200 yard grouping

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mww982

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I don't know what factory loads you've tried, but be sure to try some Barnes 120 TTSX loads and Hornady American Whitetail ammo with 139 Interlocks, if you're able to find them. We all know that each rifle will like a particular load better than others. Having said that, I have four 7-08s that all like those 2 factory loads.
I wish you the best of luck.

Tried the American Whitetail. It gave me okay groups. Haven’t tried the Barnes yet but it’s on my list. I have two boxes or 140 grain Nosler Accubonds coming this week to test.


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sndmn11

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Did those 200 yard groups remind you of something ?

My 100 yd groups 🤡

Reading what he did, he shot a .25" 3 shot group out the gate. Adjusted, shot, adjusted. Alot of people would send that 3 shot group via text to their friends....

I don't think there's anything wrong with his equipment, he just needs to shoot more.
 
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How was scope mounted on your 7/08?


Are your action bolts torqued?

If you haven't found ammo grouping better than what you posted, it might be something in the "system ".


Seems like your 300 is working.

Before you spend more money on ammo, I'd double check things on your 7/08.

As said, find something that is accurate enough, and cheap enough. You will be better off to have a lot of shooting under your belt with a 1.5-2 moa setup than not near as many shots down range with a 3/4 moa setup.
 
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mww982

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How was scope mounted on your 7/08?


Are your action bolts torqued?

If you haven't found ammo grouping better than what you posted, it might be something in the "system ".


Seems like your 300 is working.

Before you spend more money on ammo, I'd double check things on your 7/08.

As said, find something that is accurate enough, and cheap enough. You will be better off to have a lot of shooting under your belt with a 1.5-2 moa setup than not near as many shots down range with a 3/4 moa setup.
I mounted the scope and torqued it to Browning and Talley's specs. Tally said 18-20 in\lbs on the rings, think I did 18, I bump it up to 20.

Yes, the action bolts are torqued. I adjusted the trigger and torqued the action screws to 45 in\lbs.

I did have a better grouping at 100 yards with the 7mm-08, just don't have the picture of it.

The cheapest .300 win mag ammo I've been able to come across is soft point ammo, which I don't want to use for hunting. I've been able to pick up the terminal ascent for less than $50.00\box. That's cheap enough for me to hit the range at least twice a month. If I want to keep each range session to 10 rounds and keep the barrel from heating up too badly, I can split a box into 2 range sessions to either keep costs down or shoot less, more frequently.
 
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mww982

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I'm going to try to hit the range this week. I will take @SDHNTR 's advice and do a true 100 yard zero.

Was talking with my hunting partner about the 100 yard zero and he is still a fan of the 200 yard or 1.5" at 100 for MPBR. And after reading on this forum, other forums and videos. I can see why it makes sense to zero at 100 for maximum accuracy and then dialing to 200 when in the field. However, I can also see why others like the 200 yard or MPBR zero. However, since I am a novice shooter and clearly shoot better at 100 yards than 200 yards, it would probably be more beneficial for me to zero at 100 yards and dial out from there during longer range practice sessions.
 

roymunson

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Your thinking is not wrong, but your zero is. You have a scope with dials. Zero at 100 and make it precise.
You know there's more than 1 way to skin a cat, right?

If he's hunting and not match shooting, he'll be just as effective zeroing at 200 and playing off of that. In fact, if he doesn't have exposed turrets, in the heat of the moment, he'll probably kill more animals sighting in the point blank way.

If you're into the precision game, great for you.

Some of us want to kill animals and take out as many variables as we can in the heat of the moment.
I shot my muley last year with and adjustable turret scope, But he was chasing does and trying to re-adjust at different yardages, I can very easily see how a guy could get turned around in the stress of the moment.

You probably have way more experience and it wouldn't happen to you, but if the goal is to kill what you're shooting at, this is a viable way to do it.

At the very least, there's more room for nuance in this than you're letting on. Not everything has to be done "your way" especially when "your way" is unsolicited.
 

Fatcamp

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I mounted the scope and torqued it to Browning and Talley's specs. Tally said 18-20 in\lbs on the rings, think I did 18, I bump it up to 20.

Yes, the action bolts are torqued. I adjusted the trigger and torqued the action screws to 45 in\lbs.

I did have a better grouping at 100 yards with the 7mm-08, just don't have the picture of it.

The cheapest .300 win mag ammo I've been able to come across is soft point ammo, which I don't want to use for hunting. I've been able to pick up the terminal ascent for less than $50.00\box. That's cheap enough for me to hit the range at least twice a month. If I want to keep each range session to 10 rounds and keep the barrel from heating up too badly, I can split a box into 2 range sessions to either keep costs down or shoot less, more frequently.

Did you decrease all threads and screws?

Use Loctite?
 
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mww982

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Did you decrease all threads and screws?

Use Loctite?
Yes sir, I will double check the torque this afternoon. I can bump up the torque rings to 20lbs as Talley recommended 17-20lbs, since the torque driver was already set at 18, and it fell within the specs I left it there.
 

sndmn11

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I'm going to try to hit the range this week. I will take @SDHNTR 's advice and do a true 100 yard zero.

Was talking with my hunting partner about the 100 yard zero and he is still a fan of the 200 yard or 1.5" at 100 for MPBR. And after reading on this forum, other forums and videos. I can see why it makes sense to zero at 100 for maximum accuracy and then dialing to 200 when in the field. However, I can also see why others like the 200 yard or MPBR zero. However, since I am a novice shooter and clearly shoot better at 100 yards than 200 yards, it would probably be more beneficial for me to zero at 100 yards and dial out from there during longer range practice sessions.

