Keep trying or give up and move on?

[mattri]

Need to decide whether its time to move on or keep trying with a barrel.

A few years ago I bought a Savage PTA, couldn't be happier with it, great action, nice trigger. First barrel I installed was a 20 Practical, in no time at all had a super accurate load, shot it for a cple seasons- was very, very happy with it.

Then decided I wanted something better for the mid range, lots of 600 yard shooting, out to 1k on occasion. Decided on a 7mm-08 CBI, 30" 1:9. At the same time got a Stockade Prairie Dog/Tactical with weight added to make it close to a 20lb stock. With the heavy barrel and stock, the PTA and a Weaver T-36 I figured I'd have a decent mid-long range paper puncher.

It shoots nice and soft, rides the bags well, very comfortable.

Only problem is it isn't very accurate.

Bedded the stock, floated the barrel, lapped the rings on the scope, plenty of loads shoot with single digit SDs, it just isn't consistent.

Have tried a myriad of bullet/powder combos, different primers, adjusted the seating depth etc. Various brands and weights, clean, semi clean, fouled barrel etc. Can get a nice 1/2" group @ 200 from time to time but the same load may shoot 2-3" the next time around. Have been very, very particular with brass prep, neck tension, shoulder bump measurements etc. Again, can have a load that shoots fairly well with a pretty big spread ES/SD wise, then another that #s in the single digits but doesn't group for poo. Barel is headspaced properly, not walking at all, brass is consistent all around.

I would absolutely blame the shooter first but can still shoot much better with guns that shouldn't shoot half as well.

At what point do you keep hammering away at something, and at what point do you cut the lines and start over? I love the idea of this combo- on paper it should be kicking butt and taking names, just can't seem to make it work.

Thoughts?

 

[boltfluter]

Some times you just have to move on or contact the barrel maker and see if they can help. Good luck.

Regards. Paul

www.boltfluting.com

 

[jonbearman]

I have a cbi barrel and it is just not tunable.I hate it sometimes.I will stick to mcgowen and others.My next will be a brux,to try them out.

 

[articmp]

I have douglas barrels on 2 savages, a 6.5 284 on a pta and a 284 Shehane on a 11 accutrigger. Both of those barrels shoot like a dream.

 

[mattri]

Thanks for the replies. I've had a couple of CBI barrels and they've al been shooters. And this one is too- sometimes.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Mattri, I had a Douglas barrel that did what you are saying but worse.It was on a Savage varmint action and I did everything you have and then some. I tried all the combos I could think of and after 500 rounds gave up.In all of that I had one 5 shot group under .5"@100.
Finally after getting nowhere with Sharpshooter(you know who that is) I called Douglas and was told to send it in to them. Four days later Stanley called and said the barrel was the problem and appologized for that barrel leaving the factory. They sent me a new barrel with in 3 weeks cut threaded and chambered.
You said CBI so I assume the vendor is Northland give Jim a call see what he says.

 

[mattri]

Yeah I'm going to try adjusting the neck tension some more and if it doesn't tighten up give Jim a call. I hate to think it will come to that, hopefully I can figure this out.

 

[eric32]

i would go with a barrel tuner if your getting single digit ES. a barrel tuner will solve your barrel harmonics, contact Erik Cortina about his use of barrel tuners

 

[jonbearman]

If that barrel never started shooting with in short order you should have sent it back.I am not sold on cbi barrels and have 3 mcgowens that out shoot the cbi so bad it is embarrasing.One thing I noted in your op is you never had it recrowned.The crown on mine is now very questionable,I am going to crown it and if it doesnt start shooting ,off it comes.I really think you should save your money and buy a brux.You will be very happy with it.The 7-08 is easy to tune as far as I am concerned and a very accurate cartridge.

 

[mattri]

That's true, I never had it re-crowned. The crown looks good, and the carbon footprint is very symmetrical.

Have had other CBIs and have been very, very happy with them, they are also winning in F-class and other disciplines, doubt it is a problem they're seeing across the board.

 

[jsn]

You haven't said anything about how it looks with a borescope.

 

[articmp]

My Douglas printed a 5.514 49 2x, score winning relay,at 1k yesterday.Winning group was 0.26 smaller than mine. I don't think that is too shabby for my second weekend of putting rounds on paper with my econo rig, and having ammo loaded with Lee equipment.

 

[LRPV]

I have what I call limited experience with custom barrels but I'm going to say it is either going to shoot or it isn't. I burnt up a Bartlien trying to make it shoot and in the end, it never did whether the cause was the barrel, the gunsmith or me I don't know but the rifle shot exactly how you describe yours. When inquiring about my expensive "paperweight " as I call it, I was told that it just happens. Stop banging your head against the wall and move on is the advice I would give you. I have a criterion that I bought from Jim and it has been nothing but amazing ever since I screwed it on. Sorry yours didn't work out.

 

[mattri]

That's what I'm worried about- that I got the 1 in a hundred that just doesn't shoot. Going to try a couple more things then call it.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I had a factor barrel switched over to another gun when I replaced it with a Hart (Hummer) and the Smith bumped it back with a reamer and cleaned up the threads and squared the action face up and it shoots better then it ever did!!! The factory barrel shoots as good as it did at one hundred yrds at two hundred!!!
What I'm saying is it may not be the barrel it's self

 

[xs hedspace]

I would suggest you slug the barrel with a lead slug, oiled clean bore, and see if the muzzle end is loose. Or there's a loose spot somewheres in the barrel. The slug should feel evenly tight, or tighter near the muzzle end as you push it down the barrel.