Resolving accuracy issues with my Model 16 in .223

I've had this Model 16 'Weather Warrior' for 5 years and have never felt like I have gotten it to shoot consistently. At best I have shot 1" groups but not consistently like I can do with other guns when I shoot them side by side. For this reason it has mostly remained a safe queen and I always pick one of my other guns when going varmint/predator hunting (Savage .243 Predator Model 10, Remington Model 7 in 17 Fireball, Browning Micro Hunter in 22 Hornet).

I keep troubleshooting it and want to make sure I'm checking and doing the right things as I prepare for another range trip tomorrow to try and gain confidence. Today I cleaned the barrel real good and am pushing clean patches. This barrel seems to get dirtier than other rifles - not sure if that is a stainless thing? Anyway, it is good and clean now. I tightened the accustock front and middle screws to 35 in-lbs, skipping the rear trigger guard screw as I believe that is just for the trigger guard and not a stock screw, correct? Also checked the scope rings to 15 in-lbs.

I am using fairly inexpensive Hornady Steel Match 55 grain hollowpoint ammo as it has shot pretty darn good in past trips. I plan to baseline with it again tomorrow but also try some Hornady Superperformance 53 grain Vmax. I am curious if this barrel twist is better suited for a heavier round? I'd like to try some heavier Black Hills but don't think I can find any by tomorrow in my small town.

I don't suspect the scope but will take a spare to try if it comes to that.

Guess I should add I'm shooting off a short bipod front rest and sandbag rear rest.

Sometimes they just shoot better dirty. See if the groups tighten up after about 25 rounds. You might just find that you're cleaning too often.

If you haven't checked already, you might want to make sure that the barrel is free floated while sitting on the bipod. The stock on the weather warriors tend to flex when sitting on the forend. I also suggest going with some heavier bullets in your ammo. The more diversified the ammo the better chance that you will find one that your rifle will like.

It takes almost 50 rounds to dirty up my 10T 6.5 creedmoor to get it to shoot under 5/8. After a cleaning it is around 1"+ and just gets better and better with every round past 20 or so.

My 223 never shot the cheap stuff good. Didn't even like the better stuff in the lighter pills. 69's shot best..Australian Outback and Black Hills. I even gave up on the lighter stuff, but after much more development when I started loading, found some workable loads with 55 SGK's. I am thinking it is not the rifle, but rather you just haven't found what it likes best. Yours may like a big jump or maybe close to the lands. It is difficult to determine this with factory ammo.

Take the bipod off and shoot off sand bags.

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Originally Posted by sharpshooter

Take the bipod off and shoot off sand bags.

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^^Best advice so far.^^

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Originally Posted by RP12

^^Best advice so far.^^

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I would do that except I don't want the rifle to perform differently in the field shooting off the bipod

You might want to try a lighter torque on the rear action screw (the one you note as the middle screw). You can tune the action by starting at 15 in lbs and go up in 5 in lb increments to as high as 25 in lbs. I find 20 in lbs is about right in a plastic stock for the rear screw, 35 is fine for front.

Also check the rear tang for any interference with the stock. It should not touch the stock in the area around the safety. It should be free floated like the barrel.

For off the shelf ammo in the 223, try American Eagle Tipped Varmint in 50 gr. I have found some boxes of this brand will shoot one hole groups at 100 yds, though not real consistently. Also try Australian Outback 69 gr, Match King. Also very accurate in my Savage 223.

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Originally Posted by wahoowad

I would do that except I don't want the rifle to perform differently in the field shooting off the bipod

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You need to get the gun to shoot to it's best potential first, then adapt to field conditions. You may already have a 1/2 moa gun and don't know it. Eliminate all the variables first and establish a baseline. If the gun will print good groups from sand bags, and big groups from a bipod, you'll know where the problem lies.

Bipod could be the culprit, but usually they just cause a shift in the point of impact(at least in my expierences)

However, you should start eliminating variables and the bipod is a great start. Could be scope issues, bases/rings. Heck even parallax, could be scope is slightly off. Do you have another known good scope that you can swap on and see what happens

I did a range day yesterday and shot a half-dozen different loads. I used the bipod although wish I had gone with the bags after reading this.

The gun did not like heavier loads - those groups were around 2" or more inches. It prefers the 55 and lower. The 2 best for the day were the Hornady 53 grain Vmax and the 55 grain Hornady Steel Match hollowpoint, shooting around 1" or smaller. I am rusty. Also shot a 40gr Vmax and wasn't bad. Wind picked up towards the end to screw with my testing.

Yes - safety tang is floated. That always catches my eye as not looking right sticking up but glad to hear it is.