I recently purchased a Marlin X7VH in .308 (XS7VH), brand new from a sporting goods store for $400 (not great price but okay), about $430 or so OTD I think. I took it out to the range yesterday, and I could get about an 1 inch group at 25y. Thought this was probably enough to start shooting the 50y target. I could not get a single bullet on paper. Went back to the 25y and was having difficulties, lack of consistency. I would make one adjustment, and it wouldn't print out on the target..so to speak. Went back to 50y, never got one shot on paper. This all occurred yesterday. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what could possibly be my problem....asking myself, why was I kind of okay at 25y and completely off the 50y. Also, I was running a boresnake (with #9 but not copper solvent) through it as a part of my break-in procedures, every 2 or 3 rounds for the first 30 rounds (I was a little anxious to fire and a little lazy). I fired a total of 2 boxes.
So, I'm playing with it today, adjusting trigger, thinking maybe I wasn't being patient enough with the trigger pull (tho this is something I thought of at the time and tried to address then with no luck). As I'm putting the barreled action back in the stock, I play with it a little to see what kind of give there is between the stock with bipod and the barrel...wondering if the weight of the heavy barrel against the stock w bipod may have been doing something. ....and the barrel just starts spinning almost freely. I could hand-screw the barrel from the barrel nut. I am no seasoned vet, have some experience with stoner rifles and M1A/mini14....but I find this occurrence to be a touch unnerving. In fact, it freaked me out.
I am really not familiar with removing barrels on any weapon, dealing with barrel nuts (are these the same thing as castellated nuts?). I haven't really touched the rifle since I found this out, decided to finally create an account on this wonderful place, and post my issue.
I do not know if the barrel was loose when I got it, if it became loose while firing yesterday, or if it became loose today while I was working on it. I never took off the stock prior to today (but did clean the action, barrel, bolt, and firing pin assembly of all the factory goo). I did not have a 9/64" hex key, until today (9/64" hex holds my action to the stock). But I am thinking that I need to go ahead and lock that insubordinate little barrel back in line. Problem is, I really don't know much of anything concerning this issue, and want to get some feedback from others. I am looking for guidance, remedial training, all of the above. This seems like a rather big issue, and I want to make sure I do not overlook something and do not have this problem recur, and of course I want to make sure I fix it exactly how it needs to be fixed the first time. I would also prefer to avoid firing the weapon with a loose barrel again, if in fact I did that yesterday.
Thanks for the help, this board has helped me quite a bit and I have yet to say thanks. So thanks, I do appreciate it!
So, I'm playing with it today, adjusting trigger, thinking maybe I wasn't being patient enough with the trigger pull (tho this is something I thought of at the time and tried to address then with no luck). As I'm putting the barreled action back in the stock, I play with it a little to see what kind of give there is between the stock with bipod and the barrel...wondering if the weight of the heavy barrel against the stock w bipod may have been doing something. ....and the barrel just starts spinning almost freely. I could hand-screw the barrel from the barrel nut. I am no seasoned vet, have some experience with stoner rifles and M1A/mini14....but I find this occurrence to be a touch unnerving. In fact, it freaked me out.
I am really not familiar with removing barrels on any weapon, dealing with barrel nuts (are these the same thing as castellated nuts?). I haven't really touched the rifle since I found this out, decided to finally create an account on this wonderful place, and post my issue.
I do not know if the barrel was loose when I got it, if it became loose while firing yesterday, or if it became loose today while I was working on it. I never took off the stock prior to today (but did clean the action, barrel, bolt, and firing pin assembly of all the factory goo). I did not have a 9/64" hex key, until today (9/64" hex holds my action to the stock). But I am thinking that I need to go ahead and lock that insubordinate little barrel back in line. Problem is, I really don't know much of anything concerning this issue, and want to get some feedback from others. I am looking for guidance, remedial training, all of the above. This seems like a rather big issue, and I want to make sure I do not overlook something and do not have this problem recur, and of course I want to make sure I fix it exactly how it needs to be fixed the first time. I would also prefer to avoid firing the weapon with a loose barrel again, if in fact I did that yesterday.
Thanks for the help, this board has helped me quite a bit and I have yet to say thanks. So thanks, I do appreciate it!
