How a hot barrel affects accuracy?

drifter · 10-25-2003, 06:27 AM

Greetings: I need some help from the experts.

I just inherited a 7mm Rem. Mag from my Dad (recenty passed away). Its a beatiful Beligum made rifle, probably about 40 years old. Leupold Vari-X II 3-9 scope.

Here the problem: I can fire about five rounds before the barrel gets hot and the shot placement becomes erratic. Not real bad, but an inch or two at 100 yards, sometimes high, sometimes left or right.

I use an extra recoil shoulder pad, so there is no fatigue to my sholder and I do not believe it is me flinching. Also, I clean the rifle religiously.

Is this normal when a barrel begins to heat up or is this the sign of a gun getting old? If normal, what do you recommend when sighting in and practicing?

Thanks in advance for the help. Good Hunting. Drifter.

corrirod · 10-25-2003, 07:50 AM

My .06 is the same way Drifter. I've learned to take my time sighting it now. You want it to be sighted in cold because that will be the condition it's in when your shooting at that trophy. Just my $.02.

10-25-2003, 08:05 AM

Take a dollar bill and run it between the stock and barrel. This will show you if your barrel is touching the stock. Some rifles have a bit of contact at the end of the stock some are free floated.

I would free float the barrel and glass bed the receiver.

StickFish · 10-25-2003, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keta:
Take a dollar bill and run it between the stock and barrel. This will show you if your barrel is touching the stock. Some rifles have a bit of contact at the end of the stock some are free floated.

I would free float the barrel and glass bed the receiver.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Some rifles do this when they get hot. Keta has some good advice for your rifle, but before you do anything, make sure all the action screws and scope mount screws are tight.

If you find that the bill doesn't eaily go all the way to the recoil lug, you can try a thick paper shim to see if free floating and bedding will cure it. Make a shim out of thick paper like the paper used in your cartridge box. Put a hole in it so the recoil lug screw can pass through it, place the paper on the stock where the screw will pass through and reinstall the action and barrel. Make sure everything is good and tight, see if the bill makes it to the lug without binding and see if your rifle stops migrating as it gets hot.

It may not, but its something to play with

salmurai · 10-25-2003, 08:08 PM

Drifter, Don't worry about it. If you can't hit it in five shots, it is going to be gone anyway. Point of impact will "walk" when the barrel heats up. This is more common with lighter (more slender) barrels. Try a ten shot group. One shot a day for ten days and see how it is. No Worries Man......