SOLVED! Thanks everyone! Winchester model 70 featherlight having grouping issues.

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CanadianBaconPancakes

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Thanks for all the help, I found my swivel stud was pressing the barrel ( who ever recommended checking that thank you ) and swapped to 130 grain along with a .30 cal bore snake cleaning. Much better, Brought my 6 shot group down to 1.7"




I was using a box of 150g federal premium ( turns out it was regular federal ), at first i got it down to 2-3 inch groups. I then put up a new target and got 3 in 2 inch group followed by one off the paper and one 6 inchs off to the corner by the 20th round... Why am I getting there crazy outliers, There is no way I missed the paper completely due to my own error.

I have a Leopold scope mounted to the .270



UPDATED PIC - Cleaned and used my backpack as a rest, this is at 100 yards. Nothing to far out now. Still not grouping like I hoped, 3.3 inch grouping. May try 130 grain.

 
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Just curious, did you make sure the rings and bases are good ? I only ask because a few days ago I was at the range and the rear ring clamp split in half... And I probably would have been ages figuring it out if it wouldn't have hit my tooth when it broke.
 
A hunting rifle must hold zero and put a cold shot close to where it is aimed.


A target rifle has to put a whole string of shots where aimed.

Very different needs.

A hunting rifle has a light barrel. As it heats it can easily shift where it hits.

Fire 3 shots, 5 minutes apart. If they are within 2 inches of each other, you are good to go. Zero might have to be adjusted, but don't shoot again to confirm the zero until barrel is cold, again.
 
If your barrel is heating up it may start walking rounds across the paper. If the bullet holes are heading off in one particular direction, any direction, then that would be my bet. It's not a huge issue with a hunting rifle, since you're not firing long strings at game, as long as you zero with a cold barrel.

Ganderite beat me to it by 3 mins!
 
my hunting rifles I fire 3 shots and let it cool before shooting another group...I have a few fun rifles and varmint rigs, and when the barrel heats the stringing is consistently predictable, I know how it'll shoot hot...but it sounds like you were shooting all over the map by the end of your session?

in addition to possibly flinching (sounds most likely imo) or firing with a smoking hot barrel, what sort of rest were you using?

I'm assuming this was at the hartman range? half of those tables/seats have a mean wobble to them, I've pushed the occasional embarrassing flier shooting off those things...I prefer to use the concrete tables on the right side....sounds stupid, but often the little things that cause issues, I shoot my best at my preferred table lol
 
CanadianBaconPancakes said:
Thanks for the tips, Ill try being more patient in between shots and see how it shoots cold.
Click to expand...

I have one in .308. If I shoot without letting the barrel cool, the first two shots are always less than an inch apart, the third one will wander to about two inches... I have only ever shot 5 shots without letting the barrel cool down, and by the time you fire #5 you're lucky if you can keep them all in a 3-4" group.
 
I have a Steyr that puts 3 in a hole, then drops the 4th. I let it cool for 20 mins, then it'll do it all over again. My bull barrel Sako will do 6 ,then the fliers.
 
Check your action screws.........hot barrels do not tend to jump off the paper, but will consistently wander off in one direction, as a rule. However loose action screws will cause this to happen.
 
1-Check all fasteners on your scope rings and bases.
2-Check your action screws (floor plate and trigger guard) and make sure they are snug.
3-Pace yourself, let that barrel cool down between shots. A Featherweight heats up quickly because of its thin barrel.
4-Shoot from a steady rest and make sure your barrel is not resting on anything.
5-It's all about the basic principles: position (comfortable), grip (firm but not overly tight), sight alignment, breathing (take a good breath and exhale a little, then hold), trigger control (the shot should surprise you) and follow through.

If you think you may be flinching, have a friend load (or not...) the rifle for you. You will know right away.

Hoe this helps.
 
So many variables do exist. In addition to validating all the suggestions provided - you may wish to try with different ammo as well .....

Couple weeks back, the weather was extremely hot here in ON, barrels were heating up more rapidly than usual, consequently, opening up groups. I was sighting in one of my CZs that would place the first couple rounds dead-on or very close (with a cold barrel) and then start to open up. I double checked everything, tried three different types of ammo with similar outcome. Before packing up for the day, I tried a box of ammo that I hadn't used before in my CZ and the rifle's performance changed. I attempted to replicate the scattered group scenario by shooting out of a hot barrel but the POIs didn't stray far.

 
I have a new featherweight in .243, with a clean barrel It groups 4 shots (shot within a couple mins) into an inch or under. After the 4 shots I let the barrel cool right down, it will do this until I've gone through about 20 rounds then it opens up to 2.5-3". After cleaning the barrel right out with wipe out it will be back to 1".

Also what type of Leupold? VX-2 by any chance?
 
One thing with the FWT is the front swivel stud too long and touching the underside of the barrel .I read an article in a gun mag that the writer bought a .257 Roberts cheap that wouldn't shoot and that was why...cut off a 1/16" and a tackdriver.....Harold
 
Got a feeling you were flinching. Could check yer scope mounts and rings and try again, also have a buddy shoot it see how it groups for him. Then you know if its you or the gun.
 
I had one years ago in 7x57. It would shoot two on the money then begin to walk subsequent rounds up the target by roughly two inches more each time you shot with the now hot barrel. Never had a wandering zero though
 
My brothers 7x57 featherweight ( a push feed variant) wouldn't hold 0 at all. He gave it to me and I did a couple of things. First I redid the crown which reduced group size but did not help the wandering 0, then I tried a different scope with no change at all. Finally I checked the bedding which looked like it was made of hot glue so I redid it with Devcon which stopped the wandering 0 and lastly I added a bit of forend pressure and it became a consistent 11/4" gun. As you can see there can be several issues affecting a rifle at the same time contributing to accuracy issues. I'd start at the simplest and cheapest and go from there.
 
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