Got a civilian Husqvarna m46B 1940's vintage in great shape, barrel looks sharp and shiny, crown looks OK, but the rifle won't group. Shoots about 10 inch groups, using a 4x Leopold scope.. Nice light rifle in good caliber and I'd like to use it for a deer rifle but have to do something about accuracy. I hand load and have tried different loads and bullets with no luck. Any thoughts?
Husqvarna in 6.5 swede accuracy problems
- Thread starter Ivanhoe
- Start date
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
10 inch groups, it's not worth the trouble
I will contribute some ideas but there are smarter people on this forum that hopefully will contribute as well.
1. Does the rifle group at all? If it will group but you cannot move the group (or move it appropriately) by scope adjustments I would say the rifle is okay and look to your scope for issues.
2. If the shots are scattered like shotgun pellets with no discernible pattern then it could be an improperly mounted scope or a faulty scope. Take the scope and bases off and carefully remount.
3. Or it could be something in the rifle that is changing point of impact with each round. That would say to me possible barrel touching somewhere it should not along the forestock, or the action screws are improperly tightened. Fold a business card into a U shape and try to slide it down the length of the barrel between the barrel and forestock. It should slide freely until it gets the action. Try the same thing after firing three rounds or so. If it is touching somewhere a little work with sandpaper or a Dremel tool to remove the offending wood will fix it. You should be able to see where it is touching by compression marks on the wood.
Check the action screws to see if there is excess space around them as they pass through the wood. If so you may consider bedding the rifle.
4. Double check the case length on your hand loads. Some rifles are very picky about case length. Quick and easy check of your handloads is try some factory rounds.
5. It is touchy subject I know but part of the accuracy equation is the shooter. Are you eliminating any movement from yourself and/or your shooting rest?
6. My daughter has a Savage 243 that will not group when she has a forestock bipod attached. That one took us a while to figure out. It would group reasonably at 100 yards but would only group "minute of garbage can lid" at anything 250 yards and over. Taking the bipod off cured the issue as much as the rifle was able to achieve.
Hope this helps a little bit.
1. Does the rifle group at all? If it will group but you cannot move the group (or move it appropriately) by scope adjustments I would say the rifle is okay and look to your scope for issues.
2. If the shots are scattered like shotgun pellets with no discernible pattern then it could be an improperly mounted scope or a faulty scope. Take the scope and bases off and carefully remount.
3. Or it could be something in the rifle that is changing point of impact with each round. That would say to me possible barrel touching somewhere it should not along the forestock, or the action screws are improperly tightened. Fold a business card into a U shape and try to slide it down the length of the barrel between the barrel and forestock. It should slide freely until it gets the action. Try the same thing after firing three rounds or so. If it is touching somewhere a little work with sandpaper or a Dremel tool to remove the offending wood will fix it. You should be able to see where it is touching by compression marks on the wood.
Check the action screws to see if there is excess space around them as they pass through the wood. If so you may consider bedding the rifle.
4. Double check the case length on your hand loads. Some rifles are very picky about case length. Quick and easy check of your handloads is try some factory rounds.
5. It is touchy subject I know but part of the accuracy equation is the shooter. Are you eliminating any movement from yourself and/or your shooting rest?
6. My daughter has a Savage 243 that will not group when she has a forestock bipod attached. That one took us a while to figure out. It would group reasonably at 100 yards but would only group "minute of garbage can lid" at anything 250 yards and over. Taking the bipod off cured the issue as much as the rifle was able to achieve.
Hope this helps a little bit.
Swede rifles with their fast twist do not shoot very light bullets all that accurate ie lighter than 100grs. However bullets heavier than 100gr will shoot very accurate in these rifles. What are you shooting, what load what bullets.
With the 140gr they shoot very well. Sooo check the bore for signs of wear and try another scope and try shooting at 50mtrs for group, sometimes that will tell the story, of bullets not stabilizing.
With the 140gr they shoot very well. Sooo check the bore for signs of wear and try another scope and try shooting at 50mtrs for group, sometimes that will tell the story, of bullets not stabilizing.
