Sporting Firearms/Reloading/Hunting

[Blacksmith]

All kidding aside, first three shots at 100 yards with factory 117 gr ammo were about 3/4 inch. Two more shots grouped well by themselves, but went left about 2 inches. After walking out to switch targets I put the first 3 factory 85 gr into about 1/2 inch, with two touching. Again, the 4th and 5th moved. It is a sporter weight barrel and I think there is a little roughness on the inside of the inletting that pushes the barrel when it warms up. I'll keep track and see how it responds to my handloads before I start sandlng away.

[Sandy]

Is yours supposed to be a floating barrel and you think it might be barely touching somewhere?

[Blacksmith]

I need to study up before I do anything. It is a Remington 700 BDL with the ebony cap on the front of the stock. I can slip a business card between the barrel and the stock from the action to roughly the cap, then it drags. Some guns like floated, some like a little pressure. The drag is more at ambient than warm; that is what makes me wonder.

[Sandy]

Most business cards are relatively thick in relation to the gap needed but I'm not sure about that plastic material they use for the end. Maybe it changes a lot. I guess a guy would need to check it after your three rounds and a few minutes for things to change with the heat?

[Blacksmith]

Sandy, you are correct, most instructions (on-line) state to use a dollar bill. I still think it is tight, should be floated, and I intend to check it a few times at ambient and right after a 3 shot string. Part of the art and science of serious amateur target shooting.

[Wyoming]

Flipper, give me a shout if you decide to head out to Wyoming next year. We've since moved across the border to So. Dakota and the Black Hills, but Wyoming is just a short drive away.

[Blacksmith]

Nice stuff Flip. I just want to be able to hold my own with the police snipers (my shooting buddy), retired machinists that have been hand loading since the dinosaurs roamed the earth and other assorted weekend shooters at my local range. It's all friendly, but the competitive spirit is there. Lots of .22 LR and .17 HMR action too.

[Blacksmith]

Sandy - the dollar bill was correct. The barrel is free-floating, at least on a 45 degree day, right out of the case and after a rapid (magazine-fed) 5 shot string. I got two touching in the bull during the rapid fire, so the gun is MUCH better than me. I just need to practice. A lot.

[Sandy]

Sandy - the dollar bill was correct. The barrel is free-floating, at least on a 45 degree day, right out of the case and after a rapid (magazine-fed) 5 shot string. I got two touching in the bull during the rapid fire, so the gun is MUCH better than me. I just need to practice. A lot.

Glad it's looking like things are okay. I went through something similar with a new winchester model 70 out of the box. two, three right on, one wild one. Then two or three dead on, one wild one. I was about to give it up as a lost cause then finally went and picked up a lead sled. Every thing stabilized after that. Before I was using all bags. Of course I never will drive nails unless I put the barrel over them 1st . I do good to get about a one to one & a half inch at 100 yds.

Getting older plus bi-focals is taking its toll

[Blacksmith]

A decent scope makes a huge difference. Of course now I want to replace the $50 Redhead (Bass Pro Shops) 3x9 on my Remington 597. I also work very hard to try and reduce my heart rate and control my breathing for each shot. I suspect some of my wild shots are when I don't concentrate and follow the routine.