I agree a 100yd zero is better.

Since you are a "new shooter" and shooting at 100yds consider not touching your dials for a bit. Over time you will see a pattern that is the product of the most data possible, and then you will have the best information to adjust your zero. Just take a small 8" level to the range with you and mark level in the targets for a frame of reference.

I have experienced frustration myself when adjusting zero as/with a new shooter and new rifle system. You are going to be more precise with your zero with 10 5 round groups or 5 10 rounds groups, shot with focus and intent, than putting a few holes, adjusting, another hole or two, adjusting, etc.
 

Macintosh

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Assuming a scope with a dial turret as quoted above, you guys (posts 45, 46) are missing the point a few others made. Zeroing at 100 does not mean you cant walk around and hunt using a mpbr setup. In a nutshell what several people suggested was to zero at 100 to achieve a more precise zero around an actual aiming point that is less affected by shooter error, wind, etc. Then you see exactly what your actual drop is at 200 yards. If it’s .4mils or 1moa or whatever, if you want a mpbr setup you dial up exactly that amount from 0 and walk around hunting like that. The difference is you have a better zero, and you have an actual drop plugged in, not a guesstimate. It eliminates two areas of perhaps minor but +\- guaranteed error (which can compound themselves when stacked), and still achieves the exact same result of point-and-shoot hunting out to a reasonable range.
 

SDHNTR

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You know there's more than 1 way to skin a cat, right?

If he's hunting and not match shooting, he'll be just as effective zeroing at 200 and playing off of that. In fact, if he doesn't have exposed turrets, in the heat of the moment, he'll probably kill more animals sighting in the point blank way.

If you're into the precision game, great for you.

Some of us want to kill animals and take out as many variables as we can in the heat of the moment.
I shot my muley last year with and adjustable turret scope, But he was chasing does and trying to re-adjust at different yardages, I can very easily see how a guy could get turned around in the stress of the moment.

You probably have way more experience and it wouldn't happen to you, but if the goal is to kill what you're shooting at, this is a viable way to do it.

At the very least, there's more room for nuance in this than you're letting on. Not everything has to be done "your way" especially when "your way" is unsolicited.
thats fine. But he said he did have turrets. Why not maximize what he has?
 
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SDHNTR

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I'm going to try to hit the range this week. I will take @SDHNTR 's advice and do a true 100 yard zero.

Was talking with my hunting partner about the 100 yard zero and he is still a fan of the 200 yard or 1.5" at 100 for MPBR. And after reading on this forum, other forums and videos. I can see why it makes sense to zero at 100 for maximum accuracy and then dialing to 200 when in the field. However, I can also see why others like the 200 yard or MPBR zero. However, since I am a novice shooter and clearly shoot better at 100 yards than 200 yards, it would probably be more beneficial for me to zero at 100 yards and dial out from there during longer range practice sessions.
There’s a place for both. On set and forget scopes with no dials it makes sense. On a scope with dials, it doesn’t.
 

SDHNTR

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I mounted the scope and torqued it to Browning and Talley's specs. Tally said 18-20 in\lbs on the rings, think I did 18, I bump it up to 20.

Yes, the action bolts are torqued. I adjusted the trigger and torqued the action screws to 45 in\lbs.

I did have a better grouping at 100 yards with the 7mm-08, just don't have the picture of it.

The cheapest .300 win mag ammo I've been able to come across is soft point ammo, which I don't want to use for hunting. I've been able to pick up the terminal ascent for less than $50.00\box. That's cheap enough for me to hit the range at least twice a month. If I want to keep each range session to 10 rounds and keep the barrel from heating up too badly, I can split a box into 2 range sessions to either keep costs down or shoot less, more frequently.
I think Browning recommends 35 in lbs for action screws on the X Bolt. Over torque can definitely cause accuracy issues. Especially without perfect bedding.
 
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mww982

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When I checked my manual before taking it apart to adjust the trigger, it just said make them tight and didn't give a torque value. I've read everywhere between 35-65lbs. Watched a video on the trigger adjustment and they retorqued theirs to 45lbs, so that's what I went with.

Just contacted browning, they said 35in lbs. front and rear.
 
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SDHNTR

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Browning specs 45 for wood, 65 for pillars/composite/synthetic.
I think that’s only on the McMillian model that has pillars. I found this:
 

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mww982

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This is what my manual says. However, called browning and they said 35in.\lbs


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SDHNTR

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This is what my manual says. However, called browning and they said 35in.\lbs


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I doubt 10” lbs would make much difference but it’s worth a try backing them off and seeing if that helps. In my experience, too tight causes more accuracy problems than too loose. It can bind up your magazine box and impart stress into the receiver.
 
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I have an xbolt hells canyon long range 300 WM with the 1/8 twist. It likes 215 bergers the best and it shot some 230 bergers fairly well. I use a 200 yard zero. You can still dial and it's fine. A lot of guys I know use a 200 yard zero, not just old farts.

The intial 3 shots shows your rifle grouping fairly well. I'm guessing you moved your POI to the left and then after that moved it up? If so, then that's all looking fine. I'm having a hard time seeing where your gun is really grouping after that. It could be you pulling shots or jerking the trigger a little. I personally wouldn't be ready to take it hunting at 200 if my groups were opening up that much at that distance. I will say both xbolt rifles I've had seemed to shoot better after I did the initial barrel break in and then had ran a few boxes through them.

Were you pretty comfortable when you were shooting?

The 7-08 I would say to keep trying to find a load or something
 

sndmn11

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