Would this affect accuracy?

[gasket]

I recently I purchased Winchester XPR in .270win , mounted scope, went out to try it out and can't get accurate groups. Best group I get is about 1.5 MOA (1.5 in from 100 yards).
Tried 3 types of ammo - all the same.
Barrel is free-floated, I can slide trifolded peace of paper all the way through.
I wonder if the scope ring base which is extending over the barrel somehow could affect the accuracy? Take a look at the picture.
Thanks for your input!

 

[gebhardt02]

No, that shouldn't be an issue at all. Double check all screws in scope base, ring tops, and action bolts are tight.

 

[dzander]

Has the scope been proven on another Rifle ?

 

[lennyo3034]

That’s about the level of accuracy I would expect out of that rifle.

 

[TurdFerguson]

Have you shot it much? What type of ammo are you using? A lot of hunting rounds aren't that great. It may be in specs according to Winchester just good enough to hunt with. As others have said, check the gun over and determine if the scope is good, tighten whats loose, possibly borrow another verified scope and possibly let a trusted friend give it a try. You may have had a bad day, but I assume its inspec.

Reviews show groups at 1-1 1/4 in, with what the author considers "match ammo". Try reloading for it if for nothing else.

 

[gasket]

No, that shouldn't be an issue at all. Double check all screws in scope base, ring tops, and action bolts are tight.

Thanks gebhardt02. I will double check screws, I used torque wrench to put it on.
dzander, scope is new, I can try my other scope from other rifle. Thanks for the tip.

 

[gasket]

Have you shot it much? What type of ammo are you using?
Reviews show groups at 1-1 1/4 in, with what the author considers "match ammo". Try reloading for it if for nothing else.

FarmallA I just shot about 40-45 rounds, off the shelf basic ammo, winchester superX 130 and 150 gr + federal powershok 130 gr. I Will try different ammo and bring a friend, just now this corona thing is not helping (only most expensive ammo is still available and other things...). I hope it just didn't like that ammo.
Speaking about reviews I got impression that rifle is capable of <1MOA, but it was just random comments below different reviews. Is there a source for trusted reviews you could point me out? I would greatly appreciate that.

 

[jbuck88]

That's not horrible for a xpr. If that was budget hunting ammo then you might improve with some target loads.

Edit:
How are you shooting your groups?
What size groups do you get with your other guns?
My gun likes the Federal Edge TLR for a hunting round.

 

[gasket]

That's not horrible for a xpr. If that was budget hunting ammo then you might improve with some target loads.

Edit:
How are you shooting your groups?
What size groups do you get with your other guns?
My gun likes the Federal Edge TLR for a hunting round.

I'm shoothing with bipod from the bench. 3-5 rounds per group.
This is my first bolt action and second in total. I'm kind of newbie The other one is semiautomatic savage in .22lr, its not comparable I guess, but anyways I'm getting 2 inch groups at 100 yd.

 

[Srgt. Hulka]

Even though the scope is new, try another scope. I had a rifle that was driving me crazy. I was trying to work up a load for that rifle. I couldn’t get a decent group for nothing. I thought I just sucked at reloading precision rounds. Turned out it was the scope. Sent it back for repairs, and everything is gtg.

 

[Widowmaker0001]

No and thats actually the barrel nut it rides over btw. If your trying to shoot groups gotta use the most consistant sh_t. Use Match ammo if no handloads and make sure the scope is repeatable,etc.

-Reagan

 

[skipjack]

It’s a factory hunting rifle, with a hunting profile barrel. Make sure you let it cool between shots. Don’t just keep shooting it. The heat will make it do weird things. Although most times it is repeatable.

 

[Long Range 338]

I've had good luck with the Federal Fusion ammo in factory barrels. If you aren't going to reload, give it a try. It usually one of the better priced options also.

 

[mgrs]

Sounds good for that rifle and off-the-shelf hunting ammunition. That rifle was just not designed to turn in group after group from the bench. If rounds 1, 2, and maybe 3 are within 1" of your point of aim it is doing quite well at what it was built for. It's probably pretty good at being light, handy, inexpensive, and more than accurate enough for large game to the maximum point blank range of a .270 (which can be pretty far in relative terms).

It seems like everyone else on the web can produce consistent moa groups with their light weight factory sporter, but I have never seen it in the flesh.

Edit: I would not think the scope base is causing much trouble. Might want to check action screw torque as well. It can mean a lot on sporting rifles depending on how the stocks are attached.

 

[Ledzep]

You're probably within the realm of reason. Most factory hunting rifles, especially on the budget side shoot about 1.5 MOA on average, some better, some worse.

