6.5-06 bad groups with Nosler bullets

[mlequieu]

would like to know if anyone has had this problem with Nosler Bullets. i have a 6.5-06 on a mauser action that has been trued up and holds a Sheider barrel P5 23 inches long with a heavy contour. the gun shoots 107 sierra matchkings to .33 and 95 hornaday v-max to .35 all day. the barrel tag says 1 in 8. now the kicker. i have loaded and shot 100 SP, 120 balistic tip, 130 accubond, and 140 custom comps and none will shoot inside 1.0. the 100's are the worst at 3.0 to 4.0 at 100. the best is the 120's at 1.25 to 1 solid. i load all my own and have tried 760, 7828, norma MRP, r-22, 4350, and 4831. i have run them from 3100fps to 2600fps. no luck with any of them.. first group of the day is always 107 sierra for control. last group of the day is always 107 and they are the same. every time. .25 left of center is my spoiler then the main group shoots to .33 or .34 no matter what. now what do i do with the nosler problem. i have sierra sending me 123, 140 and 142 but have not arrived yet.

any hints on the nosler stuff?

 

[Rustystud]

Marc:

Did you check the rate of twist with a cleaning rod like I suggeted over the phone?

I would check the cases for concentricity and TIR.

I would also check COL before and after each reloading.

I would also look for a neck donut and inconsistent neck tension.

Nat Lambeth

 

[mlequieu]

checked all and rate of twist is right. 1-8 i have calipered my necks and miked them too nothing there. the only thing that has me is my cleaning. i will get some better solvent this morning and get the bore spankin new when i get back. then re shoot. have to thank you for your time on the phone yesterday. lots of good ideas and stuff that i would not have thought of. have to ask you what you would do for projects if you had a choice. 338 ultra mag or 7.62x39 sub sonic?? just had to ask.

still have to talk again about your buffalo and bow thoughts.

marc

 

[2506]

I could be that you are getting the bore too clean. I have a Shilen barreled 25-06 that is a real tack driver with about anything you put into it. I decided to really clean the bore and remove any sign of jacket fouling. Results at the range were shotgun patterns until I had fired around 40 rounds. This rifle just likes a fouled barrel. The only thing I clean it with now is plain old Hoppe's after every 40 rounds. I only clean until the black is gone off the patches.

My hunting buddy had a 6.5-06 and it really liked 120 Nosler BT and 51.5 grs IMR 4350. Try different seating depths and different primers to see what happens. This has always helped me.

 

[Rustystud]

Marc:

I would check inside the necks of a few sized pieces of brass.

Look for a ring in the reaward most part. This is wehere the sizing bushing may not be sizing the last 20-40 thousands.

AKA Donut ring.

This will cause all kinds of headaches and night mares.

Nat

 

[archerross]

If by chance you find the doughnut ring, what is the solution? Just curious as I have not found this problem.

My 6.5-284 printed a nice .75 group @200 yds last Friday with 142gr SMKs at 2990 fps, ES = 10. Getting closer! I might try a fuzz further off the lands and then mess with the tunable break to try and tighten that up a bit more.

 

[Rustystud]

Donuts can be turned off in a lathe or neck turner, thay can be reamed out internally and swaged out with a mandrel and a full length die.
Nat Lambeth

 

[mlequieu]

checked no doughnuts. but for some reason others i have spoken to are not all that concerned that noslers do not shoot to poop. more concerned would be if the bergers do not shoot or the sierra's. but for what i have heard Nosler is a bit on the outside for accuracy.

 

[243Mendoza]

checked no doughnuts. but for some reason others i have spoken to are not all that concerned that noslers do not shoot to poop. more concerned would be if the bergers do not shoot or the sierra's. but for what i have heard Nosler is a bit on the outside for accuracy.

I haven't tried the Nosler's 6.5s but their 155gr 308 bullets shoot very well so I would not discount their bullets. Have you tried heavier non-Nosler bullets?

 

[olympian]

Two friends and I ran into trouble today with the Nosler 140gr. HPBT. It is not just you.

 

[Rust]

It isn't anything that should be of much concern, as virtually all rifles diplay better accuracy with some bullets and poor accuracy with others, the nature of the beast. Best resolved by keeping a goodly supply of the bullets it likes on hand, enough to get you through the usual periodic shortage of components. And not wasting barrel life trying to make something the rifle doesn't like work.

 

[dennisinaz]

I have shot a few Noslers through my 6.5. The 130 Accubonds for example, shoot right there with the Bergers at decent ranges. They might not groups as well at 1000 as the Bergers, but they do shoot better than the average hunting bullet.

Maybe because they are harder, they need some different treatment. Maybe jumping them about .060 into the lands and see if they improve.

The twist is not the issue as it is obviously working with the Sierras.

good luck

 

[Goofycat]

Check your scope mounts and get the copper out. Shilen makes a good barrel, but if you have horrible copper fouling, you may have a problem. Try a product called Wipe Out. The stuff is a foam that you squirt into the end of the barrel, let it set overnight, then run just a patch through the barrel. From reports of other shooters, the stuff is great.