onebadf250

I bought a Winchester model 70 ultimate shadow SS300wsm this past week and finally got a break in the rain to go shoot it today. I bought a box of 165gr fusions but plan on switching to 150gr once I find them.I was very discouraged in my groupings. The 1st few shots I was just trying to break my barrel in with. Shoot clean, shoot clean. I did that for about 15 or so bullets while letting it cool some in between. It seemed like the 1st 2 shots after I let it cool would be really tight, almost touching, 3rd would be a little futher away and if I shot it a 4th it would be way off. I did notice that my barrel was getting hot but I've never had this problem with any other gun that I've shot before. I can't say that the barrel was hotter than my 270 gets but I don't remembermy 270being that hot from past experience. I can shoot a dime group with my 270 at 100yds off a bench. I'm not saying I expect that much from my 300 but I would expect it to be better than what I'm getting.

Any suggestions on why my grouping is off? Does that hot barrel mean anything? Does it get hot enough to throw it off? I know I need to try some other ammo's but I'm usually at least am in the ball park with all the shots. I'm not understanding why its off.

Thanks, Rob

stubblejumper

If the group walks as the barrel heats up,it is usually due to bedding issues or stresses in the barrel itself.

Ideaman

Slow down, trying to do too much in one day.

Tell us exactly how you clean your gun, and with what.

Stainless guns take longer to Break-in, but inversely take longer to wear-out. This is a factory barrel it could be quite rough, taking a lot of effort maybe even lapping to break in.

Every gun handles heat differently, yes it is possible heat is your issue but i would not jump there.

skeeter 7MM

Agreed!

Some people leave it and except the fact that they will rarily need successive shots in the field. Meanwhile other will adress the problem by bedding/pillar, reaming the barrel channel, etc. It all depends on you what the next step may be. If it where me I would log a little more shooting time and try different loads, just to get accustom to the new rig and get a baseline.I would do the dollar slide along the channel to see if their was any stock touch, correct by hawging the channel and test. Next step would be to pillar and glass bed the action.Most of the time these will correct the walking problem, if nothave the barrel inspected and possible re-barrelled.

onebadf250

I cleaned using a cleaning rod with a cleaning patch on the end. I sprayed a very light amount of cleaning oil on the rag and run it up and down a time or two and then replace patch until it comes out clean.

Whats bedding issues?...Where the magazine andchamber is bedded???Is stress in the barrel a bad thing or something that is common.

The gun has a free floating barrel although I haven't runa piece of paper through it to see if its touching anywhere that you can't see.

Also, I have access to a private range and I was out there for almost 4 hours over this break in and shooting period.Temp was 89 today.

Thanks for the help!!!!

Ideaman

I have been wrong before, but I thought newer Winchesters used a pressure point at the muzzle end of the stock instead of free floating.

I have a good guess you have copper fouled if you are not using a good copper dissolving cleaner. I use Coppermelt, but there are several others on the market. New barrels are rough, and when a bullet goes down the barrel these rough spots pick up copper and other cruds.

What brands of cleaners are you using?

I shoot a lot, 4 hours of 300WSM off of my shoulder would be too rough on me.Is it possible that and 89deg temps could wear on you?

stubblejumper

Bedding issues can be cured by floating the barrel and glass bedding or pillar bedding the action.Stresses in the barrel can be eliminated by chryogenically freezing the barrel.It also usually results in a barrel that fouls less and is easier to clean.

Ideaman

True there are several things that can be done to improve accuracy, none of which will work until the gun is broke-in and clean.

onebadf250

Let me make sure you guys understand this...I didn't shoot the gun for 4 hours straight. No one coulddo that with this gun.Itactually kicks alot less than I thought it would. I have a buddy with aA-Boltin 300wsm and it will rattle your brain!!!I only put 1 box of shells through it. After shot 12 I put a life vest on to help with the recoil. We were shooting skeet and pistols in between.

The barrel is free floating. I ran a dollar down the barrel and the only place that is tight is up near the reciever. No pressure points at the end.

I have a Meopta 3x12x56 meostar on it. Has anyone tried these scopes? Maybe thats the problem. I did notice on one of my adjustments I need to move it 4" over which is 16 clicks. Next shot was almost 8" over. Everthing is tight as far as I can tell. Doesn't mean its not rattling the scope off. I'm fixing to go try it again here in a bit. See if I can find some different ammo and copper fouling cleaner @ wallyworld real quick. I've just been using some gun cleaner. I'll get something a little more potent.
Thanks for the replies so far.

Ideaman

Be interested to hear how things went at the range.

With a stainless gun I would go a few more boxes of cheap ammo, cleaning very well every 5-10 shots, with a good copper-solvent.

If you are on paper at 100 don't adjust your scope, just shoot and look at group size. Adjusting the scope might add to your woes. I am not familiar with that brand personally.

Recheck all of your scope mounts and the screws holding the stock to the action.

You said the gun is floated, if so, at a later time when you have fired a few boxes and are sure the gun is clean fold some paper and wedge between the barrel and stock. Yes this is a cheat and I don't like pressure point guns, but if it works it will indicate bedding problems.

Are you inspecting fired cases? If not do so for two reasons. 1 I had anew model Win come in not too long ago with a bad chamber from the factory. 2long agoI heard there was some Win ammo that was loaded way too hot. Look for cracked cases, pushed out primers. If you see these indications get eitherfactory or gunsmith help.