Advice Needed! New rifle doesn't like Ammo

[Super Snooper]

Hello all,

I recently bought a Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon 308 topped with a Leupold VX-3I. I've always had great luck with Browning rifles. I bought my wife a X-bolt 308 6-7 years ago and it shoots lights out with the 165 grain Federal Fusions. I went out this afternoon to Zero it in. I usually start out about 50 yards and get it where I want it then back up to 150ish. I couldn't do better than a 2" 3 shot group at 50 yards with the 165 grain Fusions in my new rifle. I checked my wife's X-Bolt with the same box of Ammo and it would shoot 3 shots touching at that distance. I checked the scope mounts on my new rifle and everything seems to be fine. Best I can figure is my new rifle doesn't like the 165 grain Fusions. Would y'all try a different 165 grain load like a Federal Premium 165 Accubond or Swap the weight of the bullets? 150 or 180 grain? Planning on cleaning the barrel before I shoot again. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[ringorock]

What's the twist rate? 1/11 or 1/10 right? How about trying some different bullets. My Browning wouldn't group on low and mid level factory ammo. It did eat the Federal bergers though. Try that first. If it doesn't work, throw the browning away and get a tikka.

 

[nmurph]

Lots of possibilities...

Is the gun new or used? Used...lots if avenues to pursue. New...needs some break-in

Could be bullets aren't suited for that particular gun.

Could be a scope problem...swap in a known good scope.

 

[Super Snooper]

What's the twist rate? 1/11 or 1/10 right? How about trying some different bullets. My Browning wouldn't group on low and mid level factory ammo. It did eat the Federal bergers though. Try that first. If it doesn't work, throw the browning away and get a tikka.

I believe its a 1/12. I'll try some high end ammo next.

 

[Super Snooper]

Lots of possibilities...

Is the gun new or used? Used...lots if avenues to pursue. New...needs some break-in

Could be bullets aren't suited for that particular gun.

Could be a scope problem...swap in a known good scope.

Gun is brand new. I'll give it a good cleaning after shooting today and try some different ammo. If that doesn't work I'll throw another scope on it that I know is good.

 

[Lilly001]

If I have a .308 I always try it with the Federal gold premium 168 grains.
If it won't shoot those well it probaly won't shoot anything.

 

[ryanh487]

If it's 1/12 twist, try 150s. If it's 1/10, try 175 or 180s.

Also, check the action screws and make sure they're properly tightened.

 

[GeorgiaBob]

While it may not be an answer to your issue, I bought an inexpensive Remington 30.06 with a scope and it was spraying bullets around like a short barrel 12GA with a rusty choke. It didn't matter what load I ran through it, the spread was 4 to 8 inches at 100 yards. I tried freeing up the fore stock, tightening all the screws, switching out scopes, even (gasp) getting someone else to shoot it.

I went from frustration about the new rifle to anger as I pushed through about 10 or twelve boxes of ammo over more than three months. Then, after more than 200 rounds were pushed through that rifle, the shot groups started getting smaller. I think I put over 400 rounds through the rifle before it really settled into tight groups. Now it will regularly put three shots at 100 yards so close I can cover them with a silver dollar.

I honestly don't know why. I have never had a rifle that was so inaccurate at first, nor one that required so many rounds to "break in."

 

[sghoghunter]

I don't have the hells canyon Xbolt but I do have a regular ole Xbolt. When I bought it the first thing I did was take the stock off just for the heck of it put it all back together and went shooting. It shot all over the paper with nothing even close to each other. I was about to box it back up and take it back but I done some googling. I found that some others had the same problems and it turned out that I tightened the wrong screw first. I took it back apart and done why they said and it's been a tack driver since

 

[Jester896]

I might...clean it... lap the barrel a little.. then I would clean it.. and shoot 3 more.

when you run a really wet patch down the barrel after you have cleaned it and you feel it catching here and there you will know it might need lapping a little.

