# Diagnose my accuracy problem



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

I own an old sporterized .30-06 Mauser that I have inherited from my late grandfather. This thing has always been a tack driver. For some reason it became an absolute dog a few years ago. I don't mean that it slipped slightly out of MOA, but it absolutely sprays rounds all over the target. Absolutely terrible accuracy. 

There is one exception, however: Barnes Vor-Tx ammo. I get decent accuracy out of the 180 grainers and close to MOA accuracy out of the 150 grainers. I haven't tried the 168s yet. It's strange to me how this one particular type of ammo shoots well in this rifle, but everything else is abominable. It used to shoot good with everything. It wasn't a fussy rifle at all. I was talking to a buddy of mine who is a pretty savvy gun guy, and he said I might have some throat erosion. His theory is that Barnes bullets like a long jump (or was it short jump? I don't know much about this) to the lands and maybe this why my possibly eroded throat will shoot Barnes well, but nothing else. 

From the reading I have been doing on the subject, I still wonder if this is the problem. The accuracy loss from an eroding throat should be more gradual, not fall off the charts over night like mine did. Also, a .30-06 isn't necessarily a hot rod round and shouldn't burn up a barrel/throat like a .264 win mag or something would. I love this rifle and it is really frustrating that I can't get it to shoot well with anything other than one type of ammo. It is really perplexing to me how only recently has this become a problem and it seemed to develop over night. Anybody have any thoughts or opinions on this?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Tighten your scope mounts..


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Stock bedding, scope mounts and a dozen different things. 

I have a old 06 that was made in 1935. I can garantee where the first two shots will go but after that it is any ones guess. I guess that after firing who knows how many thousands or rounds that it is just tired of shooting.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

When was the last time it had a good, strong cleaning? I mean getting every spot of copper out of the bore? I have a gun that is a tack driver until it gets fouled then it goes to absolute crap in only a couple shots. A GOOD thorough cleaning fixes it back up.

This is hands down, the best bore cleaner out there. It foams up so it evenly coats the entire inside of a barrel.










-DallanC


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Sounds like it might be a nasty little carbon ring maybe. I had one in an older 264wm that was impervious to solvents. Ended up Kroiling the hell out of it and scrubbing it with a 22cal nylon brush wrapped in 0000 steel wool. Most of it came out and it shot fine later but I ended up ditching the barrel and using the action for a different project.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?82146-Carbon-Ring


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

I use Sweets 762 for copper removal , so does the military.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

7MM RELOADED said:


> I use Sweets 762 for copper removal , so does the military.


Its pretty good stuff, I used it for decades until I found WipeOut. I haven't used Sweets since.

What sold me on it (after hearing about it from a gun range), was I cleaned a rifle with Sweets which I thought it was clean. Then squirted some Wipeout foam in it and let it sit for an hour, then ran a clean patch through it and it came out surprisingly blue.

Way less work with wipeout too... you can foam a barrel and leave it over night, it doesn't have ammonia like Sweets so it doesn't react with the barrel steel.

-DallanC


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

First I would get a Wheeler torque driver. Next take the scope , mounts, rings and stock off the rifle. Clean the barrel until nothing is coming out. Choose any of the bore cleaners recommended. While the stock is off check the trigger mechanism for debris and clean it thoroughly. I re-apply Molly Coat (Mollyberum, Spell Check) dry lubricant on any of the friction parts of the trigger. Next re-assemble starting with the stock on the action and barrel. Start using the Wheeler torque driver and torque the stock screws in at 35 Inch pounds in increments of 10 lbs. Start with the most forward screw to the muzzle. AT about 25 lbs. Hold the barrel about a quarter to a half inch from a carpet floor and "gently" drop it (still holding on to the barrel) so that the barrel and action lugs settle in against each other. Do the final torque at 35 lbs. Now re-assemble the mounts (25lbs of torque). Then the rings with the scope (15 lbs of torque). Take it to the range and see how she does. If you still have problems take it to a competent gun smith and bore scope it and see if the barrel has been "shot out". Good luck.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

DallanC said:


> Its pretty good stuff, I used it for decades until I found WipeOut. I haven't used Sweets since.
> 
> What sold me on it (after hearing about it from a gun range), was I cleaned a rifle with Sweets which I thought it was clean. Then squirted some Wipeout foam in it and let it sit for an hour, then ran a clean patch through it and it came out surprisingly blue.
> 
> ...


 I'll have to try it out


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

7MM RELOADED said:


> I'll have to try it out


Get some vinyl tubing that fits over the can nozzle, about 8" long. You run the tubing down the chamber to where the case shoulder sits and hold it tight. Then you give a second or two blast from the can, and it will shoot foam down the entire length of the barrel. Without that tubing, people force it from the crown back down the gun to the chamber... which is a mess.

Stuff is fairly pricey, but a little goes a very long ways.

