I am after some advice or perhaps to pass on some information, I have had the same .243 rifle for the past 5 years. As yet not a home loader I tested all the factory ammo to find out what it liked, and settled for federal 85 grain sub 1” at a 100y. So I was more than happy with it, other brands shooting from the side of a barn down to 2”.
Any how the shoulder strap on my slip snapped and the rifle dropped to the ground it was not a crash or smashing drop but more of a thud. But to be on the safe side I went out to check zero.
as federal ammo seams to be harder and harder to get around Aberdeen just now. I had settled for two boxes of federal 100 grain power-shock as I had good groups when testing in the past 1 ½”, it was all I could get. I had needed to put on a higher set of mounts and change out the fixed scope that I had on the rifle for a variable one, so I figured two birds one stone or should I say one box of ammo.
So I checked the bases, screws re lock-tighten every thing, bore sighted it and off to the range. The first two at 50 yards with in 2” try some more down to 1” ok out to 100ys, a miss. Try for a different target 4” to the left and low adjust the scope and 4” to the right and high. A long story short I could not get a group, is it the scope, did I damage the rifle, was it me?
I had another rifle with me that has in the past shot good groups again with in 1” so I put 4 round through it and bang on so that rules out me, this time.
I went thought the 20 rounds and could only get a 4” inconstant group. I went back to the dealer and told him that I could not get a group and would like to try some thing different, his response was that “I had been using federal for years” neither of us could figure out why I could not get a group. last month i had to go back with a box as one of the necks was crimped down one side, and had rippled back the body, he had give me another box that time as well. this time He gave me a box of hornady 58 grain it was the only other brand that I had any success with in the past and told me if I could still not get a group try putting the old scope back on.
first two rounds ½” at 50y second two 1” at 100y 3rd set and set at 1” high ½ 4th pair ½” at 150y 7/8” high and ½” . That will do for me.
Now for my questions is there some thing wrong with my rifle? Could this be an indication that the barrel is starting to go? Did I happen to get a bad box of ammo? Has any one else found the federal ammo is not as constant as I used to be?
Thanks for any advise charlie
Any how the shoulder strap on my slip snapped and the rifle dropped to the ground it was not a crash or smashing drop but more of a thud. But to be on the safe side I went out to check zero.
as federal ammo seams to be harder and harder to get around Aberdeen just now. I had settled for two boxes of federal 100 grain power-shock as I had good groups when testing in the past 1 ½”, it was all I could get. I had needed to put on a higher set of mounts and change out the fixed scope that I had on the rifle for a variable one, so I figured two birds one stone or should I say one box of ammo.
So I checked the bases, screws re lock-tighten every thing, bore sighted it and off to the range. The first two at 50 yards with in 2” try some more down to 1” ok out to 100ys, a miss. Try for a different target 4” to the left and low adjust the scope and 4” to the right and high. A long story short I could not get a group, is it the scope, did I damage the rifle, was it me?
I had another rifle with me that has in the past shot good groups again with in 1” so I put 4 round through it and bang on so that rules out me, this time.
I went thought the 20 rounds and could only get a 4” inconstant group. I went back to the dealer and told him that I could not get a group and would like to try some thing different, his response was that “I had been using federal for years” neither of us could figure out why I could not get a group. last month i had to go back with a box as one of the necks was crimped down one side, and had rippled back the body, he had give me another box that time as well. this time He gave me a box of hornady 58 grain it was the only other brand that I had any success with in the past and told me if I could still not get a group try putting the old scope back on.
first two rounds ½” at 50y second two 1” at 100y 3rd set and set at 1” high ½ 4th pair ½” at 150y 7/8” high and ½” . That will do for me.
Now for my questions is there some thing wrong with my rifle? Could this be an indication that the barrel is starting to go? Did I happen to get a bad box of ammo? Has any one else found the federal ammo is not as constant as I used to be?
Thanks for any advise charlie