CA Ridgeline Accuracy issues

[Hankdiesel]

I've been fighting accuracy issues with my CA Ridgeline 300wm and thought I'd reach out for advice before I send it back..(again)

I bought this rifle 2 years ago. Did their barrel break in process...It never grouped well from the start. I was mostly shooting handloads but also shot some factory ammo through it. Just couldn't get it to consistently group. I'd get a 1.5 MOA 3 round group, then 1 or 2 shots 2" or 3" off in either direction (at 100yds). After lots of different load development, sent it back and they said they put a new barrel on and bedded it...(they sent a barely 1 moa target back of 3 shots with 180gr barnes bullets)

I got it back just in time for elk season, worked up a load enough to get on paper and take it hunting...After elk season I put it in the safe for 6 months and came back to it last summer...Same issues. I tried 180gr accubonds, 212 eld-x and 215 bergers, all different powder charges of H1000,several different primer brands, same issues. I took it to a local, reputable gunsmith. He looked it over and said it all looked good, maybe it was the scope. I took the Vortex Viper PST 6-24 off and swapped it for another PST 6-24. This was just before this years elk season. I worked up a quick load (74gr H1000 with the 215 bergers) and it seemed to be shooting decent (just over 1MOA out to 600, I only shot 3 rounds each at 200, 400, 500 and 600). Took it out last month to confirm the load and try to tighten it up. First 2 shots are 1.5' (Feet) left at 200 yards (previous zero). No hard falls or hits during elk season to damage the scope. Shot a few more rounds through it and it slowly worked back towards center(ish). I thought it was another just Vortex PST scope issue drifting all over the place.

Installed a new Leupold Mark 5Hd and lapped vortex precision rings. Took it out today to attempt on finding an acceptable node. H1000, GM215m, nosler brass, 215 bergers. (.020" off lands) 3 rounds each at 73.5, 74, 74.5, 74, 75.5. Std DV was 5.43, 4.08, 5.1, 2.87 and the last group started seeing pressure signs so I only fired 2 rounds. 2 of the groups had an inch or less of vertical separation and 2 had less than 3" vertical separation all at 300 yards. Horizontal spread was all over the place, some were 12" groups left to right, but with great vertical separation, no groups were close acceptable.

I've spent so much time and money on components, chasing an acceptable load for this thing, 3 different scopes, rings...What would cause that much horizontal spread with low vertical spread and low Std DV? Is it time to send it back to CA again? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[Long Range 338]

CA is known to have issues. It’s at least 50/50 love hate with them. Sell the gun and buy something better.

 

[ShtrRdy]

If you have a scope rail on the receiver, remove it and closely look at the bottom of the rail and top of the receiver to see if there are any spots that might indicate the two surfaces might be moving against each other. Let us know what you see.

 

[Hankdiesel]

If you have a scope rail on the receiver, remove it and closely look at the bottom of the rail and top of the receiver to see if there are any spots that might indicate the two surfaces might be moving against each other. Let us know what you see.

I did before I put the latest scope on...the rear 2 holes in the receiver had burr marks, I sanded them down lightly until it was smooth...

 

[ShtrRdy]

I did before I put the latest scope on...the rear 2 holes in the receiver had burr marks, I sanded them down lightly until it was smooth...

From the sanding pattern around that lower screw hole I would bed the scope rail/base to the top of the receiver.

 

[Hankdiesel]

Are the little burrs left there from the factory enough to cause that much inconsistencies?

 

[FuhQ]

@christensenarms

 

[moosemeat]

How experienced are you at shooting hard kicking rounds in light guns? I got my 300wsm Featgerweight and the guys said it was a 3" gun. I haven't shot a group bigger than 1.5" with it for 3 rounds. No offense, just my standard first question.
Bed the rail as stated. Coat the action with clear shoe polish, or if your baller, mclube 1700L, bed the rail to the rifle and see if that fixes it.
If that don't work send it back again. It's either barrel or bedding.

 

[wind gypsy]

The PST is the most likely culprit in that big zero shift.

