Grouping problem

[bogwelly]

Anyone got any ideas , Hornady GMX 130 gr non toxic in .270

I can’t get them to group 1st shot cold bore is always on the money then best I can get is a 1.5” group on a good day
I’ve tried going up and down the powder charge to no avail
Beginning to think it’s the bullet heads

 

[HonestJohn]

Too long and heavy. Try 120g

Have you tried pulling the red tips?

 

[BenBhoy]

Using mod? Tried without or different mod?

 

[pob]

I had that issue after having previously been shooting lead quite happily. Cold bore shot was always bang on, but then started to group elsewhere.

Try giving the barrel a bloody good clean, and keep it clean thereafter? I also used to dry patch before starting shooting.

I feel your pain. It could be frustrating. Good luck.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Try some factory non-lead like these.

RWS .270 Win. Evolution Green 6,2g | RWS Ammunition

Discover the RWS .270 Win. Evolution Green 6.2g now: Outstanding and instant lead-free effect. Quality, made in Germany.

rws-ammunition.com

Regards

JCS

 

[Kevgun]

Are you loading them yourself? if so how far are you setting the bullet from the lands, Copper seems to like quite bit of jump

 

[Malxwal]

Copper likes/needs a jump, and a clean barrel.
As stated, could be too heavy/long.

 

[nic531]

also check that it does not have a minimum speed of twist... may be your barrel is too slow for that length /weight of copper

 

[muddy42]

As above, you can try other rounds and bullet heads. Shorter round nosed bullets can do well in copper. But the weird bit for me is that you say first shot is on then the group deteriorates. Normally stability is binary, either it stabilizes or it doesn't.
- what happens if you let the barrel cool for two minutes between shots?
- are you firing fouling shots after a good clean? And by good clean, I mean a really good clean, like 4 cycle of scrubbing and soaking with a bronze brush and 4 cycles of scrubbing and soaking with a nylon brush.
- Are you sure the action and scope are tight. I found all kinds of muck under a floating barrel once.
- does a different shooter get the same result?

 

[kenbro]

Try some bullets with a different head
KB.

 

[VSS]

Anyone got any ideas , Hornady GMX 130 gr non toxic in .270

I can’t get them to group 1st shot cold bore is always on the money then best I can get is a 1.5” group on a good day
I’ve tried going up and down the powder charge to no avail
Beginning to think it’s the bullet heads

Shoot the deer with your first shot. That's the only one that matters.

 

[Heym SR20]

I tried the GMX in 7mm and didn’t get good results on paper. From what I have read they seem to be a tough bullet designed to work on bigger animals at magnum sorts of velocities.

Saying that, whilst 1.5 inch group is not brilliant its not really that bad. I haven’t done a lot of load development but I have certainly groups that are bigger than that yet still have found a reasonably good working load with that mix of powder and bullets.

 

[Jagged77]

There are just some combinations that don’t work in a rifle no matter what. I tend to find the bullet itself has the biggest influence, after that the powder (anecdotal not evidence based by any stretch!). I would try a different bullet.

 

[webley701]

Anyone got any ideas , Hornady GMX 130 gr non toxic in .270

I can’t get them to group 1st shot cold bore is always on the money then best I can get is a 1.5” group on a good day
I’ve tried going up and down the powder charge to no avail
Beginning to think it’s the bullet heads

The first question has to be, what result do you normally achieve with that rifle with other ammunition?

 

[bogwelly]

The first question has to be, what result do you normally achieve with that rifle with other ammunition?

With lead I can cloverleaf , I like to know it’s hitting where I aim

 

[bogwelly]

Shoot the deer with your first shot. That's the only one that matters.

There’s always one

 

[VSS]

There’s always one

Well maybe, but just think about it:
You said that your first shot is, and I quote, "always on the money". Not sometimes, but  always. Now, I could understand your concern if the first shot was one of the errant ones in your group, and if it was sometimes one of the other shots in the group that was "on the money", if any at all, but it seems to me that you have a rifle that you can pick up straight out of the cabinet, point it at a deer, hit the exact spot you were aiming for, and kill it stone dead. No second or third shots, or groups, needed.

The perceived fault that's perplexing you is just as likely to be a fault in your shooting as it is to be a fault in the rifle or ammo.

(And anyway, a 1.5" group is pretty good. I couldn't do it. But my first shot generally does what I want it to do, so I'm not fussed).

 

[limulus]

How much experience have you had shooting?
Have you practiced with a .22 before trying a proper calibre?
Have you checked your scope mounts? ( often the cause of errant zeros)
How much experience do you have reloading, could you get someone else to make some loads up for you?

So many variables to take into account…