Rem 700 / 223 not grouping / what to do?

[Knotwild]

This is just an observation, but based on your second target picture, the shots seem to be stringing vertically. I can't tell much about the wood with a black dot. I don't know how old your gun is, but one area often overlooked is the firing pin assembly in the bolt. But also, based on your comments, you may not have that barrel clean yet.

 

[boltfluter]

if the stock is not bedded, thats the first place to start.

 

[ta6ppc]

Get some wipeout, clean it once wait the hour push some patches through brush it with sweets, patch dry.. put something on the end of the barrel and fill it up with wipeout and leave it sit over night. Patch out and see what ya got but it sounds like it’s dirty super dirty.. and make sure all the other things these guys have said..

 

[danny]

I took out my first Varmint rifle today and shot some groups.. @120 yds the best was 1.75". The rifle has probably 2000 to 3000 rounds thru it.. Rem 700 short action / Stainless Steel fluted bbl..
I have probably 1000 hand loads worked up.. 40 gr Vmax with H322..
Now what should I do? Do a remage in 223? I use the rifle for praire dog shooting... I don't want to switch to 20 cal.. Should I just order a new bbl in 223 and install it?
Thanks for any input / suggestions etc..

If the rifle was shooting good before, and not now, and has a wood stock, check the fit of the magazine box. It could be clamped between the floorplate and action if the stock compressed. It should be a little loose. I think that not many, including myself pay are paying attention to that. I have recently started to look at this. Some time ago, I bought a used Ruger 77VT. 223 that looked like a handloader might have given up on. It had powder from a pulled bullet in the rifle. I got a new box, then milled some areas for clearance. I put it together and shot it. It shot really well, but I do not know how it shot before. I milled the box because the stock and bedding looked new, and I did not want to bed at that time. The correct thing would be to bed the rifle correctly to the unmodified magazine box.

Danny

 

[wbm]

Do a Remage in 223?

Good idea.

 

[Brians356]

O

1 - There is an old troubleshooting adage that goes like this -"go back to the thing you changed before the problem occurred". In this case you changed stocks, that could very well be the problem. If you have the stock that you were using when it was grouping better put it back on and try some groups with it..

The fly in that ointment is getting the action screws back to their original torque settings. The rifle could be sensitive to that. I'd be second-guessing any subsequent change in groups unless I knew how it had originally been torqued. But then I'm addicted to second guessing.
-

 

[WVRJ]

The group pattern in your pic is indicative to a bedding problem.The magazine box,as has already been mentioned should have a little play in it when the stock's bolted to the action.Make sure the trigger housing isn't rubbing against the stock,I've seen this a lot,and it will mess with accuracy.Same is true for the bolt handle.Make certain the barrel is free floating.On varmint rifles,I like to be able to slide a business card between the barrel and stock.The old dollar bill method doesn't give enough clearance.Smaller bores tend to foul quicker and lose their edge when dirty.I prefer to clean a barrel before it starts to lose accuracy.Let them go too long,and it takes a lot more cleaning to bring them back.Shoot it and notice if the shots are moving around in a consistent pattern.I've seen rifles start walking their POI farther and farther in the same direction every time they're shot.That is always bedding.

 

[Ggmac]

@drover
1: I could shoot less than .75" groups with it. But I don't really shoot groups. I only make sure its hitting where I aim..
2: I did change out the stock back to factory stock. ( Remington)
3: all screws are tight, scope and base and action. I have several better scopes I can use.
4: I just started to clean it.. I ran 5 wet patches with Bore Tech and the last patch was black as the first.. So she is very dirty.. I'll keep cleaning.
What are using to get 3800 fps?
@clowdis: Yes I think it is 12 twist. I have some 50 gr Vmax and 53' gr Vmax I could try and load a few and see how it does..
I'm using 40 gr Vmax with 25.5 gr of H322.
I have some 50 gr Vmax and 53 gr Vmax bullets and for Powder: Varget, H322 and VihtaVuori ( N135)
Load suggestions for 50 or 53 gr Vmax?

Factory wood stock ? May have the barrel pressure pad up front , definitely not good for accurate shooting.

 

[drover]

The fly in that ointment is getting the action screws back to their original torque settings. The rifle could be sensitive to that. I'd be second-guessing any subsequent change in groups unless I knew how it had originally been torqued. But then I'm addicted to second guessing.
-

By putting it back into the original stock it was in when it was shooting good will at least give you a known starting point. Yes, you may have to play with torque a bit but at least you are dealing with a known starting point.

drover