Needing advice on new gun not grouping
08-26-2019, 11:35 AM
#21
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,436
If this is your first rifle, you would be better served to shoot at closer distances like 50 to 100 yards and become competent there before you jump into long range shooting. You have to learn to walk before you run.
08-26-2019, 05:11 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WY
Posts: 2,056
I don't want to waste a lot of electrons here, as most of what needs to be said here already has been.
While it's always easy to blame equipment, most of us tend to be too proud to admit that our own skill is often the prime culprit. My own biggest demon was not mounting the rifle the same way with every shot (fortunately, the Army trained that out of me with what we called the "8 steady hold factors." Did wonders for my group sizes and shooting consistency. Even from a rest, it won't matter if your point of aim is different from shot-to-shot.
While it's always easy to blame equipment, most of us tend to be too proud to admit that our own skill is often the prime culprit. My own biggest demon was not mounting the rifle the same way with every shot (fortunately, the Army trained that out of me with what we called the "8 steady hold factors." Did wonders for my group sizes and shooting consistency. Even from a rest, it won't matter if your point of aim is different from shot-to-shot.
08-27-2019, 05:47 AM
#23
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
You cannot do that with factory ammo. Its impossible. Go with what Nomercy has stated. I especially like shooting at diamonds in lieu of circles. Evan bigger ones. None of us here know your shooting ability and to put it bluntly the 300WM has more than moderate recoil. Are you flinching, even slightly? You should take a buddy with you and have him load or not load the rifle behind you. Does the reticle move when the pin drops on an empty chamber? If so, that's your problem not the rifle or the ammo. I'm not being critical just throwing stuff out there that I've seen in the past.
08-27-2019, 11:52 AM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
You cannot do that with factory ammo. Its impossible. Go with what Nomercy has stated. I especially like shooting at diamonds in lieu of circles. Evan bigger ones. None of us here know your shooting ability and to put it bluntly the 300WM has more than moderate recoil. Are you flinching, even slightly? You should take a buddy with you and have him load or not load the rifle behind you. Does the reticle move when the pin drops on an empty chamber? If so, that's your problem not the rifle or the ammo. I'm not being critical just throwing stuff out there that I've seen in the past.
08-27-2019, 12:44 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West Central Illinois
Posts: 1,099
Lots of great advice above.
My $0.02.....Practice shooting form with a shoulder friendly caliber. .223, .22-250. Heck, even a 30.06. A 300 Win. Mag. is no joy to shoot off of a bench. Thus, it can quickly impart shooter error due to recoil.
Also, if you grip the forend differently between shots, you will see different impact locations. Or, grip it once and not grip the next time. You are affecting barrel harmonics differently each shot.
Consistently shooting a 1/2" group at 100 yards with factory rifle and factory ammunition is wonderful.
My $0.02.....Practice shooting form with a shoulder friendly caliber. .223, .22-250. Heck, even a 30.06. A 300 Win. Mag. is no joy to shoot off of a bench. Thus, it can quickly impart shooter error due to recoil.
Also, if you grip the forend differently between shots, you will see different impact locations. Or, grip it once and not grip the next time. You are affecting barrel harmonics differently each shot.
Consistently shooting a 1/2" group at 100 yards with factory rifle and factory ammunition is wonderful.
