260 Rem Build Troubles

[HuntnID]

So I have put together a 260 Rem with a Pac-Nor 28" Barrel. I have the Bell and Carlson Duramaxx stock with a Vortex Crossfire 6-26x50. I'm having some big time troubles with it. I have done a break-in process and now I have began trying to shoot groups. I was shooting 130 Grain Berger VLDs with 39 grains of IMR 4350. The gun would shoot a couple shots into the bullseye touching, and then shoot one 4 inches high, and then 2 inches right. Then it would come back and be on for a couple shots. I am very new to this. From what I can tell, my recoil lug is making solid contact with the stock and my barrel is completely floated. Anybody else ever experienced this?

[pa hog]

Check your front scope base, Check to see if the Front screw is'nt bottoming out on the barrel threads.
Other than that maybe a scope problem, Action Screws snugged up good? Check everything that's got threads.

[HuntnID]

Everything is tight. I tore it apart today and checked all of the screws. I don't have a torque wrench but I've got the action screws pretty darn tight. I have been looking at the recoil lug and it seems like it doesn't make really tight contact on the top like it does on the bottom. Could this be a problem? If I had re-barreled to a magnum, I would've switched the lugs but I didn't know how important it was with a light caliber such as the 260.

[McKinneyMike]

Do you have a spare scope to try? I would think that your recoil lug should be tight and flush at the back.

[HuntnID]

I'm going to give a new scope a try. I really hope it's not the scope. I really do like these Vortex optics.

[McKinneyMike]

Sometimes these things happen. Vortex is a great company with lifetime warranty on their scopes. Don't give up on them, if this is a bad scope. It happens sometimes. If it is the scope, they will take care of you.

[HuntnID]

Well I shot it today with a different scope and still the same results. Does anybody have any other words of wisdom?

[rjtfroggy]

All the usual things make sure all screws are tight, make sure the barrel is still floating after a couple of shots some times they aren't, make sure a dollar bill slides under the tang at the same time. Almost forgot make sure barrel nut is good and snug, and check your headspacing.

[sharpshooter]

Check your concentricity of the ammo. If the bullets ain't seated straight, they won't shoot straight.

[GatewayShepherd]

What is your bench setup...? Shooting off a bipod, bags, front rest etc. I have caught myself at times when shooting of heavy sandbags I'll let the gun start riding back on the bag and after a couple shots the swivel stud starts catching on the front bag. This leads to the gun tracking different and can induce a change in group dynamics. Another suggestion is to pull the power down on the scope so that you can't clearly see the group thru the scope. Shoot two five shot groups on seperate target dots...Don't try to study the group or analyze it and don't look thru a spotting scope at it untill you are done. What you are doing is not letting frustration, apprehension or excitment enter into the equation. If it is consistently strining one of five then it will continue to while using this process. Normally it will be even more exagerated as you're lowered scope power will make it harder to micro adjust the crosshairs. Shoot each individual shot as if it were the last ones you'lll ever take....take your time, watch your natural point of aim...good follow thru and perfect trgger press. If it still throws a shot after clustering several together...I would put money on a mechanical issue.

[borg]

Bed it.

[pdog06]

Bed it.


+1 Some Duramax's have been known for having a slightly uneven lug area(or a burr sticking out not letting it sit flush), so if the lug isnt hitting the stock evenly it could shift between shots.


IMO if your shooting groups that bad then either something is loose or your shooting posture(cheekweld, eye relief, etc) isnt consistant.

What is the twist of the barrel?

[mytwo60]

Bed it for sure. You might as well learn how to do it but use your plastic stock for practice instead of the Duramax. Oh wait. The Durmax is plastic. ;D

Seriously, I recommend you buy a box of premium ammo and try that just to see if it's not your reloads. I also recommend you try to use 140 or 142 SMKs before you "advance" to 130 bergers as those darn bullets are finicky as heck. If it won't shoot SMKs then it won't shoot.

I have been shooting my 260 for about 2 months now and I am making HUGE progress. I have shot my first ever 1000yds today (practice) and I put all 10 shots on paper and 5 of those shots were under 4".

Send me a PM and I will hook you up with some reloading data. Most of that 2 months time was spent on reloading techiques and methodology and I have learned more in those 2 months than all of my 20+ years of reloading experience combined.

Sharpshooter got it right it. If it aint straight it won't shoot. However, I only measured my contricity once and never measured it again. The key is if you a have sound reloading technique then your rounds SHOULD always have miniminal runouts.

[Bucksquirelly]

All of the above advise is sound for sure, that being said I would check out your scope. I'm assuming it has target turrets on it. I had trouble with 4 different Crossfire scopes with those turrets on them. First and second were 4-12 Crossfires with target turrets, the third was 6-24x50 and the last was the 8-32x50. All 4 shot fine at first but after 10-20 round either the elevation turret or the windage turret(depending on which scope) would move anywhere from 1 to 5 clicks on each shot. With the first scope it took me awhile to figure out what was happening but once I did I kept an eye on the turrets after each shot with each of the scopes. Needless to say I went through quite a bit of ammo and a lot of frustration throughout the whole fiasco but the customer service was excellent. I started out buying a 4-12x40 crossfire and until everything was said and done I ended up with a 6.5-20x44mm Viper for and additional 50$. They took care of me very well and after each time I called with the same problem offered to upgrade the scope for free or for an additional amount of money depending on the scope I wanted to upgrade to. After the 4'th scope they told me they would give me a Viper for 50$ so I snatched up the deal and have been very happy since. In the end I ended up paying about 160$(price of the original 4-12 plus 50$) for a 6.5-20x44 Viper plus the cost of the reloading components for 50 or 60 rounds.

[HuntnID]

I will keep an eye on that. I have been looking at all of the advice given and I think the problem could be related to my cheek weld. I have high rings and need to get medium ones. When I look through my scope right now, my cheek is not firmly planted on the stock. Could this be it? After that I think I will bed it.

[pdog06]

What rings do you have now? If they are Burris Sig Zee's in matte finish(weaver style) I'd be interested in buying them off you so you can get the mediums. Im getting ready to order a set today or tomorrow, but could buy yours if it helps you out.

let me know.

[Slowpoke Slim]

If it shoots the same way with 2 different scopes, then obviously, it's not the scope. I would highly suspect you have a stock bedding issue. You say the action screws are tight? How tight is the rear screw? Try backing off the rear action screw to just snug and shoot another group to see if it changes. It sounds like you also have an issue with the recoil lug. I would bed the stock, and look closely at the tang area to make sure the stock isn't binding in the tang, and skim bed the stock at the action and recoil lug.

[HuntnID]

Nope. They aren't the Burris Signature Zee's.

[JCalhoun]

Can you describe your shooting techniques?

[HuntnID]

I have a shooting bench that I set up on the tail gate and then sit down on a chair. I load a bullet, adjust the bench to where the cross hairs are on the bullseye and then begin squeezing the trigger keeping the crosshairs in the middle of the bullseye. I have always wondered if I should be holding down the front of the barrel or not? Could an uncontrolled muzzle jump be the cause of this? So far, most of my shooting is done at 100 yards.