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What else can I do to improve?
- Thread starter DarthRevan
- Start date
If it were me:
get the proper front and rear rests (not a bipod)
free float your barrel
glass bed or pillar bed your action
work on trigger control and breathing
don't get locked into telling your gun what it likes, experiment with different bullet weights and styles (this seems trivial to some but I've had one inch groups tighten to 1/4 inch groups by dropping a bullet 25 grains)
Dave
get the proper front and rear rests (not a bipod)
free float your barrel
glass bed or pillar bed your action
work on trigger control and breathing
don't get locked into telling your gun what it likes, experiment with different bullet weights and styles (this seems trivial to some but I've had one inch groups tighten to 1/4 inch groups by dropping a bullet 25 grains)
Dave
DarthRevan
NES Member
They have yet to make any stocks that would support those kind of modification for my rifle, and I would likely be looking at custom work, outside the budget at the moment.
DarthRevan
NES Member
Is this really all there is to it?
AllaSnackbah
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300 wm is a whole lot of gun for what you're planning to use it on. I think anything from 243-270 is just fine.
Im thinking of downsizing from 270 win for whitetails, im sick of making perfect shots on deer and still exploding the insides.
Im thinking of downsizing from 270 win for whitetails, im sick of making perfect shots on deer and still exploding the insides.
That is a different take on what I have done to some hunting rifles, but basically that is all there is too it. You will only need enough space to run a dollar bill around your barrel to the lug/receiver. My method was to use blue painter's tape. Very rarely did I need more than a few layers of tape. I generally didn't need to drill a hole in it. Just start a small hole with a pencil or something similar. One time I used metal washers thinking this would be good, but for some reason that made thinks worse.
Of course, if you have a fiberglass stock you could sand out some materiel to open the channel.
Dave
Looks like you have room to lower that scope some ?
Improve accuracy: yes you could but 300wm beats you up even if you don’t think so.
Your support is better than nothing but seriously try good old fashion sand bags.
I have a few home made ones from old jeans. Filled with infield mix. They work well for me when I’m checking my zero for CMP/NRA rifles. I shoot prone with sling but support my forward arm with the bags.
As noted nice little write up. Keep posting results
Improve accuracy: yes you could but 300wm beats you up even if you don’t think so.
Your support is better than nothing but seriously try good old fashion sand bags.
I have a few home made ones from old jeans. Filled with infield mix. They work well for me when I’m checking my zero for CMP/NRA rifles. I shoot prone with sling but support my forward arm with the bags.
As noted nice little write up. Keep posting results
Others have already suggested the sandbag and/or bipod. Probably the right direction to head right now to eliminate you as a shooter as much as possible.
So I do not have personal experience with .300 WM. I have heard people talk that it takes more work getting a .300 to shoot tight groups all else being equal. Not saying you can’t get there, just that it’s not as easy as say a high value off the shelf 6.5 CM. .300 is a cool beast of gun though.
So I do not have personal experience with .300 WM. I have heard people talk that it takes more work getting a .300 to shoot tight groups all else being equal. Not saying you can’t get there, just that it’s not as easy as say a high value off the shelf 6.5 CM. .300 is a cool beast of gun though.
Ok, you have done an Appleseed and have a patch (Winterseed at that), so you know you can do it.
So, what is the problem here?
Your groups don't look bad. The fact that they aren't in the center doesn't matter. That is an easy fix.
You have some outliers, but you also say that you need a cheek riser. Floating your head up off the stock to see through the scope can easily open up your groups and throw the odd one out. Build up that stock and move the scope around until you can close your eyes, shoulder the rifle, get nice and comfortable and when you open your eyes you are looking down the scope nice and centered, not too close, not too far.
If the scope has parallax adjustment, make sure it is set to the right range.
Your support looks, um, mushy. Either get something firm under there, or a sling, or even just you, but get a good stable base.
You made Rifleman with an AR, but this is a bolt gun. Don't break position when operating the bolt. It isn't easy, but keep that right elbow planted if possible. If you have a good stable position, you should be able to operate the bolt without changing your NPOA.
Recoil shouldn't matter if you have a stable position. By the time recoil does its thing the bullet is on its way. If your position is stable you will settle right back where you started. If you are anticipating the recoil, flinching, etc. You will have issues and have to work on that. Get a friend to watch you and help with a ball and dummy drill.
