consistently.

I have tried a lot of stuff but it never gets better.

The rifle has never had a brush down it, always a bore guide and never shot to being hot to the touch. It is bedded and free floated. I'm not in the mood to try tweaking it, I want to work with the smith to get it right.

My thoughts are to call the barrel maker/smith and see if they will at least look at it. At this point, what do you think is fair for me to expect out of them?
 
After 600 rounds, I submit that now is the right time for a good fitting bronze brush.
 
Or nylon brush. I usually use BoreTech products and solutions.

Have you scoped the barrel? The Teslong scopes are so good and so inexpensive that everyone who owns a few rifles should get one.
How much copper might be in there?

If your gunsmith is close, you can always drive over and have them look. If you have to ship it, I'd clean it first.
 
How is the brass. Was it neck turned, weight sorted or any other treatment? Also have you checked the concentricity of the loaded ammo?

I would also do a deep clean of the barrel, I use a foaming bore cleaner.
 
Scope mount and all screws tight?
Had that with a friend's rifle.
We tried a hundred shots with his 3-15x56 Scope and I grew frustrated that my handloads just did not work as expected.

Changed to the 1-6 he uses for driven hunts and - oh! - I shot sub-moa with it.
One of those bloody Sauer 303 with the base machined into the aluminum systems.
Heavy scope with steel rings on aluminum is not the best idea...

Gesendet von meinem HUAWEI VNS-L31 mit Tapatalk
 
I have cleaned the gun with foaming cleaner since getting it. I have also checked and rechecked every screw a few times.

Loads have .002" run out and are seated .002". All loads are measured for each round.
 
Dr. Vette":1jxfnf8i said:
Or nylon brush. I usually use BoreTech products and solutions.

Have you scoped the barrel? The Teslong scopes are so good and so inexpensive that everyone who owns a few rifles should get one.
How much copper might be in there?

If your gunsmith is close, you can always drive over and have them look. If you have to ship it, I'd clean it first.

Not to get off topic of the posters issues, but that's what I've used exclusively for over a yr now. I just stick with the Eliminator. Great stuff. Cleans very well and no strong odor of any kind. Very wife friendly if cleaning guns somewhere in the house. If anything it has a faint soapy smell in my opinion.
 
Wisconsinteacher,

Not to pry, but what is the rifle and its stock?

I had this issue once and it was a bedding problem. Had a smith rebed and lighten the trigger pull and the rifle and it has been super since then. Smith did the work, so I'm not sure what he checked and or the exact problem he fixed.

It might be worth running through - https://www.accurateshooter.com/shootin ... stringing/. I've not seen the firing pin / sear tension issue in person...

+2 on bore scoping; just to verify that their isn't an anomaly in the barrel.
 
Send it away and get it fixed... A rifle that picky isn't that fun and you'll never really like it....

I am sorta cheating fellas, WT and I have been chatting about this gun for awhile and its NEVER turned in much that would be considered great and he has made excellent, well crafted loads for it. He's kept trying for about 2 years longer than I would have!
 
remingtonman_25_06":2rc1185w said:
Sounds like it needs a Bartlein...Guaranteed to be a 1/2 MOA or less shooter easily very quickly.

For sure, I am a Krieger fan, but either or....
 
Its always frustrating to "want to like" a rifle and it fights you all the way! I've had a few that were stubborn...but they never got to the 600rd mark, ha. My first "rebarreled rifle" was a Mod 70 Fwt sent off to Gary Stiles ( early 90s) and he put a 30-06 Douglas 23" on it, blued, adjust trigger to 2 3/4#. I could never get it consistently under 1 1/4" with its best loads, but, you could count on it to put them in zero, every time. Even the IMR 4350 58gr/165sbt that went 3/4" in my old Enfield, zero, but 1 1/4.
When it shot 1 1/4" with the then new Hornady LM 180, I went hunting, killed my first cow elk with it! A while later, the new Federal High energy 180 PTs came out and it still would not go under 1 1/4. this did not bother me as I grew up reading O'Conner who wrote that "any" Sporter 30-06 that shot under 1 1/2 was a keeper! BUT...with all these newer, wonderful components, I would not accept a 6.5/06 ( or any custom barreled caliber) to not put "some combination" that would not shoot under an inch. I mean, almost all of us shoot more than we get to hunt, so we want "accuracy" too! :) I am just far too OCD...and a bonafide "looney", so take what I say as just an opinion! :) Have a ball though pard!
 
Agree there Jim. Especially a 6.5 of any flavor. Bullets are too good to not shoot well.
 
Has it EVER shot well? Scope? bases? rings? What barrel?
 
WT,
I'd send it off to Rob Canze at Williams Gun Sight in Davison MI and have him rebarrel it for you. You will have yourself a tack driver when he's done with it. Rob built my 280AI and 338 RUM, both shoot bragging size groups consistently. You'll spend a minimal amount of time doing load development and more time posting pictures on the forum of great targets. ;)

JD338
 
FOTIS":33daqmfd said:
Has it EVER shot well? Scope? bases? rings? What barrel?

Fotis, I’ll speak up for Matt. I’m sure he’s busy working right now but he’s tried a few scopes, multiple bullets and excellent powder combos and never had anything really pan out.

I felt for him cause the rifle SHOULD shoot excellent, it just doesn’t. I believe PN said they will replace it once they’re up and running again. I believe he just got a stinker barrel. Had a bud that just got 2 308 Brux barrels and he tried everything under the sun within hunting bullets and powder and it still sucked. Brux replaced them both, no questions asked. Stinkers happen, thankfully less often than more.
 
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