What to do when a rifle won't shoot

[runfiverun]

it's a Remington.
your chamber is cut crooked to your barrel.
got one just like it in 8 mauser, if it were in any other chambering I would have re-barreled it long ago.

[Geezer in NH]

Have a good smith re-barrel it with a good barrel.

[snowwolfe]

I have a newer Remington 700 CDL in 30-06 that I picked up used about 3-4 years ago (rifle is from 2004 IIRC) and I can't get the dern thing to shoot to my standards. I bought it as a hunting rifle and I have tried 150, 165, 180gr Nosler BT and Hornady SST bullets. I've tried several powders. I've bedded it, made sure the bases and rings were tight and have a Leupold 4.5 x 14 VariX 3 on it. I've moved the scope over to a known shooter and it isn't the scope. The best I've got it to shoot consistently is 1.5" at 100yds and about 3" at 200 yards from a bench with Varget and 165gr Nosler BTs. While this isn't bad for a hunting rifle, the other loads are considerably worse.

Just for kicks, I brought my Sig M400 Hunter in 300 BLK to the range today and it runs circles around this thing with a tactical 1-4x Burris tactical scope (no crosshairs, just dots) even out to 200 yards for 10 shot strings, not the 3 shot strings for the Remmy.

At this point since rifle season is close, I think I'm just gonna let her go (with full disclosure) and invest that money into something else, like my Kimber 308 Longmaster which hasn't been shot yet.

What would you do at this point?

Sell it and buy a Tikka. Not being cynical, its the truth. After owning Remingtons for 40 years I'll never buy another now that I own a Tikka. I have never owned a Rem 700 that would shoot as good as my box stock Tikka with its superb trigger.

[castalott]

Use a tight patch to see if there are 'tight' spots anywhere. They need to be lapped out if there are.

If you are a silhouette shooter, I would 'campaign' this rifle for 2 or 3 HARD seasons... That number of rounds might do wonders...


If it were 'my' rifle I might do this...
Get some 'Flitch' polishing compound and using a long Q tip, place some in the barrel just ahead of the chamber. Shoot a reduced load with a long bearing surface bullet. All you care about is the bullet coming out each time. Repeat 4 more times and test... No change = repeat flitch 5 shots.

Don't get any in the chamber area....

If nothing else, you will get it really clean.....

Warning! I reserve this method for guns I have given up on. You can go too far and destroy your barrel. You must have the 'go or blow' attitude to use this method... but it is easier to trade guns....



Many years ago I had a heavy barrel Ruger Target pistol. It shot 6 inch + groups off the bench at 5 yards. My grandfather's temper kicked in to assist me further so I smeared Flitch on the nose of a cartridge and loaded it single shot in the gun and fired. I probably done this 30 times.... I shot at the same target each time and watch the grouping. After 20 shots the impacts started gravitating to the center. When they all started going in the same hole, I quit.

A friend saw it shoot and insisted on buying it....


Stop and think before you do this....

Good Luck, Dale

[Texas by God]

I suggest trying something that will only cost a few accuracy-testing shots.

I would insert some paper shims (business cards ?) into barrel channel about 3/4" to the rear of the black forend tip's junction with the forestock - thick enough to apply "up" pressure to the barrel.

If however many shims improves the accuracy, the shim thickness can be replaced with either a plastic shim (old credit card sections) or a pad of bedding compound.


.

+1- this has worked for me as well. But an inch and a half 30-06 will handle most big game hunting easily. Best, Thomas.

[Texas by God]

Just for grins you might try some RN bullets over 4350 powder. Worth a shot haha. Stranger things have happened. Good luck! Those CDLs are great handling/ looking rifles. Best,Thomas.

[izzyjoe]

I have seen two rifles that shot better groups with a limbsaver barrel dampener, it's just a rubber dampener that slides over the end of the barrel. It's a cheap way to crutch one up sometimes.

[EDG]

Agreed. Try some 180 RN bullets and quit shooting boat tails. Even try 180 grain flat base spitzers by Sierra.

Just for grins you might try some RN bullets over 4350 powder. Worth a shot haha. Stranger things have happened. Good luck! Those CDLs are great handling/ looking rifles. Best,Thomas.