The most important part to improving is being honest with yourself. How are your steady hold factors? Are you following all the steps to making the shot? How is your NPOA? If you are honest with yourself you can fix your issues and you will improve. If you keep telling yourself that the cheek weld doesn't matter because I have a scope, or that you can just pull the sights onto the target, then you will just frustrate yourself.
So, what is the problem here?
Your groups don't look bad. The fact that they aren't in the center doesn't matter. That is an easy fix.
You have some outliers, but you also say that you need a cheek riser. Floating your head up off the stock to see through the scope can easily open up your groups and throw the odd one out. Build up that stock and move the scope around until you can close your eyes, shoulder the rifle, get nice and comfortable and when you open your eyes you are looking down the scope nice and centered, not too close, not too far.
If the scope has parallax adjustment, make sure it is set to the right range.
Your support looks, um, mushy. Either get something firm under there, or a sling, or even just you, but get a good stable base.
You made Rifleman with an AR, but this is a bolt gun. Don't break position when operating the bolt. It isn't easy, but keep that right elbow planted if possible. If you have a good stable position, you should be able to operate the bolt without changing your NPOA.
Recoil shouldn't matter if you have a stable position. By the time recoil does its thing the bullet is on its way. If your position is stable you will settle right back where you started. If you are anticipating the recoil, flinching, etc. You will have issues and have to work on that. Get a friend to watch you and help with a ball and dummy drill.
The most important part to improving is being honest with yourself. How are your steady hold factors? Are you following all the steps to making the shot? How is your NPOA? If you are honest with yourself you can fix your issues and you will improve. If you keep telling yourself that the cheek weld doesn't matter because I have a scope, or that you can just pull the sights onto the target, then you will just frustrate yourself.
AllaSnackbah
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Barring mechanical and shooter related problems, As others have said it could be the thin barrel heating up and shifting. At the end of the day your cold bore shot matters more than groups, use the data from your group and adjust to it, then go back and shoot 5-10 rounds on a cold bore, ie wait 30-40 minutes or so between shots. If all of them shoot tight you're good.
You dont need a 1/4 minute gun, whitetails dont react well to losing limbs, and that round will do just that haha.
You dont need a 1/4 minute gun, whitetails dont react well to losing limbs, and that round will do just that haha.
Not trying to be critical. Not at all. Those groups are only a little better than what I would shoot with my AR with stock iron sights, usually I'll do 4-6 inch groups off a sandbag. Something is moving either on that rifle or you are. From solid rest you should be able to do twice as good as that.
DarthRevan
NES Member
It's not a need, it's a want lol
If I ever magically find myself in a large field next NH deer season and see something 300 yards away I'd like the comfort of knowing I can trust my gear to be set up properly to not be off target so long as I do everything else right.
DarthRevan
NES Member
Maybe I have just enough slack somewhere in my makeshift rest that's causing movement or perhaps I'm not being as smooth as I can be on the trigger. But first I want to build my cheek riser and get that settled, then buy my new bipod.
I just put one of these on my Tikka T3 (with stock synthetic stock); hopefully get a chance to shoot with it soon: Hawkeye Customs - Kydex Adjustable Cheek Rests
It definitely shoulders better and I was getting pretty good groups with it to begin with. I've seen some videos recommend boiling a kydex cheek rest before bolting it on but my recommendation is to use a heat gun on low to soften it up and shape it to the stock.
It definitely shoulders better and I was getting pretty good groups with it to begin with. I've seen some videos recommend boiling a kydex cheek rest before bolting it on but my recommendation is to use a heat gun on low to soften it up and shape it to the stock.
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Sand bags. Work the rifle into them so it slides back ( and forth) smoothly. If the sling swivels are hitting the bags and interfering with the "glide" remove them for shooting groups. In a perfect world the rifle would track rearward with no movement of the scope reticle, but since it's not a flat bottom bench rest stock you'll have to accept the vertical. Baby powder on the bags if you want to get really carried away.
Snap caps and dry fire. Bring them to the range and maybe dryfire ten times for each live shot. While dry firing work on your breathing, and keeping your eyes open. Watch the reticle, so when you do live fire you can see where the gun was pointed when it actually fired. Calling your shots type of thing. Helps you know whether to blame the rifle, or yourself. During live fire work on seeing the reticle when the gun fires and your follow through.
