Benelli MR1 M.O.A. realistic expectations

I just got back from the range with my new to me MR1 and the results were quite disapointing really. I've tried 45gr Vmax over H4895 and CFE223, 55gr Ballistic tips over Varget, 60gr Hornady Varmints over Varget and 70gr Nosler bthp and none were under 2" groups. Charges were from 23grains to 26gr.
The 55gr Baĺlistic tips were the smallest group at 2-1/2". The 70grainers were looking like a shotgun pattern after 10 rounds.
Am I using the wrong powder for these little shells?
The Varget works great in my 243 but that's a whole different animal. Any help is greatly appreciated! Would like this gun to be a 200yard coyote killer if possible.
 
Mine shot very well before I sold it..

Better than my other .223 semis.

But alas. Sold it due to it not getting the use my AR15 was getting.
 
Off a front rest, no rear rest and no bags in very windy (last weeks wind storm that knocked out the power) conditions. The wind was gusting right to left.

aEbGEnIl.jpg


This is 2 MOA using a primary Arms 1-6x and AE bucket 55 gr bulk ammo.

2.0-2.5 MOA with bulk ball is typical for this MR-1.

On a nicer day earlier on in the year.

mzaHgSjl.jpg


pHgFgEpl.jpg
 
Thanks I'll try those. At this point a 2" group would be satisfactory.
On a side note I cannot get this bore clean. I've worked the brush and solvents for 3 days and continue to come out black. I mean really really black. No copper just carbon I guess. I've never seen one that just wouldn't come clean before. Must be cooked right into the bore.?
 
finstr said:
Thanks I'll try those. At this point a 2" group would be satisfactory.
On a side note I cannot get this bore clean. I've worked the brush and solvents for 3 days and continue to come out black. I mean really really black. No copper just carbon I guess. I've never seen one that just wouldn't come clean before. Must be cooked right into the bore.?
Click to expand...

Run a few patches once in a while. It's not the end of the world.
 
geologist said:
Off a front rest, no rear rest and no bags in very windy (last weeks wind storm that knocked out the power) conditions. The wind was gusting right to left.

aEbGEnIl.jpg


This is 2 MOA using a primary Arms 1-6x and AE bucket 55 gr bulk ammo.

2.0-2.5 MOA with bulk ball is typical for this MR-1.

On a nicer day earlier on in the year.

mzaHgSjl.jpg


pHgFgEpl.jpg
Click to expand...

Great looking rig you have there! I'm going to load a few shells with less powder and see how it likes them. Maybe I'm driving them too hard. No pressure signs or anything but the case is pretty full before seating the bullet.
Also ordered a limbsaver donut to tame the pencil barrel vibrations to see if that helps. I've gambled with more expensive gizmos in the past lol.
 
finstr said:
Great looking rig you have there! I'm going to load a few shells with less powder and see how it likes them. Maybe I'm driving them too hard. No pressure signs or anything but the case is pretty full before seating the bullet.
Also ordered a limbsaver donut to tame the pencil barrel vibrations to see if that helps. I've gambled with more expensive gizmos in the past lol.
Click to expand...

I took off my bayonet mount to improve the accuracy :)

TvKeDdql.jpg
 
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I've been reading a bit on Varmints Al's website regarding his testing of threaded on barrel weights and how it affects accuracy. He has great info on barrel harmonics
 
Give a try to 77 gr bullet, my rifle did it's best groups with it, 1 in 9 twist is not supposed to luv the 77 gr but in mine it does, Fiocchi if you go factory, Scenar Lapua 77 gr if you reload.
 
It’s really hard to predict what each rifle will like. Generally a tighter twist will like heavier bullets, but I continue to find that each rifle has its own personality, and it’s own likes/dislikes. I’ve owned a Remington 700 Tactical 20” barrel in .308 that would shoot good (MOA) with a few different rounds, but for some reason it LOVED the cheap Winchester grey box, 180 gr Power Point. MOA all day, gophers at 200 no problem.

When I had an MR1, I found that it liked the 62 gr bullets. About 1.5” groups at 100. But, I had to shoot slow, otherwise the first 3 rounds were great, and the last 2 would climb. That pencil thin barrel doesn’t take a lot for vertical stringing to start happening.
 
Thanks fellas. I'll give those a try. The real challenge is going to be finding a varmint style bullet in those weights. My plan is to use this gun for running coyotes. Fmj's are strictly a no-go here when hunting. The hollow points may work but time will tell.
This one is going to be a challenge.
 
