Almost a Precision Rifle

J

JEC

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Alberta
One of my kids just showed me how to post a picture so thought I would see if I could remember by posting this pic of my latest project and 3 consecutive 3 shot groups I shot today @ 100M.
308 Win using a Rem 700 action with 1:12 twist Shilen #5 contour. Shoots pretty decent for a sporter.

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Barrel is the Select Match...bought from Gerry at Mystic Precision. I ordered the reamer from Pacific Tool .... with a .340 NK and .060 Freebore...as I wanted to shoot bullets in the 150gr range. I have only worked on a couple of loads.
Five shot groups ...The 150 SMK's typically group about 0.5"
155 SMK's..............................0.6
125 Sierra Spitzers..................0.5
I am not a benchrest shooter, just like to shoot good groups with sporter style rifles.
I have another Shilen barrel...#4 contour chambered in 6BR...in a sporter stock...is also a decent shooter.
 
Great Shooting,, this a poster rifle for a starter precision rifle, your combo of action,barrel and stock would answer a lot of questions of late.:)
 
All shots (11) fired in one string ... Temp was -2C so the barrel heated very little. First two on left were foulers with the cold round POI slightly to the right. Rem 700 action with standard recoil lug / Shilen #5 with target crown / LTR stock (HS precision with skim bedded alum bedding block torqued to 60 in/lbs. Federal Gold Medal brass. Redding Type S neck dies.
45.25gr Varget
150 SMK seated .008 off lands

I have been using Sierra 125 Pro-Hunter Spitzer's as foulers ...which I noticed being consistent on the 300M gong...so I shot a dozen groups at 100M to see what would happen...most groups were under 1/2". I am going to give some 155 Berger VLD's a try if I get a chance before my next rebuild comes home in a couple of weeks.
 
Great shooting!

I'm going to try my luck at the range tomorrow with my .308 shooting 185gr Chinchaga's and testing seating depth. I just bedded my McMillan stock so i'm hopping to see some consistent grouping, and would be happy to see groups like yours.

What rebuild do you have coming in the next few weeks?
 
All gunsmithing on this project was done by Karl at KS Arms...he will probably have my next toy done in early March.
Next potential shooter.......

Rem 700 action trued by Dennis Sorenson
6.5 X 47 L reamer with .291 NK and .160 freebore
Lilja 1:8 twist / #5 contour /Can't remember but think 4 groove
Karl will chamber & install. I supplied a Holand recoil lug which will be pinned
Will put it in an LTR stock

I also picked up a barrel vise and rear port wrench so will pester Tom to make sure I use it properly....because I'm starting to think about another 260 Rem. to play with after the 6.5 X 47L. That one, will sport a barrel made by Karl

I doubt that I will use the Shilen barreled 308 to hunt. I have a TC Icon in 308 that pretty much keeps 3 shots under a quarter at 100M..so no need to get any fancier than that for deer.
 
It was -8C today and none of my "fair weather" friends showed up at the Range! Wanted to find out the drop at 300M when POI is 2.25" high at 100M. The rifle shot well at 100M again with the 5 shot group on the right measuring 0.42" --- then 3 on the left that came in under that ---you can see why I prefer 3 shot groups. 300M group was 1.2" which doesn't look that great, but I guess it's still under 1/2MOA.
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I know the feeling of shooting tiny holes at 100 then see them open up at 300.. for some reason I always expect my loads to stay in a small cluster at 300. I do most of my testing at 300 now because you can really see what is a good load, and what is a teaser. I would say a 1/2 MOA load at 300 is good shooting!
 
JEC, I am very happy to see that the barrels are working for you.

I couldn't tell from the pic but how much mag were you using when shooting at 300m.

At that distance, aiming error can really increase your group size. why competition shooters go with very high mag scopes. we can't hit what we can't see.

so can wind and mirage (yes, there is still mirage in the winter). But this is still an excellent group.

Enjoy...

Jerry
 
Scope is a Leupold VX 11 6 X 18 with 40mm objective and fine duplex. Can't go wrong with Leupold for a "mid-range" priced scope.

With cases that use more than 40gr of powder, I usually test loads in 0.5gr increments...and then split the difference when I get two charges that look promising. In this case, 45.0 shot well...as did 45.5..so I just split the difference. I will eventually get around to testing in 1.0 gr increments when I do the fine tunning.

Yes Jerry, the Shilens shoot pretty well! The 6BR sporter I had done also shoots pretty decent for a sporter style. One of these days, I will probably slip into the "benchrest or F-class pit" and buy a heavy barrel and stock that is designed to be shot from bags...to reduce the torque roll factor.

Well, any more load development with the 308 will have to wait as I brought the 6.5 X 47L home today! It is ready to go, and if I get my vacuming done in time, I will have the break-in done by Sat afternoon.
 
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The 308 will be a very nice shooter for sure.

I think you are going to really like the 6.5X47L too. Some are having great luck with H4350 and the 120 to 130gr match bullets.

Let us know how it shoot for you too.

Jerry
 
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