Loads can be so frustrating!

[Bill Norris]

Some days we get the bear. Some days the bear gets us. Never give up. U will figure it out.

 

[KY_Windage]

That is a significant change and not likely to be the load. The fact that the 15 rounds left over from last time when it was shooting well did not shoot well this time is a strong clue that the change is not load related.

There is something first order going on. Start with thinking about any changes you may have made to the gun since it was shooting well but especially the scope.

I agree. I would start by checking ring screws, then making sure my chamber was not fouled with unburnt powder or something, then I would look at my crown, with an 8x or 10x loop.

 

[cem]

One more thing to try. I'd apologize today but one of my mixed memories is a friend saying to me: "Is it me or is it the gun?" It was a mixed pleasure to shoot the gun and say with snark: "It's you." Just possibly a gun may have a tight neck or otherwise not handle factory ammunition but barring that using a known good lot of factory ammunition for comparison can help too.

 

[338 dude]

Yeah I have many, normally I get one dialed in and keep that load with that gun ready to go. I really like shooting the Grendel as its a small powder capacity round and does really well for me. I had a load for it and now it wont shoot for shit! That kinda stuff ticks me off to no end, wont even do well with loads that DID well a week ago, temp and humidity are really about the same so what gives? I'm going back again today after work and see if its gonna shoot.

I feel your frustration had the same thing happened to me just recently and I cant explain it some days you win some days you lose stick with it you have a lot of people willing to help you

 

[Drop Port]

I have a dialed in load for my 6.5 Grendel and it's been shooting great when I shoot it. However I wanted to go to a local 300yd match this weekend and take that gun so I got it out and loaded up about 20 more plus the 15 I had left from last time and none of it shot worth a diddly! The last time I shot the gun at 300 yards it grouped 10 shots in about 1 1/4 inches and would hold that pretty reliably, last night was a disaster with nothing grouping less that about 3 1/2 inches! This whole shooting this is making me old fast and thinking of a new hobby,... maybe growing mushrooms...

Unfortunately it could be mechanical, you or the load. very hard to diagnose in a simple question. Had a friend with a flyer problem, after going over everything I found he had a long front guard screw and when he checked torqued it started to graze the the bottom bolt lug and do wonders on groups Grinding off .050" turned it competitive again.

 

[JFrank]

Too much coffee?
Bullet weld?
Signs of pressure? (On the shooter, that is.)

Bad Back, Trick Knee, Glass Eye....

 

[David Milisock]

Load problems take time but load problems and gun issues drive a guy to develop bald spots from scratching his head.

Shooting older problematic rifles can be challenging.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Most days I suck.. Hey you could take up fishing

Dock fishing maybe, I have turned wrenches on boats/motors for the last 40 years and shooting is my escape from boats. Sometimes its nice to be at the range and not even shoot just relaxing and helping others. That day was a bad one with everything going wrong. Starting to venture out to try other local matches and with one fast approaching I can't get my rifle to shoot and now I found out I dont have as many bullet saved back as I thought and now with one day to go I have to try to locate enough for the match or quickly get something else ready to go. Sorry guys just me venting I guess....

 

[Drop Port]

Good luck, a lot change on bullets could be fun.

 

[JFrank]

Dock fishing maybe, I have turned wrenches on boats/motors for the last 40 years and shooting is my escape from boats. Sometimes its nice to be at the range and not even shoot just relaxing and helping others. That day was a bad one with everything going wrong. Starting to venture out to try other local matches and with one fast approaching I can't get my rifle to shoot and now I found out I dont have as many bullet saved back as I thought and now with one day to go I have to try to locate enough for the match or quickly get something else ready to go. Sorry guys just me venting I guess....

Post yer trash on the crappy target thread and move on buddy, life’s too short for anything else.
J
Oh yeah
Good luck tomorrow

 

[rebs]

Has your shooting technique changed ? Maybe the way you hold the rifle or position your cheek on the stock etc. ?

 

[joshb]

Bad Back, Trick Knee, Glass Eye....

My best shooting days happen when I’m calm and relaxed. Somedays when I have to fight the world to get to the range and get rushed and agitated, I usually shoot like a rookie. I’ll start to question everything about my load and gun, which causes me to get more agitated. My shooting doesn’t improved.

 

[JFrank]

My best days are when no one is looking

 

[Lefty Trigger]

My best days are when no one is looking

Same here, its like when you do the impossible and you yell "did you just see that" but nobody is around...or there looking at their damn phones!

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Was there a large temperature change from one day to the other?

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Was there a large temperature change from one day to the other?

Only a few degrees, temp and humidity were almost the same. I pulled all the bullets left over and completely changed loads to my backup load that is a fast powder but works really well in my barrel. No time to test but going to the match tomorrow and it is what it is!

 

[SPQR70AD]

Windflags Try golf, you can always kick the ball to a better lie. Golf and outdoor archery. Did them both, got disgusted with the cheating. Quit both. Its not easy to be competitive in the shooting game. Takes time and effort. Yes it takes money but so does everything else. Its not for everyone but the payoff to me is that as a competiitivee person in my 70s I can still compete with the young bucks. I notice on here you have tried a bunch of different cartridges and perhaps different guns. My advice would get a good rig put together and stick ith it. Beware of the man with one gun. You show lots of enthusism, I hope you stick it out. Shoot a box at 100 yds with your scope of 3 shots each. Should indicate a POA problem.

it takes a lot of balls to play golf the way I do

 

[SPQR70AD]

Damn boat cost alot more than a rifle and you still got to feed it.The last one I had ,had a 175 gallon gas tank and could suck down 30 gallons an hour.
But then again,I worked on stuff that ate 200 gallons of diesel fuel an hour.

BOAT.....B reak-O ut-A nother-T housand

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

it takes a lot of balls to play golf the way I do

A golf course is a waste of a good rifle range,

 

[joshb]

A golf course is a waste of a good rifle range,

Golf balls make nice little targets!