A couple of range sessions with my Pawn shop '06???

[Slufoot]

I found an HX serial # 30-06 at a pawn shop a month or so ago. It was absolutely like new, didn't even have any marks on the scope base that the rings normally leave behind. I may be wrong, but I don't think it had ever been fired. I got it for $160 out the door!

Anyway, on to the point of this post. I have been shooting some SMP IMR-4895 with Winchester 150 grain power points in LC military cases. None of my groups have been great, about 2" @ 100 yards is about as good as these loads have produced.
I loaded 3 rounds with IMR-4831 and Hornady 178 grain A-Max bullets and loaded three more with 1 more grain of powder.
The first 3 shots with the A-Max's measured 1" @ 100 yards!
I then shot the next load of A-Max's with 1 more grain of powder, these three shots measured just a hair over half an inch! I was absolutely tickled to death!
I went back to the house and loaded 7 more rounds of that load, that was all the brass that I had sized and primed. I then gave my barrel a really good cleaning because I hadn't cleaned it for several rounds. It was really dirty so I soaked it and got it ready for the next day.
Back to my bench the following day with THE load for my '06. I was very, very dissapointed. The load that shot right at .5" the day before was now 2 to 3".

Do you think cleaning the barrel may have caused this?
I'm going to run some more rounds through it and if it come back in I don't think I'll clean it again until it starts shooting bad again.

What do you all think!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[333.okh]

I have never had good luck with military cases.  I think they have inconsistency issues, but do not know.  My 308 is the same way with military rounds and reloads.  My 6.5X55 bolt gun loves military ammo though.

[quickdtoo]

Shoot it some more, Handis like dirty bores, you cleaned the accuracy right out of it!! 

Tim

[briannmilewis]

Shoot it some more, Handis like dirty bores, you cleaned the accuracy right out of it!! 

Tim

Ditto to Tim. Even my lowly 22 Hornet shoots better with a dirty barrel. Some folks swear by not cleaning the barrel until the accuracy starts to fade.

By the way, what a great deal you got.

[canon6]

Ya done ruint it , at lest untill you get that bore dirty again    I am not a fan of really clean barrels. Doug

[LaOtto222]

Now why would you clean your barrel after it shoots a 1/2" group? +1 on the dirty barrel. Some guns like clean barrels, but most do not - especially factory barrels. I would get a new gun and thoroughly clean the bore, then shoot 1 round and clean, for five rounds, then after every 5 for 5 groups. I then would clean after every session. Some times I got good results, but more often than not, I was disappointed. I would try this load and then that load, still shot badly. I got discouraged on one gun and just kept shooting it. Lo and behold the more I shot it the better it shot until I was getting tiny little groups. It is still hard for me to go with out cleaning my guns after every shooting session, but I found that is not always a good thing. I shoot until the accuracy drops off now, unless it one of those rare guns that really do like a clean barrel. Send around 50 rounds down the tube and see if your accuracy comes back. More than likely, it will. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[petemi]

Great deal on the rifle, and HOORAY FOR CRUD

Pete

[anweis]

I was very, very dissapointed. The load that shot right at .5" the day before was now 2 to 3".

Do you think cleaning the barrel may have caused this?
I'm going to run some more rounds through it and if it come back in I don't think I'll clean it again until it starts shooting bad again.

What do you all think!

I think that you are right. You will probably get back to grouping after 10-12 shots. I had a rifle do that all the time, as soon as i cleaned the accuracy went south. I shot 15 of Tubb's Final Finish, and everything tuned out just as i wanted: easier to clean, more accuate, from first bullet to last, no more fouling shots needed, etc.
Finnicky rifles are a pain in the butt, i don't keep them.

[rickt300]

Well to me it sounds like the new barrel syndrome. Mine really doesn't like 150 grain bullets near as much as it likes 165's and heavier. It also settled down greatly after I had 100 rounds thru it.

[Default]

When I lived in florida , I hooked up with a gun club that did military competition shoots for the familys of the club.. they had 5 classes , I only having the AK at the time competed in the Vietnam era class ... Well the day before the shoot I was getting my accuracy checked at the range with iron sights, And was doing real damn good ... 3 +/- at 100 ... took it home , and in my excitement I thought I would treat my old AK to a good scrubbing ( patches came out perfect and clean kind scrubbing) ... Next day I set up for the 5 rounds sitting @100 and then another 5 rounds standing @100 ( had my spotting scope along to watch my strikes) ... Didnt hit the paper but twice, And they were at the top edge of the paper no where near the black lol... So I feel comfortable in giving you a 100% YES!

