What else can I do to improve?

[DarthRevan]

Rifle: Winchester XPR
Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
Optic: Nikon Monarch 4-16x
Ammo: 180 Grain Polymer Tip - Winchester Expedition Big Game


My shooting position was prone, I still need to build up my cheek rest as I'm too low in reference to the scope.

At 100 yards my 10 shots fired in groups of 3, 3, 2 & 2 resulted in the following group size...


The left shot, bottom shot in the 9 ring, and the solitary bulls eye hit are all while I was fidgeting on my second group of three and not getting proper breathing pattern.
I'll rezero the optic later but for the sake of working on fundamentals I didn't want to change anything that day. I kept a balled up sweatshirt under the stock to minimize movement while breathing but no sling was used this go around.

The question is, beyond reloading and more practice, is there anything else I can do to improve accuracy? Should I be waiting longer between shots where the barrel is so thin to mitigate inaccuracy due to heat? Where this is a hunting rifle and these shots are well within minute of animal, should I be content with these results?
I ordered match grade ammo to see if theres much if any improvement.

 

[FiremanBob]

It takes courage to write a post like yours to ask for advice - I commend you on your courage. So many people pretend to outshoot SEAL snipers online.

Your rifle/ammo combination should have no problem making a maximum 1-inch group at 100 yds. Your issues have nothing to do with ammo. They have everything to do with establishing a proper rest (or sling-supported hold) and improving your fundamentals. Here are a couple of immediate ideas:

1. Use the rifle's bipod instead of that makeshift rest.
2. If you have a .22 rifle available, sign up for the next available Appleseed. Even if you don't have one, sign up and request a loaner rifle. It is much easier to get rock-solid on the fundamentals on a rimfire, and easy to transfer your skill to the centerfire rifle.

 

[DarthRevan]

It takes courage to write a post like yours to ask for advice - I commend you on your courage. So many people pretend to outshoot SEAL snipers online.

Your rifle/ammo combination should have no problem making a maximum 1-inch group at 100 yds. Your issues have nothing to do with ammo. They have everything to do with establishing a proper rest (or sling-supported hold) and improving your fundamentals. Here are a couple of immediate ideas:

1. Use the rifle's bipod instead of that makeshift rest.
2. If you have a .22 rifle available, sign up for the next available Appleseed. Even if you don't have one, sign up and request a loaner rifle. It is much easier to get rock-solid on the fundamentals on a rimfire, and easy to transfer your skill to the centerfire rifle.

That bipod is a POS and the leg was failing after each shot so I gave up on it. Time for a better built option.
I have a winterseed patch that I earned this past spring after missing the cut the year prior. I learned quite a bit from those two trips and with an AR I'm doing much tighter groups than with this rifle, which I'm assuming is more a result of poor rest setup paired with increased recoil than poor fundamentals at this point.

 

[StevieP]

Get a bipod or sandbag rest.

 

[DarthRevan]

Get a bipod or sandbag rest.

Is Harris still the go to brand?

 

[FiremanBob]

Ok, so you know what to do. Start with a proper set of bags, or better, since you won't have sandbags in the field, a quality bipod. Caldwells are ok. Then use what you learned in becoming a Rifleman. I'm quite surprised that the stock doesn't seem to be designed for a good cheek weld with a scope, since the rifles doesn't have iron sights.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

.300 Win mag... step one - don't flinch....

 

[M60]

You already alibied the bad shots. So, don't do what you were doing when you alibied and you'll be fine.

 

[M60]

Your 200 yard group is better than your 100 yard group. Consistancy will be your friend.

 

[AllaSnackbah]

Is Harris still the go to brand?

Yes

What are you hunting with it? Elk? Moose?

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Yes

What are you hunting with it? Elk? Moose?

T-Rex I think...

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Pick up some snap caps and practice your follow through. You can also have a friend load your mags at the range and he/she can occasionally slip in a snap cap to check for a flinch if that may be an issue.

Try every factory ammo you can if you don’t want to work up a load. My 30-06 favors the Hornady Whitetail ammo in 180g by a long margin.

I will likely reload for this rifle at some point in the future but there is no rush as it shoots the Hornady ammo well.

Give the barrel time to cool down. I bring my 22 to play with while my rifle cools down.

How is the trigger? I put a Timmey in mine and it made a big difference in my groups.

Bob

 

[Sweeney]

The obvious way to improve your groups would be to get a lot closer to the target.

 

[Dadstoys]

Hunting ammo is designed for a happy medium between accuracy and terminal performance.
You generally won't be punching out one hole groups with it.
Also for a hunting rifle , your first one or two cold bore shots are what your looking at.
It's hard to be patient and sit around letting her cool off.
Like you said it's not a heavy walled match barrel and as it heats up you are going to start to see some stringing.
I usually bring something else to play with in the meantime.
What you have there is enough to punch out most anything in north America in the vitals.
A little more tweeking and you'll have it.
I'd do three clicks right and see what you get.

 

[Eugenio.FV]

That bipod is a POS and the leg was failing after each shot so I gave up on it. Time for a better built option.
I have a winterseed patch that I earned this past spring after missing the cut the year prior. I learned quite a bit from those two trips and with an AR I'm doing much tighter groups than with this rifle, which I'm assuming is more a result of poor rest setup paired with increased recoil than poor fundamentals at this point.
View attachment 257365

NICE! Im signing up for this coming winterseed in mansfield, taking the AR too. I did my first one recently, and learned a ton, really fun too. Went thru almost a case of ammo.

