Semi-auto accuracy

1899

1899

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Well, bear season is still a month away, so let's hear about some of your very accurate semi-auto hunting rifles. I had a Belgian made Browning BAR in .270 Win that was quite accurate, but other than that one I have pretty much stuck with bolt action and single shot rifles. So, post up if you have a very accurate BAR, Merkel, Sauer 303....Remington Jam-o-Matic :)
 
My stepdad had a Belgium BAR in 300 WM that was surprisingly accurate, I was totally biased towards bolt guns but he showed me up a few times with that thing, it was consistently 1 to 1.5 inch at 100 with factory fodder. That's the only rifle of his I did not inherit from him, he had lent it to a friend that passed away a few years ago, and the kids would never return the rifle. Too bad, I loved that rifle...
 
I had a Remington 7400 in .30-06 that loved the older Federal Classic and newer Federal "blue box" 180gr loads but it now belongs to my uncle as I traded for his .308 Browning BLR...he wanted a soft shooting rifle I wanted a lighter handier one. That 7400 puts 5 shots on a quarter @ 100yds with those Federal loads but everything else I've ever run thru it was never better than 2" groups. Might have to borrow it from him this spring when I head back east, shoot it and take some pics!
 
I have had a few BARs that shot very good...Sighted in a few Benelli R1s, that were as good as the BARs...A few Rem semi autos, but they have too many other issues to speak of IMO...Win 100s were really hit an miss (pun intended) from the ones I have had, or sighted in..

I have a BAR in 280 that is quite accurate.Right around an inch consistantly..
 
VLT79 said:
I had a Remington 7400 in .30-06 that loved the older Federal Classic and newer Federal "blue box" 180gr loads but it now belongs to my uncle as I traded for his .308 Browning BLR...he wanted a soft shooting rifle I wanted a lighter handier one. That 7400 puts 5 shots on a quarter @ 100yds with those Federal loads but everything else I've ever run thru it was never better than 2" groups. Might have to borrow it from him this spring when I head back east, shoot it and take some pics!
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Have to agree 2"-3" groups is pretty much where I am at with my 7400's. The 243 a bit better but not much. That is fine for hunting which is what I use them for.
 
My 7400 in 30-06 was bought new by the old man in the early eighties. I would agree that 2" would be considered excellent. Not the most accurate of my rifles, but it has put the most meat in the freezer.
 
DMS said:
My 7400 in 30-06 was bought new by the old man in the early eighties. I would agree that 2" would be considered excellent. Not the most accurate of my rifles, but it has put the most meat in the freezer.
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It just goes to show that you don't need MOA capability to fill the freezer. Although the millions of Winchester Model 94's have probably proven that over the last century.


So it seems as though the BAR is the gold standard for semi-auto accuracy. Have any of you carefully worked up loads for your BAR or other semi-auto?
 
1899 said:
So it seems as though the BAR is the gold standard for semi-auto accuracy. Have any of you carefully worked up loads for your BAR or other semi-auto?
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54.5gr IMR4831 topped with a 150gr Scirocco...For my BAR in 280 that is..
 
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1899 said:
So it seems as though the BAR is the gold standard for semi-auto accuracy. Have any of you carefully worked up loads for your BAR or other semi-auto?
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The Benelli R1 Argo (300 win) had no problem achieving the same results as the BAR listed in this thread and plenty enough for hunting.

Methinks given the metalworking technology and design the semi auto being less accurate action type is mostly a myth these days.
 
I wouldn't ever say a semi is as accurate as a bolt, they are more than adequate for hunting but not nearly as capable as a bolt action.

If they were equal you would see them used in match style shooting as well as hunting. I myself prefer a bolt mainly for reliability.
 
I watched a guy shooting in Selkirk with a Browning Longtrack 300 Win Mag. His groups were approx 1.5-2" at 100 yards. That's pretty decent IMO.
 
I just sold a Remington 742 in .308 that grouped factory 150-grain ammo between 1.5 and 2 MOA, consistently.
Most accurate I've seen was a Winchester Model 100 in .308 that shot right around MOA consistently.
 
My Remington 7400 in 30-06 shoots an honest 4 MOA at 100 yards and is a lot worse if you don’t cool down between shots especially by the third, fourth, and fifth. I have tried to get a better reload but never seem to find the time with this firearm. Where I deer and bear hunt here in Ontario a long shot is 50 yards so it more than makes up for what I need. I think I have 8 deer to this firearm and it is the most inaccurate one I own but it seems to work for me.
 
I had a Remy 742 in .30-06 and it shot 1 - 1.5 moa easily, with Remy 180gr Core-Lokt.
It still shot well after a flip on a quad. I landed on the rifle which was slung diagonally on my back.
The little charging handle bent and that was all that had to be replaced.
Functioned like a champ after a new one was installed.
 
My BAR in 300wm will shoot 1.5-2inches with cheap winchester ammo, I've never tried to work up an accuracy load for the BAR. As far as reliability goes, I've owned it for over 25 yrs and it has never, not even once jammed or failed in any way.
 
I'd really like to try out a FN-FNAR with a 20" heavy barrel as I've read they are guaranteed MOA or better.
 
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