Gunsmithing shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

[ykrvak]

I picked up a 700 243 from hide member about a year and a half ago with the intention of rebarreling it to a 7-08. So, I picked up a 7-08 take off barrel from another hide member and sent it to a local gunsmith to screw the new barrel on. Usually, I send all my stuff to SAC, but I figured this was so simple that I would save the $100-$150 in shipping and just get it done in Fairbanks. After firing the first round through the rifle I looked at the primer and there was an obvious issue. Almost like someone had chamfered the inside of the hole for the firing pin. The area around the strike point on the primer was raised enough that it made me pretty nervous so after sending some pics to Mark Gordon, the bolt was on it's way to be repaired. Once I got the bolt back (Mark did a beautiful job as always) I started doing some load development. It would group alright for what I was wanting out of this rifle, but was shooting way to the left. So far to the left that I can't get any optics I have to zero because they run out of windage adjustment. So, I sent the whole thing back into Fairbanks to have the guy who screwed the new barrel on it take a look and see if he can find where the problem is. I just got the rifle back (it's been almost a year) because he said he hadn't looked at it yet since it wasn't the kind of job he enjoys doing. Grrrrrrr.

My question is should I be looking for another barrel before sending it off again or is this probably the kind of thing that can be remedied? I realize this is difficult to answer without getting to inspect the rifle, but I guess I'm just looking for some educated guesses at this point. I getting pretty tried of putting money into a rifle that hasn't been right since I bought it.

thanks.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

quite possible that the scope base holes aren't straight w/ the receiver centerline, or that the bore isn't

 

[ykrvak]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

I've tried checking the mounting holes for the bases/rail, but I'm not able to find anything obvious. The original owner said it shot fine when he had it, of course he failed to mention the issue with the bolt face and denied knowledge of it when confronted about it.

I should probably just ship it off to Mark and when he has a chance to get to it he will. At least I know it'll be done right. If it's a problem with the barrel he'll tell me and I'll just have to find one then.

 

[deadeye]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left


Burris SIGNATURE rings will go a long ways to correct windage with the offset inserts - not saying it will fix it - just an option to look at.

 

[xs hedspace]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

I "fixed" a Win M70 that had sight base holes that were off, by reversing one scope ring. Or do the Burris with the offset inserts.

 

[E. Bryant]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

We can play the guessing game all day long, but it's going to take someone making some measurements on the action and barrel to determine the root cause. It could be that the scope rail holes are way off from the bolt raceway, or it could be that the face of the action isn't square to the raceway, or that the barrel tenon is way crooked to the bore, or that the bore is really curved and the barrel wasn't timed to accommodate this, or...

Pick a good 'smith and send it off - it'll take them less time to find the problem then I would take me to type out a complete list of potential problem areas. In all likelihood, it's a combination of several things that arose from inattention to detail, and stacked up in the same direction.

 

[FLIGHT762]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

Another easy fix which wouldn't cost a lot is to use a set of Regular Leupold bases/rings(like the old Redfield bases) The rear base is adjustable for windage. You can set your scope to the center of the windage and then adjust the rear base to within a inch or two of the point of impact, then do your fine adjustments with the scope's windage knob. I've done this a number of times with hunting rifles. It works fine.

If this is a hunting rifle, it will work. You didn't mention what optics you're using, as long as it's either 1" or 30MM, leupold makes rings in either size.

If this rifle is a L/R Rifle that you'll be dialing up long distances and you need more than a 0 cant base or 34-35 MM rings, then you'll have to spend the $$$$ on a good smith that can fix the trouble.

There's so many things it could be causing impact to the left. We'd all just be guessing.

 

[ykrvak]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

Thanks for the input guys. It's just a beater rifle which is why I'm getting annoyed with it's lack of cooperation. It's grouping at about .75 at 100 (5 shots) which for what I want is fine. As I said I'm just going to ship it off to SAC and he'll get it straightened out. It's just that for what I've put into it at this point I could have just tossed it in the trash and bought another one.

 

[biner626]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ykrvak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the input guys. It's just a beater rifle which is why I'm getting annoyed with it's lack of cooperation. It's grouping at about .75 at 100 (5 shots) which for what I want is fine. As I said I'm just going to ship it off to SAC and he'll get it straightened out. It's just that for what I've put into it at this point I could have just tossed it in the trash and bought another one. </div></div>
You can "trash it" here in Tennessee.

 

[athhud]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

In my limited experience, a rifle that shoots far right or far left usually has a scope ring installed "backwards."

 

[Redcreek1]

Re: shoots WAAAAAAYYYY to the left

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ykrvak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I picked up a 700 243 from hide member about a year and a half ago with the intention of rebarreling it to a 7-08. So, I picked up a 7-08 take off barrel from another hide member and sent it to a local gunsmith to screw the new barrel on. Usually, I send all my stuff to SAC, but I figured this was so simple that I would save the $100-$150 in shipping and just get it done in Fairbanks. After firing the first round through the rifle I looked at the primer and there was an obvious issue. Almost like someone had chamfered the inside of the hole for the firing pin. The area around the strike point on the primer was raised enough that it made me pretty nervous so after sending some pics to Mark Gordon, the bolt was on it's way to be repaired. Once I got the bolt back (Mark did a beautiful job as always) I started doing some load development. It would group alright for what I was wanting out of this rifle, but was shooting way to the left. So far to the left that I can't get any optics I have to zero because they run out of windage adjustment. So, I sent the whole thing back into Fairbanks to have the guy who screwed the new barrel on it take a look and see if he can find where the problem is. I just got the rifle back (it's been almost a year) because he said he hadn't looked at it yet since it wasn't the kind of job he enjoys doing. Grrrrrrr.

My question is should I be looking for another barrel before sending it off again or is this probably the kind of thing that can be remedied? I realize this is difficult to answer without getting to inspect the rifle, but I guess I'm just looking for some educated guesses at this point. I getting pretty tried of putting money into a rifle that hasn't been right since I bought it.

thanks. </div></div>

Must have been build by a liberal Democrat...