As the lands erode with usage do you have to re develop home loads

[Warbucks]

What scope are you using? - I’ve got an Alpex 4K LRF & have had some similarly confusing misses using that this winter… playback & cross hairs bang on but have missed - one shot confirmed low as I found cut belly hair where the muntjac had been stood, several where the shot has hit but was significantly lower than the cross hairs were on the target & one where I am certain the shot should have landed forward of the front shoulder on a quartering animal but missed it completely so have to assume it went wide in front.

This is on a rifle that otherwise is a tack driver!

I’m planning on shooting some targets with it over the summer as I’ve only started using it on the does this winter. I want to see if it does throw shots & whether there is a common factor to it. I’ve already done some comparisons between the drop the ballistic app calculates & my real world data for it & the error is nowhere near big enough to explain the missed/low shots - it’s around an inch at 500 yards & all these shots have been in the 200-300 yard range.

First of all thanks to everyone thats replied to this thread.
Because i have played back the last two missed shot recordings i known the crosshairs were on target, there was no wind, so the missed shots were either the rifle, or the Alpex.
Its interesting what Donkey Basher has said about his Alpex as regarding misses, as my mate has sent his Alpex 4k lrf back for testing as his 100% isn't holding zero nor moving the recital in the correct place.
I'm a bit reluctant to remove the Alpex, but i suppose it might be a good idea to put a trusted day scope back on and re-check grouping and go from there.

Anyone else had doubts about there Alpex 4k lrf with unexpected misses ?

Dave (warbucks)

 

[Karhumies]

Don't write it off just yet ! often you can get the gun that displays such symptoms has copper fouling that has got well imbedded in the cracks / rough surfaces of the bore . JB paste and a few good soaks of Boretech Cu+2 copper remover and a stiff plastic brush can remove this . Sure the cracks and erosion is still there but more often as not the Accuracy will come back , at least for a few hunts .
Sometimes the soak period might need to be overnight barrel plugged . The aim is clean until the CU+2 comes out with very little blue on the patches or better none at all . Some do need to lay down some fresh crud , so don't assume its not worked without some range time .
Barrels are none fathable though but the above really has and does bring many rifles back on song , strange how some just wont with very little erosion and others will and run on fine another few seasons ( if you become more diligent)

Been trough it all, the cracks are visible and i have scrubbed it with JB, copper cleaner even fine steel wool at some point. It does this thing where for the first 3 shots (the foulers) its super accurate and then it drops off imediately. Its a microrifled barrel so i got a feeling i need a rebarrel.

the rifle has been continuously shot since the 1960s as far as the last owner and i can tell this rifle has at least had 4000 rounds trough it

 

[tackb]

People spend far too much time chasing the last 0.1" of accuracy thinking it will make a difference in the field. When in fact all they're doing is shortening the life of their barrel for no real good (or measurable) reason.

This!

Very few are capable if they are honest of realising that 0.1” of accuracy especially in the field

Far better to get a reliably accurate load and then use that barrel life for real world use and practice ,not chasing that screamer of a group to boast about !

 

[Karhumies]

This!

Very few are capable if they are honest of realising that 0.1” of accuracy especially in the field

Far better to get a reliably accurate load and then use that barrel life for real world use and practice ,not chasing that screamer of a group to boast about !

Generally i agree once you start going below 1" My own angle for loading has been that every variable accumulates, I usually strive for holes touching at the edges at 100m for each caliber i shoot. iam More forgiving of my moose rifle and deer rifle but on my .222 i accept nothing over 15mm groups. In the field that rifle is set up on supports and used to pick off tiny targets at 200+ meters. At that range a 1" group easily becomes a miss when the target is 2" big.

these for instance both shot with my previous rifle that i wish i had not sold.

 

[DH39]

Have you got a rail on the rifle? common for people to check rings and bases but they don't like taking the scope off to check the rail. I lock light the rail studs and have still had them come loose over time. I know you say crosshair was bang on but you said you may "have to take the scope off" but did not sound that keen........ if you do and you do have a rail check it, this has caught me out before with erratic shots form several bang on with the odd flyer.

 

[Bowland blades]

This!

Very few are capable if they are honest of realising that 0.1” of accuracy especially in the field

Far better to get a reliably accurate load and then use that barrel life for real world use and practice ,not chasing that screamer of a group to boast about !

Groups are for benchrest comps really at the end of the day only the one shot kill maters in the field . If you shoot 3 or five shot groups at the same beast you have it all wrong lol .
However we should all shoot a few groups now and then and know how the barrel handles being run spotless or well fowled . A great shooter with a 2moa gun will kill his deer better than a a 1/4 moa gun in the hands of a 3 moa shooter . remember field positions apply to this shooting tiny groups on the range prone with bipod and a back bag is not the same as shooting kneeling or off a tripod etc etc