You've got a few things working against you as far as getting super tight groups.
- Thin barrel profile will heat up quickly-- 3 shot groups will be fine, 5 shots may cause some opening up
- Factory grade barrel inherently has a low chance of being a really tight shooter. Button rifled, often poor stress relief, not lapped, not gauged, etc.
- Plastic stock leaves much to be desired in terms of rigidity and bedding
- New shooter. Not picking on you but just like anything else it takes practice/experience to get good.

I'd guess the system is doing about what it's going to do unless get really deep in the weeds reloading for it or trying to modify it to shoot better.

I would advise against trying to build up that particular rifle, just for the sake of aftermarket support. If you want a bughole shooter you can make your life immensely easier by starting with a quality barrel blank (Bartlein, Krieger, Rock Creek, Brux, Hawk Hill, Criterion, etc... Lots of them out there), a nice match chamber in 6.5 creedmoor or .308 (factory match ammo availability), and a decent stock/chassis that doesn't warp/flex on you. It's going to cost you more money but will save you from chasing 30 different ways to try and 'fix' a budget rifle that will likely result in mediocrity.

What you have is fine for a 200-300yd hunting rifle.

 

[TurdFerguson]

FarmallA I just shot about 40-45 rounds, off the shelf basic ammo, winchester superX 130 and 150 gr + federal powershok 130 gr. I Will try different ammo and bring a friend, just now this corona thing is not helping (only most expensive ammo is still available and other things...). I hope it just didn't like that ammo.
Speaking about reviews I got impression that rifle is capable of <1MOA, but it was just random comments below different reviews. Is there a source for trusted reviews you could point me out? I would greatly appreciate that.

I just looked the rifle up on online and saw a review from field and stream. Their best group was 3 shots at like .9##### round it up to an inch. most. I am not sure how they test the accuracy. Shoot the hell out of it, use it to get practice, buy something better and use it as a loaner. Its not a terrible shooter for what it is.

 

[shoobe01]

I'm shoothing with bipod from the bench. 3-5 rounds per group...

If mentioned before, sorry I am duplicating. This is possibly one problem. Bipods on hard surfaces like benches can bounce oddly, cause issues, even if attached to the stock, not the barrel. Try the gun stuck in a bag directly, to see how that works. And if you aren't likely to hunt with it with a bipod, take it off and leave it off. Once you get the gun's best accuracy, try to shoot it like you will in the field.

But, overall 1.5 moa is just not that bad. If you do your part and can hold that in improvised rests or from the stand, that's safely inside the kill zone for a typical deer out to around 500 yds. Plenty of range for most hunting in North America.


I'd also get used to how it shoots for real. For statistics, you want more like 10 shot groups, but that can be expensive for time and ammo, so 5 at least. But... leave some time to cool between shots.

Then, once used to it, shoot the exact same way, but rapid fire, to see how bad heating up impacts things, on the off chance you have to take several shots. Then you know if your ethical range is shorter, etc. etc.

 

[gasket]

Wow guys, I wasn't really expecting so many replies, thanks a lot for the input!

I guess I had my expectations too high "thanks" to web reviews and comments
Regarding the action screws, I took it apart and screwed it back according to specs.
Good to know scope base is ok.

Poins taken:
1. will try different scope.
2. keep trying different ammo.
3. let the barrel to cool off between the shots.
4. keep practicing. And since I am planning to hunt, I will move from the bench to the ground-backpack positions. Have to find what works for me (sitting, kneeling, etc.).
5. I will try to reload. Have the Lee classic loader. If it won't make my groups tighter, at least it will bring the cost down. Have not started it yet, need to go get supplies.

Ledzep, I got this rifle for hunting, not planning to build it for precision. Anyway thanks for the advise, good to know for the future.
shoobe01, I will definitely try slow-fire / rapid-fire to see the impact of hot barrel. Thanks!

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I don't think there is any inherent flaw in your rifle, or that the accuracy you're seeing is substandard for the setup. I wouldn't pursue any 'fix', because it's simply not broken.

It's a hunting rifle, so use it as such and get as much enjoyment out of its usefulness at its intended purpose as is practical.

Greg

 

[Long Range 338]

I don't think there is any inherent flaw in your rifle, or that the accuracy you're seeing is substandard for the setup. I wouldn't pursue any 'fix', because it's simply not broken.

It's a hunting rifle, so use it as such and get as much enjoyment out of its usefulness at its intended purpose as is practical.

Greg

Agreed. Your rifle is what it is and was manufactured to a certain spec to accomplish a certain level of accuracy. That does not preclude you however from doing what you find reasonable to improve accuracy. I've actually done some bedding on cheaper stocks and improved accuracy.

