I’ve been a lurker here and hate for my first post to be one asking for assistance, but I need some help brainstorming from some long range folks.
I have a Browning Hells Canyon Long Range McMillan in 300wsm topped with Nightforce NX8 on Nightforce rings. I love the fit, feel, and finish of this gun.
It’s got ~300rds through it. I bought it new and did a proper barrel break in. It was a little finicky with handloads, especially around seating depth, but once I got it dialed I was consistently getting 1/2” MOA groups at 100yds and some even better. 3-4” groups at 500 and I was 8/10 on a 8” target at 940yds. It was an absolute shooter primarily with 190 gn VLDs. Then something happened and I cannot figure out what.
It started when I would get flyers here and there every 5th shot or so. Assumed it was me. Then groups just started rapidly deteriorating and within the last 80 rounds it got to the point where it’s 2-3 MOA over 5 shots. It’ll shoot some in the same raged hole and some all over the place. It’s not usually stringing- but I’ve notice a slight trend in that the flyers tend to be low left, but sometimes high and low some left and right. I switched bullets just to see. Shot 3 180 accubonds the other day that were literally through the same hole. Let the rifle cool for a few minutes and shot two more. Both low left about 3/4” apart and 1 1/2” away from the other group. WTH?! I came back the next day and shot the same load. No group at all, random holes around 4”.
I’ve taken everything off. Checked my bases, rings, and screws, retorqued. I’ve checked the stock bedding and ensured free float. I’ve retorqued the stock bolts. I’ve stripped the bolt to make sure nothing is wrong. I took it to a gunsmith yesterday to have a bore scope through it. No carbon rings, throat and barrel look great. I tried different handloads and the loads that I was previously dynamite with. Thinking it was me I set this gun up and my Kimber Montana in the same caliber and shot it lights out followed by the same random grouping in the Hells Canyon. The next weekend the 300 RUM shot excellent as well so I assume it’s not me. I’m lucky enough to have a shooting range that’s 30 feet away from my reloading station so I have the opportunity to really adjust things and check for improvement but I’m at a loss.
The more I shoot it the worse the groups are getting. Has anyone ever had this before? Any suggestions at all? I hate to part with what was at one point the best shooting rifle I’ve ever had if there’s something I’m missing, but I just can’t think of what else it could be.
I have a Browning Hells Canyon Long Range McMillan in 300wsm topped with Nightforce NX8 on Nightforce rings. I love the fit, feel, and finish of this gun.
It’s got ~300rds through it. I bought it new and did a proper barrel break in. It was a little finicky with handloads, especially around seating depth, but once I got it dialed I was consistently getting 1/2” MOA groups at 100yds and some even better. 3-4” groups at 500 and I was 8/10 on a 8” target at 940yds. It was an absolute shooter primarily with 190 gn VLDs. Then something happened and I cannot figure out what.
It started when I would get flyers here and there every 5th shot or so. Assumed it was me. Then groups just started rapidly deteriorating and within the last 80 rounds it got to the point where it’s 2-3 MOA over 5 shots. It’ll shoot some in the same raged hole and some all over the place. It’s not usually stringing- but I’ve notice a slight trend in that the flyers tend to be low left, but sometimes high and low some left and right. I switched bullets just to see. Shot 3 180 accubonds the other day that were literally through the same hole. Let the rifle cool for a few minutes and shot two more. Both low left about 3/4” apart and 1 1/2” away from the other group. WTH?! I came back the next day and shot the same load. No group at all, random holes around 4”.
I’ve taken everything off. Checked my bases, rings, and screws, retorqued. I’ve checked the stock bedding and ensured free float. I’ve retorqued the stock bolts. I’ve stripped the bolt to make sure nothing is wrong. I took it to a gunsmith yesterday to have a bore scope through it. No carbon rings, throat and barrel look great. I tried different handloads and the loads that I was previously dynamite with. Thinking it was me I set this gun up and my Kimber Montana in the same caliber and shot it lights out followed by the same random grouping in the Hells Canyon. The next weekend the 300 RUM shot excellent as well so I assume it’s not me. I’m lucky enough to have a shooting range that’s 30 feet away from my reloading station so I have the opportunity to really adjust things and check for improvement but I’m at a loss.
The more I shoot it the worse the groups are getting. Has anyone ever had this before? Any suggestions at all? I hate to part with what was at one point the best shooting rifle I’ve ever had if there’s something I’m missing, but I just can’t think of what else it could be.
