The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing Husqvarna accuracy, next steps?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Husqvarna accuracy, next steps? | Login/Join |
| one of us |
Have a Husqvarna 1640 30-06. Beautiful, light, but shoots everything 3-4" at 100 yds. Replaced scope/mounts. Crown is okay. Tried lots of commercial and handloads. Shooting spaced to allow thin barrel to cool. Barrel definitely contacts stock. Have put in a business card and did shoot some slightly better groups. There's a steel pillar supporting rear tang. Should I start by bedding front screw area and free floating? Or try more pressure bedding experiments first? Or just keep shooting the Ruger American Predator in .308 (nothing I put in it won't shoot under 1"!). Or something else? Thanks, Steve | ||
|
One of Us |
Before undertaking the trial and error, I would take it to a qualified gunsmith. His/her educated eye might see something right off the bat. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
|
One of Us |
Yes definitely experiment with bedding and no, and with upward pressure on the barrel. Make sure the receiver is not twisted; which is why when you are bedding you do not tighten down the screws. You can't hurt a Husq 1640; they aren't rare. Taking it to a gunsmith will cost you, and you won't learn anything. Of course, if you do not like to experiment then just let someone else fix it, or try to. If all else fails, then that is all the barrel is capable of. Ruger Americans are not in the same class as a Husqvarna. IE, they are in a much lower class of rifle. | |||
|
one of us |
You mentioned:
If by that you mean there's a steel tube set in the stock that the rear action screw fits through, that could be contributing to not so good accuracy. Those sleeves were a standard item in Mauser derived rifles for decades; the original idea was that the sleeve would act as a limiter to how much one could tighten the rear screw and so prevent problems with compressing the wood, sinking the rear tang in too far or other similar problems. Wood shrinks over time, though, and very often that sleeve becomes effectively too long and it may keep the rear tang from contacting the stock correctly. The best solution to this that I know of is to remove the sleeve completely and glass bed the rear tang along with the front end of the action. I'm sure folks more experienced with these sorts of things will chime in as well, but I always suspect those sleeves. | |||
|
| one of us |
Bed the rear tang and the receiver ring plus 2 inches of the barrel with a steel filled epoxy. Free float the rest of the barrel. Make sure the barrel has all fouling removed. Adjust trigger to around 2 lbs. Torque the receiver action screw to 30 in lbs, the rear to 22 in lbs. | |||
|
| One of Us |
To further what steve said about the rear tang screw spacer, it is of no use in a sporter; it was intended only to prevent the wood from compressing after years of use and oil soaking, in military use, but it lends nothing to a sporter. It should not be used in sporter stocks; The tang screw can be tight but the receiver can still be loose, so do not use them in spotters. We can glass bed them to much better results than they had in the 1800s. | |||
|
One of Us |
I know all the experts have already chimed in but I thought I would impart my suggestions, I'm no gunsmith but have worked with many rifles that people claim wouldn't shoot or were "shot out". I would really clean that rifle barrel first, clean it better than its ever been cleaned. Next you already said you have good solid mounts and rings on it and be sure you have a scope on it that is a proven shooter (groups great on other rifles) Check the bedding, wood contact is not a bad thing, some of the finest custom rifles have full contact with the wood however inconsistent contact that moves the barrel or changes harmonics from shot to shot is a bad thing. If something looks like a problem fix it now if not go to the next step. Snug the action screws but don't over tighten. Take it out and shoot it with a variety of ammunition (variety meaning various bullet weights, don't try to "make it" shoot 150's if it is going to like 180's for example)If it is a light rifle be very considerate of consistent grip and fore end pressure, light rifles may react different than heavy sporters. After this if it were not shooting good I would then take some wood out of the barrel channel to "free float " then bed the recoil lug and first inch or two of barrel in contact with bedding. If this doesn't solve the problem then that barrel is probably never going to shoot better, send it off and have it rebored to 35 whelen or 9.3x62 and you are back in business. Or rebarrel or just sell it and save some money. I do this procedure in these specific steps and it has never failed to fix the problem or point me to a new barrel. Usually the first 2 steps solve the problem, can't tell you how many times someone thought they had a good scope and it wasn't. | |||
|
| one of us |
Sounds like a bedding problem if the barrel is good. bb | |||
|
| one of us |
skl1, Have the same rifle. Even after professional bedding it shot 3" groups. I put a 1/2" long x 1/4" wide piece of a plastic shotgun shell hull 2 inches back from the front of the forend. Gun shoots 3/4" now. Mine also prefers the 180 gr bullets. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
|
| one of us |
Drove out the rear tang steel spacer. Re-cleaned/tightened all the scope mount HW. Shot it with 4 paper shims. Still all over with 180's and 150's. 165's slightly tighter. Will try the shotgun shell shim and see what I get. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Is the scope you are using a PROVEN shooter of small groups on another rifle?? If not you are spinning your wheels. I can't tell you how many times I've helped with rifles that the owner was convinced they had a good scope because it is a "good" brand. I would not have removed the metal ferrule unless it was high, causing interference. Try to do everything you can to eliminate any problems but the fact may be that the barrel will not shoot to your standards. Lots cheaper to go through all the steps than new barrel. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Here is an idea for you; send it to me and I will put a new barrel on it and it will shoot better. | |||
|
| One of Us |
A new barrel will have NO effect if he is fighting a bad scope and doesn't know it.... | |||
|
| one of us |
It is possible he had two bad scopes but not probable. Shortening the barrel may help. If all fails I have a NOS Husky '06 bbl that I could part with.
