I was thinking about some of the guns I have. I got a 308 and 270 that shoot really well. I mean the runout on my reloads can be .008". I can have sloppy bullet seating depths and sloppy powder throws. I can shoot a range of different bullets thru them and they shoot well in cold and hot weather. I even use a set of real old small base dies for the 270Win, where the expander ball wobbles something horrible and crooks the neck. But doesn't seem to affect the gun. I even use junky old brass from my 7400 that beats the necks to death but the 270 still shoots.
Then there is terrifically accurate guns like my custom 300RUM, that is very tempermental. Runout has to be perfect. Bullet seating also perfect. Just the right load, not a grain over or under. Action screws have to be a perfect 32 ft lbs torqued. If not flyers come out and groups are worse than any factory gun. But if you do it right, you will get .3" groups every time.
But I was thinking what Melvin Forbes said to me when visiting his shop. If you have to do all that, then there is other problems I am compensating for. He said a gun should produce a nice smooth curve when working up a load. Like at one wieght, you might get 3" groups, and then they get smaller and smaller, then larger and larger as the load increases. You easily look at your groups, and know what the best load is. But for some of my guns, reading groups is not that easy. Very tempermental. Then you get lucky after 5 different bullets/3 different powders/2 different primers/ and about 160 dollars of competition dies and find a tack driver load.
I guess thats the reason I love short actions magnum or standard so much. Seems so easy to read the groups when working up a load, compared to my long action magnums
I had an idea for what I wanted to do with my rifle when I picked it out. Loaded the first load for it and the groups were just great. No floating barrels no trigger jobs no brakes, none of that stuff people go through to make their rifle shoot good. I have a hunting rifle that I can shoot bench rifle groups with and I couldn't be happier.
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Take a youth hunting and preserve the future.
BC your absolutely right..there is nothing like a rifle that shoots great with little prodding from the owner. I agree that the WSM's and the SAUMS(good friend has one) are some of the most consistent trouble free rounds that one can have in todays world. No hassle going thru load after load to find something that shoots decently. I believe it stems from the fact that all the tooling for them is relatively new and they are keeping up with tolerances plus the basic inherently accurate case. I havent played too much with the new 7WSM handloading but if it keeps shooting the factory ammo the way it does I may not do a thing with it. Melvin Forbes is something else isn't he?
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"Banning guns is an idea whose time has come."
- Joseph Biden
Associated Press 11/18/93
"Be thankful that we're not getting all the government we are paying for." Will Rogers
Well, the guy definatly isn't open for suggestion. And knows what he wants and feels. Gotta respect that. But the good thing is he never pushes his opinions on you. This is kinda like that Jeff Cooper post I had a few weekes ago. I respect Cooper's hard nosed attitude, but he doesn't keep his opinions in.
I hate to say this, but I know its the truth. Part of my problem with my 300RUM could be me. I have shot over 2000 rounds or more with a 300RUM. Some days I feel steady, and consintration is at its max. Those days the 300RUM is a ***** cat. Some days, I just feel frantic. Can't relax. Looking back these are my 1.5" days. And the recoild of the 300RUM just amplifies the problem, where my 308, helps me. Its all fun. All guns.
Isn't it nice to have a good gun
