Accuracy questions!
- Thread starter JesseB123
- Start date
I have done better with the irons at 25, the one time I tried them... And I will definitely take this scope off and try that again.
I will also try some different ammo, for some reason I wasn't as confident in the Blazers today. Someone at the range mentioned Federal Gold. Seeing as I've tried 12 others and CCI's Blazer & standard velocity rounds grouped best I don't understand. But alas, I'll soldier on in this trek towards tight grouping
Thing that messes me up is that when it was new and the first few trips to the range rocked, most rounds through one hole! Now this. Oh well. Maybe my gf's cat sabotaged the scope... That's the only time I could see it getting rattled - other than regular shooting. When I take people shooting they all handle it like a house of cards, me included.
ultimate_monkey
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- victoria BC
not that its that much help.. but IF your even down vic way and still having problems shoot me a msg and we can hot up the range and go over every thing.
but im also putting my guess on it being the scope
but im also putting my guess on it being the scope
I will definitely do that sometime in the future. I've contemplated asking the guy on the bench next to me a few times to squeeze some groups out of The General for me to make sure it's not just me being incompetent. Thanks for the offer!
I have to add another vote for Scope - or at least scope related ... could be the mounts as well. Either way, something between the crosshairs and the barrel seems a little loose to me. I'd be trying the iron sights again at 20 or 25 yards and seeing how that works. Baed on the first target you showed us, you & the gun should be able to get 1" +/- groups at that range, even with iron.
I've seen ammo change group sizes from batch to batch, but never to that extreme.
I read somewhere in this thread about your cleaning habits ... have you tried really cleaning the barrel well since the troubles started? the smallest of lead deposits could be causing this as well, though it's not very common on 22's in my experience ...
Also ... you mentioned that you removed the scope using the thumb screws ... when you put it back on, did you double check the other screws on the mounts for tightness? I've seen the tension on those change with the change in tension on the lower mounting screws.
The picture looked like a weaver style mount ... are both mounts (front and rear) firmly seated in all the little grooves they are supposed to be in?
I've seen ammo change group sizes from batch to batch, but never to that extreme.
I read somewhere in this thread about your cleaning habits ... have you tried really cleaning the barrel well since the troubles started? the smallest of lead deposits could be causing this as well, though it's not very common on 22's in my experience ...
Also ... you mentioned that you removed the scope using the thumb screws ... when you put it back on, did you double check the other screws on the mounts for tightness? I've seen the tension on those change with the change in tension on the lower mounting screws.
The picture looked like a weaver style mount ... are both mounts (front and rear) firmly seated in all the little grooves they are supposed to be in?
The first group I posted is the standard that I'm setting for this rifle and myself. If it could do that when I got it, then it will do that again.
As for cleaning, I have done the barrel since all this began when I tried a different ammo (Remington Subsonic HP, which was by far the worst ammo I tried in my selection process. This is why I have extra kickin' around) and again when I switched back to the Blazer. Nothing changed.
I took the scope off again tonight, and I noticed that I lied earlier when I said it was just the thumbscrews. I had also taken off the weaver bases (I must have because I had to tonight, couldn't see the iron sights otherwise). When I took them off again tonight, they were straight and true and the locktite made the screws very difficult to break loose from the tapped holes in the receiver - so no problems there.
I'll head off to the range tomorrow with the iron sights and take some new ammo with me since I burned my brick of Blazers today.
Suggestions on what to get? I'll try Federal Gold if I can find it.
Here's the one's I've tried so far;
CCI Blazer
CCI Standard Velocity
CCI Shotshell
P)American Eagle LRN
Remington Subsonic HP
Winchester Super X copper plated HP & CPLRN
.22 shorts - brand unknown
Federal Champion
And that's all I can think of for now.
I thought that's what you were using the whole time!
Ehehehe, good one
Alright, so quick trip to the range today, put the iron sights on at home and turns out they were pretty close to zero as it was, so only 1 adjustment later and I was close enough to target for my needs.
This is the first group out of a clean, cold bore with some old (1997) American Eagle rounds at 25 yards from benchrest. I didn't have time to go grab some new ammo so I used up the odds n' ends in my box.
(the round used for perspective & size is some Winchester Super X CPLRN, it was not used in the shooting)
After I got some other groups that looked like that from the American eagle, I did a pass through the barrel and switched up ammo.
I loaded up with the Remington Subsonic garbage and gave it a try. Lo & behold, this is what I got.
I'd say that wasn't too bad, still not what I was looking for. There were a few more groups, but they all look more or less like that.
Next I'm going to head to the range with the sights as they are, and try bedding the rifle again since I didn't notice a difference with my [faulty?] scope, I'll see if the groups open or close when the action screws are loosened and tightened up this time. If this doesn't work, I've got an offer from a friend who will lend me a scope that DOES work for sure so I can get the final say and go from there.
Since I'm moderately frustrated, here's a picture I found of some bomb squad guys.
x2!
