What should I do?

[chuckinduck]

For the first time since I've owned my Rem. model 700 inline (going on 6 years) I'm having trouble getting it sighted in. Shot last weekend and thought it'd be the standard two shots to doublecheck, and then take it home and clean it. To my surprise, the gun is all over the map. I'm not sure if I dropped it in the offseason or what. I should note, in my ignorance, I didn't take my cleaning brush to swab it out between shots, as I figured it'd be dead on as its always been. Well after ten shots, the dam thing is still not holding good groups. Although I knew that not having the brush was most likely significantly affecting its performance. I've been shooting 150 grains of 777 pellets with the Hornady 250 grain HP MAGS for about three years and loved the load. It had more energy downrange then anything else I could find. Do you guys thinks I should stick with it, as its been a great load in the past, and just go back to the range and start back at square 1 and clean in between shots. Or just sight in as if its a new gun, with a new setup all together? reason I don't want to move away from the pellets is I still have about 60 of them at home, and at $28 a box, they aren't cheap. I should note, getting it sighted in isn't dire, as I won't be using the gun til the ML season, but once the 15th gets around, I'd rather devote time to the woods as opposed to the range.

[Swamp Monster]

I'd go back and do the cleaning between every shot. Those 777, although clean can cause some fouling issues. My 700 was one of the originals and was not rated for 150 grain loads so I can't help you there. I use 300 gr XTPs and 100 grains of pryodex and that load is very accurate out to 150 yards, the max distance I would consider using that load. I leave the magnum charges to the Encore today. But, make sure the scope rings are tight, make sure the bore is clean, take apart the bolt and clean and lube the guts.....lock time is important and so is disassembling that bolt. Lube the inside of the bolt with a dry lube..graphite etc. Are teh sabots the same ones you've always used? Manufacturers have been known to change teh plastic sabit just a touch and thats all it takes to wreck your accuracy

Start from square one and work from there.

[part timer]

If you have a scope: check your scope mounts. Mine worked loose last year and I started getting very unpredictable results.

[chuckinduck]

Thanks guys, I did check the scope lastnight, its rock solid. Swampmonster, what do you think of th SST's, they had good ballistics results. I know you told me not to get caught up in the numbers, but I work with numbers all day, so I'll blame it on that.:D

[Swamp Monster]

The SST and Shockwaves are the same bullet. Very good design and work well on game. I had used those in my Encore up until this year. I recently switched to the Barnes Tipped MZ solid copper sabots. I love Barnes bullets and have had good luck with them in rifles and in shotgun slugs as well. These have a similar Ballistic Coefficient to the SST/Shockwave so they retain their velocity/energy longer. The all copper design is quite a bit more stout than the SST/Shockwave design but both work great on deer.
I still use the 300 XTP mag in the 700 and it works great on deer as well but I use that gun with open sights and try to keep shot oppurtunities within 75 yards or so. The Encore is set up to handle anything out to 200 + or -.

I think they are worth a try.

[Cobra]

Swamp Master nailed it. 700s max is 120grs. Loose 110grs of 777 and a 250gr SST or Shockwave in a crush-rib sabot is lethal to 175, my max. Put the Cabela's 209 conversion on mine, what a difference with the 777 primer.

[G5monotech]

I shot the 700 line also. I have had the gun for 7 years. I shot 100 grains of pyrodex with a 240 grain Hornady .44 caliber. I have never had any issues. Alway shoots good. Groups tight at 100 yards.

[chuckinduck]

Thanks guys, I picked up some of the hornady 250 grain sst's at Bass Pro tonight, going to give them a try and see what happens. Stupid me, I got out of the parking lot and realized that I didn't get the adapter for the ramrod to accept the sst's pointed tip. Back I go tomorrow. :lol:

[walleyechaser]

I've been using the 700 since they came out and the Hornady XTP worked great for a number of years.
Then along comes the 300 grain SST and Harvesters crushed rib sabots and I've been hooked ever since.
Push my bullets with 120 grains of Pyrodex and you'll be amazed at the groups out to 150 yards.

BTW,if you use a starter ball you'll need to drill out the ball so it doesn't damage the tip on the SST and you can do the same thing with your ramrod and avoid buying another one.
The 209 primer conversion really works well also.;)

[adam bomb]

I bought the PB ball starter kit when i shot those. There are several tips included for vaires projectiles. Theres enough of each tip style for the ball starter and ramrod. I havent had any trouble using the tip designed for the BP AT with my SST's. Just a thought if you decide to make a purchase in lieu of modifying the ramrod yourself.

Best of luck.;)

[chuckinduck]

I've been using the 700 since they came out and the Hornady XTP worked great for a number of years.
Then along comes the 300 grain SST and Harvesters crushed rib sabots and I've been hooked ever since.
Push my bullets with 120 grains of Pyrodex and you'll be amazed at the groups out to 150 yards.

BTW,if you use a starter ball you'll need to drill out the ball so it doesn't damage the tip on the SST and you can do the same thing with your ramrod and avoid buying another one.
The 209 primer conversion really works well also.;)
Is 120 grains the max you can load in the original 700's?

[chuckinduck]

I bought the PB ball starter kit when i shot those. There are several tips included for vaires projectiles. Theres enough of each tip style for the ball starter and ramrod. I havent had any trouble using the tip designed for the BP AT with my SST's. Just a thought if you decide to make a purchase in lieu of modifying the ramrod yourself.

