Help me to obtain an accuracy goal

[TommyD11730]

Wow.. so many replies!! Thank you one and all. I'm going to start to reply to them. 1st let me tell you about what I am shooting currently.

223 Caliber in a Savage 12FV action. Bolt has has been bushed and a lift kit installed. No other work on the action.
Criterion 1-7T 28" Bull Barrel.
Jart Trigger
MDT Chassis
Athlon Midas Tac HD 5x25x56
Bald Eagle front rest
Rear Bag
4' Snow Marker with red ribbon attached as a wind guide. Placed at 200Y line
2" Splatterburst Targets. My spotting scope and Rifle scope have problems seeing impacts on the target. These targets help some.

Thats about it... thanks guys!!

 

[TommyD11730]

Are you currently using wind flags? If not buy good flags and keep shooting your current rifle until you get good at reading the wind.

Thats good advice. I don't own a proper set of flags. I only have a makeshift "ribbon on a stick" I place @ the 200Y line.

 

[TommyD11730]

Not trying to be an ass, but some people just can load and shoot.
What action do you have now? Sometimes you can get a different bolt or swap out the head.
Where's the action that you used with all the 308 equipment?
A 308 will kick a bit more than a 223. Might be something you have to get used to
if you go that route.

Had a poor outing today so it very could be me! =) I have never had the opportunity to measure myself behind a rife that for a fact shoots the groups I'm looking for. Further we don't have any shooters who compete who could take my rig for a ride, to see if it just might be me.

The 308 Parts I have came from a Remington 700P. I put that action in a MDT Chassis, with a TriggerTech trigger and the same Midas scope I have on my 223. While it shot bigger/easier to see groups I could never find a load it liked that would do much better than .7MOA @ 200Y.

 

[TommyD11730]

Having shot many matches over my years ! Service Rifle,Match Rifle ,Palma and F/Class.
I say your .223 can do the job.
I would not for a starter not shoot 80.5 at 200 yards.
I would like to know all the Specifications of all your Equipment ?

I just listed the rifles specs tonight. I would love your opinion on an alternative bullet. I have tested Sierra 69s, 77s, 80s (my 2nd favorite) Berger 73, 77 and 80.5s.

 

[TommyD11730]

There are four obvious reasons a rifle might not shoot with quarter MOA precision: 1) the shooter, 2) the conditions, 3) the rifle, 4) the ammunition. Until/unless you know with certainty which of these reason(s) is the cause your current .223 is not shooting quarter minute groups, there is no guarantee a new rifle/caliber will do it either. I have custom F-TR rifles and loads in both .223 Rem and .308 that will easily shoot quarter minute groups at 200 yd, including a .223 Rem load with the 80.5 Fullbore bullet. However, that is no guarantee that I can do it every time. Poor conditions and/or insufficient focus on my part can prevent good shooting, no doubt about it, and 10-15 mph conditions would make the stated goal a lot tougher.

There is nothing wrong with getting a new rifle just because you want one, but it is not necessarily any guarantee that your precision will reach the stated goal. Thus, what you're proposing might be a risky proposition (i.e. $$$) if the new setup doesn't shoot as well as you would like. Until you know why the current setup isn't performing to your expectations, it may be difficult to address the issue via this route, especially if the limiting factor isn't the rifle.

Very well written post. Thank you. Honestly I figured I had wrangled the most accuracies out of my current rig. I posted what I'm shooting earlier tonight. It's far from a custom F-TR rifle.. so let me know what you think.

 

[DumpHollow]

Thats good advice. I don't own a proper set of flags. I only have a makeshift "ribbon on a stick" I place @ the 200Y line.

Tommy,
Forget about the rifle technology until you develope wind reading skills. Your statement about a flag at 200 yards, the target, says that you you don’t have a good understanding of the key element in accurate rifle shooting of precision rifles. Get a good set of windf flags and a book about reading the wind.
It’s a deep rabbit hole that you are jumping into but it’s not so much about what’s on the bench as it is about what’s between your ears.

 

[Schippergreg]

Thats good advice. I don't own a proper set of flags. I only have a makeshift "ribbon on a stick" I place @ the 200Y line.

There’s a lot of conditions between yourself and the 200yd line. IMO you should have 4-6 flags for 200yds. My advice is to stick with what you’re shooting now and buy some flags. Without flags and decent wind reading skills you’ll never find your rifles real accuracy potential.

 

[cmysix]

At 200, there a buffet of 22 cal bullets that will hang tough!

Heck, I shoot my Waldog with 52gr bullets at 200 all the time and it is competitive.
CW

WELL HECK!, WE SHOT 55 GRAIN MILITARY BALL AMMO AT 500 YARDS AND KEPT ALL TEN SHOTS IN THE MIDDLE(CENTER MASS) OF A DOG TARGET. with wore out M16's