I truely enjoy a falling block rifle. I currently have 2 B78s,superbly accurate out of the box, too bad they have that shiny stock, 2 1885s, maybe more accurate than the 78s but dislike the staight grip. 4 No 1s, 1h in 416 Rem, 1h in 375 H&H, 1ss in 300 Win. and the troublesome child, a No1 V in 7mm Rem Express/280 Rem.

The 280 rem is very inconsistent even after a great deal of work. I have had the barrel free floated, the forearm hanger screw installed, the barrel cryo'd and Broad Creek Rifle Works accuracy package (a different story but not entirely satisfied with the quality of work or response). The rifle is inconsistent in that it is a solid 1.3 MOA shooter but it will shoot .75 MOA enough that it keeps me coming back. I'll put it away and then come back and start playing with it again and this has been going on for ten years.

If three shot groups are used it appears to be a decent shooter, but when 5 and ten shot groups are shot it alternates shots so that you end up with 2 nice sub MOA groups approx 1.3 inches apart.

Do I rebarrel and if so same cartridge, or start with a new catridge which may be inheriently(?sp) more accurate/ I already have very accurate 270, 30-06 and 300Win ? I have been thinking of a 250-3000 or 257 Roberts. ( nice to start my son on)I did see a No 1 270 win in the Int'l full stock that was nice. Oh what to do? Mike

There is nothing wrong with the .280 in fact the nosler loading manual says that it is the most accurate 7mm of all and they use it to test 7mm bullets for accuracy.I had a 1B in 280 and it strung bullets upward I put a Hicks accurizer on it and corrected the problem but if you have put a bolt in the hanger then I dont think the Hicks will help you.W/regards

MDA---

It sounds like somebody barreled an action without squaring it first, or bedding the buttstock, or checking the straightness of the through bolt threads, bolt, and counterbore, or maybe put in a the hanger tension screw without a pad under it.....or the pivot pin is not square with the action, or the hammer hole is crooked.........

Your dual groups means the barrel is GOOD. It's not the loads, and something is changing between shots.

All of what's listed above can cause it....and there are more.

Something is wrong your rifle, big time wrong.

My most accurate rifle is a #1 B in .280 accurized by BCRW!. He guarantees at least 1/2 MOA -- I get better than that with the .280 and a .25-06 he acccurized.

The Varmint profile barrel should be even more accurate and heat resistant tha the 1B barrels.

It sounds to me as if there is something badly not right with your set-up. The wood-metal contact might be the problem when the barrel warms up. Or, the scope mounts are not tight and stsble. There is movement somehwere in the system. Otehrwise you would be getting scattergun 'patterns'.

Have you sent it back to Mike for diagnosis and a fix? 1B

MDA,

1.3MOA is accurate enough for big game hunting or coyote hunting.

Some rifles just don't shoot sub-MOA; sell it or just accept it. Pouring more money into it won't necessarily produce results, and you'll never get recoup your expenditures on resale.

George

I couldn't get my Ruger #1/300 Weatherby to shoot after a year of trying so I sent it off to Pac-Nor for a new barrel. It won't be back until late May/early June so I'll just have to hibernate 'til then.

I appreciate the responses all.
GeorgeS, I know 1.3 MOA is OK, I just don't like OK, and yes I have already put approx 1.5X original cost into it. It's the periodic glimpses of potential that have kept me coming back, always thinking if only I try one more load or have one more smith try ?, and before you know it your thinking boy have I spent alot, it would be a shame to stop here.

1B, BCRW was the last smith to have the 1V and I spent time speaking with Mike and sent him over a dozen targets with the rifle. He has a big fan club due to the work he has done for others and that's great, and I will leave it at that.

J Belk, Thanks for the response. It sounds as though changing calibers and rebarreling only transfers the problem and does not solve the issue of the action maybe not being square or straight. I also read into your comments that it would be like chasing gremlins and require basically rebuilding the action to bring out the true potential.
Thanks,
Mike