What would you change?

[Quintus]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

I think we need a baseline of what we have first and what we are shooting. Trigger has been mentioned a lot here, but what is the current trigger? Same goes for stock, barrel, and action. Also what is the current state of accuracy? Are we getting a 3" gun or 3/4" gun to start with. If I had to fix one thing, it would be what's broke.

 

[PNWdude67]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

There is not really one thing more important than the other. Some have said get training, better shooter. Ok point taken, we all need to train to be better shooters. I think what you are trying to get going is a conversation about prioritizing the key elements of an accurate rifle system, shooter aside? All my rifles are modular now. They start with a solid bolt action receiver and are built up from there. Next is the optic, then the barrel and finally the stock. From there we chamber and develop a load. So it may not be the most important thing, because cutting corners or going cheap at any point will compromise the rifle's performance outcome, but the receiver is the first step towards making a great shooting rifle for any shooter regardless of ability or level of training. A great shooter will shoot better and a bad shooter will suck a little less with a good gun.

 

[nwhunter]

Practice.

 

[FrogFire7]

I think it depends on the rifle a bit... Stock could easily be #1 if it's a cheap plastic Tupperware stock. Could be trigger... Could be barrel if I can't get it to shoot after load development. Kind of depends what the issues are after you do some investigation and elimination

 

[Will Gray]

My first hi power rifle was a SMLE 303 from Sears for $9.95 The barrel looked like a tube of sandpaper inside, the the ramp into the chamber was badly worn (this was an old war rifle). The trigger had all the bad features: very rough, creep, long over travel, awful stock, reworked the bolt to get the headspace right, then had to fashion a new extractor (from a small engine exhaust valve, by hand on my bench grinder). Drilled and tapped the receiver so I could put a scope on it ($21.00 Tasco). That gun taught me to shoot trash well: It would go under an inch for ten rounds and then keyhole until the bore was scrubbed. Reloaded with a Lyman Tong Tool, Redding oil damped scale and a spoon to meter the powder. Did have a good funnel that I still use. I killed many crows and turtles with that rifle. I say all of that to support the point that it is the shooter that makes the shot, with practice all the variables can be overcome IF the barrel is reliable. A great barrel makes the rifle but only if all the screws are properly torqued. My two cents...

 

[Okie John]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

The first thing I CHANGE varies. The first thing I DO is inspect the rifle. Once it's mechanically sound and clean, the screws are properly torqued, and the sights are properly mounted and firmly attached, I get a baseline with reference-grade loads. Then I diagnose problems, then I decide what to change. It's even money between the load, the trigger, and the bedding. Triggers help the shooter shoot better. Loads and bedding helps the rifle shoot better.


Okie John

 

[Calvin45]

As far as hardware goes, I'd focus on the ammo before I'd start blaming the rifle. Only after it demonstrated an inability to shoot with a number of different factory and carefully tuned handloads would i think about modifying the gun.

My first order of business would probably be to see to it that the action is properly bedded, and if it's a free floating barrel make sure it's not actually touching the stock - modified a cheap savage 270 stock with a utility knife, no joke, to remedy barrel-stock interference. It shot a bit better after, honestly. It was ugly to begin with, no regrets .

If the rifle is chambered in a hard kicking cartridge combined with a lightweight Tupperware type stock there's an obvious potential for lousy groups there, nothing you can do about it if you don't replace the stock first or find a way to make it heavier and more rigid - I've noticed on a few of those really cheaply made savage axis/rem 783 type guns that 243s are tack drivers, 270s are often right at 1 moa guns, and .30-06 with heavies don't shoot so tight. I don't think it's just recoil affecting shooting or anything inherently more accurate about other cartridges - I think the .30-06 with 180+ grain bullets is starting to ask too much of the cheap injection molded hollow stocks.

As for the shooter, I know of nothing better than experiencing an unplanned dry fire and seeing how much you actually do flinch or start to flinch after a shooting awhile. I discovered this with my .300 win mag. I often shoot it with the brake closed now, because it's a heavier rifle and I discovered, when i thought I had chambered another round but in fact chambered air, that the horrendous blast from the muzzle brake was absolutely making me flinch, and the recoil was not so much.

