New Rifle not as accurate as I'd hoped...

[Neogakai]

I have a new Remington .223 700 sps tactical in a Grayboe terrain stock with a Leupold Patrol 3-9 scope. I'm shooting off of a sandbag and getting only 1-1/4 groups at 90 yards and 1-3/4" at 150 yds. I'm shooting Hornady 55 gr varmint express. I'm going to try 69 grain SMK BTHP and Federal Gold Berger 73 gr to see if the heavier bullets are better (1 in 9 twist).
I haven't shot a rifle in a while and think it may be me. The groups are not all in the same quadrant which makes me think it is me. I also think the scope isn't level.
Any thoughts? Should I try to level the scope myself?
Thanks in advance!

 

[moondog]

Bullets will make a difference

 

[Riesel]

Keep at it. You got a lot of variables in this equation. Try to eliminate as many as possible.

 

[joshb]

You’re not doing that bad considering the 9 power scope. I’ve shot fairly good groups off sand bags, before I got a front rest. Practice, practice and find the right ammo.

 

[Ggmac]

Bigger scope , hand loads , wind flags , a good rest , and plenty of practice .
How's your trigger , barrel , trigger and bolt all free of contact with stock ? Is the crown good , is it properly cleaned ?
It's a long road but well worth the trip

 

[The boogalorian]

Can someone else shoot a group or two. This may help show if it is you or the rifle.

 

[hammerjack]

Quite now before you start shooting one hole groups then there is no end to it after that.

 

[chuckshooter]

trigger and scope to start with.
my friend bought two rem700 223's from cabelas for $349.00 ea. I teased him and told him he might as well pull the barrels without even wasting his time trying to get them to shoot. with a new trigger, 6.5x20 leupold, hand loads and a hs precision stock, they are shooting 1/2 groups or better. some times in life you get lucky

 

[ebb]

They never are.

 

[Bc'z]

Hang a plumb bob at 50 feet. Level rifle and align vertical cross hairs to string.
Dont touch or jiggle rifle while doing this.
OR....
Draw a vertical line on the wall using a level.
Level reifle.
Shine lite through objective lenses.
Align cross hair shadow with vertical line.
Thought I'd touch on this as nobody else has.

 

[cf]

I have never had 1 that was accurate enough, I always want more.

 

[Brians356]

Hang a plumb bob at 50 feet. Level rifle and align vertical cross hairs to string.
Dont touch or jiggle rifle while doing this.
OR....
Draw a vertical line on the wall using a level.
Level reifle.
Shine lite through objective lenses.
Align cross hair shadow with vertical line.
Thought I'd touch on this as nobody else has.

How do you level the rifle? Therein lies the fly in the ointment.
-

 

[Bc'z]

How do you level the rifle? Therein lies the fly in the ointment.
-

Flies eat sh!£ and bother people.
Level on scope rail.
Level on top turret with cap removed if applicable.
All sitting on front and rear rest. I'll shim front rest with playing cards if using a bipod.
It's the best I can do with what I'm give'n to work with.
Keep in mind I live 15 miles from the vortex where things roll uphill!

 

[mike a]

I have a new Remington .223 700 sps tactical in a Grayboe terrain stock with a Leupold Patrol 3-9 scope. I'm shooting off of a sandbag and getting only 1-1/4 groups at 90 yards and 1-3/4" at 150 yds. I'm shooting Hornady 55 gr varmint express. I'm going to try 69 grain SMK BTHP and Federal Gold Berger 73 gr to see if the heavier bullets are better (1 in 9 twist).
I haven't shot a rifle in a while and think it may be me. The groups are not all in the same quadrant which makes me think it is me. I also think the scope isn't level.
Any thoughts? Should I try to level the scope myself?
Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum. Tell us a bit more about how you are shooting. You say a sandbag. From a shooting bench, prone, over the hood of your car? Why 90 not 100? 9 power will do for 100. Having a good trigger and good rest/bags help a lot. What are your expectations? Are you sure you have a 1/9 twist? Mike

 

[Rsadams]

1/9 twist and if I remember correctly a short barrel on the tactical is going to limit you probably to 69gr bullets , the 69gr SMKs should shoot very well compared to the hornady.... Don't know how many rounds you have through it but a cleaning might help before you change bullets also....

 

[Paddyd]

I have a new Remington .223 700 sps tactical in a Grayboe terrain stock with a Leupold Patrol 3-9 scope. I'm shooting off of a sandbag and getting only 1-1/4 groups at 90 yards and 1-3/4" at 150 yds. I'm shooting Hornady 55 gr varmint express. I'm going to try 69 grain SMK BTHP and Federal Gold Berger 73 gr to see if the heavier bullets are better (1 in 9 twist).
I haven't shot a rifle in a while and think it may be me. The groups are not all in the same quadrant which makes me think it is me. I also think the scope isn't level.
Any thoughts? Should I try to level the scope myself?
Thanks in advance!

I have a M70 HV 1/9 twist and I have not found ANY factory ammo it likes . However, with Hornady 68 gr match bullets, LC cases and Benchmark powder it is a 1/4" rifle. It has been my experience that any factory ammo is not very impressive, regardless of what it says on the box. My Winchester struggles to get 1 1/2 " groups with any so called factory match ammo, but is astonishingly accurate with my reloads.. If you want good accuracy you have to experiment with rolling your own.

 

[savage110nut]

Are all the screws on the scope base and scope itself torqued down properly?

A 9 power scope should not be the reason for the large groups. Plenty of people hold very tight groups with irons, or even Service Rifles with 4x scopes.

I used to shoot better off of a sandbag but once I put some work into shooting a bipod that certainly changed.

As others have recommended, I would offer to have a friend shoot it. This must be a friend that actually has that skill though.

 

[lb-ft]

I have the same rifle. It was wretchedly inaccurate and inconsistent until handloaded 53 vmax, cci primers, CFE223.

Now it shoots almost as well as a custom.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have a new Remington .223 700 sps tactical in a Grayboe terrain stock with a Leupold Patrol 3-9 scope. I'm shooting off of a sandbag and getting only 1-1/4 groups at 90 yards and 1-3/4" at 150 yds. I'm shooting Hornady 55 gr varmint express. I'm going to try 69 grain SMK BTHP and Federal Gold Berger 73 gr to see if the heavier bullets are better (1 in 9 twist).
I haven't shot a rifle in a while and think it may be me. The groups are not all in the same quadrant which makes me think it is me. I also think the scope isn't level.
Any thoughts? Should I try to level the scope myself?
Thanks in advance!

I would suspect bedding. I have the same rifle in the factory stock shots everynyhing I have tried in .3 to .6 at100yds. All I did was snug up the screws a bit. Mine is .223 like yours. I have a friend with one in .308, same with his, shoots veey good especially for the price just in the factory Houge stock.Maybe put it back in the factory stock and try it.

 

[natdscott]

You’re not doing that bad considering the 9 power scope. I’ve shot fairly good groups off sand bags, before I got a front rest. Practice, practice and find the right ammo.

The magnification power is not the problem here; down to ~1/2 Minute, it's not a problem at all.