Did I become a bad shot, or is my setup going hawire?

[GaCop]

How long are you waiting between shots? A 300 WM generates a lot of barrel heat. You may have to wait two or three minutes before firing another round. Three round groups are ok for a hunting rifle but a heavy barrel varmint rifle or bench rifle really needs five shot groups to tell their accuracy story.

[pinsnscrews]

Something I noticed with my Axis, and was surprised to see to a lesser extant on my 111LRH is the amount of flex in the wrist area. I had found that I was accidentally pulling slightly downward and back I to my shoulder using a bipod and no rear bag. A very nice Range master was watching me one late evening. He grabbed a range bag, set the rifle up for me, then smiled as he took one finger, and very little pressure made the Axis flex about 2 inches at the wrist. When I got my 111, I did the same thing and was surprised to see it flex about half to 3/4 inch. When I looked up the accustock I noticed the bedding block doesn't extend that far into the wrist.

My point? Even with a bedding block, there may be a flex point we are not aware of, and may unintentionally be putting pressure on it. After the wrist flex was pointed out, and I started using the rear bag! I stopped stringing shots vertically with the Axis. Since I have always shot the 111 with a LedSled or bipod and rear bag, I have not had the vertical stringing. I have not bedded the Axis because I am changing the stock out. I may use it for a practice run once I get the new stock in, so I don't mess up the new stock on a first try.

[Westcliffe01]

pinsnscrews, sorry but my accustock aluminum insert runs all the way forward to the sling swivel. No way you are going to flex that 3/4 of an inch without putting your full body weight on it, which would be pointless.

[thermaler]

I have a regular old 300 win mag hunter 111 and it shoots great. I think the bedding issue makes some difference--but not as much as some seem to think. The 300 wm is so powerful that coming out of my rifle 100 yds is very difficult to draw any conclusions from--it's simply too close. I've shot OCW ladders where every bullet--from lowest to highest charge weight--landed very close to one another at 100 yds.

[pinsnscrews]

pinsnscrews, sorry but my accustock aluminum insert runs all the way forward to the sling swivel. No way you are going to flex that 3/4 of an inch without putting your full body weight on it, which would be pointless.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_accustock_top.jpg

The Wrist is the portion of the stock your hold with your trigger hand. Notice in the image above, the Accustock bedding block ends under the Tang of the Receiver, and does not extend into the Wrist or Buttstock of the Rifle. There is no 3/4 inch of Aluminum in that part of the stock. You do not need to cause flex in the forearm, if the wrist is being used as the pivot.

[Westcliffe01]

I can't see how one could shoot any rifle accurately when putting that amount of force into it. "Muscling the rifle" was the first big no-no pointed out by most instruction documents. You are supposed to be relaxed in order to be consistent. I do agree that a front and rear bag is the best way, although I do use a bipod in the field and there is quite a learning curve to using it consistently.

The only rifle I had with the accustock was my 10PC and that recently got a new laminate stock, but that rifle was always a 1/2MOA rifle. There is no way anyone is going to bend that stock 3/4" with 1 finger. Now the piece of junk that is sold with the axis of model 11/ 111, quite a different story.

[emtrescue6]

I can't see how one could shoot any rifle accurately when putting that amount of force into it. "Muscling the rifle" was the first big no-no pointed out by most instruction documents. You are supposed to be relaxed in order to be consistent. I do agree that a front and rear bag is the best way, although I do use a bipod in the field and there is quite a learning curve to using it consistently.

The only rifle I had with the accustock was my 10PC and that recently got a new laminate stock, but that rifle was always a 1/2MOA rifle. There is no way anyone is going to bend that stock 3/4" with 1 finger. Now the piece of junk that is sold with the axis of model 11/ 111, quite a different story.

Yeah I have a 10 FLCP-K with the accustock as well....agreed, no one is going to bend that tock 3/4 of an inch with 1 finger unless yer superman! As crappy a the tupperware stock is that is on my 11 THXP, I still don't even honestly think moving it 3/4 of an inch with 1 finger is really likely...it's flexible and a crappy stock, but 3/4" in movement downward would require you to also bend the barrel....

