What happened

[backwoods7]

This year ive had a time with factory ammo. Started with my 300magnum a couple weeka ago but this time it happened to my go to deer rifle, my Remington 700 7mm08. I had went to the range last week with it, and it was throwing rounds everywhere with no consistency at all. I was shooting factory Hornady American Whitetail ammo that ive used for the last 3 seasons. Now ive never gotten tack driving accuracy with them but never had no trouble getting 1-1/4in groups at 100yards which is fine for my uses with this particular gun, but this time it looked more like a shotgun hit the targen than my favorite deer rifle. Earlier this summer i had upgraded the stock to a B&C alaskin and put a better scope on it(2.5-10 Nikon Monarch) so i wasnt sure if something was up their or what was going on. I went back today and tried the American Whitetails again with the same issues, hitting everywhere. I was to the point of wanting to throw that scope away, I figured that had to be it. I happened to have a box of Winchester Ballistic Silvertips on hand and decided id just try em. Bingo groups came back. I put 4shots roughly into a inch or so. Those two shots outside of group where when I clicked the scope up but thats 4 rounds in the lower portion of target. I Really hate to use ballistic tips on deer anymore after having a bad experience before with them exploding on a shoulder but may have to switch back. Any ideas what could of caused these hornadys to be so unreliable this year?

 

[EastTNHunter]

You changed stocks, so likely pressure points and barrel harmonics. This can shift POI, or more rarely, load preference. It seems that the latter is what occurred. Check torque specs, barrel clearance, and make sure that nothing is binding anywhere.

 

[knightrider]

The stock swap

 

[DaveB]

^^^^yep these two replies^^^^^^

When the powder is ignited pressures rise. Bullet "A" may have faster/slower burning powder than bullet "B" and so the harmonics set up different.

This is one reason why the barrel has to be free of contact with the stock. I use a dollar or a piece of computer printer paper. There can be no contact between the barrel and the stock. This has to be tested in hard cold weather as well as August heat.

There are plenty of exceptions to this no-contact. Banded barrels are just one.

 

[TN Song Dog]

Man, that would be irritating experience. Above replies make sense. I'd also consider remounting bases, rings, and scope... to be on the safe side and know for sure. Any time I've had accuracy inconsistencies, it's always been a loose scope ring or base. I know the BST ammo results say it's not this, but I've still seen accuracy come and go because of lose screws. It's an easy and free way to be certain.

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