-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Al Hansen said:


> First I would get a Wheeler torque driver. Next take the scope , mounts, rings and stock off the rifle. Clean the barrel until nothing is coming out. Choose any of the bore cleaners recommended. While the stock is off check the trigger mechanism for debris and clean it thoroughly. I re-apply Molly Coat (Mollyberum, Spell Check) dry lubricant on any of the friction parts of the trigger. Next re-assemble starting with the stock on the action and barrel. Start using the Wheeler torque driver and torque the stock screws in at 35 Inch pounds in increments of 10 lbs. Start with the most forward screw to the muzzle. AT about 25 lbs. Hold the barrel about a quarter to a half inch from a carpet floor and "gently" drop it (still holding on to the barrel) so that the barrel and action lugs settle in against each other. Do the final torque at 35 lbs. Now re-assemble the mounts (25lbs of torque). Then the rings with the scope (15 lbs of torque). Take it to the range and see how she does. If you still have problems take it to a competent gun smith and bore scope it and see if the barrel has been "shot out". Good luck.


Great points here.

I would only add, horizontal strings usually indicate bedding issues, vertical strings usually indicate loose components. Scattered shots indicate scope / scope mounts.

Whats a PITA is when a new out of the box rifle has a shotgun pattern. Is it a bad barrel? Bad scope? loose screws? Ugh... I hate starting from zero.

Last rifle I bought came with a .5MOA guarantee... let the engineers get it worked out and functional before passing it to the buyer. First time I shot it, one of my 4 test handloads printed .39" and I called it gooooooooooood!!! I returned home and loaded up a few hundred more hunting rounds. Zero time really wasted trying to dial it in.

-DallanC


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm guessing it has a walnut stock since it is an older gun?

As most know, wood swells, contracts and gets brittle (relatively speaking) over many cycles of this. I'd definitely be giving the stock a thorough inspection for cracks, checking the bedding blocks, etc. It does sound to me that something is loose, however that should affect all the bullets used and not exclude the Barnes you're saying it prefers.

I also agree with a thorough cleaning to remove any carbon and copper fouling. I like the KG line of products as they also do not contain ammonia...https://www.kgcoatings.com/products/firearm-related-products/cleaning

If all else fails, just shoot Barnes bullets. Really, they make a great bullet and can be counted on to kill pretty much whatever you point them at so you're doing ok either way.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Be sure and check that you didn't damage the muzzle. A small burr can cause big problems. Examine the muzzle closely with a magnifying glass. Burrs can easily happen by simply hitting a rock or other object while hunting or just laying the gun down. It doesn't take much. Perhaps the Barne's bullets jacket is a little softer and is not effected by the burr as much??? Good news is that a good smith can make the simple repair or if you have a small fine file you can DIY.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Given that it is an older rifle, any chance that the barrel may be near end of life?

It all depends on how often / much it has been shot, but aside from the other suggestions my intuition is leaning that way.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Bax* said:


> Given that it is an older rifle, any chance that the barrel may be near end of life?


How many people here have actually shot out a barrel? Seriously... I've yet to do it, 3,400'ish rounds out of my 22-250 and it prints under .33". The throat is eroded out to the point bullets are only seated about 1/32" to get to the lands... but the accuracy is still amazing.

My 7STW is north of 850 rounds, yet I've heard people state they are "done in" at 300 rounds. Killed an elk with it last year easy enough. Some loads I had were over 3640fps... hotter than my 55'ers out of my 22-250.

I mean I know it can happen... but it takes alot... and I mean alot of "Al Hansen on a pdog weekend" type shoots. I think I a guy could shoot a 30-06 or a 270 for most of his life and never come close to shooting out the barrel with regular cleaning and maintenance.

Back to the OP, hope you figure it out and come back and let us all know what the root cause was.

-DallanC


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Dallan 

Agreed it’s uncommon. But I’ve known people that had surplus ammo that shot until the barrel glowed. You never know with people.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I'm gonna take it to a smith and get the bore examined.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I shot out a old Remington 788 18.5 inch .243 I had for years. More rounds than I ever thought a rifle could shoot. It was a wonderful super accurate little rifle. ANd one day it wasn't !!!!:shock:


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> How many people here have actually shot out a barrel? Seriously... I've yet to do it, 3,400'ish rounds out of my 22-250 and it prints under .33". The throat is eroded out to the point bullets are only seated about 1/32" to get to the lands... but the accuracy is still amazing.
> 
> My 7STW is north of 850 rounds, yet I've heard people state they are "done in" at 300 rounds. Killed an elk with it last year easy enough. Some loads I had were over 3640fps... hotter than my 55'ers out of my 22-250.
> 
> ...


I did on my 264WM and I know one of my 300WM's is close (chased the lands to near max box length) , but I tend to push things pretty hard and see barrels as replacement items... burn one up, spin another on...


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