Load development gone wrong

[ebb]

Took Remington ADL 308 WIN to the range on Monday, took ammo loaded with Speer 150 grain hot core bullets, over WIN 748. Loads stated at 45 grains and went to 48 grains in .3 grain increments. I shot 6 shots and let the barrel cool, then 6 more till done. I had years ago tried NOS BT 150s over Varget and 4064 and never found a decent load then or on Monday. Little to no wind. I bought the rifle years ago and it came with a decent Timney trigger that is not super light be about right for a hunting rifle. Maybe it has a crap barrel? What has me baffled is every single group shot Monday had the first shot hit high and the next 2 over an inch lower and right of the first shot, but 2nd and 3rd shots were very close together or touching. What explains this? rifle has Buttis signature Z rings on Burris two piece mounts and a Nikon Monarch 4-14 scope. Nothing loose. Is there a pet load that works on all box stock Remington ADL/BDL skinny barrel hunting rifles?

 

[Klong]

Is the rifle bedded?

 

[K22]

Will echo post #2, is the rifle bedded? But I think I know the answer if it a factory issue plastic stock. See next comment.

The Remington's are infamous for the pressure point at the tip of the forearm in their cheap injection molded stocks. This is the cheap way to stabilize the action / barrel without a proper bedding job. I guess it works sometimes but I never found it to work for me unless you are satisfied with 1 1/2 to 2 moa or thereabouts groups which is often just fine for big game at normal shooting distances.

Most of those Remington injection molded factory stocks are good for a "minute of a deer angle but not much more". They can be improved with a bedding job and free floating the barrel, but I always found that replacing the stock was a better option if you wanted to shoot sub moa because even with a proper bedding job those injection molded stocks flex. You may want to consider a B&C Stock.

Surprised that Varget and / or IMR 4064 did not work for you with 150 Nosler BT. This combo shot in the 1/2 moa range for me.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I would also recommend firing more shots to see if these is a trend.

 

[Doom]

A couple of thoughts. First you should not shoot 6 shot groups. That thin barrel is going to to begin to wonder after 3 shots. It's a hunting rifle so don't worry about group size. You want to know where a clean bore first shot will go versus your zero. Do you plan on cleaning after each hunting trip? Shoot 2 shot or 3 shots for load development on a dirty barrel. Look at the POI and try to find a range of loads where the POI is about the same for consecutive loads. Once you have that load and the rifle zeroed, clean it and shoot a clean bore shot followed by two fouled shots. You know know what to expect from the clean bore shot versus you next 2 shots.

 

[Doom]

The Remington's are infamous for the pressure point at the tip of the forearm in their cheap injection molded stocks. This is the cheap way to stabilize the action / barrel without a proper bedding job. I guess it works sometimes but I never found it to work for me unless you are satisfied with 1 1/2 to 2 moa or thereabouts groups which is often just fine for big game at normal shooting distances.

The theory is that putting that contact point in decreases the vibration and should result in less dispersion especially with thin barrels. For a hunting rifle it's not a bad system.

There can be an issue with that contact point if it isn't consistent. Sometimes a few wraps of electrical tape will tend to lock the barrel to the nubs and improve the grouping.

 

[ebb]

Klong, I don't think I have ever had the stock off of it, probably not. The guy that sold it to me is into precision rifles so maybe. Good catch!!! K22 It's an older rifle with a beautiful dark wood stock, it doesn't exactly look like walnut, more like mahogany, darker than walnut. It hasn't got one scratch or mar in the bluing or the wood. The guy that taught me to reload used to say if it won't shoot with a Ballistic Tip it won't shoot with anything. I am sure I dollar bill checked it before but I have many rifles so I need to do that again to make sure. Only ever shot 3 shot groups with my previous attempts and on Monday. Doom, dollar bill check will find pressure point. OK I've got some investigating to do thanks for all of the ideas I appreciate then all!

 

[Homerange]

Wood stock Remington's....some believe that removing the pressure point and floating them is a must and I researched this after getting a second hand Model 7 in 223.
7lbs point pressure is what's commonly stated online and this is also somewhat dependant of front action screw torque.
That Model 7 with its pencil thin barrel shot a warm 50gr BT load amazing in stock standard condition.
Another I have in 6mm Rem had the pressure point removed but I added some shimming to replace the 7lbs pressure the best I could and settled it down some but it's not the tack driver the 223 was.

 

[Oldbloke]

Mmm. Some barrels like the pressure from the contact point... some don't.

I have an old M70 Winchester 30.06 I free floated 40 years ago. Was probably better if I didn't.

Suggest you slip a business card cut to suit under the barrel before you rush off and free float it.

Varget, never underestimate it. I use it for everything.

PS Shot this Monday.
4 shots 100yards Marlin XLS
Never touched the bedding.
Has a pressure point.
223
24.7 gr Varget
Sierra 1365
Case Win
Primer S&B

I'm a hunter. All my test/check groups are 4 shots. Rarely fire more than 1.

I was pretty chuffed. perhaps a fluke. But shot 4 or 5 other groups not much bigger.

 

[K22]

The theory is that putting that contact point in decreases the vibration and should result in less dispersion especially with thin barrels. For a hunting rifle it's not a bad system.

There can be an issue with that contact point if it isn't consistent. Sometimes a few wraps of electrical tape will tend to lock the barrel to the nubs and improve the grouping.

Yes, I've seen that remedy and it can work for a big game rifle. For a big game hunting rifle, the factory stock can work most of the time.

But if you purchased, like I did, a Remington Model 7, for a "walking around" varmint rifle and a "move about" predator rifle, I found that it did not meet my precision requirements for a small vital area that these critters have. When I installed a B&C stock with the bedding block, my dispersion significantly decreased.