As mentioned above as well...your grip on the fore-stock should be gentle if at all....I never lay a hand on the fore-stock with most my rifles when shooting....front and rear bags is all one needs....I have a bi-pod and use it occasionally but find it just isn't that comfortable to shoot with and less accurate in general.

[pinsnscrews]

You are not bending the stock 3/4", you are bending the stock enough at the wrist to cause the Muzzle to rise 3/4". Big difference. The Muzzle is the length of the receiver, plus barrel length away from the wrist. It only takes a small amount of movement.

[Westcliffe01]

But if the muzzle rises, so do the scope crosshairs ?

[pinsnscrews]

Yes, but it is an action that is happening during a flinch, which means it is not something your going to notice during the shot. It was what the range master was showing me was happening when I flinched. A way he could show me that I was actually flinching, when I did not think I was. i wasn't closing my eyes. Wasn't jerking the trigger. But yet, he was able to point out where a weak point in the rifle was showing that I was in fact flinching.

[limige]

Glad you got it figured out. She shooting nice and tight again?

[Jetpig]

Something I like to do when I am going shoot the 300 quite a bit is to also take a 22LR with me and shoot groups with it between rounds. Helps with the anti-flinch itch, breathing and trigger management and also allows for a good cool down on the 300.

[Sporting Lad]

Something I like to do when I am going shoot the 300 quite a bit is to also take a 22LR with me and shoot groups with it between rounds. Helps with the anti-flinch itch, breathing and trigger management and also allows for a good cool down on the 300.


Good tip! I'm going to try that. I often bring the MkII along for a little plinking after I'm done with the .308.

[Dogtired]

If it was shooting great and then suddenly started going haywire it's one of 5 things: 1) You developed a flinch; 2) Your barrel is too hot between shots; 3) you switched ammo and it didn't like the load; 4) it got too dirty; 5) Your scope broke. I've had all of the above :) Glad you got it figured out. Hope it's back to good groupings.

[Dogtired]

I guess something in the bolt might have broken...but I know nothing about that :)

[300winmag]

Swapped scope rings to a higher quality set and voila!

Here is a 3 shot group at 100yds.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/gregseman/Mobile%20Uploads/93140F0B-5E82-4734-86A1-90C13D76D500_zpsi1xct8z7.jpg (http://s35.photobucket.com/user/gregseman/media/Mobile%20Uploads/93140F0B-5E82-4734-86A1-90C13D76D500_zpsi1xct8z7.jpg.html)

[Sporting Lad]

Swapped scope rings to a higher quality set and voila!

Here is a 3 shot group at 100yds.


Nice shooting, 300 Winnie! Now come left 2 & up 1... (;^)

I solved my problem by changing barrels--- I changed from my old Savage 14 to a new Savage 10 FCP HS.
I borrowed that scope (Redfield TAC 3-9x40) from the 14 and began shooting <1 MOA straightaway.

The very next day I swapped the scope over to my Mk II .22 r-f (eyeball boresighted) and did the same thing
with that: 3 rnds = .62" @ 100 yards, then spun the elev drum back down to my 50 yd zero and hit dead centre on the closer target.
I love that little .22--it's my favourite shooter at the moment.
I've got a Sightron 6-24x50 on order for the .308, so that ought to be some fun.

BTW-- Both rifles stayed true all day: 40 rnd of .308 and 75 rnd of .22. No "issues". Maybe those fatty barrels do make a difference.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/SportingLad/011-3.jpg

[DT400]

Swapped scope rings to a higher quality set and voila!

Here is a 3 shot group at 100yds.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/gregseman/Mobile%20Uploads/93140F0B-5E82-4734-86A1-90C13D76D500_zpsi1xct8z7.jpg (http://s35.photobucket.com/user/gregseman/media/Mobile%20Uploads/93140F0B-5E82-4734-86A1-90C13D76D500_zpsi1xct8z7.jpg.html)

What set did you have and what set did you go to?

Darrell

[300winmag]

Not sure what brand the old ones were. The new set are vortex's precision rings.