Advice for a buddy

[roostercogburn98]

So let me start by saying I think the rifle should shoot ok barring any defects. My brothers friend bought a Mossberg Patriot in 6.5 creedmoor. It is completely stock and he just wants to shoot deer with it in Arkansas. I have not see the gun but will get my hands on it when I go home to visit next week. He says it won’t group for shit with Hornady Precision Hunter 143 grain bullets. It has 22 inch 1:8 barrel so it should be able to handle the 143 eld-x that is loaded up in that factory ammo. Besides the obvious stuff to check such as scope mounting issues( I am taking him a set of badger rings so he at least as a decent set of those. Going to try and talk him into buying an EGW one piece base as well. Scope is a crossfire ii so not the best but should handle what he wants to do at 400 or less shooting. Gonna check the stock and mounting to make sure it is set as good as can be with what he has. Is there any other issues that I should look for in that rifle series? I am also going to take some of my handloads to try. I shoot 130 edl-m with 41 grains of 4451. I don’t think it is a bullet issue but want to try some different. Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[b6graham]

take it apart and retorque it

idk how much money i'd spend on a $350 rifle that needs to shoot minute of deer

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Try some different off the shelf ammo.

 

[roostercogburn98]

take it apart and retorque it

idk how much money i'd spend on a $350 rifle that needs to shoot minute of deer

Same thing I told him last night on the phone. It was never the goal to spend a lot of money on it. The rings and base were the cheapest option to look for some improvement since I already had the rings laying laying in a storage box. He is in the process of laying out a better rifle build as we speak.

 

[sam4886]

I'd suggest spending $60 to $80 on other factory ammo and trying them out.

Barring normal torque and ring/base stuff, thats the easiest and chespest thing to try. Give it a good cleaning too. The bass pro counter monkey probably screwed up the mounting.

I'm playing the same game with my brother's ruger american. Take everything off, clean, loctite, torque. He also got a scope upgrade I had laying around and the Tupperware stock get a shit load of devcon in the front end to stiffen it up.

Try to eliminate as many variables as possible.

 

[hlee]

Put another (known good) shooter behind it. The nut behind the bolt is always the biggest variable. And, buy a couple boxes of Hornady match 140 and 147, and maybe a box or 2 of federal gold medal Berger.

 

[mobenzowner]

switch out the scope

 

[nn8734]

If it still groups like shit with different shooters, mounts, rings (both torqued to spec) and ammo I’d check the crown/muzzle and chamber for any imperfections. Then I would do a tracking and return to zero tests with the scope. The Crossfire is more of a budget scope but should still function as you would expect.

Also make note of any pressure signs on the brass. Shouldn’t be any in a factory rifle shooting factory ammo.

If all else fails and the source(s) of the problem can’t be identified I’d call in a warranty claim with Mossburg.

how does your buddy’s groups look when he shoots other rifles?

 

[roostercogburn98]

Yes the goal is to shoot some different ammo through it and see what it does. He was always an average shooter growing up but has been years since we actually sat down together and shot anything so he may be better or worse now days. Between my brother in law and myself we should be able to straighten it out. I was just curious if anyone had ran into any real issues with these guns that I wasn’t really aware of. I have never owned a Mossberg except for the bolt action 20 gauge from the early 60s in the back of the safe so just curious how the modern stuff worked. Thanks everyone for the input

 

[Poorboyr]

I have a patriot and it shoots sub moa. No complaints about it. Remember, you probably aren’t going to get same hole groups from that rifle.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I have a patriot and it shoots sub moa. No complaints about it. Remember, you probably aren’t going to get same hole groups from that rifle.

What kind of ammo are your shooting? Is it a bone stock Patriot? Thanks

 

[Poorboyr]

What kind of ammo are your shooting? Is it a bone stock Patriot? Thanks

I shoot Spark Munitions ammo. That stuff always shoots in everyone of my rifles.