SD and group size #'s on 3 shot groups lie to you. Statistically irrelevant. No idea why you'd have 3 MOA wide horizontal groups. How hot is the barrel when you're shooting groups? Lots of reports out there of CA rifles walking as a barrel heats up.

 

[Hankdiesel]

The PST is the most likely culprit in that big zero shift.

SD and group size #'s on 3 shot groups lie to you. Statistically irrelevant. No idea why you'd have 3 MOA wide horizontal groups. How hot is the barrel when you're shooting groups? Lots of reports out there of CA rifles walking as a barrel heats up.

 

[Hankdiesel]

I thought both PST scopes could be the issue, which is why I went to the Mark5 HD. I'm giving 3-5 minutes in between shots, the barrel doesn't heat up at all...shooting through an Omega 300.

 

[wind gypsy]

Ever tried shooting it without the suppressor?

 

[Hankdiesel]

Ever tried shooting it without the suppressor?

Yea when I first got it during break in...same results.

 

[Whiskey_Tango6.5]

I had to bed the shit out of the NF steel rail on my CA. Reciever top was way off front to back.

 

[jbuck88]

Have you checked to make sure your not flexing the stock into the barrel? People on here like to bash CA as a brand, to be honest I've owned two that I sold for reasons besides accuracy.

The stocks on mine were flimsy and easy to flex into the barrel if I loaded the bipod too much.

Are you using a bipod or rest to shoot from. Your SD for that wide of a node seems really good.

That much horizontal would immediately make me think shooter fundamentals, but if your use to shooting magnums and are getting better groups with similar rifles then I would keep looking at other possibilities.

 

[Hankdiesel]

I had to bed the shit out of the NF steel rail on my CA. Reciever top was way off front to back.

Yea I was pretty disappointed when I saw the huge burrs on the rear receiver holes...I think I may just send it back to them and let them fix it...I've spent enough time and money on components.

 

[Hankdiesel]

Have you checked to make sure your not flexing the stock into the barrel? People on here like to bash CA as a brand, to be honest I've owned two that I sold for reasons besides accuracy.

The stocks on mine were flimsy and easy to flex into the barrel if I loaded the bipod too much.

Are you using a bipod or rest to shoot from. Your SD for that wide of a node seems really good.

That much horizontal would immediately make me think shooter fundamentals, but if your use to shooting magnums and are getting better groups with similar rifles then I would keep looking at other possibilities.

I've shot off a bipod with rear bag, prone, from a bench, off a front and rear bag...tried different combinations of things, firm grip, soft grip, had other competent shooters shoot it. Pretty sure it's not operator error!

 

[jbuck88]

I've shot off a bipod with rear bag, prone, from a bench, off a front and rear bag...tried different combinations of things, firm grip, soft grip, had other competent shooters shoot it. Pretty sure it's not operator error!

That's good. Unfortunately it's always possibility. I pretty much moved away from lightweight guns because they are so hard to shoot consistently accurate.

Can you see the stock flexing around the barrel channel when you load the bipod? My 300wsm Ridgeline would do that.

 

[FuhQ]

The stock flex is possible with nearly any lightweight rifle stock, this is why I do all my load development off of sandbags front & rear, and not a bipod. That way I eliminate any factor like that. Also, the rifle is planted very solidly on the sandbags and rides them well. Get your scope zero'd, and your load developed off of the bags...Then move to the bipod for shooting once all the finesse work is done, and your baselines have been established.

Also, it will show you if the bipod is loading the stock and touching the barrel, and causing your accuracy issues. Then you can go in and either stiffen up the stock, or swap-out the stock to something stiffer, or hog-out the barrel channel more to eliminate it from touching the barrel under pressure of the bipod. Might seem stupid to some folks, but it does work to show you if the rifle is the problem, or the bipod is the problem. Also, on big heavy sandbags, the recoil is much easier managed, when the full weight the gun is being supported, and it just slides back and forth on the bags.

Also, check your action screws and make sure they're torqued to 65 inch-pounds. This will help to ensure the action isn't wiggling around in the stock under recoil.