Hey guys,
I was wondering if yall had any tips to make a rifle accurate, and keep it that way. It seems like every hunting season I have to resight my rifle in. So I want to have it setup so it will stay dead on all the time. I've heard a 1 piece scope mount will help. Also I know the ammo has to be consistent. Can anyone recommend good scopes, scope mounts, ammo, and any other way to help? Thanks.

btw, I'm shooting a rem. 700 308 if that makes a difference.

First thing to do is make sure all screws are tight; scope base, scope rings, action/stock screws, anything else. Check space between barrel and stock; either it's free-floating or tight, nothing in between. I believe most Remingtons come from the factory with the barrel touching the stock near the forend to create slight upward pressure. I use one-piece bases, but I'm not sure it really makes any difference. There are dozens of good scopes available in all price ranges. I think you need to spend at least $200 to get a halfway decent scope; the more the better. Every rifle is different when it comes to ammo; try several and find what your rifle likes...but first, make sure everything is tight.

Shoot year round.

I don't shoot year round but never had a problem with rifles losing zero. What scope you using? Might be the problem?

The first thing I do on any rifle is have the trigger worked over. I want it to break around 2 lbs for a hunting rifle. Scope is your choice, but definitely get a good set of rings and base. I prefer a picatinny rail with rings that mount to them. I highly do NOT recommend the cheap Leupold bases with the rear windage screws (see link below). I've seen many times the rear "ears" that the screws clamp onto sheer off. And they easily unscrew causing the scope to be off.

It is important to make sure you have a free floated barrel. If you run paper under the barrel between the stock and forearm, you can easily see where it makes contact. If you take the barreled action out of the stock you can take a Dremel tool to the stock in the areas that make contact to free float it. I did this with my Howa 270 to free float it. Doing a bedding job is good and will yield a little more consistency, but costs extra money and time.

Next is the ammo. You can take any decent rifle and make it a good shooter with good ammo, especially a 308 Win. I make custom ammo, and even have some basic loads that shoot very well. You need to find some ammo that shoots good in your rifle. Next would be practicing enough to get proficient with your rifle.


NOT these:
http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/...nge-rh-sa-1-pc/

Chad,
working in the gun industry for the past 25 years and I have told everyone that redfield/leupold style bases with windage screws are a weak link. I have been told I was nuts a lot. Glad to see you posting this on here. They became popular because they were the only real alternative to Weavers and easy to install. It gets pretty frustrating when you are trying to help a customer.

I like to use Talley Rings on my hunting rifles....They are strong and never had a problem with them.....

^^^ Totally agree! I have seen guys spend thousands on a custom rifle, put a $2000 scope on top, and holding it in place with a freakin' $30 set of rings! It blows my freakin' mind!!!! Being the shooter and accuracy nut I am, I can not tell you how jacked up that thought process is!! If you spent a small amount more (about $50 to $100 total), you can get a good picatinny rail base and some rings that are bolted and clamped onto the rail and they won't move.

I was at the range shooting my Howa 270 recently, and I was moving the rifle around by grabbing the scope and setting the rifle upright in a rifle holder. Another shooter saw me do this a few times, and said aren't you worried that will mess up your scope and make it off. I showed him my rail and rings, and I said with these rings and base it better not move.

I use to have to re-sight my rifle every year to and wondered what it was and how the scope was getting off that much etc every year.

It wasn't the rifle/scope in my case it was changing lot numbers of ammo. I sighted my 270 in with the first handloads I ever made and since that time have not had to adjust the site. It has been 10 years +/-. Different lots of ammo for me made as big as 6 inches of difference. I would bet that is part of if not your whole problem why it moves from year to year.

Triggers/stock/bedding/free floating the barrel all will make it more consistent, but I feel that too many people jump on the bandwagon and throw a new stock etc on it without even giving the factory stock a chance. All of my factory rifles shoot well. My 223 rem 700 adl has produced a handful of 1 hole groups and I tend to believe that when it doesn't is more my fault than its and it wears the factory "tuperware" stock.

^^Looks like yall covered it.^^

I had some of those Leupold windage screw rings and bases on a 7 mag. Amazingly, it held zero for about 10 years until the base screws started backing out of the action. That was the only gun I used those rings on. I'll never use them again, but they did work really well for a time. I don't expect the replacement picatinny rail base and 6 hole rings I put on it to ever have a problem or come loose. Used blue LocTite on the base screws.

I've only had a rifle scope lose its setting once and it was during the current season when it fell squarely on the top of the scope after sliding off a tree.

Cannot remember any other time I have seen it happen to any of my rifles.

I have used Leopold one piece bases and rings for years with no issues. NOTE I use red Loctite on the screw threads when attaching the base to the action and degrease the tapped holes with acetone before any mounting begins.
For the past few years I have been using a Marlin 1895, 45-70 (Remlin) that has a pretty stiff recoil. I have not lost zero at any time.

I worked at Academy for only 2.5 years and I can't count how many leupold bases and rings I had scrapped and damaged out because we had trouble mounting them to rifles. Those things suck!!!

I totally agree on windage-adjustable rear bases. I haven't used them for many years. I think dual dovetail setups are fine but are just a bit more work to position properly. These days I favor a good steel weaver-style base and steel rings like Burris Zee rings. I'd opt for something more robust if I was shooting heavy recoiling rifles but I shoot nothing that thumps more than .35 Whelen.

are you cleaning your bore with a brush when you put it up. I have heard if you scrub the fowlings out, it will make the rifle off for several rounds before it builds back up.

Thanks guys! That is a lot of good information. I think the scope mount may be my big issue. But I'll definitely look into everything else.

If it's a nice rifle, consider investing in Conetrol projectionless rings and mounts. Besides being the best looking scope mounts on the planet, they are also quite strong.

- It will set you back around 200 bucks if you go with "Custum" grade Conetrols - but when you look at the rifle and when you use it, you'll know where the extra money went.




Click image to see it larger.

I have the Leupold 2 piece with windage adjustment on all of my 700s. I am having to resight all the time. I would assume that perhaps I am suffering from some movement with in the mounts

Best advice in the thread. First, make the guy behind the gun accurate. Then start on the gun.

For the life of me, I can't understand how the Redfield/Leupold rings and bases have survived as long as they have. The rear ring is subject to loosening and the rims of the screws are known to bend or break.

The front ring is often difficult to turn the 90 degrees required to seat it into its base. So novice shooters are apt to use the scope as the lever arm to twist the ring in place. The result is often a boogered scope that is marred at least, or ruined at worst.

I have a half-dozen Leupold ring sets in a drawer that I've obtained over the years when buying a rifle. The first thing I do when I get home is to remove that junk from the gun and replace it....usually with Weaver-style, occasionally with Talleys.

Have Horizon build you one.

OP - Reload. My buddy is shooting a rem 700 sps varmint 308, and I taught him how to reload for this rifle. Before, he was shooting 1-1.5" with federal gold medal match, and now with our reloads he's getting .5-.75" groups at 100 yds easily. He's shooting around 3 inches at 500 yds. Not bad for a factory rifle with a nikon buckmasters scope.

ive always said those leupold rings have to be crap now i know im right. lol
but to be fair i had some on a rifle and while at the range my gun rolled over off the bags hit the cement bench bounced off that and down to the cement floor, ugggggggg. gathered my emotions put it back up and let a round fly, bulls eye.

Yes. These rings are the worst. Get a one piece base and some rings that bolt onto the base/rail.