Between doing some bedding for reinforcement in the stock in critical areas and hand loading you are going to see the best return on investment of time and $$$. After that you are probably looking at a better platform once you want to pursue it further but for a hunting rifle a few tweaks and you are good to go.

 

[Steel head]

I've had good luck with the Federal Fusion ammo in factory barrels. If you aren't going to reload, give it a try. It usually one of the better priced options also.

It’s my favorite factory load for 223 and I’ve seen it perform well in a few other cartridges.

 

[OXN]

Wow guys, I wasn't really expecting so many replies, thanks a lot for the input!

I guess I had my expectations too high "thanks" to web reviews and comments
Regarding the action screws, I took it apart and screwed it back according to specs.
Good to know scope base is ok.

Poins taken:
1. will try different scope.
2. keep trying different ammo.
3. let the barrel to cool off between the shots.
4. keep practicing. And since I am planning to hunt, I will move from the bench to the ground-backpack positions. Have to find what works for me (sitting, kneeling, etc.).
5. I will try to reload. Have the Lee classic loader. If it won't make my groups tighter, at least it will bring the cost down. Have not started it yet, need to go get supplies.

Ledzep, I got this rifle for hunting, not planning to build it for precision. Anyway thanks for the advise, good to know for the future.
shoobe01, I will definitely try slow-fire / rapid-fire to see the impact of hot barrel. Thanks!

You've got a thread full of excellent advice on here. Scope change, checking the torque of every screw (action, bases to receiver, ring tops to ring bottoms) on the whole rig and securing the scope mounting screws with blue loctite are great starting points.

The only other thing I'd mention is trying a bedding job, if you have time for a project. This will make your rifle more harmonically consistent, and all you need is a 2 ounce grey Marine Tex kit plus a $2 tin of kiwi shoe polish, and about six inches of painter's tape. Youtube it and it's really not tough. A rifle like an XPR would be a solid candidate to learn on, and I've often seen similar rifles make large gains in accuracy as a result of a decent bedding job.

 

[gebhardt02]

You've got a thread full of excellent advice on here. Scope change, checking the torque of every screw (action, bases to receiver, ring tops to ring bottoms) on the whole rig and securing the scope mounting screws with blue loctite are great starting points.

The only other thing I'd mention is trying a bedding job, if you have time for a project. This will make your rifle more harmonically consistent, and all you need is a 2 ounce grey Marine Tex kit plus a $2 tin of kiwi shoe polish, and about six inches of painter's tape. Youtube it and it's really not tough. A rifle like an XPR would be a solid candidate to learn on, and I've often seen similar rifles make large gains in accuracy as a result of a decent bedding job.

Quite honestly, he could do a decent bedding job with normal ol JB Weld instead of buying the Marine-Tex. I've also done a lot of bedding jobs with Devcon plastic steel found at Ace Hardware, little syringe tube thing. One syringe of that is plenty for one rifle.

Marine-Tex is however my preferred bedding compound. Just saying I've had great results with the other two, and still have very accurate rifles where those other compounds are the bedding material. Another option to consider, and agree a good bedding job might help his accuracy.

 

[gasket]

You've got a thread full of excellent advice on here. Scope change, checking the torque of every screw (action, bases to receiver, ring tops to ring bottoms) on the whole rig and securing the scope mounting screws with blue loctite are great starting points.

The only other thing I'd mention is trying a bedding job, if you have time for a project. This will make your rifle more harmonically consistent, and all you need is a 2 ounce grey Marine Tex kit plus a $2 tin of kiwi shoe polish, and about six inches of painter's tape. Youtube it and it's really not tough. A rifle like an XPR would be a solid candidate to learn on, and I've often seen similar rifles make large gains in accuracy as a result of a decent bedding job.

Thanks OXN, I will put that on my list.

 

[OXN]

Thanks OXN, I will put that on my list.

No worries. Total cost for the project is about as much as a case of beer and the time to learn what you've got going on. Not bad considering that factory bedding jobs are generally one of a few features that bump the price of rifles up by several hundred dollars. Biggest word of advice- use plenty of release agent, and you'll be good to go.

 

[trob]

not being able to shoot small groups isn’t always the guns fault. Have you checked the Indian?
as others have said, I don’t think you’re too far off from what that gun is capable of.

 

[gasket]

not being able to shoot small groups isn’t always the guns fault. Have you checked the Indian?
as others have said, I don’t think you’re too far off from what that gun is capable of.

trob, I am working on Indian as well