[30calflash]

Maybe a mechanical issue that has been overlooked.

When i worked at an LGS gunsmith shop things like this were head scratchers but usually resolved.

Make sure your scope mount base screws are not being run deep into the receiver at the front receiver ring. I've seen crappy accuracy when the screw was touching the bolt with the bolt closed, affecting harmonics when fired. Touching the offending screws to a grinding wheel taking off one thread fixed it.

Another time on an M70 the striker in the bolt was impeded on free travel so it struck the primer differently with each shot. Some minor stoning took care of it.

The out of square action/barrel/bolt could be there, seen that on even higher end model rifles. Most still shot well though.

But as others mentioned 1.5 MOA isn't a bad thing for a deer/large game rifle.

HTH, 30CF

[725]

AS above, but also, I'd try some 220 round nose. One box delivered isn't too costly and you might just find it's a cure. I never would have shot 220's if I hadn't accidentally stumbled across some. They've turned into one of my very best and favorite. Crumpled a #272 (dressed weight) hog and actually did very little meat damage. In & out with what appears to be minor expansion. It's the kind of performance you hope for. DRT ~ clean kill ~ minimal meat loss.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I suggest trying something that will only cost a few accuracy-testing shots.

I would insert some paper shims (business cards ?) into barrel channel about 3/4" to the rear of the black forend tip's junction with the forestock - thick enough to apply "up" pressure to the barrel.

If however many shims improves the accuracy, the shim thickness can be replaced with either a plastic shim (old credit card sections) or a pad of bedding compound.


.

This is what I did with my Winchester M-70 FWT .308 some years ago after fussing with bedding and screws. It just plain worked. The rifle went from a 3 shot 1.5" grouper to under an inch with the same ammo using this simple method. It does open up after the third shot, but it's a light weight barrel and not a heavy target rifle. I can live quite well with it.

[gnostic]

If you really want a Remington to shoot small groups, the barrel should be free floating and the bullet seated touching the lands. I've never seen a 700-600-40x that wasn't shot out, that wouldn't shoot under an inch.

[Tenbender]

I suggest trying something that will only cost a few accuracy-testing shots.

I would insert some paper shims (business cards ?) into barrel channel about 3/4" to the rear of the black forend tip's junction with the forestock - thick enough to apply "up" pressure to the barrel.

If however many shims improves the accuracy, the shim thickness can be replaced with either a plastic shim (old credit card sections) or a pad of bedding compound.


.

I was going to tell you this. A shim with moderate pressure on the barrel about 1 inch back from the tip will change the whip of the barrel when fired. If that changes anything move the shim
back and forth to see if it improves the group. If it does to your liking build a small bed at the best point with glass. I have fixed several that way.

[Bigslug]

You've got a rifle that will cleanly kill deer to 400 yards. Get your mind out of Benchrest Land and go hunting.

[nekshot]

[QUOTE=Bigslug;3795316]You've got a rifle that will cleanly kill deer to 400 yards. Get your mind out of Benchrest Land and go hunting.[/QUOTE

I agree! Many a decent gun went to pawn shops because of this thought pattern!!!

[toallmy]

Generally the problem child gets the most attention ,so if you don't need it right now it's a project .

[220]

Use it as a hunting rifle like you intended, at anything like normal hunting ranges a miss wont be because of the accuracy of the rifle.

[Texas by God]

I read that Carlos Hathcocks issue M70 30-06 shot worse groups than your rifle.Best, Thomas.

[Dimner]

Try making a chamber cast. I just did this in my ever troublesome Winchester 94 and I found out the grooves were .3105 and there was no throat (even though this is common for a 30-30). Which is why I was getting 3-6" groups with factory loads and a scope at 50 yards. Perhaps your jacketed bullets are undersized.

[edward hogan]

Bought the gun used?

Didja ever really clean the hell out of it? Might take you a weekend and a new bottle of Barnes CR10 but I would start there.

Of course, you may have a damaged barrel...

Can probably find another Remington Takeoff barrel on Ebay or Gunbroker for cheap and see. if you got a .308 already, maybe look for a .280rem or Whelen barrel?