I put a Crieterium remage 280 AI barrel on a Remington 700 long action and put in a greyboe stock. While I have not done much load development I have shot about 100 rounds through the barrel. Set up my long distance camera and shot for a group at 500 yards. Thing grouped like a shotgun, about 24 to 30 inches. Trying to decide where to go next. I'm not confident I'll be able to get the thing to do what I want which is repeatable 7 inch groups at 500 yards. Does anyone think I'll be able to get this thing to shoot with load development or should I send the barrel back and see what the vendor will do for me. Thanks for your opinions.
- Thread starter Steelshooter842
- Start date
Your going to need to provide a lot more info
Barrel twist? Ammo? Groups at closer ranges? Etc
Barrel twist? Ammo? Groups at closer ranges? Etc
Pics? Were the impacts aligned either vertical or horizontal, or just everywhere? Have you ever shot groups at that range before?
With no other details.....it was you.
A lot more information is needed.
Are you fireforming brass? Once fired from previous barrel?
Load specs, barrel twist, optic know 100% good, was the action mounted in another stock/chassis prior to the new barrel and shot great?
You have a lot of knowledge and experience here that can help.
Just provide as much troubleshooting information as possible, even if you think it might not help.
Are you fireforming brass? Once fired from previous barrel?
Load specs, barrel twist, optic know 100% good, was the action mounted in another stock/chassis prior to the new barrel and shot great?
You have a lot of knowledge and experience here that can help.
Just provide as much troubleshooting information as possible, even if you think it might not help.
I got a few 3 shot moa group at 100 yards and several 1.5, I bought a box of 150 grain ELD-M and used 6.5 stabil on 50 and IMR 4831 on 50. The IMR 4831 was much better that the stabil. It was the stabil that I was using when I shot at 500 yards. No pattern to group, just all over. I in 9 twist barrel
Action on another barrel shot ok, not great but 1.75 moa at long distance. Was new hornady brass which came with primers installed, which could be an issue but it was very extreme
I just picked a random lighter load 55 grains and 150 grain bullets
I have shot thousands of rounds out to 1000 yards
I guess what Im hearing is don;t give up on it and try some load development
1" at 100yds doesn't necessarily translate to 5" at 500yds.
You need to do real load development. There's plenty of help available in the reloading sub here.
Go buy a box of factory 280 rem and see how it shoots. One of the beauties of the AI designs is the ability to shoot factory ammo.
280AI is just a hair short of 7 rem mag. It's not fun to shoot without a massive break or a damn heavy gun. Not easy to shoot tiny groups with.
How are your groups with a small caliber? If you can't shoot a moa group with a 223, you'll be a long ways off with a big gun.
Distance can be humbling. I see guys all the time that are disappointed their 2" group at 100 turns into 20" at 500. Then I can get behind the gun and make it do .75" and 8".
Don't worry about distance. Work on yourself and getting it dialed before you just randomly stuff ammo in and expect it to shoot.
H4831 powdwer on the above and 145 barnes LRX
What are you currently shooting at 500? How did the loads above shoot at 500?
Or did you just throw a random load together and shoot at 500?
yes exactly what I did but it was really bad
If that’s what you did then it’s not surprising. Probably shoots like shit at 100 to
Shoot the loads above at 500. Probably be much closer to what you want
the issue I'm struggling with is I need this gun to be a 500 yard elk rifle. If it won't do that I don't need the gun and I have substantial doubts I cant get that much improvement out of the rifle'
Not to he offensive but you are far from a 500yd elk hunter. Please don't go out and wound a bunch of animals.
You can’t throw a random load together, shoot at 500 and let that be the end all be all judge of that rifle.
You’ll need to find out what grain bullets stabilize in your twist barrel. Then try hunting bullets or factory ammo in that range
Not being a dick. But you need a lot more experience and knowledge about what you want to do before you shoot at animals
Not even factoring in ranging and wind etc into hunting.
