.300 Win Mag 2' group at 200yds

I have a 200 Stevens that wears a "take off" .300 wm bbl that I purchased here for an anticipated Elk hunt this fall. The problem is, with two or three different Federal factory loads and weights, it won't shoot through a 5 gallon bucket at 200 yds!!! It's hard to imagine a rifled bbl shooting so poorly. Scope is a Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15, mounts and rings are tight, the scope works fine on other rifles. Head space is good, though these federal cartridges are not consistent in "feel" when you close the bolt, some are very tight, others from the same box are very loose, all factory ammo. Still, 2' groups at 200yds? Is this just a bad bbl???

I have never seen an elk smaller than 2" at 200yds. ;D

Try reloading for it. I use IMR7828sc with 208grn Amax.

After reading your post again I noticed you mention 2 feet and not 2 inch.

Well then, you have a problem. LOL

The only time I ever had a problem similar to this is using Swift bullets. One shot would hit center and the next would miss the ENTIRE target. I was also getting flatten primers with min loads. As soon as switched bullets I shot sub MOA again. Sometimes the bullets just suck.

I think he means 2 foot group.

I doubt its a bad barrel but anything is possible.

What rings and base are you using ?

If a 2 piece base, I would go to a high quality one piece base and some quality rings.
I would probably swap the scope next, Then make sure the action screws are not bound
and everything is free floating.

Try some known accuracy hand loads.

We (my son and I) have tried just about everything. I said 2' groups and I meant that literally, never seen anything like it in 40+ years of shooting. Scope is new and works just fine on other rifles, everything is tight that's supposed to be, free floating bbl??? Savage informed me that they do not make a "switch bbl rifle" so they won't help. Guess I'll get another bbl. Any suggestions there? I obviously don't want to spend a fortune on a new bbl. Thanks

I think I'd be taking the barrel off and inspecting the chamber, making sure everything is clean. Then I'd reset the head space and make sure that is fine. Shells from the same box should not have some chamber fine then others chamber with resistance. I find anything as inconsistant as that suspect if my gun is all over the place.

-Jake

I'd double check the headspace to make sure it is correct. Then I'd look at the muzzle, make sure it's not got a ding on it. I take a cotton ball and a toothpick. Twist the toothpick in the cottonball until you get the desired diameter for the 30cal bbl. Push it through the muzzle and make sure no cotton is left or dragging on the crown. I had a Ruger Mk II in .243 that would group about 10-12" at 100yds. Took it to my local smith and he showed me the cotton ball trick. Had to recrown it and it shot 3/8-1/2" groups after that.

loose barrel nut maybe? thats the only thing that i know of that could continuously change headspace from one round to the next.

if the barrel has a bad thread on it or a burr you may think its snug when its not. if that nut is loose then the barrel could have a warble to it when fired, thus causing the bad headspace and accuracy.

Thanks for the cottonball tip, sounds like a possible solution. As for the headspace difference in ammo; after the poor performance of the first few rounds we cycled the remainder of both boxes, 150 and 180gr Federal ammo, without firing, the fit was from very tight to very loose. "Factory" headspace must be extremely long to accomodate such cartridges. Since the rifle was not fired I can't see how the bbl nut could have moved, checked it anyway, tight. Puzzled, but looking for a cottonball. :)

Can you post pictures of fired cases?

Are you sure your front base screws are not bottomed out on your barrel threads, it happens a lot.

I have checked the base screws, not able to post pictures. It will be next week before I can do more, FLU >:(

Sure it isn't a 338 win mag barrel?

That sounds more like it with a 308 bullet rattling down the barrel.

It's factory stamped as a .300 Winchester Magnum. Also, the oal of the .300 is 2.620" versus 2.500" for the .338, and the length from the base to beginning of shoulder is 2.196" for the .300 versus 2.040" for the .338. Would it chamber? I will measure the ID of the bbl when I'm able just to be sure. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I'll post the results next week.