mod affecting performance

swatty

Well-Known Member
hi all as in the title i recently had a wildcat p 8 put on my tikka 595 243 and ever since the its performance has been no where as near as good as regards to groupings and zero in general before the mod was fitted i was confident to be able to shoot crows heads off upto a couple of hundred yards (maybe not every time ) but i never had a doubt that if i could get within 250 odd yards then crows were as good as dead since the mod has gone on i carnt get a grouping of less than 3 inch at a hundred yards and its driving me mad firstly i thought it may be a change in ammo but 60 95 grain and £80 odd quid later im back on what i started with and its still no better does any one have any ideas as its affecting my confidence on the bucks as well im now not taking neck shots (not that i did many in the neck any way ) but its nice to have that option also ive put a bipod on which may of affected my now bloody annoying rifle help please thanks brian
 
It it repeatable? i.e. Put mod on - bad groups, take mod off - good groups?

How is the tolerance of the bushing around the barrel?

Have you checked for clearance between stock and barrel with mod on? Sometimes the extra weight of the mod can cause the stock to flex fractionally more and contact the barrel, especially with a bipod.

Alex
 
the bushing is touching around the barrel but not tight ive not tried it without the mod to tell the truth before fitting the bipod and since fitting my groupings have not altered stil around three inch but a random three inch one left one bang on one inch right if you know what i mean ill have a look at clearnce between barrell and stock now hopefully i can find the problem and make my local crow / vermins life hell again as it getting to the stage where there not scared of my van again
 
Yeah, you need to change one thing at a time to troubleshoot it. Try some groups with the mod off, but leaving everything else the same, bipod on etc. That's the only way you can narrow it down. If the groups are instantly better with the mod off then obviously it is something to do with the mod and you need to start looking for the cause.

The next step would then be to take the bipod off and try with and without mod (off a shooting bag or something) to narrow it down.

Alex
 
Just had a rehash of thoughts on this one, if you have just had it "threaded for the mod", I would check that the action screws have not shot loose, since you have been using it from the rifle coming back to you.............. they don't have to be rattling to give changes in P.O.I....also as previously mentioned by others , check for free float space between the barrel & woodwork just in case the mod is causing a touch. Steve.
 
Swatty. As CSL says one thing at a time needs to be checked out and ticked off. A couple of thoughts. Was the rifle already threaded, or have you just had it threaded? If it's just been threaded, can I suggest checking all the action screws and scope mounts are tight? Hopefully this will eliminate one potential source of the problem. The second suggestion is to get someone else to try a shot with the rifle. moe243 shoots my rifles better than I can. Ask a pal who is a good shoot to try it and see if he gets the same problem. Rgds JCS
 
I had a similar problem and it was the Bi-Pod. Took it off used a bag rest and it grouped fine. with or without the mod. trouble is the POI shift was a bit much so the whole thing is getting a look over.
 
Over barrel mods are a pain in the arse, because even very good gunsmiths still believe that the bushing must fit tight around the barrel. This is bull because the barrel outside diameter is mostly not center with the bore.
Some are so convinced that they will never change...for them it's best to use a muzzle mounted can. Problem solved.

Just try a few shots without the bushing. (Of course the mod must be of correct size)
edi
 
ive been out tonight and tryed various things mod off bipod off etc i believe the problem to be that since being screw cut and mod on the barrel is now touching the stock from the very front of stock to about an inch and a half back once i took the stock of and looked it showed ovious signs of rubbing. now my next problems is can i sand this out myself or is it back to the gunsmiths also if it is a gunsmith job can anyone recommend one thats is able to sort my problem in the north west i ussually use vorn lambeth at pilling but im not sure this sort of stock work is his sort of thing . my next concern is if this swelling of my stock was caused by just general dampness is it worth trying to find a synthetic replacement if so is there a plastic sstock that can be bought for a left hooker 595 thanks for all you help hopefully once ive got it sorted ill be back up and running
 
Sanding out the barrel channel is easy to do, piece of dowel of the appropriate size and some sand paper.
Take enough out to ensure the barrel is well clear (at least 1 business card) when mod is on, and rifle is on bipod, with you in
the shooting position, so face on stock and holding as if you were just about to touch one off, yes you will need somebody to check the clearance for you.
Seal the channel with True Oil or varnish.

Neil. :)
 
has any one else sanded the barrel channel themselfs even though it looks a easy job im not keen on sanding it unless it as straight forward as it looks
 
Swatty, just take it in easy stages, you can always sand a little bit more out, but you can't sand it back on!:lol:, some people tend to lean into a bipod, a little like using a heavy support weapon, this causes stresses in a lightweight sporting stock, with inevitable consequences.
 
Swatty, I am not an expert or sure of what you have checked or not so just a couple of places to start.
1) check the torque on the action screws, then check the barrel see if it free floating or not. (if it is then go fire a couple of shots see what you get use the same ammunition that you where using before the mod and bipod)
2) Screw on the mod and check the floating again. If floating then go fire another group.
3) Put on the bipod and check the barrel again.
If the barrel is touching the stock then take out the action screws and check to see if the action is seated correctly in the stock. If all look ok get some tape and put some on the top of the fore end just in case you slip it will stop the sand paper marking the stock. Then get a peace of wooden dowel and rap a peace of sand paper around the dowel and try to keep the dowel as flat as possible, don't go daft, once you think you have the right amount out put the action back in and tighten the screws to the same torque, check the clearance again, go through step 1-3 if the barrel is not floating. Once you have got the barrel floating you will need to seal the stock again.

Hope this helps charlie
 
Doh! :rolleyes: Not every rifle needs nor likes a floated barrel. i have seen so many ruined stocks by people following the "free floated" mantra.

God only knows what some of these butchers would do to the DWM Plezier, the Rigby Mannlicher, the Medwell & Perritt none of which have floated barrels. It makes me shudder to think of that dowel sandpaer routine on that nice M&P walnut stock :eek:. So sad.
 
Kev, have a strong cup of tea!, the rifle he's working on has developed a fault since being threaded, something those classics you mention would never be subjected to (I hope), Steve.:D
 
thankfully ive seemed to solve the problem the barrel was touch the stock for about the first inch and a half and it was really tight ive gone down the dowell sand paper route and its worked a treat shes back to shooting better than i can ill have to learn to upload pictures of my before and after targets i now know why i love this rifle again i think ill treat my self to a buck tonight now cheers for all the help
 
Back
Top