If you don’t want to mess with load development you’d be better off to just buy factory ammo to try
I know how difficult it is to shoot 7 inch groups at 500 yards even with a dedicated fclass rifle. Ive shot a jarrett beanfield rifle with cheap factory loads the was very accurate. Thats why I'm posting, it will take a herculean effort to get this rifle to shoot the way I need it to shoot and I really don't think I can do it. I don't want to waste hours on this. I guess what I'm asking is has anyone started with a rifle that was horrible and get it to be top shelf by load development,
yes, every fuckin one
thats what im after
No it won't and you probably can't. There, I saved you hours of herculean effort.
Yaa thats my gut feeling
Absolutely do not need.
Here’s a 5 shot group at 500 yards from my fclass 284.
And here’s a 600 yard group from my 260 Savage
It’s not hard to get even MOA at 500. But you need to put in some effort
Right now you’re just sitting in the corner of the bar waiting for the hottest chick to run over and climb on your lap. Doesn’t work that way
The only reason I'm going to try is the garmin can give me data without messing with the barrel harmonics
Maybe I'm wrong here but in my opinion, no amount of "load developement" or lack thereof is going to take an otherwise fine rifle + shooter and make it shoot 24" groups at 500 yards (assuming good conditions & stable). Will it tighten up your groups, sure.. but 24" is like not even in the ballpark.
Something else is probably wrong. Could be you, could be something loose, could be a number of things. But I find it hard to believe that 24" groups are going to turn into 7" groups just by tinkering with your load. Are you capable of shooting 7" groups with your other rifles?
Something else is probably wrong. Could be you, could be something loose, could be a number of things. But I find it hard to believe that 24" groups are going to turn into 7" groups just by tinkering with your load. Are you capable of shooting 7" groups with your other rifles?
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Your best group was with the magnetospeed on that rifle. The chrono isn't the issue here. Your approach is
Well, I can tell you from first hand experience that a VERY accurate load can be developed without ever using a chronograph of any sort. Literally thousands of shooters have done so. Thousands more will do so.
Are these groups from the same rifle you’re saying won’t shoot at 500 yards?
If yes, the rifle wants to shoot. Just not what you threw together for 500 yards
I have shot a perfect fclass score at 600 yards, not a lot but I have done it with a non custom rifle I put together
Try some factory ammo. This group was shot at 560 yards with my .223AI and some factory AAC 77gr TMK 5.56.
I thought the thread title was a joke, and the rifle was going to be chambered in 22LR…
Lol sounds about right
Curious if the new hunting rifle weighs like 8lbs and maybe you just aren't used to having to tame that beast vs a heavy fclass rifle that is a lot easier to shoot in general? Perhaps that + the fact that you picked a random load...
Id probably still check torque head to toe though, especially if you are sure it isn't you.
Go down the path of load development. What is your shooting setup? Someone asked in the post above. What was your group looking like? Vertical stringing? Horizontal?
You can develop a accurate load at 500yds without a chronograph, but my most accurate loads aren't always my most consistent velocity loads.
Since people are posting 500yd groups, here my group on my hunting 6.5cm with a 2.5-10x42 scope.
You can develop a accurate load at 500yds without a chronograph, but my most accurate loads aren't always my most consistent velocity loads.
Since people are posting 500yd groups, here my group on my hunting 6.5cm with a 2.5-10x42 scope.
This has to be a gag thread if the OP is an actual F class shooter. This is my 300PRC Howa in an Oryx with an IBI barrel.
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I sure hope so. The comment about shooting elk at 500yds had me cringing. Lots of work to do before he should think about that.
If you have more time then money, maybe load development is the way to go.
If you have more money then time, maybe buying a new rifle is the way to go.
I feel like you have already lost confidence, maybe a new rifle is best, as who can put a price on confidence?
-Stan
the stock has this knob on the adjustable cheek piece that gets in the way of consistent cheek torque so thats an issue but not the cause