Best of luck.;)
Thanks I'll take a look.

[Swamp Monster]

Is 120 grains the max you can load in the original 700's?

Yes. My guess is that the gun easily handles a 150 grain charge, but they were not rated for that in the beginning. When they came out, the "magnum" craze was just beginning and very few muzzleloaders were rated for the 150gr charges. A couple years later, Rem rated the 700 for 150gr charges and labled it a maghum version. I could tell no difference in design, but that doesn't necessarly mean anything either.
I have shot 150 gr charges in mine, but with the shorter barrel, was blowing lots of unburnt powder out the end of the barrel....this was with the musket cap conversion, not the #11. I never went with the 209 conversion, but this might help burn more powder. Some of the later Remington "magnum" versions did have longer barrels. Mine is only 22".

[QuakrTrakr]

Make sure your stock is tight to the reciever. Any shifting at all will cause that. Is the barrell free floating?Is the powder old? I won't hunt with old powder. Oxygen in time will degrade the effectiveness of the powder.

[walleyechaser]

Make sure your stock is tight to the reciever. Any shifting at all will cause that. Is the barrell free floating?Is the powder old? I won't hunt with old powder. Oxygen in time will degrade the effectiveness of the powder.

Last years powder is always dumped and each season starts with fresh powder!;)

I've shot with more than 120 grains of Pyrodex but also experienced too much unburnt powder(fire belching out the barrel) but 120 grains performs the best for me.

[chuckinduck]

Make sure your stock is tight to the reciever. Any shifting at all will cause that. Is the barrell free floating?Is the powder old? I won't hunt with old powder. Oxygen in time will degrade the effectiveness of the powder.
You bring up a interesting question.
Early last fall I shot the gun to prepare for the upcoming season. It was on, as it always had been. I took the gun home and completely dissected it. Took the barrel and receiver off the stock, cleaned, all the moving parts, and I even cleaned the trigger and components and reassembled it. Is it possible that just taking the gun apart could've thrown it off? I never shot it afterwards to doublecheck, and never fired a shot at a deer during ML season. To me it seems any changes could cause a variance in shots, but the scope remained fixed to the gun the whole time, almost like a cantilever scope mount remains affixed to the barrel.

[QuakrTrakr]

You bring up a interesting question.
Early last fall I shot the gun to prepare for the upcoming season. It was on, as it always had been. I took the gun home and completely dissected it. Took the barrel and receiver off the stock, cleaned, all the moving parts, and I even cleaned the trigger and components and reassembled it. Is it possible that just taking the gun apart could've thrown it off? I never shot it afterwards to doublecheck, and never fired a shot at a deer during ML season. To me it seems any changes could cause a variance in shots, but the scope remained fixed to the gun the whole time, almost like a cantilever scope mount remains affixed to the barrel.

I'm not familiar with the Remmy, but my Knight is the same way. Disassemble the entire gun, clean, reassemble. The scope is mounted to the barrel with weaver style bases and rings, and I'd be easy to bump the scope outta whack. There are usually specific torque needs for most bolts and screws. I had that exact problem with my 700 VSSF II and a Howa I have.

[augustus0603]

I would try shooting from a new box of pellets. I had the same problem with my 700. First 5 or 6 shots were all over using last year's pellets. Soon as I started using a fresh box, group was tight as ever. Never touched a thing.

I get new pellets every year and it always shoots tight groups.

[Swamp Monster]

You bring up a interesting question.
Early last fall I shot the gun to prepare for the upcoming season. It was on, as it always had been. I took the gun home and completely dissected it. Took the barrel and receiver off the stock, cleaned, all the moving parts, and I even cleaned the trigger and components and reassembled it. Is it possible that just taking the gun apart could've thrown it off? I never shot it afterwards to doublecheck, and never fired a shot at a deer during ML season. To me it seems any changes could cause a variance in shots, but the scope remained fixed to the gun the whole time, almost like a cantilever scope mount remains affixed to the barrel.



Oh yes, it can make a difference. If the action is not tightened correctly (or differently anyway) than before, accuracy may suffer. The stock could be putting pressure on the barrel or the action in a different location or in different amounts. The POI could change yet still group nicely, or things can be erratic. The stock and how it's mounted plays a huge role in the rifles accuracy.

[chuckinduck]

Ok, so now that I've dissassembled the gun, do I leave it and try to sight it back in, or go back and figure out the proper torques for each bolt and screw I undid. I did by all new powder, so that'll be the first step, along wiht bringing my entire cleaning kit.

[QuakrTrakr]

Ok, so now that I've dissassembled the gun, do I leave it and try to sight it back in, or go back and figure out the proper torques for each bolt and screw I undid. I did by all new powder, so that'll be the first step, along wiht bringing my entire cleaning kit.
Usually, I try one thing at a time to pinpoint the problem. If you do multiple things at the same time, it's hard to figure what the problem actually was. I'd reassemble the gun, HAND torque the bolts very stiff, but DO NOT over torque them. You'll be able to feel when the bolt wants to stop. If you go too far, you could strip the threads, or crush the wood in the stock. Once everything is reassembled, try to slide a dollar bill from the muzzle to the base of the reciever between the stock and the barrel. If it hangs up, you'll need to loosen the stock and reposition until you CAN get the dollar to slide all the way. From there, I'd try your new powder. See what it groups.