 You can clean the accuracy out a gun , and the point of impact too

  Next day I went and ran four 30 round mags through the AK and it started getting closer to were is was the day before the shoot.... Some rifles, like some people are just better off dirty...

    Default

[fish280]

my two handi 06s both liked 165-180-grain bullets - and a dirty barrel.

[quickdtoo]

I've got two 30-06 H&Rs, the Ultracomp shoots 200gr Nosler partitions well under 1" and 150gr Fusions inside ½", the stainless Handi shoots 150gr Fusions into ~1", both at 100yds.

Tim

[Slufoot]

I want to thank all of you for your advice and for sharing your experiences that pertain to my situation.

I have never had good luck with military cases.  I think they have inconsistency issues, but do not know.  My 308 is the same way with military rounds and reloads.  My 6.5X55 bolt gun loves military ammo though.

I've got 40 pieces of Remington brass sized and cleaned to try next time out.

Shoot it some more, Handis like dirty bores, you cleaned the accuracy right out of it!! 

Tim

I sure hope you're right!

Now why would you clean your barrel after it shoots a 1/2" group? +1 on the dirty barrel. Some guns like clean barrels, but most do not - especially factory barrels. I would get a new gun and thoroughly clean the bore, then shoot 1 round and clean, for five rounds, then after every 5 for 5 groups. I then would clean after every session. Some times I got good results, but more often than not, I was disappointed. I would try this load and then that load, still shot badly. I got discouraged on one gun and just kept shooting it. Lo and behold the more I shot it the better it shot until I was getting tiny little groups. It is still hard for me to go with out cleaning my guns after every shooting session, but I found that is not always a good thing. I shoot until the accuracy drops off now, unless it one of those rare guns that really do like a clean barrel. Send around 50 rounds down the tube and see if your accuracy comes back. More than likely, it will. Good Luck and Good Shooting

LaOtto, I don't know why I cleaned it after shooting a .5" group, I guess old habits are hard to break. I've also done the same barrel breakin routine with several new guns. If the weather holds out tomorrow I'll send several rounds down the tube and hopefully get it back to shooting good. If it works then I have learned my lesson and I will not clean the barrel on this one until it tells me too by the groups opening up.

I think that you are right. You will probably get back to grouping after 10-12 shots. I had a rifle do that all the time, as soon as i cleaned the accuracy went south. I shot 15 of Tubb's Final Finish, and everything tuned out just as i wanted: easier to clean, more accuate, from first bullet to last, no more fouling shots needed, etc.
Finnicky rifles are a pain in the butt, i don't keep them.


[/quote]

I may have to give Tubb's system a try in this barrel.


Thanks again everyone, hopefully tommorrow I can get the barrel fouled enough to get it dialed back in.

[Swampman]

I clean the bores of my rifles about once a year right after hunting season.  I would never hunt with a clean bore unless I'd been using blackpowder.  You don't have a choice with blackpowder.

[petemi]

I'm not showering or shaving today....gonna shoot later and don't want to screw it up

Pete

[peternap]

I'm not showering or shaving today....gonna shoot later and don't want to screw it up

Pete

Sounds logical ! Let me know if it works.

[Slufoot]

Hey Pete, Thanks for the laugh, that was hilarious!

I took the Handi 30-06 and my muzzleloader to my 100 yard shooting range today. Tomorrow is opening day of muzzleloader season so I really spent alot more time with it than the '06. I did put 18 rounds through the Handi and my best 3 shot group was 1.625" center to center, most were closer to 3". I put it back in the safe this afternoon without cleaning, I may have to try Pete's trick the next time I shoot it!


GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[peternap]

  Tomorrow is opening day of muzzleloader season 


GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

Ours starts tomorrow too. GOOD LUCK!
Looks like the rut is going strong now and while it's still too warm to suit me, it isn't gonna be hot and I don't think it's gonna rain.

[Slufoot]

Thank you peternap and GOOD LUCK to you too!