Is my barrel shot out?

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Tyla

Well-Known Member
Advice wanted pleased.

What are the symptoms of a shot out barrel?

My 243 weatherby vanguard has been my go to rifle for a long time and was second hand when I bought it. I dont know the shot count but I don't think it can be as high as 7000 which is what the Internet think is the limit for that barrel.

While attempting to find a good homeload for it yesterday it has become apparent its not grouping as well as it did. This was also the case last time we tried it 6 months ago but more so now than then. Its been killing deer all season but groups are now 1.5" plus at 100m which works fine in the field but not what I want on paper to be able to test loads

It doesn't scatter them entirely but seems to shoot 2 good ones and one an inch odd away, not always in same direction, in every group. We spent the whole day on it yesterday, tried different shooter, different scope, mod off / on, checked rail, barrel clearance, stock screws, different bullets, a good clean, a wide range of powders and seating depths. It will put bullet on bullet in some loads but then will throw 1 in every 3 somewhere else, not always in the same order either.

I've run out of ideas and the whole thing is very frustrating.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
 
have the vanguard in .223 carbine, shoots very nice groups, not a target shooter mine is for fox, but as suggested give the barrel a very good clean. Also check scope fixings.
 
Worth a good clean, a friend took a rifle to me that a gun smith has said was shot out (due to being a forestry rifle), cleaned it thoroughly and it was grouping under one inch and has been shooting deer for a good while now!
 
If it works in the field, there's no use in worrying about it. The difference between what you would be happy with and what is now causing you to worry about enough to spend a grand is perhaps as much as one inch. Completely inconsequential in normal use.
 
A skinny barreled hunting rifle that shoots 1.5" groups at 100m in the real world is a decent rifle in my experience. I can rarely do better than that even under ideal range conditions. Check out the hundreds of entries on YouTube for the "One MOA all day" competition that is being run for normal/lightish rifles by Bloke on the Range. Very few entrants get below 1MOA and most are worse than 2MOA.
 
Tyla said:
a good clean,
Click to expand...
I'd be interested to know what your cleaning routine has been.
Several people have mentioned "a good clean", but there is such a wide range of opinions on cleaning, that it could mean anything.

A build up copper might result in what you describe.
But if its been there a while, it will have probably caused pitting. In which case removing the copper will expose the pitting and your group may get bigger.

Options
Ask around to see who local has a bore scope. Find out the facts, maybe remove copper.
Stump up £1000 for a barrel.
Leave as is, if works OK in the field.

M
 
Tyla said:
Advice wanted pleased.

What are the symptoms of a shot out barrel?

My 243 weatherby vanguard has been my go to rifle for a long time and was second hand when I bought it. I dont know the shot count but I don't think it can be as high as 7000 which is what the Internet think is the limit for that barrel.

While attempting to find a good homeload for it yesterday it has become apparent its not grouping as well as it did. This was also the case last time we tried it 6 months ago but more so now than then. Its been killing deer all season but groups are now 1.5" plus at 100m which works fine in the field but not what I want on paper to be able to test loads

It doesn't scatter them entirely but seems to shoot 2 good ones and one an inch odd away, not always in same direction, in every group. We spent the whole day on it yesterday, tried different shooter, different scope, mod off / on, checked rail, barrel clearance, stock screws, different bullets, a good clean, a wide range of powders and seating depths. It will put bullet on bullet in some loads but then will throw 1 in every 3 somewhere else, not always in the same order either.

I've run out of ideas and the whole thing is very frustrating.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
Click to expand...
Just experiencing very similar performance from my 221 Fireball.
Given up and taken it to an expert.
Ken.
 
Check your seating length. My 308 did what you describe, bullet needed to 2mm out of the case to touch the lands, which confirmed the diagnosis.
 
As has been said cleaned then bore scoped, bad pitting will also give this result and check the muzzel and crown.
 
good evening tyla, i would be interested to know where you found that a 243 win rifle would do 7000 rounds ? 2000 rounds of 1 moa would be very lucky.!
 
Smellydog said:
Dam fine rifles they are.
How did it use to shoot?
Mine would consistently go an inch or less groups for three shots. It was a pencil thin barrel and would walk the shots a little after the third in 243.
Click to expand...
It used to shoot lovely and still does the job in the field but the groups are not ok
 
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