Jim or the community,
I’m new to Backfire. My shot groups are not consistent, and I’m not sure if it’s me, the factory ammo load, or the rifle. Should I get a rifle gun rest that locks down the front of the rifle, plus the rear, and just pull the trigger to determine if the problem is me? Thanks,
Colin
That would be the easiest way to figure it out. Have you tried any other loads through the rifle? If so, how did they group?
Bipod on the front, rear bag. Get at least 4 different types of ammo. You don’t even need an expensive bipod for bench rest shooting, so long as you can lock it down tight.
Do the basics, check you your connections points and screws, including action screws.
Take at least 3 minutes between shots to keep the barrel cool. Most barrels open up accuracy when hot.
What rifle, caliber and scope are you using?
Wow! Thanks for the quick response and good support. I’ve tried three different factory loads with similar results at 100 yards. Out of a five shot group I get within 1 inch MOA on three of the shots and the other two are approximately 2 inches MOA. The rifle is an older Springfield 30-06, but in real good condition. The scope is a Centerpoint 6–20x. It’s an inexpensive scope but has pretty good viewing out to 400 yards. Have you seen a big difference between expensive ammo and medium priced ammo?
Colin
If you are shooting all 5 back to back, the barrel may be getting pretty hot after 3, and that’s why it starts throwing groups. Like Ben said, try giving it a few min to cool off. If you are getting 3 to group and shooting MOA, that is plenty good enough for a hunting rifle. As far as ammo, expensive vs not, really doesn’t have anything to do with accuracy. I’ve had high end rifles shoot crappy ammo really well, and vice versa. Just find a decent bullet your gun likes, and buy a good amount of it. Cheaper bullets that tend to shoot well and will be fine for deer are - Fed. Fusion, Norma Whitetail and hornady Eldx. If you want a good bonded bullet that would allow you to shoot any N. American game out of a 30-06, try a norma bondstrike, Federal terminal ascent, Nosler accubond, and if you want copper, try a Barnes ttsx, hornady cx or sako power blade. 30-06 has a fair amount of recoil for a new shooter, so be patient, and take the time doing the not fun stuff. Dry fire it a few times before each shot, focus on a good trigger squeeze, and stay in the scope as if you were trying to see where your shot landed. This will help create good habits, especially for hunting, and will help you to not flinch when shooting. Keep asking questions, its the best way to learn. Try using less power when you are shooting out to say 400. If you were shooting a deer at that range, you would probably want to be in the 6-10 zoom range, so that once you impact the animal, you can see where they run. If you are too zoomed in you will lose the animal in your scope, after impact. The reticle may look like it is bouncing a lot too, which will make it hard for you to feel ready to pull the trigger.
Older rifles were not meant to be precision rifles like a modern rifle would be. So, depending on how old it is 1.5 - 2 MOA just might be what the rifle is. A heavy recoil can also affect the scope. Some scopes cannot manage the recoil for a large caliber, they ca. loose their internal integrity. If you have another scope, especially one you know holds accuracy on a larger caliber, try scoping that 30-06 with that one, see what you get.
Lots of good advice from previous posters.
For a 30-06, I would avoid any type of clamping down rest. I used to use them but then heard from many industry insiders who said they can cause damage to the scope because the recoil gets redirected into the rifle and scope.
As Ben mentioned, many of America’s most prolific Hunters like Keith and O’connor, and many more, used rifles that were at least two Moa and used them well
Some great advice here. Are you using a bipod and rear sandbag? That is the way.
I’ll add this video that shows me coaching someone through this exact situation. https://youtu.be/iIaBuaV4Uvo?si=e41nDgT7xPGHHFEj
Thanks to everyone for all of the great tips and advice. This info, along with the great video will give me plenty to work on, without expecting too much.