Any suggestions?
Nov 4, 2010 12:22:30 GMT -5
Post by tasaman on Nov 4, 2010 12:22:30 GMT -5
Ok let me start by telling you what I've done so far. Last years set up was the stainless with thumbhole lam stock. This year I swapped the stock for a tupperware just to see if I like using it better in the field. Mine is a hunting gun, not a range queen. Carrying that thumbhole ready to shoot is not comfortable. Great for shooting from a stand but not so great still hunting or walking with.
While changing out the stock I also had a chance to correct a slight tilt on the crosshairs so I disassembled the mounts and checked to make sure the bases were tight and remounted the scope so the crosshairs were strait this time. I also did my regular maintenance I first thing I noticed was breech plug wasn't really tight at all. It hadn't been checked since last shot that I took a deer with from last year. So I disassembled everything and replaced the vent liner with a Lehigh. Drilled out the carbon while I was in there and scrubbed the barrel down real good. I reassembled everything and went went to the range.
My go to load last year was 43gr 4759 and a BO in BCR and it was giving me groups with 3 bullets touching holes at 100 yards. Took a while to find that load and was magic when I did. That's what I tried this go round and best I could get it to do was a little over two inches and that was after 20 rounds. The rest were around 3 inches or so. This was from a very solid rest using the Shooters Ridge rest that uses weights to anchor the rest and a strap on the back to tame recoil.
Now what I'm trying to figure out is what made the group open up. Could it be the new vent or the stock? Both? I think first think I'll do is try a few shots with 42gr or 42.5gr of the 4759 and see if that works. I'm guessing it's back to the drawing board for me. Maybe I'll throw the thumbhole back on just to see if it tightens up. If not I have some other powders I've been wanting to try like RL7 and 4198. Guess that gives me a reason to go practice some more.
Any suggestions or just go with what I was planning? Thanks guys.
Ed
While changing out the stock I also had a chance to correct a slight tilt on the crosshairs so I disassembled the mounts and checked to make sure the bases were tight and remounted the scope so the crosshairs were strait this time. I also did my regular maintenance I first thing I noticed was breech plug wasn't really tight at all. It hadn't been checked since last shot that I took a deer with from last year. So I disassembled everything and replaced the vent liner with a Lehigh. Drilled out the carbon while I was in there and scrubbed the barrel down real good. I reassembled everything and went went to the range.
My go to load last year was 43gr 4759 and a BO in BCR and it was giving me groups with 3 bullets touching holes at 100 yards. Took a while to find that load and was magic when I did. That's what I tried this go round and best I could get it to do was a little over two inches and that was after 20 rounds. The rest were around 3 inches or so. This was from a very solid rest using the Shooters Ridge rest that uses weights to anchor the rest and a strap on the back to tame recoil.
Now what I'm trying to figure out is what made the group open up. Could it be the new vent or the stock? Both? I think first think I'll do is try a few shots with 42gr or 42.5gr of the 4759 and see if that works. I'm guessing it's back to the drawing board for me. Maybe I'll throw the thumbhole back on just to see if it tightens up. If not I have some other powders I've been wanting to try like RL7 and 4198. Guess that gives me a reason to go practice some more.
Any suggestions or just go with what I was planning? Thanks guys.
Ed