Should I save the money

A

Andy Cross

Guest
Hi Guys,
As you already know I have returned to the sport of BR shooting after a 15 year absence. Slowly up grading my equipment list and getting back into it.

The other day a friend of mine accompanied me to the range who has been shooting BR for longer than me although got into it later than I did. He also has better eye sight and can read flags better. He took my antique LV rig - a sleeved Rem 40x BR action, remington BR trigger, madco barrel, glued in with a 36x leupold - and shot three groups which agged around .226 at 100. The best I have been able to do with it is agg around .270 at 100.

I have doubts as to whether I will agg any better than what he did with a new current technology rig. Should I just rebarrel this old rig and save the money until I can shoot better.

Andy.
 
Stock & Rounds

The barrel that is on it at the moment has about 1,100 rounds fired in it. The stock is a McMillan carbon fibre of the style being used in the mid '90s.
Andy.
 
Andy Cross said:
The barrel that is on it at the moment has about 1,100 rounds fired in it. The stock is a McMillan carbon fibre of the style being used in the mid '90s.
Andy.
Click to expand...

Andy,

In your gut, do you feel competitive with your rifle... It's that simple.

IF..

NEW barrel... You handle the gun well (very comfortable with it) and the action operates as "close" to a custom (speed and clearing spent cases (?coned bolt?) and reliable ignition/operates well at higher pressures and reliable trigger sear operation (NO slamfire)).....

THEN...

Go for it for a season or two while saving coins for a new custom...

Otherwise sell the rifle (or set aside for varmints) work hard and get a custom for 2012/2013...

Good luck and welcome back Benchrest,
cale
 
It would seem to me that if the action was blueprinted at the time that the rifle was built, and with the possible addition of tightening up the bolt fit by sleeving it, that your rifle should shoot with anything that is current. A fresh barrel might help, or just cutting off a quarter of an inch and recrowning. Some time back, I had an inch taken off of a couple of barrels, for balance. After that, they shot better, probably because the crown was redone in the process. As far as the difference in the results that you and your friend have gotten, with the same rifle, I think that having someone, who is somewhat analytical, and shooting well, watch you shoot and do a little coaching may be beneficial. Lacking that, you might do what I plan for myself (as soon as I get an inexpensive video camera) and video yourself shooting. It is hard to see one's own small mistakes...much easier to see someone else's.
 
Good advice there Boyd re crowning can make a lot of difference. I'd also invest in one of the screw on scope boosters especially if the old eyesight ain't what it could be.

Good coaching can save a whole lot of wasted time on self analysis.
 
Replies from Andy

In response to Caroby I don't really feel comfortable shooting any rig at the moment old or new. I am still trying to regain the technique I had or thought I had 15 years ago.

Having a new barrel screwed on or having the the barrel recrowned might be a good idea.

As far as coaching is concerned I might just give BRT a call. Perhaps get rid of some of the old bad habbits I had rather than try to regain them.

Not that the money these days is an issue. I just don't believe in wasting money on things where the end result gains me nothing.

Andy.
 
Recrowning certainly isnt a bad idea, but with 1100 rounds on the tube, i would have to guess its time for a new barrel. I say this because it seems as you are after top accuracy, and a barrel with 1100 rounds on is probably approching the end. It sucks when your barrel goes south on you as it always happens at the wrong place and time. Other than that if your rifle feels good, and your confident it can shoot better than you are capable, i say shoot it. Nothing wrong with a rem 700 that has been worked over properly. On the other hand you only live once, and the choice of actions we have to choose from these days sure is sweet. Nothing like a nice slick custom action. May not shoot any better, but it sure feels good stroking the bolt! LOL!!! Boyd is a pretty smart fella, and he has more than once changed the way i approach ideas. It might be wise to just take his advise and run with it. Enjoy and keep us posted on your situation. Lee
 
A little time with Stuart and Annie Elliott of BRT would be very cheap money spent. They have the best BR school bar none.
Butch
 
Andy, I like to read between the lines on a post like yours. I don't see were you are really asking about equipment, I mean you did mention a new rig but I don't think that is actually is your question.

I mean no matter the equipment and no matter the group you "Both" shot you are thinking about him shooting a .226 when the best you can do ( You Think) is a .270. No amount of new equipment, or modifications to your present rifle is going to change that equation as it pretains to the relativity of him shooting a smaller group with your equipment than you did. Now you correct me if I am wrong!

It looks to me like you have some work to do before you even think about a new rig or even any modifications to your present rifle. If it is able to shoot in the 2's NOW its all you really need to Relay the foundation in shooting you once had. Why not take the money of a new rifle and spend it shooting, perfecting that technique? When you get that back when your confidence is at a good solid place thats the time for you to spend some money on new equipment. Range and trigger time is always a good thing.......

Roland
 
I agree

Thanks for your imput Roland
When I stopped BR shooting 15 nearly 16 years ago it was because I had to not wanted to. Being handed a redundancy cheque meant that I had to get my part time business going full steam ahead to make a living. It took a while. I was 37yo going on 38 then. I had better eyesight, reflexes and no rheumatism. Practising until I am back to where I was before may mean I just don't build another rifle. I'll just have to see whether practice can undo a decade and a half of erosion on me rather than the barrel.
Andy.
 
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