Fliers

C

crowbuster

Guest
Need your guy's help. Not a benchrest shooter, but I do some informal benchrest shooter at my own range. Been shooting/reloading 30yrs. I know fliers have been problems for everyone at some point. To start, the shooter is not the problem. Shooting a 308 hart barrell, h&s precision stock with bedding block has also been bedded. Using lapua brass, ccibr primers, varget powder, charges, 45-46-47 grains. Shooting at 200 yds, 4 shot groups. shots will measure 1/2 inch. A flier in each group will go out one inch on its own. No consistency to which shot is out, no wind. Barrell has been cleaned and fouled. Shooting nosler 155 grain bulk bullets. Tried different seating depths. Will try a different bullet next. Probably sierra 155 palma bullets. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
 
crowbuster,
are you using wind flags???

the wind is my friend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DD
 
No Wind??

I guess I will second David's post. Are you using wind flags??

The other culprit might be "Nosler bulk bullets". .500 groups at 200 yards on a consistant basis can only be achieved with Benchrest Quality Bullets.......jackie
 
I think that minimal neck clearance is essential to eliminating fliers.

Also, when shooting rifles with narrow forends it's essential to use a level. Cant will produce immediate fliers.

Just a couple more ideas.

al
 
"Flyers"

crowbuster: As mentioned, a flat forend can make a difference. One of my rifles is similar to yours, a Tikka barreled 308 (on a trued Rem 700, 6BR/308 switch-barrel), using Lapua, 45.5 grs. Varget, Sierra 155 gr MK#2155, seated to touch, CCIBR2. Recently added a H-S Precision hunter benchrest stock with the 2 1/4" wide flat forend, and that change alone has eliminated a lot of unexplained flyers from 5 shot groups at 300 yd. I do not get the torqueing/twisting recoil: it's more straight back, like the 6BR, ppc, etc.
 
crowbuster,
are you using wind flags???

the wind is my friend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DD

Thanks for reply,no wind flags,but my range lays between pine thickets pretty good for wind.Have hung a piece of surveyers tape out.Forget to mention most of the fliers are vertical.It sounds like bedding but should not be.Been bedded and action screws torqued. I will try match bullets next.Have heard about tuning with action screws,whats your take on that?
 
I think that minimal neck clearance is essential to eliminating fliers.

Also, when shooting rifles with narrow forends it's essential to use a level. Cant will produce immediate fliers.

Just a couple more ideas.

al

Thanks Al,It does torque when fired but I did fill the butt with shot for weight it did help some.
 
Thanks for reply,no wind flags,but my range lays between pine thickets pretty good for wind.Have hung a piece of surveyers tape out.Forget to mention most of the fliers are vertical.It sounds like bedding but should not be.Been bedded and action screws torqued. I will try match bullets next.Have heard about tuning with action screws,whats your take on that?

the rifle needs to be pillar bedded. This is a need, not a want.

Vertical is often the bag setup or the load.

Try pinching and holding the forend down.

al
 
Crowbuster

You failed to mention the scope you were using. If less than a 20x you might not be getting a good hold on the target for each shot. When you say no wind there is no such thing as no wind between you and the 200 yd target. If you don't have wind flags you don't know how much wind or the direction. A wind switch can cause vertical as well as horizontal. Without flags you have no clue of wind condition changes. Do yourself a favor and either make flags or buy some for your group shooting.

My recommendation, to try and save your 4 shot half inch group, is set a few windflags out there, be consitent on bag control, and try holding off, if you are using windflags, when needed. One thing among many that group shooters, that not proficient in BR techniques, is that most times especially at 200 yd you cannot hold a group together by holding the same spot for each shot. At 200 yd to shoot a group 1/2" or under most BR shooters are holding off sometimes for each shot after the first one.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
 
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Thanks stephen,my scope is a leupold 6-20 leupold with a 1/4 dot on 20 power at 100 yards using 1 inch circles for targets.I like small groups so any more info on BR procedures would help.I cant afford to play the BR game but I do have the patience to get the best out of what I have with lots of trial runs in my budget.Whats your opinion on tuning some with the action screws,they are both set at 40ft/lbs.Tell me more about your bag setup.thanks
 
How far out on the forend is your front bag?

Crowbuster,

Boyd points out an often neglected variable. Many rifles, particularly sporters, old military types and ARs will respond well to a front bag position so far back that it just looks wrong. You don't need as much of the rifles weight on the rear bag as you might think. Try choking up on the front bag, alot. It won't cost you anything to try.

Greg
 
The action is a rem 700,I will relocate the bag and try that. thanks to all who reply.
 
I guess I will second David's post. Are you using wind flags??

The other culprit might be "Nosler bulk bullets". .500 groups at 200 yards on a consistant basis can only be achieved with Benchrest Quality Bullets.......jackie

Jackie I probably cant shoot good enough to shoot .500 consistantly but I think I can get 5 shoot groups under 1 inch consistantly at 200 yards,I guess I can live with that.This is probably another case where the gun can out shoot the shooter but I dont give up easy. thanks
 
Get a different Duck

If the suggestions above do not work, try a different barrrel if you want to spend the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Dave
 
I think you need to get a custom action. Either that or true the action, install a PT&G bolt and tighten the shroud.
 
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