Out of the Box Accuracy

[brentc]

One of my friends just bought an FN model 70 Winchester. It was good in appearance and fit. They really aren't a Win 70, they resemble one. He reports good accuracy and flawless function. Hopefully I will pull its trigger soon.

The FN Winchesters are a good rifle. I picked up an Extreme Weather 300 WSM last year. The EW's come skim bedded into an aluminum block B&C stock. When I got it home I installed a lighter trigger spring, cleaned it up and lubed the bolt for break in.

I found several handloads around 3/4", so I knew it was reasonably accurate for hunting. Like many folks on here that like to tinker, 3/4" wasn't quite what I was after, so I kept working at it. My efforts paid off when I started producing 100 yard 1/4" groups with 200 grains accubonds, and 1"- 1.25" groups at 300 yards with the same load. For an off the shelf hunting rifle, It exceeds my expectations.

The picture is a group I shot utilizing the OCW method at 100 yards. I found a node at 61.8 to 62.2 grains of RL17, all loads in the node have the same POI with groups ranging from .25 to .35 inches. 62 grains produced the best group.

 

[4runnerman]

Awesome shooting Brentc.Thats what it's all about.gun)

 

[crittrgittr]

For anyone considering a Browning, take a good look at the older a-bolt series. Make sure you try one out before you buy a x-bolt. To methere is a night and day difference between the two. Work the actions on both of them and you will quickly put down the x-bolt. I've got a stainless stalker and have tried out the x-bolt, I think Browning took a big step backwards. Just my opinion.

 

[Mr.Moa]

Anyone with a gun accurate out of the box thats not bolt action. My most accurate gun is my weatherby but my encore is a close second.

 

[brentc]

Anyone with a gun accurate out of the box thats not bolt action. My most accurate gun is my weatherby but my encore is a close second.

AR's can be deadly accurate from the box. I've seen some amazing results from some of the least likely AR's. A good example is the $650 Olympic Arms K16. That little rifle flat out shoots great at reasonable ranges.

Of course, Olympic is generally underrated as far as AR's go, IMO for accuracy and price their barrels are some of the best you can get for an out of the box AR, or a custom build if that's what you prefer.

 

[Mr.Moa]

AR's can be deadly accurate from the box. I've seen some amazing results from some of the least likely AR's. A good example is the $650 Olympic Arms K16. That little rifle flat out shoots great at reasonable ranges.

Of course, Olympic is generally underrated as far as AR's go, IMO for accuracy and price their barrels are some of the best you can get for an out of the box AR, or a custom build if that's what you prefer.

Your my new best friend. My dad has an olympic arms and its a tack driver. Probably his most accurate gun. That or a Savage american classic in 270 wsm. Then he also has a dpms 308 ar and it is a pretty good shooter too.

 

[lidsplitter]

I manage the long gun dept. of a very large gun store, & we have more happy savage customers than any other manufacturer hands down when it comes to accuracy. Savage produces a lot Of 1/2 MOA rifles right out of the box.

 

[ken snyder]

I wonder what happened to Ruger, not many seem to mention them. Rugged dependability is a weighing factor. Yes they are a bit on the clunky side when it comes to accuracy. In many circles they are a number 1 choice, particularly Dangerous game animals, the term accuracy is also defined under the catagory of reliability, close fit rifles aren't very accurate if they wont go boom!

 

[Mr.Moa]

I wonder what happened to Ruger, not many seem to mention them. Rugged dependability is a weighing factor. Yes they are a bit on the clunky side when it comes to accuracy. In many circles they are a number 1 choice, particularly Dangerous game animals, the term accuracy is also defined under the catagory of reliability, close fit rifles aren't very accurate if they wont go boom!

I'm a big ruger fan. My favorite gun is a ruger m77 mkii compact in 308. its accurate but isn't my most accurate gun. if i had to pick the most rugged most dependable gun in my safe i would go to it and never look back. Now it wouldn't be my choice for my long range gun but tree stand hunting and long distance walking it can't be beat cause its so light. Rugers are built tough end of story.

 

[brentc]

I wonder what happened to Ruger, not many seem to mention them. Rugged dependability is a weighing factor. Yes they are a bit on the clunky side when it comes to accuracy. In many circles they are a number 1 choice, particularly Dangerous game animals, the term accuracy is also defined under the catagory of reliability, close fit rifles aren't very accurate if they wont go boom!

I have one factory Ruger 77. It's chambered in .375 Ruger and consistently produces 1/3" to 1/2" 100 yard groups and as small as 3/4" groups at 200 yards with the 270 grain Barnes TSX. The 260 Accubond works well too.

 

[Sully2]

Remington 700, heavy 24" barrel , wood stock, 22-250 caliber.

Bought it used, never modified it any whatsoever, shot around 1" average 5 shot groups at 200 yds with Four Corners factory ammo (which I haven't seen anywhere for a long time).

I didn't keep it very long, and didn't shoot any handloads through it. I traded it for a new VSSF in same caliber. Yotehunter73 now has the rifle, he's shot alot of coyotes with it.

Im with you partner. Ive got the VLS ( laminated stock) model and its deadly. Box stock with the exception of ( now) a 6-18 Leupold on top. I like it so much Im in the planning stages of buying the same gun only in .243 to make a long range rifle out of it.

My carry rifle is a re-stocked SPS in .243 ( hate those plastic stocks...yuck!)

 

[Mr.Moa]

Any one tried the limbsaver xrings. Put one on my Pro hunter and groups went from .76 to .53. The group without the xring was on a calm no wind day. The group with the xring was on a pretty windy day. Groups were @ 100 yrds and factory ammo. Wind shouldn't have made a big difference but made getting a good solid rest not so easy. Interested what it will do farther out and no wind day. I'm gonna work with the gun more probably put a set over travel screw, new trigger spring bout 2.5 lbs, and laminated thumbhole stock. Hope i can get the groups down into .4s like my weatherby... then when i get around to doing reloading for 270 and 30-06 maybe i can shrink the groups of both guns more. By the Way how is CZ rifles for out of the box accuracy.

 

[Daves762]

Remi 700 SPS stainless in 308. with handloads. less the 1/2 MOA

 

[ken snyder]

CZ is a topic all by itself. They are a good rifle with a few you need to knows. The single set triggers rumored to have problems don't, but they will make you scratch your head the first time you need to reassemble one. The set puts the trigger too far forward for smaller hands. Having an action that only will feed out of the well and will not push feed limits the c.o.a.l. without machining. The integral scope mounts limit conventional scope mounting placement and selection. 20 minute bases are available but require drill and tap. With all of those short comings the CZ 550 magnum actions probably have a 5 to 1 build rate for 338 lapua and 338-378 rifles in my local area. The cz also has the annoying habbit of the barrels being put on so tight particularly their safari rifles that the barrel has to be ringed with a parting tool ( groove cut around the barrel ahead of the action) to remove the barrel which cost wise might put an end to some choices of tuneing. They are a good accurate rifle that makes a very good semi-custom platform, but if you don't have a specific criteria of design features needed Those features can turn into overkill and be the wrong choice.