7 mm-08 and 162 grain ELD-M - Grouping Badly

I've been developing loads for my 7 mm-08 with the 162 grain ELD-M in mind. My rifle is shooting factory loads fine, but looks like a drunkard throwing darts with my hand loads. I'm pretty sure it's a lack of concentricity, so checking that next. Any of you have experience with the ELD-M in 7 mm-08? I'm shooting IMR 4064.

Thanks!

Use H-Varget

what rifle? Everything tight?

IMR-4064 should perform about like Varget on any given day, but on a season-to-season basis with varying temps you might see a notable difference.

Maybe we should know more about the rifle. What loads has it liked in the past? What bullet weights? HOW MUCH did it like them? What about your scope and mounts? You could be on the money with your concentricity assessment, but you could just as well be overlooking something else. Has anything about the rifle been changed since you last saw it shoot really well?

For base info purposes, shoot some more factory loads. A couple of 3 or 5 shot groups should do. If they shoot fine, then the rifle and scope (and you) are no longer suspect. It would then seem obvious that your handloads were the problem. Varget, R15, and IMR 4064 are all about the same burn rate. Try something a bit different burn rate wise, like maybe 4350 or R16 or R17. I don't have any of my reloading books with me right now, but I'd consult my Lyman 49th and see what Lyman thinks.

As for IMR 4064, it's one of my favorite powders, so it's tough for me to imagine that it won't work with that bullet, but it is on the heavy end of the bullet weights for that caliber, so I'd try a slower powder, like what I mentioned. And maybe IMR 4831 would be worth a try. It's a bit faster than H4831.

I have got a chassis gun in 7mm08 that had shot almost every load I have put in it sub-moa for the past couple of years. I was shooting 162 A Max with IMR 4064 anywhere from 37 to 38.3 grains of powder with really good results. Recently it has gone all over the place with best grouping of about 1 to 2 inches at 100 yards. I tried both the 162 AMax and 162 ELDX. It used to shoot 1 holers. I have swapped scopes, both SWFA so they are good scopes, mounts, rings, shot barrel fouled and also cleaned completely out. Have tried loads from 35 to over 40 grains. It has never been so picky before. Last weekend I even tried some 150 grain ELDX with no better results. It is a Criterion barrel with only about 800 rounds through it so I don't think it is shot out. I even tried to work up a set of loads for my 7mm08 deer gun with an ER Shaw barrel that used to also shoot lights out with the same workup of loads. All of this has been to attempt to get a hot weather load setup. I have pretty well run out of options so I will try some off shelf ammo next as suggested above.
Trying to rule out powder issues, bullet issues or barrel issues. Both barrels floated, both taken off and re torqued action screws. Both barrels are in the range of 1 to 9.5 twist rate. Just weird that all of the sudden having these issues. And before it is asked, I verified my electronic scale with a beam scale for powder measure. Process the brass the same way with annealing after second firing, full sizing, 20 thousandths off of rifling. I have also played with 10 to 30 thousandths off of rifling also. All this with no avail. Did not mean to hijack thread but since I am in the same boat I thought I would state my issues also and what I have tried. Just FYI I did find a hot weather load for my 300 win mag that will shoot 1 holers at 100 yards last weekend with IMR 4831 at 100 yards with 69.5 grains of powder so I am hoping it is not me. Ha Ha

GLC, have you tried complete metal fouling remival?

I tried a foam cleaner that I use for my black powder rifle that is supposed to strip all lead and powder residue. Maybe I need to try something else. Normally it would go about 150 rounds before accuracy fell off.

I just thought about what I used, I don't know if it will take out copper residue though.

They make a foam one for copper bullets also