Those groups you shot with Iron Sights and non "prime" ammo for your gun, are very decent for 25 yards - especially considering your lack of experience with iron sights.
I would say it's time to get your preferred ammo and a proven scope and hit the range.
For that matter, I'd probably make a trip to Canadian Tire and grab one of their < $50 Tasco/Bushnell .22 scopes. Been using them on my .22's for decades and rarely had a problem with them.
Never mind playing with the action screws. Tighten them and leave them alone. Do you play with the tightness of the lug nuts on your car to see if it handles better with loose lug nuts? However before you tighten the screws make sure there isn't any oil between the action and the stock.
This has been analized to death. It was shooting great, you took the scope off and the bases. Now it shoots like crap. STOP think about it !!!! Did you oil under your bases before you put them back on? Bet you did, the oil stops the bases from coming down true and tight to the action even though the set screws are tight in the hole with loctight on them your bases have very slight play in them. Take the bases off, clean them and the action surface with break cleaner, clean out the holes on the action (old loctight) check the matting surface of the bases for ridges or burs around the holes, put it back together, losses the rings on the scope mount the scope carefull to align the rings to the bases tighten them, then tighten the rings down. Go to the range zero and bobs your uncle!!! Seen it hundreds of times
Right, first off, a big thanks for SigWig for meeting me at the range and adding another opinion to the shooting.
Second, here are the groups from today. I used 4 different types of ammo in these pics cause I still haven't made it to the shop to grab more...
Anyways, I started off with Remington subsonic at 25yds. I also just threw my scope back on and it was pretty much right on zero still which I thought was weird.
Okay, cold bore, first 10 shots I got this. I am aiming directly at the intersection of the black lines on the printed target, ignore the green/blue dot (I don't know why I printed out these targets...)
Then something magical happened. The next magazine, I got this
I don't understand, but my troubles seem to have gone away. I then moved the targets out to 50yds and tried the last of my Remington Subsonic ammo (good riddance) and got this.
Then I traded my scope for SigWigs on my rifle and gave some Target Match ammo SigWig was generous enough to spot me a box of. This is what I got.
I'm inclined to say that it isn't my scope after this. I put my scope back on and shot these groups with some Winchester Super X CPLRN from 1997 at 50yds. Noteworthy as well, the wind picked up around this time.
I took the top three targets and SigWig shot the bottom two. This was for my own sanity to make sure it wasn't me being an inconsistent shooter. I've ruled that out since.
I guess after all the fuss and fiddling, I've learned a lot about this gun and the sport and I'll continue to tinker. For now I think this setup is satisfactory and I'll just have to find another ammo that works best then.
I may never get that 1/2" group at 50 yards like I did when the rifle was new, but if it's close I guess I'll live with that. That target is still on the fridge
Second, here are the groups from today. I used 4 different types of ammo in these pics cause I still haven't made it to the shop to grab more...
Anyways, I started off with Remington subsonic at 25yds. I also just threw my scope back on and it was pretty much right on zero still which I thought was weird.
Okay, cold bore, first 10 shots I got this. I am aiming directly at the intersection of the black lines on the printed target, ignore the green/blue dot (I don't know why I printed out these targets...)
Then something magical happened. The next magazine, I got this
I don't understand, but my troubles seem to have gone away. I then moved the targets out to 50yds and tried the last of my Remington Subsonic ammo (good riddance) and got this.
Then I traded my scope for SigWigs on my rifle and gave some Target Match ammo SigWig was generous enough to spot me a box of. This is what I got.
I'm inclined to say that it isn't my scope after this. I put my scope back on and shot these groups with some Winchester Super X CPLRN from 1997 at 50yds. Noteworthy as well, the wind picked up around this time.
I took the top three targets and SigWig shot the bottom two. This was for my own sanity to make sure it wasn't me being an inconsistent shooter. I've ruled that out since.
I guess after all the fuss and fiddling, I've learned a lot about this gun and the sport and I'll continue to tinker. For now I think this setup is satisfactory and I'll just have to find another ammo that works best then.
I may never get that 1/2" group at 50 yards like I did when the rifle was new, but if it's close I guess I'll live with that. That target is still on the fridge
Good to see that whatever the issue was, it's sorting itself out.
Ihave to believe there was some sort of debris (or even a nasty film of oil) under your scope bases or within the rings ... kind of telling that simply remounting the scope a couple times has cured it.
Sorry, no. For the age and condition of them (20 yrs old and showing the years of dragging them throgh the bush) I coudln't get enough for one to even cover half the cost of replacing it. And, as ugly as they are now, they still work - I'm not the type to fix something that isn't broken
Ihave to believe there was some sort of debris (or even a nasty film of oil) under your scope bases or within the rings ... kind of telling that simply remounting the scope a couple times has cured it.
Sorry, no. For the age and condition of them (20 yrs old and showing the years of dragging them throgh the bush) I coudln't get enough for one to even cover half the cost of replacing it. And, as ugly as they are now, they still work - I'm not the type to fix something that isn't broken
