Rem. 700 Sendero Accuracy

[victorc]

Okay. Went to the hills today with a box of factory Winchester 150 grain Power-Point loads, and a few of my own reloads with Berger 168 grain VLDs. The setup was a portable bench with sand bags. Pretty stable overall. Shooting 100 yards. 0-1 mile an hour wind. Huskemaw 5-20 scope. The red dots on the target are one inch circles, and the target grid squares are also one inch. I'm very dissatisfied with a rifle that's suppose to be along range tack driver. I'm getting similar results with a Leupold 3-9 scope mounted on the same rifle. Take a look-see and let me know what you think is happening.

This top pic is the target shot by the Winchester factory loads. Five shots at each dot, except for the top left and top right dots where there is six shot at the left dot and four at the right dot.

This pic is of the target shot by my 168 grain Berger VLD reloads. Four shot at each dot.

 

[victorc]

The rifle is chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum. The rifle is all factory with the exception of the trigger being lightened to 2.5 lbs.

I broke the barrel in with a box of 140 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. During break in I carefully cleaned the barrel after each shot, for ten shots. I then cleaned the barrel after each five shots for the last ten rounds in the box. These bullets shot worse than the ones displayed in this post. They shot close to four inch groups.

 

[BillR]

Looks to me like you need to work on your load a bit plus get more trigger time with the gun. You might also want to re torque your stock screws and make sure they are at 65 in lbs.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

This doesn't look like typical Sendero accuracy. These groups look a lot like my Sako 85 Finnlight.

The only thing I can think of to do would be the normal, check your action and scope screws. If groups are still large you might do a scope swap out with a known good scope if you have one. There's always a chance tha even a good scope might be bad.

If that doesn't work, take it back to the dealer and have it sent back to the manufacturer (or send it back yourself) It would probably not be a good idea to mention shooting handloads through it as some manufacturers will void their warrantee if handloads are shot through it.

Hope you get it figured out and fixed. The Sendero should be shooting a lot better.

-MR

 

[johnnyk]

victorc,
You are correct in thinking that your rifle should be shooting better. Some take longer than others for the barrel to settle down. I had a .300 WM Sendero that went over a 100rds before it settled down. Never seen a barrel broke in after 20 rds, specially not a factory tube. Keep shooting and cleaning (regularly).
The Winchester factory Power Points are not known for their accuracy. As a matter of fact the last time I shot them in a cousins 7mag, not only did they kick the crap outta me but they spewed holes all over the target. I think they suck, myself. As for the Berger, it is not the holy grail of bullets. I have a 7mmRM 700P that will attest to that. I've shot nearly a whole box (100ct) through this rifle using multiple powders/primers and seating depths. It does not like this weight Berger.
Try and find a torque wrench and get your action screw set at 65in/lbs like BillR said. What kind of rings/mounts are you using? Have you examined/checked the barrel crown? Don't give up. JohnnyK.

 

[Topshot]

I have herd from a gunsmith that two out of five Sendero's will shoot like tack drivers right out of the box! Two will shoot just OK and one will be crap!

It seems like you have got one of those other three!!!!

If you have checked the scope and mounts and are confident in your shooting ability then I would blame the rifle!

I think that rather than wasting ammo and barrel life trying to get that thing to shoot "as is" you might be better off dropping it off to a gunsmith to do a bedding and trigger job.

Then try it again. If it still will not shoot then take it back to the gunsmith and have the action trued up. Might save you a whole lot of frustration.

 

[victorc]

Last night I mounted a new Leupold VX III 4.5-14x50 on the Sendero using Leupold two piece bases and standard Leupold rings. I'll pick up a box of Remington 150 grain Accutips from Cabelas on the way home from work tonight. I'll head back to the range some time tomorrow and try it again.

 

[roninflag]

my brother , friends and i have a lot of them(17). they ALL shoot less than an inch at 100yards. i only have 19 rounds out my 7mm mag. w/krieger barrel less than 1/2 inch with 3 different loads

 

[britz]

I would worry less about the scopes and more about load testing. Berger VLD's can be a little tricky to find the right seating depth. You might want to try different powders and bullets. Also, brass may be an issue to some affect. Are all your brass virgin... are they all sized the same way? same brand?? lots of little things can add up to make a big difference.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Britz, you may be right, but I'm thinking a Sendero should shoot even factory loads better than those groups. I have yet to buy a factory rifle that wouldn't shoot factory ammo to about 1.5 MOA or better, except my Sako. I'm guessing it's a rifle or a scope problem.

Just my $.02

-MR

 

[Winnemuccajohn]

I shoot an "original" Sendero, black bull barrel and spider web stock in Win 270. Only mod has been a trigger job. It consistently shoots 1/2moa with premium factory ammo. Guess I got a tack driver. Good luck on solving the mystery.

John
270 Sendero
338 Win
40 cal Steyer-Mannlicher
assorted others

 

[pjracer]

your results are typical to what ive gotten in the past from remington. i believe that if they shoot 2.5" groups at 100yds remington typically will not do anything warranty wise. i normally accurize them by bedding , trigger, borescope barrel chamber and crown. if headspace is not towards the minimal specs then i normally have the barrel re headspaced and lap the lugs. i have recrowned just about every factory rem from senderos to r5s. it sounds alot but still may be cheaper than rebarrel . also try some better factory ammo like hornady and federal.

 

[countryrebel]

I have not had very good luck with remington at all. They need bedded and sometimes a barrel change IMO.

 

[johnnyk]

I've had two of the first generation Sendero's (7mmRemMag, .300WinMag) with round, blued barrel and one Stainless Fluted (.25-06) all three shot above average for factory rifles (.2-.3"). The 700P that I have now shoot's the same. I shoot nothing but my handloads. JohnnyK.