I have a 280 Imp. with a 23" barrel that is driving me NUTS! It has a boyd's laminate stock, Douglas barrel,3-9 Redfield scope around a VZ 24 action. I have 2 problems. It weighs 10 lbs and only shoots 1 1/4" groups. I have no use fora 10 lb rifle that shoots so bad. what do I do with it? Turn it into a 9.3? Hollow out the stock? Trade it Off?
Sod, What are you using the rifle for? Hunting, Benchrest? If for hunting deer, 1 1/4" isn't that bad, is that for 3 or 5 shots? Are you shooting them pretty fast or letting the barrel cool a bit before the next shot? You'll still get under 6" at 400yds. with that kind of grouping, that's plenty good for deer or even better for Elk. What I really want from a hunting rifle is where the first 2 shots go, and the first shot is the most important shot, who cares where the rest of the shots group, the deer is on the run by then anyway, they're usually in the same hole from my 7mm08. How about your 280? Jay
Posts: 1745 | Location: WI. | Registered: 19 May 2003
Are you using factory ammo or are you reloading your own? Before I dumped it I would make sure that your results are not a function of not having the right load for that rifle. Possibly you need to go through load development.
Posts: 257 | Location: Torrance, Ca | Registered: 02 July 2002
Tell us more about the rifle and your ammunition. How long have you had the rifle? Has the scope shot better on another rifle? What is the bedding like? etc.
I've had the rifle for 3 years. it first wore a plastic handle. I had a load worked up and it was about 3/4". When I was ready to hunt, it was 40 Degrees colder, and the group was 2" but 6" from where it was supposed to be. Obviously not what you need for hunting. So I sent it off to be pillar bedded in a laminate stock. I still can't get below 1",but now it weighs 10lbs(No bipod on)All the weight is in the stock, not the barrel. I don't like a rifle that weighs that much unless it will shoot in the .3 or.4 range. Trust me, I'm not nearly as good in the field as I am off the bench, so a rifle that is 6" at 400 yards from the bench quickly turns into a shorter ranged rifle after I get to add up my wobble to the rifles basic inaccuracy. With a 280 ACKLEY IMPROVED everything is a handload, but I can't get it to shoot. Can I get a pound of weight out of a laminate stock by cutting or sanding? I still won't keep it in its current configuration unless I can figure out how to tighten up the groups, but a 9.3 x 62 weighing 9 lbs and shooting 1 1/4" groups wouldn't be nearly as bad. Haven't moved the scope or tried pressure bedding the rifle yet.
Quote: I've had the rifle for 3 years. it first wore a plastic handle. I had a load worked up and it was about 3/4". When I was ready to hunt, it was 40 Degrees colder, and the group was 2" but 6" from where it was supposed to be.
That indicates to me that there was a consistancy issue before the stock replacement. Just a few possible culprits may be; lead fouling, loose scope mounts, faulty optics. It also sounds like accuracy changed with the stock so a good bedding job could concievably bring it back to where it was.
Laminated stocks are about as heavy as they come. You can bore a hole in the buttstock and could also do some hollowing under the bbl in sections. That should reduce the weight a good bit.
G'luck!
Posts: 10188 | Location: Tooele, Ut | Registered: 27 September 2001
WHEN in doubt...FLOAT. Any time I have a rifle that doesn't want to shoot, I float the bbl and just that simple action and making sure the action is tight to the stock will be all it takes to bring the groups in.
Them making sure the bedding is good is also a simple fix. THen if it doesn't shoot, you KNOW it is not a simple fix and will take serious tweaking
Posts: 624 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 07 April 2003
Well, we know it will shoot 3/4" groups because it did that in the old stock, so all your problems are in the bedding of the new stock...Unless it shot one 3/4" group only in the old stock, any gun will do that once in awhile for one reason or another..
As to the 6 inches off, thats just a matter of adjusting the scope...??????????
Take a No. 53 Cabinet rasp to that sucker and thin it down severely, or have a good stockmaker do it..That can take a pound or two off one pretty quick...Drill out the butt with two holes and cut some slots in the barrel channal...glass bed the gun..
Glass bedding and piller bedding is worthless if not done right...and apparantly yours was not if it increased group size by an inch give or take.
Posts: 42210 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
First, go back and take the scope off. Clean the bases and rings. Put it back together with a little lok tite. Make sure all screws are snug. Try another scope of known accuracy. Make sure the action is not in some sort of bind with the stock. If its free floating now, try a pressure point about an inch from the front of the forearm. You say you "had it pillar bedded". Have your talked to the smith that bedded it? Have you cleaned the bore? Really good? If the rifle shot a consistant 3/4 inch group before, then the problem has got to be a loose scope, a scope that gone bad or the new stock.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
McMillan claims that 98% of rifles shoot their best with a floated barrel. I've found (and read) that floating, especially with thin "whippy" barrels, involves removing a bit more stock material than the "dollar bill" test would indicate. In my amateur tickering, I've not been able to get pressure points and the like to save the day like a good float job has.
Also, if you haven't already done so, give the bore a good scrubbing with a good quality copper solvent (such as CR-10), some barrels seem to be more sensitive to copper build up than others.
