Hierarchy of Accuracy

[Syncrowave]

I'd put ammunition near the top. I've seen several rifles that didn't seem to shoot any factory ammunition very well, that improved markedly with the right handloads. Sometimes you just can't find a node with factory ammo offerings.


Do you reload? If not, that might be a faster way to accuracy than the things you mentioned – in large part because it'll give "the nut behind the bolt" more practice.

 

[Ghansen]

I'll drive a good used mustang any day.

 

[GerryM]

Bedding if the rifle doesn't Have good bedding It will more then likely shoot all over the place and not hold zero with any barrel.
after bedding comes the barrel chamber set up.

 

[BoydAllen]

Accuracy is a total package, weakest link thing. The one thing that most of us cannot manage on our own, is the barrel and the machine work to properly install it. Bedding can be learned, and done at a modest cost. I would think that most of us reload. If a scope will hold its adjustment, and is adjustable for parallax, though the image may be less than stellar, it can be used for accurate shooting. Triggers, can be improved, and if one has mechanical aptitude and the ability to work with one's hands that can be done by the owner. (although I have met plenty of otherwise splendid fellows who could not pour water out of a boot with the directions written on the bottom of the heel) As far as bullets go, if one avoids the very cheapest, some very satisfying results can be had using mass produced , name brand bullets. What generally will not work is to take the position that one does not want to deal with any one particular component of accuracy, effectively ignoring it. I run into fellows like this all the time. They think that they can tell a rifle what they want it to do, instead of listening to what it needs to do its best work. Invariably they are mystified as to why their repeated attempts fall short of their stated mark, and just as invariably they refuse to change their methods, going around in circles rather than advancing.

 

[DJ111]

Everything has to work together for the discipline you are trying to do. Every part relies on each other for the end result, if you had a great barrel and do not have the rest of the equipment to support it how would you know if you really had a great barrel?

It's like having a brand new racing engine and no race car to put it in.....and also if you don't feed it racing gas it will not make any power...

Moral of my story.....if you buy a great barrel you need to buy the car to put it in and don't feed it junk (cheap components) and expect it to work good!

Have Fun!

 

[NateHaler]

Looks like it's all been covered except the most important factor. The shooter.

I think this depends on the accuracy objective. I've seen novice shooters settle behind a top-notch BR rig, with uber front rest and a rear sand bag, 1.5 ounce trigger, and 36x scope, and shoot under 1/2" for five shots. That same person, with grampa's deer rifle, on a sandbag front and rear, would have trouble holding 2 MOA groups with just 3 shots. And shooting from standing position, would probably miss the whole target at 100y. So, it depends on what the shooter is after. I don't think any shooter can have much fun if he/she never hits the target, unless they just like the noise. But hitting the target depends on the game, and the equipment. It's a collective. The main thing is to get in the game with good enough gear to start learning. IMO. And a good mentor, if one isn't inclined to learn by doing oneself, i.e. the school of hard knocks. 8)

 

[58weasel]

Reading through the many excellent posts, it strikes me that - given the inter-relatedness of it all - it can get really difficult at times to figure out where exactly a problem lies when accuracy is being degraded beneath what is expected. Given the strong opinion on the centrality of the barrel, the first thought is of course "I've got a bad barrel?" Which is why, if interested in enhanced accuracy, that extra loot for a really good barrel is on the top of the list. But if you did purchase a really good barrel, it is even more suspect when problem arise.

On a Utube clip John Krieger mentioned a shooter's wry comment about how surprising it was that a new scope improved his barrel so much. Hilarious, but all too much truth there.

To tell a story on myself, I suffered from a severe case of this "barrel ailment" (it was with a Krieger nonetheless). The Krieger DMC on my AR15 was as erratic as could be (about 2-3 MOA). My Enfield could outshoot it. It was really driving me up the wall. I even set down and wrote Krieger a rather disparaging letter, after speaking to someone there whom had not the first clue. "Look at the barrel with a bore-scope." Sure. Never sent the letter.

In exasperation I set down on the bench rest (230 yds) and fired a careful 20 round group. I saw what I never saw firing a 3-5 round group. Among the bullet holes all over the place were 4 clusters that were really tight. The rifle was putting the bullets into one of the four cluster, when not just shotgunning all over the pattern. I began to get suspicious.

Next I fired the lightest to the heaviest bullets I had on hand. The lightest shot the best (though still nothing to write home about). I started to become convinced.

Years ago I built another AR15 with a Krieger barrel, and it was the first astonishingly accurate rifle I had ever encountered. I thought about that build, and the one thing that was really different about the two rifles was the weight of the bold carrier. Years ago Brownells carried one that was truly massive.

So, I ordered a set of David Tubb's weights that you can put in the rear of the AR bolt carrier. Like magic, that barrel really improved! It was stamping out the Olympic symbol with 77SMK + IMR 4895 at 230 yds. Problem solved, and it wasn't that "first suspect": the barrel.

If you've bought a high quality barrel, be rather reserved about that "first suspicion" when the rifle won't shoot.

Really glad I didn't write Krieger that letter. Avoided being one more in the "dummy" outbox. Why barrel makers get gray.

 

[Joe R]

As many have stated its a SYSTEM, every component has an impact on everything else. However, since money is tight and you gotta start somewhere I would start with good ammo. But I rank a good scope very high because you can't hit what you can't see.

 

[GerryM]

The reason I say Bedding Experience dictates Bedding you can take a factory rifle out of the box that shoots 1 inch or more re bed the rifle and get great accuracy with decent hand loads. Yes all three are important especially on a bolt action. after the bedding you work up a shooting hand load or use your best factory match grate ammo.
Then comes the barrel set up. then more then likely back to ammo. a good trigger also helps but most people can adapt to a somewhat diffacult trigger.
that would be the 4th thing to mention. The other thing is your sights or scopes You can only shoot as well as you can see.
so decent sights or a good clear scope with good mount come into play.
Like many have said here is a system The place to start is with your action { the one your most comfortable with and has a decent set of aftermarket parts to choose from.
There are plenty of articles right here in this site to help.

 

[Tim Singleton]

Without a good accurate barrel >> nothing else will have much of an effect..
Without a good action to make the barrel work properly, you won't gain everything the barrel can deliver.
Without a good stock to hold the action and barrel and have it properly fitted and bedded, the above is for naught.
Without a good trigger, you will not allow all the other components to function correctly..
Without a good, repeatable scope>>> well you can't hit what you can't see and if you don't have "clicks" that move like they are supposed to>> you're just guessing at where an accurate bullet, from an accurate rifle can be placed..

It is the "cumulative effect" of all the components AND quality, precision reloading that makes a rifle perform excellently!

Very good advise here.

 

[savageshooter86]

I've been told barrel and bullets are what counts the most. And who preaches this information sure knows how to shoot and do well. In my limited 2 years of shooting and reloading, the BARREL has proven to me the most important factor. I know there is more to it for the National Level shooters, but that and my Sightron SIII have helped a lot