Was wondering if some one can tell me how to tell if a barrel is shot out? I have a rem 700 3006 that i have used several diff brands of ammo 180 and will not do better than 2 in groups
may be i have been lucky but i have never had a rifle do this bad with so many brands.before i waste my time hand loading some rounds just wonder if the barrel was shot out.the rifle is 25 years old looks in good shape,had it glass beded and trigger job all ready had some sort of a break with two sets of holes in rows at 1 0 clock and 11o clock. Thanks!

Although certainly possible, it would be rare for a .30-06 barrel to be actually shot out on a sporting (meaning not a target use) rifle. It would take on the order of 3000 to 5000 rounds I'd think.

It is more likely that you have a bad barrel or a case of bad cleaning over the years. Finally, have you cleaned it throughly?

Maybe the gun doesn't like 180 grain bullets. Try a different weight. Check the crown. Make sure that each land and groove ends cleanly, squarely and is not damaged. Make sure there is no uneven pressure against the barrel. I would start with a free floated the barrel (by more than a dollar bills width). You can always add pressure later if it needs it. Make sure the scopes cross hairs are capable of allowing a tight sight picture. Coarse cross hairs do not.

About bore conditions, the riflings in a pristine bore are sharp and clean, the riflings in a "shot out" bore are almost non existent. It is common to see some guns with surprisingly rough bores, pitted, frosted, rounded, continuing to produce decent size groups.

At the risk of giving you information you already know (though there is not enough information in your post to tell), there are several basic things which should be checked before deciding a rifle barrel will not perform or is 'shot-out'. First, though you state the rifle is glass bedded, are you confident that the bedding is good and properly done - with the barrel free-floated? Second, and these are things which can directly cause the type of shot grouping you report - have you inspected the muzzle crown, and have you determined that both locking lugs actually bear on their seats in the receiver? The first can usually be done by visual inspection, with magnification, and the lug contact can be checked by applying black marking pen (or crayon, lipstick, etc.) to the bolt lugs and checking to see whether both lugs are cleaned of the marker when the bolt is seated and rotated. Either one of these, if incorrect, should be fixed, before you can determine anything about the barrel's ability - assuming there is nothing obviously wrong with the barrel itself.
mhb - Mike

Thanks Guy's! The barrel is free floated,I will check the lugs tonight,as far as the bedding looks like a good job to me at least as far as i can tell,may be a little thick on the lug end.

You might want to take a groove measurement with a lead slug that is for sure oversize. There are too many procedures for how to do this to list here. You've heard of slugging a bore haven't you? Although a larger groove diameter then normal won't necessarily give bad results, in can in some instances. I have a brand new CZ 550 in 30-06 and it's groove diameter mics out a .309 on the button. I though, oh oh...but it shoots under 3/4 inch easy. Now I had a friend that had a Ruger with a .3095 groove diameter that couldn't shoot less then an inch at 50 yards off a rest with a T16 Weaver scope with many brands of match ammo.

quote:

Originally posted by reloader len:
Thanks Guy's! The barrel is free floated,I will check the lugs tonight,as far as the bedding looks like a good job to me at least as far as i can tell,may be a little thick on the lug end.

You can't tell if a bedding job is good based on looks. You need to know what the action does when you tighten and loosen the guard screws. You can check that yourself by tightening both guard screws evenly and then while holding onto the barrel and forend with one hand, loosen first the front screw, and then repeat the process with the rear. If there is any movement, re bed.

Thanks Westpac i will give it a try.