It's a lot of gun to shoot prone. Your taking the brunt of the recoil straight back into you shoulder.Sitting at a bench isn't all that much better, but if you can sit up a little and relax you can mitigate the beating a little. Hard to explain, but my method is to take the recoil easily and smoothly, pliant and supple are a couple good words I guess,very little head movement and naturally end up back where I started from, with no drama.
Enjoy... I had a Sendero in 300WM and it was great gun. Unfortunately I loaned it to my brother for an elk hunt, and he kept it, saying it was far too nice a rifle for me.
Snap caps and dry fire. Bring them to the range and maybe dryfire ten times for each live shot. While dry firing work on your breathing, and keeping your eyes open. Watch the reticle, so when you do live fire you can see where the gun was pointed when it actually fired. Calling your shots type of thing. Helps you know whether to blame the rifle, or yourself. During live fire work on seeing the reticle when the gun fires and your follow through.
It's a lot of gun to shoot prone. Your taking the brunt of the recoil straight back into you shoulder.Sitting at a bench isn't all that much better, but if you can sit up a little and relax you can mitigate the beating a little. Hard to explain, but my method is to take the recoil easily and smoothly, pliant and supple are a couple good words I guess,very little head movement and naturally end up back where I started from, with no drama.
Enjoy... I had a Sendero in 300WM and it was great gun. Unfortunately I loaned it to my brother for an elk hunt, and he kept it, saying it was far too nice a rifle for me.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
A lead sled is a great way to mitigate some of that recoil when you are getting dialed in.
Bob
Bob
headednorth
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FYI, this model Harris bipod is at an all time low price on Amazon. Usually $90-ish is as low as they tend to go in my experience.
https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Engin...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000JJGXAI
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And if your not already...plugs AND muffs. It won't change the actual Newton Meters of the whole recoil thing but it will lower your perception of it quite a bit.
DarthRevan
NES Member
I'm not bothered by the noise, the recoil just knocks me off target by a few feet.
Your basically have vertical stringing more than anything.
Could be you hunting for a head position or breath control.
Also consider how you will be shooting this in the field. Will you be shooting prone from a rest , stalking and snap shooting, field sticks/bipod?
Get your set up as close to possible as what you will be doing in the field.
I’m gander this is for hunting from past responses. Focus on the cold bore shot then if you can check your zero when you get to the area of your hunt.
Growing up my dad zeroed just about every rifle for 2” high at 100 yards and then placed 6” or 7” paper plates at 100 and 200 yards if possible when arriving to the hunt area. Took cold shot at 100 and follow up shot on the plate at 200 - usually from a siting position or hasty sling. Also we never really had much more than 200 yard shots present themselves. Anyway if my dad could hit the plates rifle was good to go. If not the back up rifle came out .
hv55maxx
NES Member
sorry to resurrect and oldie, but darth, how do you like the XPR? considering one in 270 wsm. fit and finish ok? trigger gritty? sounds like stick with low scope rings depending on scope.
270 isn't very sought after so in short times like these, projos stay available. (25-45 sharps is a good example of an AR round to shoot in lean times) but that looks like a decent model for the price point.
GM-GUY
NES Member
One thing I found with my hunting rife (300 Weatherby Mag) is cheek position and eye relief. I found myself floating around when I first got the rifle so I cut a small notch in the stock and put a piece of zip-tie in. I can feel it on my cheek so I know I’m where I should be.
DarthRevan
NES Member
I haven't shot it hardly at all since this thread to be honest. I need to get back to figuring it out. Fit and finish has been pretty good, so I'd recommend one. Jury is still out on the caliber choice though.
With other guns, I've been stringing vertically and to the left still. So the shots in the OP are totally with in the realm of me just having a shitty time focusing.
And just flatly, a severe lack of getting my ass to the range.
hv55maxx
NES Member
i have a Remi 700 in 300winmag. i'm fine with recoil but for the sake of consistent shooting i ordered a Witt Machine clamp on brake. maybe that would help ease your mind a little.
Clamp-Ons - Witt Machine
Clamp on adapters for unthreaded barrels. Threaded adapters to allow quality muzzle devices to be attached to your unthreaded barrel.
www.wittmachine.net
Vertical stringing, I'd say that's just you not paying attention to where you are in the breathing cycle. In...out...pause...*bang*.......*ping*. Or out..in..*bang*. Just be consistent to when you pull the trigger.
I'm very willing to admit there's better rifle shooters here, that's my take anyway.
