# Accurizing



## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

A little while ago I was having issues with a cheap scope and in the process of trying to determine what was wrong with my setup I acquired a shooting bench, some make shift rests, a 100 ft tape measure etc. Even though my bench is a picnic table and my rests are just rice filled socks this is the best set up I have ever had and my accuracy has improved quite a bit. 
The problem is that I have discovered a large POI shift when my gun heats up. When the barrel is cold the bullets will almost always begin shooting a few inches to the left with random heights of a few inches high or low. After about 4-6 shots and the barrel is warm the group will tighten up and get very consistent, sometime the bullets holes will touch each other at 100 yards. 
I use this gun for hunting so obviously I would want my first shot to be the most accurate, I don’t think the deer will understand that I need half a dozen warm up shots before I give him the one that counts. 
Have any of you guys ever had a problem like this and what have you done (if at all possible) to fix it? My first thought is that the forend may be touching the barrel when cold and not when it is hot so a bedding treatment might help?
Also feel free to relate any other accurizing techniques/problems that you have experience with and what helped in the past. This topic applies to all shooters and I would like to hear what tips or tricks you guys use to improve your shot.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I can tell you with almost certainty that your barrel is touching your stock and as you barrel heats up it's pressing differently against your stock. When it cools, it returns to it's origional POI. I'd float your barrel. A good bedding job is easy and nearly always helps too.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Out of curiosity what brand, model, and caliber are you shooting?

It sounds to me like your barrel isnt floated and that is likely causing your accuracy problem because the barrel is likely touching somewhere. Just speculation at this point


***ha ha I was typing the same time as Longbow. We must have been on the same wavelength!***


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Also, a trigger job is a great option to follow up with 8)


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Bax* said:


> Out of curiosity what brand, model, and caliber are you shooting?
> 
> It sounds to me like your barrel isnt floated and that is likely causing your accuracy problem because the barrel is likely touching somewhere. Just speculation at this point
> 
> ***ha ha I was typing the same time as Longbow. We must have been on the same wavelength!***


I think we both got his problem pegged down.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Im in the process of doing this to my Ruger 77/22 Hornet. I am floating the barrel right now and bought a new trigger for it. Hopefully those 2" groups shrink after Im done...


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Bax* said:


> Also, a trigger job is a great option to follow up with 8)


I agree with BAX* on this as well. It's amazing what a difference a good trigger will make.


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

Thanks for the input. 
The Gun is a NEF .30-06 handi rifle. I know I learned my lesson about cheap guns with the scope already, but for now I am stuck with the rifle. I will do the dollar bill check when I get home from work to see if the barrel floats. Do you guys have a kit or particular method that you prefer to use to float the barrel?
Also what triggers do you recommend and is a trigger job something a novice could pull off?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I am no whiz like Longbow at doing my own work, so I always have to pay a gunsmith to do the work for me. So I cant give lots of info on this, but some triggers can be adjusted and others have to be replaced all together. NEF is a company I dont know much about, so i dont know if they need to be replaced or not but trigger pull sure helps me on my away from the bench shots


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

I just finished reading another forum dedicated to NEF rifles. The forend is a big problem for a lot of people and mine was tight up against the barrel. One guy had an easy way of floating the barrel by placing an o-ring around the lug that attaches the forend to the barrel. This shims the barrel up off of the forend. I happened to have the O-ring size handy that he sugested and put it on my rifle. To my amazement it freed up the barrel from the forend. There is just a little crack about 1mm between the wood and the barrel. I am surprised at how sturdy it seems and how easy it was to "float" it. I know that this i s probably not as durable as floating the barrel the propper way, but I think it should give me some info out at the range.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

I'd like to hear how that improves your accuracy! I'm not a whiz either so I'll let others give you advice!


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Cool. Also make sure the rear of the fore end wood doesn’t touch the action, as the barrel expands and contracts it will push back more and less.


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## gregkdc (May 19, 2008)

I had gone out to the range to try my o-ring floated barrel and was having all kinds of issues, this time the rifle would not group even after it warmed up, what a mess this last season was. 
Anyways somehow my scope rail had become loose. When I took it home and examined it I found that the lock tight in the screw holes had broken. I was surprised that I was even able to hit the target at 100 yards with how much play the scope had. I cleaned out the screw holes, reattached the rail with new lock tight and took it back out to the range, again! 
After I got it sighted in I let the gun cool off and then shot 5 shots in a row to see if the POI shifted and the gun grouped nicely. You guys were right, and I am going to go ahead and glass the bed. Even though the o-ring worked it could be a more solid not to mention it is making my fore end a tad off center. When I get around to it maybe I will post a few pictures of the glassing job. Greg


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Im sorry to hear it started out as a fiasco, but its good to hear that after all was said and done, things improved.

I look forward to hearing your report on glass bedding


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## chet (Sep 7, 2007)

IMHO when a gun shoots better as it warms up, it needs a pressure point.
floating may help, but it sounds like it shoots lights out with the correct pressure.
By applying a pressure point, you can mimic the oscillations that are occuring when the barrel is warm.
Now that it's floated - try that first. then slide a business card inbetween the bbl and stock, moving it back and forth- test firing- looking for a sweet spot. then you can bed a pressure point on that spot.


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