 

[Arto]

maybe try pulling a boresnake through between shots? this'll help cool down the barrel & replicate clean-bore, 1-shot conditions that you'll get in the field.
{got 3shot cloverleaf in the Savage Axis doing it this way}

 

[DarthRevan]

Ok, so you know what to do. Start with a proper set of bags, or better, since you won't have sandbags in the field, a quality bipod. Caldwells are ok. Then use what you learned in becoming a Rifleman. I'm quite surprised that the stock doesn't seem to be designed for a good cheek weld with a scope, since the rifles doesn't have iron sights.

I've grown used to things never fitting right, thankfully I have a guy local who's made cheek risers before and I'll try and learn from his methods. I'd like something a little more professional than tape and pipe insulation but I'll cross that bridge a little later.

Your 200 yard group is better than your 100 yard group. Consistancy will be your friend.

Story of my f***ing life

Yes
What are you hunting with it? Elk? Moose?

Bear in MA, hopefully Deer in NH next season

Pick up some snap caps and practice your follow through. You can also have a friend load your mags at the range and he/she can occasionally slip in a snap cap to check for a flinch if that may be an issue.
Try every factory ammo you can if you don’t want to work up a load. My 30-06 favors the Hornady Whitetail ammo in 180g by a long margin.
I will likely reload for this rifle at some point in the future but there is no rush as it shoots the Hornady ammo well.

Give the barrel time to cool down. I bring my 22 to play with while my rifle cools down.
How is the trigger? I put a Timmey in mine and it made a big difference in my groups.

Bob

Yeah I'll bring the AR next time to feel better about my shot placement

NICE! Im signing up for this coming winterseed in mansfield, taking the AR too. I did my first one recently, and learned a ton, really fun too. Went thru almost a case of ammo.

I think I went through almost 200 rounds of green tip because the first 200 rounds I had expected to only use at the One day version of the event wasn't enough. Spent more time slipping on the ice in the pit at Harvard during transitions than actually hitting the target lol!
I put a Geisselle SD-3G trigger in and used a good 2 point sling with a QD out past the gas block (15" rails) and it fixed everything.
Great experience and I would strongly recommend it.

 

[DarthRevan]

Snacks, for the Harris bipods, is there a reason I wouldn't want to use the notched leg version?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Bear in MA, hopefully Deer in NH next season

That’s what I bought my 30-06 for.

Bear are tough but n Mass with the no baiting, no dogs, and no honey pot burns (considered baiting) unless you can get on a cornfield or orchard somewhere out there.

Bob

 

[DarthRevan]

That’s what I bought my 30-06 for.

Bear are tough but n Mass with the no baiting, no dogs, and no honey pot burns (considered baiting) unless you can get on a cornfield or orchard somewhere out there.

Bob

I've seen people advertising attractant sprays... Seems a tad unethical.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I've seen people advertising attractant sprays... Seems a tad unethical.

Unethical IDK; technically illegal, probably.

I contacted them about doing honey/bacon burns and was told that anything that could be a food source attractant was illegal. People still do it though.

A few years back they caught a Ludlow cop baiting with donughts mid early season.

Hunting bears without bait, placed or crop, is tough. Predator calling on swamp edges would be a fun tactic.

Most bear hunting books focus on bait/dogs.
Doug Boze has a good book on the topic titled: The Ultimate Guide To Black Bear Hunting". It spends a lot of time on predator calling bears and is a great read and I have read it several times. It can pe picked up for short money used.

The 300 Win Mag is plenty for bear. Any 30 caliber bullet will do if put in the right place. A good 30-30 Winchester is a great brush gun. I have always wanted to take one with a revolver.

Bob

 

[whacko]

Thin barrel. How long are you waiting between shots? We're you first two tighter group than say shots 3-10?

 

[DarthRevan]

Thin barrel. How long are you waiting between shots? We're you first two tighter group than say shots 3-10?

5 & 7-10 were tighter I believe, 6 I adjusted a way I shouldn't have and sent the low 9 ring shot. I sent the first three fairly quick and then settled out at about two minutes between each.

 

[enbloc]

I think it was mentioned earlier but after you get your equipment corrected, (Bipod that is) start working up custom handloads that makes You and the Rifle smile...

 

[northny]

I have a few Mod 70 Winchester Featherweights. Everyone is good for two accurate shots, then third shot out of warm barrel will move. Your rifle may or may not do that. Just be aware and watch to see if you have a pattern.

I accept that performance as these rifles are carried a lot and shot a little. Plus change as barrel heats up well within min of deer.

 

[AllaSnackbah]

Snacks, for the Harris bipods, is there a reason I wouldn't want to use the notched leg version?

the brm??

 

[DarthRevan]

the brm??

The HBLMS
https://www.harrisbipods.com/HBLMS.php?

 

[AllaSnackbah]

The HBLMS
https://www.harrisbipods.com/HBLMS.php?

i use the brms on mine, idk what the difference is, but harris is good to go.

 

[PatMcD]

The 300 is a lot of rifle.
Don't use the match grade ammo you ordered for hunting!

 

[usp45ct]

I might think of trying a bench rest as well just to get the best possible outcome. That way I eliminate mt setup as being the problem and I know what the gun can do under best circumstances. Then, when you shoot, try to get back to best possible benchrest shooting only not on a benchrest. Also, this will check your zero.

Possible mechanical issues like scope rings not torqued correctly, scope base loose, scope issue ( it happens esp on a 300 win mag),