You know you have a good rifle when ......

[powdergun]

Over the years I have played with many different rifles and loads and one common theme seems to pop out. It is that a good rifle will shoot well with many different loads as opposed to having to try a bucket load of combinations to find one that does. Example: today I was out with a new vanguard 22 250 trying to find a load for it. I brought a few different loads. Each load shot under .75". The rifle will be a coyote gun and the only problem is I have to stretch things out to 200 or 300 yards to start eliminating loads. Lol...


It sure is nice not pulling my hair out trying to find the magic formula.

 

[hoytcanon]

I just found a Ruger M77 Carbine .358 Win... getting it set up for a hunt and started with my usual deer load of 200 FTX over 51.0 W748... five rounds into an inch... another five rounds into and inch and then another five rounds into an inch... switch to the bear load of 225 Partitions over 50.0 Varget, netted five rounds into half an inch at 100 and the same POI as the deer load... sighted dead on at 100... tried the Partitions at 200 yards first 3 round group measured .408"... second group was .600"... adjusting to 2" high @ 100, put the POI 2" low at 200 and dead on at 20-40 yards... perfect for a bear rifle.

 

[H4831]

I have said it on here so many times. A good action and barrel, well bedded, will shoot good with any good ammunition.
That is why, with every bolt action rifle I have, I build up the load only for velocity, to see if it will get up to what the rifle was designed for, with no pressure problems. If they will reach the optimum velocity OK with proper powder, I know they will shoot OK.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

I have said it on here so many times. A good action and barrel, well bedded, will shoot good with any good ammunition.
That is why, with every bolt action rifle I have, I build up the load only for velocity, to see if it will get up to what the rifle was designed for, with no pressure problems. If they will reach the optimum velocity OK with proper powder, I know they will shoot OK.

Und on das lighter end of the spectrum, I've always tuned my rifles to propel the heaviest lead boolits of appropriate hardness for the job intended to get the job done at velocities that most folks these days would think silly or unworkable. But my loads work just dandy at the ranges I use 'em at.

 

[Keithjohn]

I think the op is right about it the best guns are easier to load for but they still benefit from finding the best powder /bullet etc.
And some of mine that were hard to find a load for are among my best shooters with the right load ? But easiest is best

 

[GMC403]

I have only ever owned one rifle that has performed like the OP describes.

Once zero'd, pretty much any ammo I've put through it consistently groups excellent. Various weight ammo hits predictably along the vertical axis and is always consistent.

As H4831 said though, it has a good action, a good barrel and is bedded well.

 

[Boomer]

As usual, Bruce hit on the crux of the matter. A rifle that refuses to shoot anything but a single load is a poor rifle to own, and finding that one load, if it in fact exists, can be a frustrating, expensive experience, if bedding isn't considered early in the process. A MK-V Ultralight has me considering installing an adjustable pressure point in the barrel channel, so that optimum pressure can be dialed in for each load. This rifle shot 2 bullets, of the 5 types I tried, in a mediocre fashion, with 2 touching and a flier about an inch and a half out. The others strung out to as much as 5" until I installed a .035" pressure point, that rounded and shrank each group. And this rifle had been bedded; one wonders how it shot prior to that.

 

[skypilot]

When it shoots good factory ammo into 1" groups @100m consistantly.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have said it on here so many times. A good action and barrel, well bedded, will shoot good with any good ammunition.
That is why, with every bolt action rifle I have, I build up the load only for velocity, to see if it will get up to what the rifle was designed for, with no pressure problems. If they will reach the optimum velocity OK with proper powder, I know they will shoot OK.

No disrespect intended... but I find this methodology to be ambiguous and impossible to quantify.

Accuracy is accuracy... regardless of velocity. Building for a target velocity that has been predetermined is a long path to nowhere given the variables at play. If a specific velocity is required one would be better off changing cartridges. I would rather have the rifle tell me what it wants for optimal accuracy rather than dictate one of the parameters.

I have one .308 Carbine that is extremely accurate... it is also spitting 180 AB's 300 fps slower than my number crunching suggests that it should be... however it is a deer rifle with more than enough energy for the job, so I just leave well enough alone... if I had aimed for a target velocity the rifle would be all over the map.

I am referring to handloading for accuracy in a specific rifle.

 

[nowarningshot]

Und on das lighter end of the spectrum, I've always tuned my rifles to propel the heaviest lead boolits of appropriate hardness for the job intended to get the job done at velocities that most folks these days would think silly or unworkable. But my loads work just dandy at the ranges I use 'em at.

What no thread about a guy that just bought a new rifle in 243 win that wants to get it reamed to 243 AI. Each caliber can be pushed well above factory ammo, but where is the sweet spot for accuracy. Any 30 cal rifle is pushing the same .308 pills, yet everyone likes pushing a 30-06 to 300wm levels. I have loaded my 300 rum to max, but also to 300wm and 30-06 level.

The 303 British still kills, as does the 30-30. Just not as ###y i guess. Just bought a 20 year old 1895 45-70, little blacktails and big black bears, at bayonet distances. Two Ferries and a days travel to where i used to hunt.