When do you give up on a barrel?

[searcher]

Some truly amazing groups and aggs have been shot in Non registered matches.

Yes! And with rifles that might surprise.

 

[searcher]

These are 3-5 shot groups at 100 yards not 600 yards. My goal is to be shooting sub .2" at 100 yards which increases my chances of hitting a varmint that is 2.5" wide at 600-1000 yards.

Yes- as others noted- your grouping goals are in there with world-class accuracy standards. I strive to do what you are as well- as if you at least know the rifle and load were “capable” of hitting your target, you can put far more faith in your wind calls. Regarding how that grouping relates to world records and such- I think it is fair to say that every rifle on the firing line in any major competition is capable of shooting tiny groups. It is seldom (ever?) a competitor can shoot as well as his rifles capabilities. So having your rifle shoot some test groups at 100 yards rivaling world records “if” that MOA were held out to 600 yards is not to be construed as though you shot it at 600 yards. Don’t let a few of these guys rattle you- we know what you mean. Glad you are getting that barrel shooting!

 

[urbanrifleman]

For varmints- Nosler’s Ballistic Tip line has accurate bullets- even the lead free versions. They shoot 1/4 moa in my AR’s. Some might not think this as accurate, but in my experience, getting anything to shoot much better than that out of an AR is quite exceptional. I haven’t shot their Varmageddon line- but a few buddies do and they like them. They are accuracy nuts so I know they do shoot, at least in some rifles. The Custom Competition line of bullets provides very economical availability of some decent target bullets. Kind of a “90% as accurate at half the price” scenario the way I view them. With Hornady- the only VMAX I have ever shot that wouldn’t do what I wanted was that 87 grain. Seeing your post and those of others, I wonder if that 87 is the most temperamental of the V-Max line? I shoot V-Maxes in .17, 223, .243 and .20 cal.

I like the varmegeddons and shot a bunch of 55 bt. Something not right about that 87 VMAX.

 

[Murray Brook]

I like the varmegeddons and shot a bunch of 55 bt. Something not right about that 87 VMAX.

In my Sako 6PPC USA the 70 gr Varmageddons shoot great. Shot 2 groups today, .296. Great bullet

 

[JimPag]

When I consistently shoot between 20-23X's and start shooting 16-18 then I know it has to be set back and recrowned with a few specific calibers that I shoot. I wouldn't bother doing that with a PPC if it has more than 800 to 1000 rounds on it because by that time it's a tomato stake but if one of my 30BR's has a barrel that was shooting good and then it stopped doing so at 2000 rounds I will have the chamber freshened up and muzzle recrowned and that usually will give it about 1000 rounds of life in my experience.

 

[searcher]

In my Sako 6PPC USA the 70 gr Varmageddons shoot great. Shot 2 groups today, .296. Great bullet

I have a Sako 6ppc USA. I’ll try those in it. What powder are you using?

 

[Murray Brook]

I'm using H 322 in Norma cases with a CCI 450. In mine 27.2 is the sweet spot. What I noticed about my Sako is regardless what bullet I use it likes a jump. My COAL with the 70 gr Var is 2.188