Here's the deal, rifle shoots well, but doesn't like to stabalize factory 140's, but appears to have a good bore and proper twist. Was home gunsmithed by unknown party who left a massive pressure point under the contrasting tip. This point when looking toward the muzzle is at the 8 o'clock position. So the question is would you remove this pressure point if the rifle shoots well when slow fired. Fast firing will string the groups. Help please.

Don't worry about 140's as there is a 125 Partition and plenty of other shorter bullets as well. However measure the twist so as to put the topic to rest in your mind. Just mark a cleaning rod and push it thru with a tight patch and count one revolution and measure the distance traveled.

As to the pressure point what really counts to me is if the rifle stays sighted in for the first shot from a clean cold barrel. If it does then of course leave it alone. Also two shot groups are enough really for hunting so if the first two go near each other then it's a good gun.

I have found that heavy pressure can lead to a rifle not shooting as well as it might. But either it does or it doesn't. Shoot it first.

Thanks 99, That is pretty much my concensus as well. I have been shooting the 120 weights and just feel that the 140's offer more as a bullet. The 125's are nice too.

The factory-loaded 140's are (or were when I last had any contact with them 30 years ago) two-diameter bullets. Why Winchester wanted to use this design is well beyond my ability to conceive.

At any rate, the two-diameter factory bullet has a foward portion (just about everything sticking out of the case) that is only bore diameter (about .256"), while the last quarter inch or so of the bullet near the base is about .264" and is what engages the lands. This design always looked inherently instable to me, although I never found any of the (few) factory loads I ever shot to go through the target sideways or anything like that.

At any rate, with a conventional 140 grain bullet you may find good accuracy.

Which direction does the group string, and how fast is your "fast fire"? Was the pressure point left high, or was material added to get it there? If it was a synthetic stock I would be tempted to leave it there, but if it was just left high I would remove it, you can always build it back up if accuracy goes to pieces but my concern is an unpredictable point of impact should you go hunting in rainy weather. Of course you have checked action screws, scope mounts, etc.

Also, not to hijack this thread but I put some Hornady dies in 264 in the classified section, for $12 if anyone is interested.

Dear Sako,
I have several Herters U9s[BSA Monarchs] in various calibres and most shoot really good. The one in 284 Win is like yours in that it doesn`t like the heavier bullets either. The most it`ll go is 154 Hornady and the rest open up or start going sideways. I tried extra velocity but no dice. In my 264 Win I have used the 129 Hornady with good success on the larger Axis deer in Hawaii and the Elk here in Oregon. Proper shot placement and the good construction of the 129 seem to be perfectly adequate. I have used the Nosler 125 with similar success. I love my 264 but`ll sell the 284 one of these days. It`s a great shooter but is not really needed.
Aloha, Mark[in Or]