Send it back and wait for a one year turn around? I see them out of business sooner than that.
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New Fierce Rifle not grouping as expected
- Thread starter packgoatguy
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
coyotezapper
Well-Known Member
This is an issue that most non handloaders have when purchasing a custom rifle. I can remember a handful of rifles I have worked with that the owner claimed there was something wrong with the rifle that in the end was the ammunition or their shooting mechanics were poor. And these rifles were built by some of the best smiths in the industry. Here is what I have found to be the issue in most cases.
1. Ammunition. Just because the ammo is put together from a reputable ammo maker does not guarantee it will shoot in your rifle. A good recipe for a certain load usually targets a certain velocity node that shoots well at this velocity in most rifles. If a barrel does not like a certain load it is because the barrel for whatever reason will not shoot this load at the target velocity or it does but the seating depth needs to be tuned some because of differences in reamer throats. Yes its that simple. I have taken Berger match ammo in a rifle that was shooting 2 in 1 out and seated the bullets deeper and the rifle now shoots 3 in. This is why I never give out actual load recipes on the internet. When I give out load data help I tell them a velocity and OAL info only. For example I have years and years of experience with the 7STW and recently the 28 Nosler. These two have exactly the same performance characteristics due to the same case capacities. In recent years I have really come to like the 175 LRAB, Retumbo, 3.60" OAL at 3050 fps in a 26" bbl. This load will shoot in the 1's in a good rifle. If I gave out a powder charge more than likely a different rifle, different lot of powder etc. would not find this ideal velocity node so I only give out velocity for barrel lengths. Why barrel lengths? OBT.
2. Shooter mechanics. I see too many shooters trying to shoot a 28 Nosler free recoil like its a bench gun. If the stock is not designed as a bench gun why are you shooting it like a bench gun? Yes some people can do it but it takes a lot of time and detail to shoot one like this well. If the barrel / forend hops you are doing it wrong. I shoot VFS (benchrest ) and some NRL plus I am an avid big game hunter and I shoot all of these rifles differently.
Here is a link to a video on how a hunting rifle should be shot at the bench. Nathan Foster is a member here and really knows his stuff. His bullet performance knowledge is unmatched IMO. Pay attention to the group sizes they get from the factory 7RM after they fix the problem and the groups from the heavy recoiling 358 Norma.
3. In this case is it the rifle? I highly doubt it. I have seen many Fierce rifles up close and they all have been tack drivers and if it is the rifle John Mogle will fix it. He is not one to turn his back on a customer.
1. Ammunition. Just because the ammo is put together from a reputable ammo maker does not guarantee it will shoot in your rifle. A good recipe for a certain load usually targets a certain velocity node that shoots well at this velocity in most rifles. If a barrel does not like a certain load it is because the barrel for whatever reason will not shoot this load at the target velocity or it does but the seating depth needs to be tuned some because of differences in reamer throats. Yes its that simple. I have taken Berger match ammo in a rifle that was shooting 2 in 1 out and seated the bullets deeper and the rifle now shoots 3 in. This is why I never give out actual load recipes on the internet. When I give out load data help I tell them a velocity and OAL info only. For example I have years and years of experience with the 7STW and recently the 28 Nosler. These two have exactly the same performance characteristics due to the same case capacities. In recent years I have really come to like the 175 LRAB, Retumbo, 3.60" OAL at 3050 fps in a 26" bbl. This load will shoot in the 1's in a good rifle. If I gave out a powder charge more than likely a different rifle, different lot of powder etc. would not find this ideal velocity node so I only give out velocity for barrel lengths. Why barrel lengths? OBT.
2. Shooter mechanics. I see too many shooters trying to shoot a 28 Nosler free recoil like its a bench gun. If the stock is not designed as a bench gun why are you shooting it like a bench gun? Yes some people can do it but it takes a lot of time and detail to shoot one like this well. If the barrel / forend hops you are doing it wrong. I shoot VFS (benchrest ) and some NRL plus I am an avid big game hunter and I shoot all of these rifles differently.
Here is a link to a video on how a hunting rifle should be shot at the bench. Nathan Foster is a member here and really knows his stuff. His bullet performance knowledge is unmatched IMO. Pay attention to the group sizes they get from the factory 7RM after they fix the problem and the groups from the heavy recoiling 358 Norma.
3. In this case is it the rifle? I highly doubt it. I have seen many Fierce rifles up close and they all have been tack drivers and if it is the rifle John Mogle will fix it. He is not one to turn his back on a customer.
do you know it will take a year? No you don't. Thanks for the answer l.
Post #28 stick
so one guys friend sent a rifle in that was chambered in 7stw, and they re barreled it to 7RM. One guys friends experience dictates the wait time. Got it.