 

[lonewolf247]

Lots of possibilities as mentioned. I'm not sure exactly what type of mounts you have, or mounting system? Did you mount yourself, or had it done at the store or shop? Most problems with loose mounts, I've had over the years, were when a store did me a favor and mounted them for me, or gun was bought as a package deal. When trying to evaluate mounting problems, you pretty much have to start over at the base mounts, and degrease the base mount screws, and the tapped holes, then I go with blue Loctite. Then I remount the scope, in the rings, with or without blue Loctite, usually the problem for me has been the base mounts.

I'm not saying thats where I'd start though. I think I'd clean the bore, and go to the range, with two new boxes of different brand ammo, maybe one in 150 grain, and another in 165 grain, and give that a try. If none of those will group, I'd go through the mounts, and retry that same scope, then switch to another, if necessary, and see what happens. I usually change one variable at time, to eliminate problems.

 

[spurrs and racks]

Hello all,

I recently bought a Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon 308 topped with a Leupold VX-3I. I've always had great luck with Browning rifles. I bought my wife a X-bolt 308 6-7 years ago and it shoots lights out with the 165 grain Federal Fusions. I went out this afternoon to Zero it in. I usually start out about 50 yards and get it where I want it then back up to 150ish. I couldn't do better than a 2" 3 shot group at 50 yards with the 165 grain Fusions in my new rifle. I checked my wife's X-Bolt with the same box of Ammo and it would shoot 3 shots touching at that distance. I checked the scope mounts on my new rifle and everything seems to be fine. Best I can figure is my new rifle doesn't like the 165 grain Fusions. Would y'all try a different 165 grain load like a Federal Premium 165 Accubond or Swap the weight of the bullets? 150 or 180 grain? Planning on cleaning the barrel before I shoot again. Any advice would be much appreciated.

I would remove and remount the optics before I did anything else. It sounds like a scope issue to me.

 

[Pig Predator]

Three shots "touching" @ 150yds with a hunting rifle. REALLY? Not a decent group but actually "touching"?

I call bull- chips on that. Show me.

Read it again and then eat your bull chips...

 

[WishboneW]

Use a bubble level to get your scope cross hairs perpendicular and horizontal to the bore after you check your action screws and rings. Be sure to use a rear bag on the bench. When I shot factory ammo I found that my Browning and ruger liked 165 grain bullets both federal and hornady. My old 742 liked 150 gr in either flavor

 

[killerv]

I've never shot fusions for accuracy. 2in groups is a good group with them in my experience outside of a 223.

Took my new to me 308 for the first time this weekend. Federal 168 matchkings, only grouped about 2inches, huh....then tried some barnes ttsx 168 and first group was 1/2in. Just gotta try different stuff.

You'd also be amazed at the folks that don't bother to clean the bores on new guns. Make sure you do this. And make sure that scope is properly mounted.

 

[killerv]

Read it again and then eat your bull chips...

to his defense, all touching at 50 is still rare for most shooters with factory ammo. But somehow everyone is capable of it when posting in forums.

 

[nmurph]

to his defense, all touching at 50 is still rare for most shooters with factory ammo. But somehow everyone is capable of it when posting in forums.

Yes, yes it is. Half inch groups at 150 yards are great for semi-custom rifles. For an off-the-shelf gun to shoot that well, that's outstanding feat for both the rifle and the operator.

 

[Permitchaser]

Rifles like certain ammo when you find it stick with it. No need to clean the gun, why?
You may have to reload

 

[ryanh487]

Three shots "touching" @ 150yds with a hunting rifle. REALLY? Not a decent group but actually "touching"?

I call bull- chips on that. Show me.

Touching at 50, not touching at 150

 

[Thunder Head]

I had some trouble out of a rifle one time.
Gun doc showed me a burr at the crown. Removing this helped.

Then I sent it back to the factory. Came back with a target and labeled 180 grain bullets'. I still could not get it to shoot groups less than 1.5"

If it want shoot the ammo you "want" to use. Id be calling them and sending it in.