problems sighting my 338wm

airtruck63chev

airtruck63chev

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200gr handloads @ 200m is 2" low move to 300m and they go way high like 24" or more .. dont get it.. even went out and got a new scope... didnt help, did see what looked like a single keyhole hit .. browning a-bolt .338wm.. prob only 30 or 40 rounds thru this thing.. could be the shooter, as im starting to develop a flinch after 5 or more shots..
 
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I had a similar issue with my 338 years ago
I was using weaver bases and rings with a leupold scope.
Long story short, the scope was moving in the rings
I switched to leupold bases and rings and never looked back

However I should add that before changing rings, I would get consistent groups for a while, that would then get continuously worse over time
 
Like coyotebc said. And make sure all the screwsare torqued properly. The ones that mount the bases and the ones on the rings. So many are afraid to properly tighten screws and calibres like the 338 and up are very unforgiving
 
Something else that's easy to check. Closely examine the crown on the barrel. If there is some damage there bullets will be all over the place.
 
I'm a little confused by the advice you are getting here. First of all if your gun is sighted two inches low at 200 and ends up 24" high at 300 (where as it should be about 10 to 12 inches low) the movement in the scope should be visible or easily felt. And it should also be shooting all over the place at 200. I have shot my 338 off a rest (lead sled type) and it will sometimes kick back on the rest so hard that it tends to pull a shot high. I also found it hard to shoot it a lot without tending to flinch a bit. I have also had my scope moved in the rings when I had the original cheap package set up that my rifle came with.

Now I don't know how many shots you are taking when at the range and I don't know what rest you are using so you may want to disregard this advice, but here is what I would do. Make sure the bases and rings are tight and maybe mark the scope in some non permanent way just in front of the rings. Then get a buddy who can shoot a 338 WM well off of bags. Get him to shoot 5 shots at 200 yards and make sure he is getting a decent group (at least 3' or so) then shoot another 5 shot group at 300 without adjusting your scope. If you are still 2" low at 200 and 24" high at 300 with the same relative group size than it time to call in the feds because you have some type of negative gravity field between your 200 and 300 yard back stop.

FWIW I ended up using Weaver bases and Grand Slam rings. I also sprayed them with a bit of HI-Tack. They have held well since.

Also I had A bit of an issue with flinching and ended up double plugging (ear plugs and muffs) and that really helped. I also put about 200 rounds through it and helped me get used to it.
 
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one thing my buddy noticed was that the rifle was jumping" up from the bag after a few rounds, i realy dont like this rifle much and i am trying to overcome my faults with it. The stock does not fit me well and is not comfortable and i seem to have developed a flinch when pulling the trigger , as i have been scoped" in the head a couple times with the previous scope not being mounted correctly for me on full zoom. (my mistake) But i am working thru this to correct my faults, load data was a 250gr sp w/ rl19 @ 76g , these where my earlest reloads as i dont shoot it much, i have 300 cases ready to reload and may work up a 200gr rn lighter load, will re-tighten rings and try and slow my rate of fire down to prevent flinching and start over @ 25m or 50m, would a muzzle brake help if it is shooter issues ? dont have any problems hitting a 8" gong @ 300 with irons and a mosin...heavier rifle??
 
It sounds like selling the rifle would help the most. Will the rifle shoot a decent, repeatable group at 100 yards? If so, the rest is likely human error. I'd get someone else to try shooting it before trying anything else.
 
airtruck63chev said:
one thing my buddy noticed was that the rifle was jumping" up from the bag after a few rounds, i realy dont like this rifle much and i am trying to overcome my faults with it. The stock does not fit me well and is not comfortable and i seem to have developed a flinch when pulling the trigger , as i have been scoped" in the head a couple times with the previous scope not being mounted correctly for me on full zoom. (my mistake) But i am working thru this to correct my faults, load data was a 250gr sp w/ rl19 @ 76g , these where my earlest reloads as i dont shoot it much, i have 300 cases ready to reload and may work up a 200gr rn lighter load, will re-tighten rings and try and slow my rate of fire down to prevent flinching and start over @ 25m or 50m, would a muzzle brake help if it is shooter issues ? dont have any problems hitting a 8" gong @ 300 with irons and a mosin...heavier rifle??
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If it were me, that rifle would already be listed on the EE by now....
 
Sounds like it's not the gun for you. Stock doesn't fit, etc. If you're getting 'Weatherby eye brow" the scope is too close. You need a recoil pad to give you more LOP. Or another stock. A slip on recoil pad adds about an inch of length and runs about $20. Another stock is far more.
The weight of the rifle will have a lot to do with it too. An A-Bolt in .338 Win Mag only weighs 6 lbs. 9 oz. Not much for a cannon.
A muzzle brake will tame the felt recoil some, but it will also significantly increase the muzzle blast for you and everybody you know.
 
bearkilr said:
If that's indeed what you're loading, it's quite a bit over max of most reload manuals, you might want to double check.
Click to expand...

you are correct , thats the 200gr sp load , have 2 sets of sizes 200 and 250 have not started on the 250's yet was looking up load data on the 250's had it stuck in my head
 
I would try loading her down a far bit them get used to shooting her ,sounds like it is just to much gun for you .kind of like them 3.5inch trukey loads .just wow kind of crazy with recoil . a flinch is not good and the best way to cure it is to slower her down with a lighter load D
 
My 338wm in a Tikka T3 is a beast for recoil, great moose slayer but 15 or so bench rounds per range outing is my limit. I bought it of the EE and the rings that came with it snapped off after 30 or so rounds during load development, same issue as you describe, shot fine, groups got worse all of a sudden. The rings broke where they meet the uprigh support. I got a set of Talley one piece rings/bases and they have stood the test of time with 250 grandslams pushed by full case of re19.

The aftermarket Limbsaver makes the gun bearable to shoot on the bench, when hunting I never notice the recoil.
 
I'm leaning on the side of selling the rifle and getting another that better fits you. It's best to avoid developing the flinch than to try to get rid of it, and if you've been scoped, that's a hard thing to get out of your mind. I have a Sako 338WM that fits me very well, and I don't find the recoil from the bench to be that different than my 30-06. It's a mid-weight rifle, so not overly heavy (< 8lbs).

That being said, I always use a strap-on Past shoulder pad when shooting from the bench --- I'd definitely recommend it to anyone firing heavy recoiling rifles, and this might be a good aid to you for shooting your 338WM. The pad is only about 1/4" thick, but it makes a world of difference, at least for me. Wearing the pad, I'm able to focus on my shooting technique rather than thinking about the soreness.
 
Don't sell it! Especially if you are a reloader. Buy some 200 grain bullets and load them down to 2600 fps. You will be in the 30-06 recoil range. Put a few hundred rounds through it and slowly load it up. Also try double plugging as I suggested earlier. I swear to god what you Re describing was me three years ago. I now love pulling the trigger on That rifle with full loads. Adding a bit if weight to the stock and getting a scope with proper "magnum" eye relief is a good idea. And shoot it at low power so you can give yourself a little more room behind the scope.

Sell the rifle!! You people disgust me! :)
 
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