Maybe one day, people will post of their own personal experiences and not what they read on here.
bottom line is if another smith touches the rifle and it still doesn't shoot, who's problem does it become? The original smith probably won't honor any warranty if another smith touches it. If you have that much money in a rifle, you should probably send it back to the smith that built it and see if they can right their wrong.
LongBomber
Well-Known Member
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Trm82
Well-Known Member
I have a Fury long range which has a 1-8.5 twist and it likes the 180 vldh and 175 elite hunters
Have tried 175 eldx but didn't really like them.
Try Berger's before you send it back.
Have tried 175 eldx but didn't really like them.
Try Berger's before you send it back.
NotAMillennial
Member
I purchased a 7RM CT Edge with brake last year. Ordered it in March and was assured I would get the rifle in August. Very long, poor customer service related period later I got my rifle TWO DAYS before I left two states away for a hunting trip. I had been repeatedly told I'd get the rifle and thus delayed purchasing a cheapo backup for the trip.
Fierce failed to send me their 'proof target' somehow... I called them to ask what ammo they had tested in the rifle, and they said the 160gr barnes. Not available anywhere in my region. Tried boxes of ammo, and the 175 ABLR trophy ammo ($65 a box!!!) shot the best.
I didn't trust the untested rifle/ammo past 300yds, and wasted a lot of good whitetail meat blasting 7 animals (I hunt for meat only).
Having shot the rifle (620 rounds of load development later) the rifle is the pickiest I've ever seen. It can't shoot an accubond or accubond long range outside of .5". It just won't do it. BUT. I can't get anything else to shoot under .75". By 'anything else' I mean I've tried 175 eldx, 145 lrx, 143gr HH, 160 lrx, 160 NP, 175 NP with RL 23, retumbo, h1000, and h4831. I even rebedded the rifle with no change in accuracy. This is with nightforce bases, bedded rail and leupy vx6 3-18x44.
For yours, I suggest trying significant amounts of jump with your loads. Universally across my testing my rifle did better with more jump. I don't know if this is the way their rifling is cut or not.
Side note- one of the degreasers I used to clean my chamber after break in (brownells cleaner?) Melted the epoxy of the stock clean off. I'm guessing this is because the heavy oil content used in their epoxy paint. I refused to ever send the rifle back to them, so I took it into my smith for a new paint job.
Best of luck! I'll never buy nor endorse a Fierce rifle ever again, having been blatantly lied to multiple times and almost having my hunting season totally ruined.
Fierce failed to send me their 'proof target' somehow... I called them to ask what ammo they had tested in the rifle, and they said the 160gr barnes. Not available anywhere in my region. Tried boxes of ammo, and the 175 ABLR trophy ammo ($65 a box!!!) shot the best.
I didn't trust the untested rifle/ammo past 300yds, and wasted a lot of good whitetail meat blasting 7 animals (I hunt for meat only).
Having shot the rifle (620 rounds of load development later) the rifle is the pickiest I've ever seen. It can't shoot an accubond or accubond long range outside of .5". It just won't do it. BUT. I can't get anything else to shoot under .75". By 'anything else' I mean I've tried 175 eldx, 145 lrx, 143gr HH, 160 lrx, 160 NP, 175 NP with RL 23, retumbo, h1000, and h4831. I even rebedded the rifle with no change in accuracy. This is with nightforce bases, bedded rail and leupy vx6 3-18x44.
For yours, I suggest trying significant amounts of jump with your loads. Universally across my testing my rifle did better with more jump. I don't know if this is the way their rifling is cut or not.
Side note- one of the degreasers I used to clean my chamber after break in (brownells cleaner?) Melted the epoxy of the stock clean off. I'm guessing this is because the heavy oil content used in their epoxy paint. I refused to ever send the rifle back to them, so I took it into my smith for a new paint job.
Best of luck! I'll never buy nor endorse a Fierce rifle ever again, having been blatantly lied to multiple times and almost having my hunting season totally ruined.
What's hilarious is that the fierce rifles are based on the Sako 85. The same rifles I own that shoot consistently sub moa with everything from sako ammo to fusion.
For less money. Ive got plenty of custom rifles that shoot sub .5 with match and custom ammo, but my humble Sakos are hard to beat... and very light.
Good luck with your rifle. sorry you've had to deal with this fierce arrogance and disappointment.
For less money. Ive got plenty of custom rifles that shoot sub .5 with match and custom ammo, but my humble Sakos are hard to beat... and very light.
Good luck with your rifle. sorry you've had to deal with this fierce arrogance and disappointment.
I dont think there a Sako, but a copycat.
