Range Report Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

[LoneWolfUSMC]

2700 rounds total
130 rounds down the tube since the last cleaning
Factory SPS-V action

This was not a group exercise. We were verifying dope. Mirage was bad enough that I was not able to see shot holes when combined with the light shining through the backer. I dropped down behind the rifle and cranked off five shots as quickly as I could applying the fundamentals.

Wind was 5-7mph gusting from 3-4 o'clock.
Ammo was 168gr Federal Gold Metal Match

If I was trying for a group I probably would have thrown one of those out to a one MOA group.

This rifle is a 3/4 MOA rifle, but once in awhile it will actually group below 1/2 MOA. I have been wanting to shorten the barrel, but with this kind of performance I am hesitant to do anything with it.

The purpose in posting this is to show new shooters that they don't need to drop gobs of cash to get a good performer. The two new LTR's that we were also shooting were grouping under 1.5" at 200 yards. One of them was brand new with 20 rounds down the tube.

 

[teknikallysekure]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Have you bedded that thing?

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Nope. Just torqued into the bedding block.

 

[Sumpter Steve]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

I agree with you LW. My factory barrel(LTR) shoots just fine, although it only has 600 rounds through it. She stays right at 1/2 MOA so I'm not going to replace it until it starts to go south on me. Here's a 5 shot group (200 yard)that I did a couple weeks ago. BTW. We must be on the same cleaning schedule because mine has 110 rounds since she was all "dolled up". What can I say, I like "dirty girls".

 

[teknikallysekure]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Steve I'm getting some work done on my rifle but when all is said and done we should hook up and go do some plinking!

LW that's nice I can't blame you I wouldn't touch it if my rifle was shooting that well

 

[Sumpter Steve]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COURAGEWOLF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve I'm getting some work done on my rifle but when all is said and done we should hook up and go do some plinking!

LW that's nice I can't blame you I wouldn't touch it if my rifle was shooting that well

</div></div>

Roger that. Give me a holler.

 

[nashlaw]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Those heavy barrel Remingtons all seem to shoot at least passably well.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steven Dzupin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thats great shooting,however Never,Never look inside a

Hammer forged Remmy tube with a bore scope.</div></div>

Ya, but if I look through it from the chamber end it looks all pretty!

 

[Grump]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Glad yours are working.

My son got boltgun fever and bought a Remmie in .308. Even with FGMM 168s and 175s and several different handloads, it just won't shoot tighter than 1.5-2MOA with any reliability.

It ain't the shooters, either, as we have both done .5 MOA with a new Grendel before he got rid of it, and I get less than 1 MOA with FGMM out of an M1A every time I try that stuff out.

He *could* get almost-reliable 1 MOA or a bit less, but only if the 155 Lapua Scenars were loaded so long there was less than .1 of the shank into the case neck (I think it was about .06!). Needing to handle loaded rounds like eggs is unacceptable. Having .25+ of throat just doesn't work for us.

 

[ewoaf]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

similar results with my sps-v lonewolf

 

[acttacus]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Have it bedded and free floated, the groups will shrink more.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Acttacus</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have it bedded and free floated, the groups will shrink more. </div></div>

Notice I said "Action"

This is an SPS-V barreled action that has been set into a B&C Light Tactical stock. It's torqued to the aluminum bedding block with 65 in/lbs of torque.

It's already free-floated. Skim bedding it may shrink them a tiny bit, but not much.

 

[Grump]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

My son's lousy results were with a B&C stock, bedded and all that.

 

[el gordo2]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

I managed to pull this one off last Friday in snow flurries in South Texas with my 20" SPSV. The other 2 groups went right at an inch so I should probably shoot more in the freezing cold.

 

[jimi]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

+1 on remmy factory barrels being shooters....

took my sps tac out 2 days ago and got .5 fairly easily, i think off bench and rested theyd shrink into maybe the .3's and if they dont ill be surprised. still doing the final tuning on that load too...

i havent cleaned it since barrel run in about 70 or 80 rounds ago when she was still new, and have been shooting in 37+ degree C heat down here in the Australian sun...

THE HOT TIP IS, dont leave black guns in the hot sun, they will burn fingers resulting in a slightly less enjoyable range trip!!!!!!!!!!!

+ 'DIRTY GIRLS DO WHAT YOU WANT'.......hahahahahahaha

cheers jimi

 

[Hogstooth]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Nice groups I would like to see a comparison of the following:

Take your same factory SPS 26" tactical and shoot it against a custom rifle at 600 and 800 yards, shoot 5 5-shot groups out of each rifle at each yard line and compare the difference.

I think there will be a difference, I will try to test it out if I can find a factory rifle to do the test with.

 

[jawa]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

I agree that factory barrels can shoot. I just bedded my remmy 700 sps tac in .308 with 20" barrel and took it out to 100 yds and nailed the same hole 10 times in a row. Granted its only 100 yds but with factory barrel and store bought hornady 150gr. thats not bad. I am going back out tomorrow with 168gr win silvertip. I will shoot 100 and 200yds out and take pics tomorrow. I agree with hogstooth knowing that my rifle would not be as good as a custom at further distances, but hey you know what they say... Shoot the hell outta what you got!

 

[jawa]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

By the way, does anyone know of a longer range along the Galveston coast area???

 

[One_Man]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Bayou Rifles...Google it

 

[TimResin]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Well with a Remington 700p with a Manners T4 and MCS, and a NF 5.5-22 at a 300 yd F-Class match (shooting at 200yd BR targets) I scored a 178-16x. 4 Really bad shoots at the end. On a bone stock barrel with 150 Federal FMJ $12 junk

When I first got the gun it was completely stock with a junk BSA scope on it then when I upgraded to even the Falcon 4-14 My groups easily shrunk below 3/4 moa. They shrunk even more with the NF.

 

[Goose375]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

+1 on the SPS kikin ass, smallest group shot ever with the SPS

 

[vman]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

My best so far was this:

Fine calm day with little wind.

Remington 700P 26" 1:12 twist in .308win shooting handloads.

Lapua brass, Lapua Scenar 155 gr projectiles and 46.6gr Varget. Bullets seated long with COAL of 2.935"

Group was 0.245 inches at 375 yards out of a stock factory barrel... they do ok when treated well

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

Who says factory barrels don't shoot? Typically, it's folks who don't know the first two things about good shooting. I see 'em coming off the firing line all the time muttering,"that gun don't shoot". These folks think its all about this rifle, or that rifle. They confuse executing the firing task with actually knowing how to shoot. They don't have enough knowledge of marksmanship to be able see the difference between a fresh barrel and one that's burnt out, never mind being able to judge a quality cut barrel from a buttoned or forged rifled production barrel.

Unless the production rifle is broken, the bullet will always go in the direction the barrel is pointed. I know that seems obvious; yet, it appears many shooters do not consider it. If they did they would recognize not hitting where aimed is about not understanding where the barrel was pointed [shooter error] rather than the bullet hitting some place other than where the barrel was pointed.

 

[Jaeger308]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

I had a Remington PSS factory rifle put over 4000 rounds down the tube, stayed sub MOA all along. I finally did a re build and put a Rock on it with other upgrades. We bore scoped the old barrel, the finish was alligator skinned all the way though, chunks of the lands missing and still sub MOA til it became a tomato stake in the garden.

Yes factory barrels shoot, but like Sterling said the trigger monkey may not shoot correctly and looks for an excuse. Custom barrels make for quicker cleaning every 500 rounds or so IMHO.

 

[wksinatl]

Re: Who says factory barrels don't shoot? SPS-V Action

I'd say BL would be fucked!

Keith