@imnotrucknut I suggest you go back through the posts in this thread and
carefully answer
all the questions people have asked. You seem to have addressed just the odd one per post, leaving many others unanswered...if one is trying to diagnose by following a logic sequence and build up a picture one must have answers to the various stages of the sequence...for instance you still haven't confirmed whether the barrel is free from contact with the fore-end.
If it is any consolation I did a double deep clean last week and have just got back from a disastrous session at the range this evening...the first three shots walked in from miles away 6" 3" 1" down and to the right, the fourth and fifth though hit each other and the bull, the dispiriting thing was those were homeloads which so far have averaged 0.609" over nine 5 shot groups.
I changed to the S&B target ammo and it went to pot again two shots touching but the next 1.8" away, but a bit better.
Apart from the scope off-barrel off-clean, I was also trying a spacer sleeve to cover the spigot of the barrel to better support the moderator...I took that off to revert to the original moderator position and the POI shifted to the left of the POA. Two shots touching and the third 1.02" away...hopeful.
Packed up and went off to have a little cry...had another go an hour or two later...again without the spigot/spacer and things seemed to be coming back towards normal with 5 shot groups from 110 V_MAX at 1.02" and S&B at 1.07" still at the worst end of their former performance though, both usually average around 0.8" for five shots.
Note to self...revert to my bore snake cleaning regime and only do a super squeaky Wipeout deep clean when the groups really go to pot.
I had two distinct factors to look at for my problems...but we do need more info to see what yours may be....all scope mountings checked for tightness and the barrel fully free floating are good starting points. Do you have the original stock to try back on? Was the GRS one bedded?
If your answer to my query about the first cold shot always going to the same POI is yes, then it does sound like a heat distortion issue. If the first shot doesn't always go to the same POI then it could be all sorts of things like scope faulty, scope mounts loose, Free floating barrel compromised and etc.
Alan
ps Aha...just stripping the rifle to clean before putting away and found a third factor...that the insulating tape across the end of the moderator had not blown away clean as it does usually...that could well have explained some of this evening's weirdness. Doncha just love the frustrations of shooting!