Try a Nosler Varmageddon tipped 60gr over CFE223, That combination has shot well in most of my 223's.
Nice middle of the road versatile bullet weight and still a frangible varmint bullet. They seem to shoot very well.

Don't expect a rifle like this to shoot consistent 1 moa groups. It has a skinny barrel that will be affected by heat after only a few rounds.
As others have said one picture of one fluke nice group does make these a consistent sub mao rifle. Expect 2-3 moa and depending on ammo quality and just plain luck finding something it really likes you may get lucky and see a little better results.
If you want consistent sub moa you'll need to sell the MR1 and use that money to buy a nice bolt action or if semi auto is a requirement you'll need to at least double your investment and buy something like an MDI SLR or ATRS MS receiver set and build it with a $400+ barrel. I'm talking about consistent accuracy not a lucky one off .9moa with a 2-3 moa average.


And those pics posted earlier with the calipers showing the best part of the group and ignoring the flyer in every target. What's the point? It's like when I joke about my rifles making fantastic one shot groups. Every shot in the string counts, not just the ones you like, and even if you called the flyer it still counts regardless of the excuses. If you have a bunch of excuses then you shouldn't bother posting pics and instead shoot another group on a fresh target.

I've only shot one MR1 and it didn't really do much for me so I handed it back and said thank you. I don't think these were ever designed to be precision rifles so I really don't know why so many guys have such high accuracy expectations. No different than the other cheaper options we have, I just don't know why so many expect such spectacular accuracy from a cheap rifle.

Oh ya, and Carmel's pic. He seems to have a strange ability that no one else has, he can shoot any rifle well if you look at his pics spread around the site. I wish I could shoot like that.
 
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Gun goes new for $1600-$2200 CAD hardly a "cheap gun"

I've been meaning to buy some decent factory ammo for my MR1 to see what it is capable of.... but so far all I shoot is UMC and Tula 62gr HP's thru it. Groups like 2-4 MOA with that ammo lol
 
cr5 said:
Try a Nosler Varmageddon tipped 60gr over CFE223, That combination has shot well in most of my 223's.
Nice middle of the road versatile bullet weight and still a frangible varmint bullet. They seem to shoot very well.

Don't expect a rifle like this to shoot consistent 1 moa groups. It has a skinny barrel that will be affected by heat after only a few rounds.
As others have said one picture of one fluke nice group does make these a consistent sub mao rifle. Expect 2-3 moa and depending on ammo quality and just plain luck finding something it really likes you may get lucky and see a little better results.
If you want consistent sub moa you'll need to sell the MR1 and use that money to buy a nice bolt action or if semi auto is a requirement you'll need to at least double your investment and buy something like an MDI SLR or ATRS MS receiver set and build it with a $400+ barrel. I'm talking about consistent accuracy not a lucky one off .9moa with a 2-3 moa average.


And those pics posted earlier with the calipers showing the best part of the group and ignoring the flyer in every target. What's the point? It's like when I joke about my rifles making fantastic one shot groups. Every shot in the string counts, not just the ones you like, and even if you called the flyer it still counts regardless of the excuses. If you have a bunch of excuses then you shouldn't bother posting pics and instead shoot another group on a fresh target.

I've only shot one MR1 and it didn't really do much for me so I handed it back and said thank you. I don't think these were ever designed to be precision rifles so I really don't know why so many guys have such high accuracy expectations. No different than the other cheaper options we have, I just don't know why so many expect such spectacular accuracy from a cheap rifle.

Oh ya, and Carmel's pic. He seems to have a strange ability that no one else has, he can shoot any rifle well if you look at his pics spread around the site. I wish I could shoot like that.
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A rifle that dont group tight aint worth keeping, i never show a picture of a bad group. If a rifle cant be tamed why show it.
 
What I find funny is that so many people expect 1" groups from a rifle using 3moa rounds.

My MR1 shot better with the same ammo as my AR

Likely due to having a better trigger and better natural alignment.
 
My uses for it are to reliably hit an 8" dinner plate:

1) offhand to 100m in daylight

2) off a front rest or bipod out to 300m in daylight

3) offhand out to 50m in the dark with no visible or IR light from me

Those 8" dinner plates can be a challenge...……………….
 
caramel said:
A rifle that dont group tight aint worth keeping, i never show a picture of a bad group. If a rifle cant be tamed why show it.
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You post all sorts of mystical things. I quit reading your dribble years ago. Do you still only shoot alone on your private range? Still no witnesses to back up your claims?
 
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