| |||
|
| One of Us |
Of course it will because I will find it either good or bad, when I test fire it. All his problems will be solved by me, in the process. I am not saying in any way that the OP cannot trouble shoot his piece, just that I can fix it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
re bed it, rebarrel it or sell it or all of the above | |||
|
| one of us |
I really appreciate all the suggestions. I would like to leave it as close to how it is as possible. I'd bed it to make it shoot. Or I'd even re-barrel if nothing else will work, but would kind of like to leave it close to how I got it. Barrel's not been shot a lot. My dad bought it new in the late 50's or early 60's. He didn't target shoot with it. So it's not shot out. May just not be that accurate. Or wood's shrunk and requires bedding. The steel sleeve was taller than the surrounding wood, so I think it had to go. Will shoot it with the shotgun shell shim and see how it does. If that doesn't work, will swap scope again, glass bed and try again. Then maybe re-barrel. | |||
|
| one of us |
Going on the assumption that you can take wood out, but ya can't put it back. is of grave importance in how you determine how your gun shoots best..You can do that with shims under the recoil lug and tang sometimes and save a lot of time and efforot otherwise go as flwgs: I would just bed it tight with guide screws, being sure the barrel is half down in the forend by using a shim up front; solid in the tang..shoot it, if that doesn't work now is the time to monkie with it.. 3 point bed it and shoot it, if that doesn't work then free float the barrel leaving the chamber area tight..shoot it...if that doesn't work I would ditch the rifle or rebarrel it.. The old wives tale that all guns shoot best free floated is bunk, only some do..each gun is an initity unto itself..Some shoot best tight bedded especially big bores; some with 3 point bedding especially FWT rifles... Std wt. rifles seem ot lean towards free float or tight, but in the end you must make that determination by experimentation...stop when it shoots to your satisfaction.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
|
| one of us |
Thanks for all the suggestions. Took off scope and mounts. Front mount screws were too long. So front screw was tight, but was bearing on barrel thread versus head of screw holding down the mount. Back screw was tight, so mount didn't have perceivable movement. Shortened the screws. Retightened. Also, moved the shotgun shell shim back to balance point of barrelled action (about under the rear sight). Ran out at lunch time yesterday and shot 2 1" 3 shot groups (was trying to re-center the scope first, and ran out of time to shoot more). But it's encouraging. Hope it'll shoot the same when I get back out. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I think your problem was #2 on my check list..... | |||
|
| One of Us |
I suggest you try a box of this ammo in your rifle. https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...llow-point-boat-tail I have had two different 308s (I realize you have a 30-06) that I thought were only marginally accurate 1 1/4 guns at best. So just for fun I ran Fed Nat'l Match 308 ammo thru them, they both were printing sub 7/10 inch groups with Fed Match Ammo. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
|
| one of us |
Snellstrom, I think you're probably right. Might pull out the shim and see if it doesn't shoot just as well. Mike, I will try them. They're on sale, too. | |||
|
One of Us |
I had a similar issue with my 9.3 x 57 Husky M98 that I had rechambered to a 9.3x62. I had to correct some bedding problems and use the biz card trick to tune. I also went thru several brands of bullets and 4 diff powders. It shot all over, buy finally found a magic load that was <.5" at a good velocity. And yes, thoroughly clean the barrel. "Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan "Ignorance of The People gives strength to totalitarians." Want to make just about anything work better? Keep the government as far away from it as possible, then step back and behold the wonderment and goodness. | |||
|
One of Us |
At least you are heading in the right direction but unfortunately I count three things you have done, removed rear ferrule, fixed scope base mounting and using a plastic insert to create a pressure point under the barrel. Although time pressure and availability of range time probably precludes doing one change at a time, it is always better to only make one change when trying to solve an accuracy problem with a rifle, otherwise you never know, or learn, just what effect individual changes make. Poor mounting of scope bases, rings and scopes probably accounts for a lot of accuracy problems and should be the first thing eliminated from the mix. When mounting bases I always only ever put one screw in at a time and tighten down to firstly observe that the base, either one piece or two, fits the contour of the receiver and is not rocking or lifting off the receiver front or back, and secondly check that each screw is pulling the base down tight and not as you have found, bottoming out, or in some cases protruding through into the bolt race and going to bind the bolt or bolt lug. Only after doing this with each screw do I then epoxy glue and screw the bases or bases to the receiver. This 100% eliminates the bases from contributing to poor performance then and for the future of the rifle. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing Husqvarna accuracy, next steps?
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia