Well I started reloading for my 204 this year and have it shooting consitant 1/2" 3 shot groups. I own a plain Remington sps with leupold 6-18x40 vx-2. What is my next step to get smaller groups, bedding, floating, trigger, barrel crown,....?
Next step in accuracy?
- Thread starter GRiNGo
- Start date
Frozen Snake
Regular
- Location
- 49°29'28" N 119°35'19" W
I agree.
With a group like that i would wait until you have shot out the barrel. Before sinking any money into the rifle.
Trying different powders and bullets would be the next step from a strictly loading POV. Mind you, your choice of bullet is limited.
Do the trigger first(even before you muck around with the load).
Go here for a Rem 700 trigger How-to. http://www.quarterbore.com/library/articles/rem700trigger.html
Then look into the bedding.
Floating the barrel may or may not make any difference. Some rifles like it, some don't. The sad thing is that the only way to find out is to try it. If you opt to bed the rifle, try floating the barrel too. If the accuracy gets worse, just put the pressure point back in with a wee bit of bedding material about 1.5" in from the end of the forestock. Don't forget the release agent.
You could fiddle with the OAL of your ammo too. Adjust the OAL to have the bullet a tick off the lands. It's a trial and error thing though.
Do the trigger first(even before you muck around with the load).
Go here for a Rem 700 trigger How-to. http://www.quarterbore.com/library/articles/rem700trigger.html
Then look into the bedding.
Floating the barrel may or may not make any difference. Some rifles like it, some don't. The sad thing is that the only way to find out is to try it. If you opt to bed the rifle, try floating the barrel too. If the accuracy gets worse, just put the pressure point back in with a wee bit of bedding material about 1.5" in from the end of the forestock. Don't forget the release agent.
You could fiddle with the OAL of your ammo too. Adjust the OAL to have the bullet a tick off the lands. It's a trial and error thing though.
What is your trigger pull like - have you measured it? There is nothing wrong with .5 inch groups. After getting groups like that, the next thing is to test yourself by going to 200 and 300 yds or metres. What are you using for powder and bullets to get those groups? There are probably some CGNer's who have never shot a 1/2 " group. I suppose you could try 5 or ten shot groups but it soulnd like you are doing fine.
I'm happy with the 1/2" groups, I just always strive for better, just a tinkerer I guess. I've gotten these groups with a couple of loads, but my main load is 40 gr berger bullets with 27 grs of H4895, Hornady brass and Federal primers. The trigger is pretty good, I'll measure it. I have shot a couple of 5 shot groups, one 1/2" and one 5/8". If get time I will also try shooting from a gun rest instead of sand bags.
I also achieved 1/2" groups with 35gr bergers and 26grs of RL-10X, 35gr bergers 28grs H4895 and 39gr blitz kings and 26grs H4895. I however did not have any luck with RL-15 yet. But I have not achieved sub 1/2" groups like my friend with his CZ 527 in .204.....I'll get him yet.
Good shooting, I also own a plain SPS in 30-06 and can that rifle ever shoot, guy at wholesale sports tried his hardest to get me on a Tikka and am glad I stayed with the Remington. Only thing I did was work the trigger down to 2.5 lbs
Cheers!!
gringo next time we shoot I'll let you shoot my savage so you can see what it's like to shoot better than .5...
Personally, I'd leave the rifle alone.
.
No s***. Can take a lot of load development to get to .5MOA. Be happy with it.
