Re: remington 760 gamemaster
10 years ago, I was on a quest for the internet's holy grail of accuracy, the 1" 5 shot group at 100 yards.
I was actually corresponding with Greg, from another sniper list.
Everyone said they got a 1" group, but at all the ranges I visited for a year, I only saw it done twice:
1) A .223 M70 Coyote with Federal Gold match ammo by a guy that was at the range every day and had allot of money into his bags and benchrest.
2) A Mosin Nagant 91/30 7.62x54R with 18X Redfield as dim as a dark night, with Sierra 180 gr bullets jammed into the lands. The stock was an old Fajen. The bore had been hand lapped with a bore guide and a poured lead lap of Clover valve grind compound to get out the tight spot. The bore looked like the most corroded bore I had ever seen. The guy gets a few very accurate shots, and then has to do evening of Outer's Foul Out electronic cleaning. The guy has since upgraded the scope to an $80 Asian, but shot a doe in the head at 200 yards with it in 2008.
How could such a sewer pipe bore be so accurate?
I felt like the world was playing a joke on me.
I now have a few rifles that are capable of sub .5 moa, and do not have cleaning issues.
I like Lothar Walther Chrome Moly barrels and Shilen select match stainless steel barrels for; accuracy, staying clean, and value.
If it were my family heirloom 760, I would either clean and lap it, shoot a wallet group, and put it in the safe, or I would put a premium barrel [stress relieved and lapped at the factory] on it.