new rifle advice

[busabeast]

ok- so i bought a winchester model 70 7mm, and the groupings at 200m is atrocious...

i got this weapon with the idea that those pesky zombies would be dealt with before i needed to deal with them... but a 6
in group is no good!

so i shot my buddies remington 700 .308 and was encouraged- its not me- its the rifle...

the questions are thus:

would the caliber matter much (looking for around 500m consistency)

is the bull barrel responsible for my 3 in groups?

what, in the $4-500 range, would give me the best performance under ideal conditions (no wind, match ammo, decent scope, etc...)

keep in mind i am not a professional, but i am a decent shot- range daddy trains me well- just want to be confident in my shot...

all constructive criticism and suggestion are welcome.


thoughts?

 

[busabeast]

p.s. i've got an ar-15, ak-47, rem 597 .22, and other asst. firearms... looking to fill a particular need- pesky darn zombies...

 

[BusaBret]

Save your pennies and get a Sako.

Sent from my dunce stool

 

[dadofthree]

He went to Barrett, a mile sounded better

 

[Pecan Pouch]

Are you using open sights or a scope? If it is a scope make sure something has not come loose....mount, rings or a lens.

 

[GsxrBots]

Many factors here. You shouldn't have any issues with a model 70 although the newer ones are not like the pre-64's..

Is the scope tight, have the rings been lapped, etc?
Has the rifle been bedded?

Most rifles aren't going to be very accurate at 200m right off the crack. There is also human error to take into play. What ammo are you using, etc, etc, etc..

Not trying to be mean, but just because Ricky Gadson's zx14 can do an 8 sec quarter, doesn't mean I can make that same 14 do it...

 

[Lurch]

Like Bots said.
I have had a couple of Ruger M77s and I had to try different ammo in each to find what it liked.

My current M77 pre MKII 7mm likes Federal premium game king BT 150 gr sp. Didn't like the winchester at all.

Also Scope- loose, rings, lens or just the scope in general.

Lock the gun in a lead sled and see what happens. try different ammo ( brands and models ).

 

[Dscahill]

I'm assuming that you are using either a bipod or sandbag to hold the rifle and are using tactical breathing to steady your shots? A heartbeat at that distance will throw a shot an inch or 3 out...practice practice practice!!

Good Luck

-D

 

[RYC1966]

For sake of getting the hang of it and comparing to other long barrels set up some 30 and 60 yds....label the targets to the gun used and see what is what...for one point it is a solid comparison of you and the distance...still to be proven is the gun and type of round used. I am no expert / nor do I wish to discount your ability...if you get tight groups with all other guns you own maybe you have a not so straight barrel...if it was dropped at the factory you would never know...can you exchange it for replacement or simply return it and choose another model #...any reputable shop would be understanding and the manufacture should stand behind their product...on the dealer end of the purchase.

 

[Redline337]

Buy a Savage! I have a model 10 FCP-K in .308. Right out of the box with a cheap Bushnell scope and factory (federal 168gr gold metal match) ammo I shot three shots at 200 yds that I can cover with a quarter. This is my second Savage (first one was stolen ) and I love them!

 

[chrisjp]

i have been seriously thinking of getting a savage for my "long range" use

 

[GsxrBots]

Buy a Savage! I have a model 10 FCP-K in .308. Right out of the box with a cheap Bushnell scope and factory (federal 168gr gold metal match) ammo I shot three shots at 200 yds that I can cover with a quarter. This is my second Savage (first one was stolen ) and I love them!

It better for that kind of money.. Although putting a cheap Bushnell scope on it is a little weird.

 

[BusaBret]

It better for that kind of money.. Although putting a cheap Bushnell scope on it is a little weird.

Lots of "package" guns come with factory bore sighted scopes. None of which are much use other than a paper weight.


OP- just about any factory rifle will shoot sub moa at a given yardage if the shooter takes the time to find the ammo the rifle likes. The trick is to find the ammo that will shoot sub moa regardless of the range. Good luck!

Sent from my dunce stool

 

[busabeast]

shot my buddies .308 and got nice groups... not me... tried two different factory loads thus far- winchester is marginally better than the remington core-lokt... gonna try some reloads with quality heads before i get rid of the rifle... but i'm thinking that for the money to get a new barrel, i can get a whole new rifle!

p.s.- was a remington 700 .308 with a real tight group- 8 shots at around 2 inches at 200m - wind blowing- def not me... and cheapy tasco scope too!

 

[dadofthree]

shot my buddies .308 and got nice groups... not me... tried two different factory loads thus far- winchester is marginally better than the remington core-lokt... gonna try some reloads with quality heads before i get rid of the rifle... but i'm thinking that for the money to get a new barrel, i can get a whole new rifle!

p.s.- was a remington 700 .308 with a real tight group- 8 shots at around 2 inches at 200m - wind blowing- def not me... and cheapy tasco scope too!

Ibelieve that's what 'ole White Feather used

 

[dadofthree]

 

[dadofthree]

 

[RYC1966]

It is hard to argue with a good marksman in a war zone. The camp Perry event draws people from all over....just watching and seeing the results is impressive.

 

[dadofthree]

They're so many unsung heros in this country it is incredible. Most of them go that way and stay that way bc they don't think of themselves as heros or don't want vermon looking for them and their families.

 

[E Zurcher]

True consistency requires custom loads and ammo headspace and powder load adjusted for the rifle. Factory ammo cannot approach the consistency of properly loaded custom rounds. Finding the ammo your rifle "likes" helps but production variances even in the same type of ammo can cause accuracy issues.