Troutman10

Thanks for the help guys. FWIW I tried 165 gr. Federal Fusions tonight and they were alright. Got clover leafs at 25 yards, but then it was around 2-3" or more at 100 yards. Pie plate groups. I see all these people on herewriting of accuracy right around MOA or less. Am Ibeing unrealistic to think I can obtain accuracy around MOA or just above with my wooden stock BDL? Next stop I'm thinking about trying 180's. Then who knows. Maybe I'm just being picky.

kirby375

2"-3" at 100 yds is OK hunting accuracy. I am assuming you are shooting from a rest? What kind of rest? sand bags? front and rear?There are a lot of variables to shooting small groups. Bench rest guys stress over the tiny details. How do you shoot from field positions? off hand? that is the real test of wether you want to hunt with this rifle or not. You mentioned you have already killed a deer with it, apparently it shoots well enough to do that. As I said before, both of my 700s shoot decent groups, but I wouldn't be shy at all about hunting with either one with any of the loads I have tried in them. The important thing is to know where the rifle shoots at any given distance, and be confident in using it. I bought a nicely sporterized P-17 Eddystone at an auction several years ago. It has a redfield Peep on it, and I decided I would learn to use it rather than go to a scope. When I took it to the range, I discovered after a few rounds, the thing was sighted about 18" high at 100yds. Since it was dead on for windage, I assumed the former owner intened it to be that way. I called him when I got home to ask about it. This guy was in his late eightes and he had built the rifle himself. When I asked what distance he had it sighted at, he thought for minute and said " I think it should be dead on at 600yd". He had built the rifle for hunting out west in the mountains, and sighted it for maximum distance, and learned where it shot between here and there. The point I am trying to make is, accuracy is a matter of what you make it. Sounds like your rifle shoots OK, you may not win a bench rest match with it, but I don't think that was your intention. If you can, do some shooting at 200yds, my personal test of wether I take a rifle hunting is, if I can nail a milk jug off hand at 200yds. That is the longest range I have available, so it is the longest range I can practice at. It also happens to be the limit of my real abilty to judge distance accurately with out a range finder.Good huntin'

BTW, I re-sighted that Eddystone for 100yds : )

eldeguello

Accuracy is always a crap shoot when you are using factory ammo. Even different lots of the "exactly the same" load can give results very much different from the last bath of the same stuff. Even the powder type might be different, because factories don't load ammo based on a specific amount of a specific powder-they load to a pressure and velocity specification using however much of the powder they currently have on hand it takes to achieve these levels.

The ONLY reliable way you can be assured of uniformly excellent performance is to work up a handload using the bullet of choice in your rifle with components you can duplicate in the future.

Another approach, although not as effective, is to test all the varieties of factory ammo you can get with the type and weight of bullet you want to use. And, after you identify the very best load, buy at least a case lot of the SAME LOT NUMBER of that ammo so you don't have to go thru the testing process every year. Store ammo in a cool, dry environment! It will last longer than you will......

Troutman10

I've heard the Federal Nosler Ballistic Tips work quite well. Would it be reasonable to use this bullet between 30-150 yards (200 at most)? I am up for trying anything at this point that will helpme get better groups. Didn't know of the ballistic bullet would expand as well as other traditional bullets. I know the tip helps obtain better accuracy. I'm not as knowledgable about types of bullets if someone can help me out. Thanks again.

m.t.hands

troutman hows the trigger on this gun, just wondering