 

[OldElkHunter1961]

Training. Post zero and trajectory verification at various ranges, get off the beach, sticks and various "pods." Master the four basic shooting positions. Afield they can be endlessly modified. But not if you aren't an ace at using them in their basic forms. Too many of us search for/apply material solutions to human problems. Get out and shoot and enjoy that educational process in and of itself.

 

[Greyfox]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

The one best thing? I would find the load that the rifle shot best with.
But…we all know it doesn't necessarily work this way. While I do have preferences in trigger design/weight, after decades of shooting all sorts of rifles, I have found few that I have not been able to adjust to….within reason, and with a bit of familiarity. My initial/primary focus with a new or unfamiliar rifle goes right to the fitment and integrity of the key components(ie.Barrel/action, sights/mounts/scope, bedding. Next. Finding an accurate, consistent load with a bullet design that meets the requirements. As to triggers, unless it's free-recoil bench-rest where I will use <2# weights, for hunting and action sports my favorite is 2.5-3.5# in a 2 stage design(if available). Same weight range in single stage, if not.

 

[memtb]

While I certainly believe in a good, quality , consistent trigger! The best trigger in the world, sear break by telepathic thought, cannot make up for firearm deficiencies!

If the trigger pull is crap, but consistent, a good rifleman can adapt! If the trigger pull or break point is inconsistent.....you're SOL!

If the firearm has bedding, scope, scope mount issues creating inconsistencies....no trigger can fix that!

I'm not the "sharpest knife in the draw"....but, many of these posts equal uncontrolled diarrhea! memtb

 

[jarnold37]

Go get training. The human is always the weakest link in accuracy. It's not arguable. It's a solid fact. Honestly, if one has good fundamentals, they don't need a special trigger unless your splitting hairs. 1/8 moa type hairs.

If you are talking strictly mechanical? Scope. Get a quality scope. It's not a optical device at its primary function, it's a telescopic sight. If you're sight is cheap and finicky, so will your shooting be.

Are you talking specifically mechanical on the rifle? The stock. The reason I suggest that over say, blue printing, or barrels is because a good stock, or even a modular stock compliments fundamentals of marksmanship….the most important thing of accuracy, right? Having the right length of pull, and the right comb height, or more simply a proper setup is critical for the shooter to be consistent.


Blue prints give small gains, and barrels now a days even from the factory are good enough in most instances. My wife took at cheap ruger American off the shelf and shoots 1/4 moa with it for example with no modification other than a cheek riser.

If you're fundementals are solid, you have a decent scope and a rifle set up for you're body…you're good to go. If you get to a point you want to be more competitive, or further your accuracy, then barrels, and blue prints, even triggers and other gizmos can help with that, but they aren't required.

I have a hard time trying to decide which is most important. It is very hard, next to impossible, to shoot real small groups with a 4-5 pound trigger. But then I think of trying to group with a 2-7 power scope that has no parallax adjustment and cross hairs that cover the entire 1" aim point on the target. Then I consider bore videos showing brand new factory barrels with sections of the lands gouged and deep tooling marks. Then I think about the factory stock that has bedding so bad that the barreled action pivots in the stock as the front screw is tightened. I guess I have to say I cant choose just one. Dont think that any one is less important than the other

 

[APDDSN0864]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

Training, because only perfect practice makes perfect and we all benefit from the knowledge of others.
The other components are mechanical things that all can put together, but it's the Indian, not the arrow, that makes the shot.

Ed

 

[WYOHTF]

Trigger, bed, free float barrel is the one thing I've done on my factory rifles. Now it has been upgraded to include a higher twist barrel of decent contour and some truing on the receiver. Then comes load development. They all make a difference. But that's me.

X2
My hunting guns run at 3-3.5 lbs @ trigger. Frozen cold fingers and a 1 lb trigger do not go together, but a crisp 3 lb. trigger is much more reliable.
As Rhett Crider has said, these are the basics. Next would be to check the crown @ the muzzle.
I have bought more than one gun used that wouldn't hold a group and had them re crowned.
You would be surprised how many people toss guns in trucks, barrels down. Don't know what end of the gun to clean from(bolt gun).
JMTCW

 

[skipglo]

If you can choose the one best thing you could do to make a firearm shoot better what would it be, which one thing would you change over everything that would make the biggest difference, basically the first thing you would do to make a gun shoot better, but can only do one thing, what's most important.

Adjustable stock...l.o.p. , riser, and Adjustable recoil pad.