i shot my 7 mag two weeks ago three shot groups @ 200yds hover around 2" took a blacktail deer last weekend cleaned the gun with wipeout (the barrel was filthy looked like blue ink coming out) went shooting today only to find my gun grouping 8" @200 yds and my point of impact seemed to be shifted 6" low and 7"left after a box of shells (letting the barrell cool between groups) it started to tighten up to a dissmal 5" any one know what the problem could be?

There may possibly be more layers of fouling under the copper. Try a weekend soak/patching/repeat w/ the Wipe-out and see if you get different colors on your cleaning patches, which will tell you if the copper has been sandwiched on top of or between powder, lead, and such.

Different lot of ammo? Loose guard screws? Loose scope mount screws? Phase of the moon?

poulsbo, bull 3540 may well be right, but I'll through in another thought.

I have spoken with a lot of gunsmiths and gunmakers in the last year in regards to several projects that I have ongoing, and have made it a point to talk to each of them about accuracy related to bore cleaning. It is very clear to me that there is an evolving (or maybe existing) position that a lot of us overclean our barrels. All of us have heard about the 'fouling' shot that many rifles need before they shoot to the previously known point of impact, but many rifles need much more than that one fouler.

I started learning of this issue in detail when I cleaned one of my rifles that I had exclusively shot Winchester Supreme ammo in, the bullets in this ammo were the Combined Technology 'lubalox' coated variety. My rifle was a true sub moa rifle at 200 yards, all the time! After I cleaned the heck out of it, I could barely keep it inside 4.5 inches at 200.
I kept shooting it with the same ammo I had used previously, and after about 25 rounds it started really settling down, and after about forty it was back to it's old self. Since then--about 3 years ago, I only clean that gun 'lightly'--I run a couple of patches with Bore Tech eliminator--which is good against copper--not moly (or apparently lubalox) and every so often a little copper will apparently be there as the patches have a slight blue tone, but I only run the couple of patches through and then dry patch til no residue --usually about 6 patches max -- and then one with a very small amount of Tetra lube.

I know this is not getting me down to bare metal--but that is what I want. The bottom line is that I send a fair amount of rounds through that rifle every year, around 300, and it shoots to the same POI consistently, and most importantly, the first one out of a cold bore goes right where I have it sighted in.

There have been qute a few articles on cleaning to much in the last few years since I really started focusing on it, but one thing is for sure--I do not agressively clean any of my hunting rigs until season is over for that particular rig, and then I make sure I have time to get 50 or so rounds through them at the range before hunting with them again.

I talked to a gunmaker recently who is super knowledgeable about loading and accuracy in addition to gunnmaking, and one of the reasons he hates coated bullets, moly, lubalox or whatever, is because his experience has been that he had to get 20 or so rounds of coated bullets through a 'scrubbed down' barrel before it would shoot well again. He stated that he had seen some barrels in which that was the case with uncoated pills also, but just as many which would shoot just fine with a cold, clean to bare metal bore.

In closing, I would say to shoot 30 to 50 rounds of your previously accurate load and I think you have a good chance of it's previous accuracy returning.

Good Luck--Don

What kind of "stock" is on the rifle?

Took my 7mag to the range 2 wks ago in anticipation of deer season opening. First 3 shots were in .49", 2" high at 100 yds. That is precisely where Mary shot last year. An old (1976) Ruger with factory trigger and not bedded. Couldn't buy her unless you had a truckload of money. And, shot a coyote at 182 yds Saturday AM.

btt

I agree with Fish30114. If none of the usual suspects are present: loose scope, action screws etc. I think that after several rounds of your previously accurate load & your groups will return.

that tells me that your old ammo only likes a fouled bore (and considerably so) and does not like your bore when clean. I test for accuracy with CLEAN bores. Once the load/ammo is found, I simply keep my bores clean and they are always spot on from the last time out.

I prefer to keep my bore clean and use the load/ammo that performs in it when clean,..as it starts to open up,..I know it is now time to clean the bore. Ammo that only comes together after 25 or more rounds of fouling would not be my choice,..I want the one that performs best from a cold/clean barrel every time. I keep all bores clean all the time so that is a constant among my barrels.

I have a sako 30-378 that doesn't like heavy bullets. A couple years ago I found it kind of liked the barnes 150 xlc. As I shot more and more to test it shot better and better. AFter about 20 rounds it's at it's best. This is not a fun gun to be shooting alot of fouling rounds through!! To expensive....gets hot in one shot....but it's the nature of that beast!! A 150 xbt at 3700 fps is pretty awsome fodder though!!