What really matters for superb rifle accuracy?

[Chandler1836]

Hello,

I am new to Rokslide and forums in general, but I’d like to see if anyone out there could give me some advice or give me a reality check on a rifle I am wanting to be my most dependable “go to” rifle for all game.

I have a Tikka T3X Veil Wideland Chambered in 30-06 Springfield with a 20” barrel. I put a SIG Whiskey4 3-12x44 on it and shot 6 different factory loads in 150gr, 165gr, 175gr, and 180gr. Only 2 of the loads could get to 1 MOA in a 5 shot group, and it never shot less than that.

After these results, I decided to invest in a reloading set up and try hand loading for better accuracy. I am an absolute novice, so I worked up a load from scratch:
- Vihtavuori N550
- CCI #200’s
- Once fired Brass
- Barnes LRX 175gr bullets.

I started at 50gr and loaded up to 53gr of powder and landed on a really good load with an SD of 9 and 6 the 2 times I grouped it. However, the best 5 shot group is still just .918” at 100yd.

I am no benchest champion, so I should probably have a more experienced shooter take a stab at grouping the gun. But, my pursuit is far from over. I have new rings and a new scope on the way and would love to upgrade the stock. I just got a suppressor cover to fight off the mirage on my groups, and will be shooting off of a bipod and rear bags.

QUESTION: of all the things I could change about the rifle or the load, what do you guys believe REALLY matters in the pursuit of superb accuracy in a rifle?

I guess a bonus question: have yall ever had to call it quits on a gun because it just won’t do what you want it to do? If so, when did you make that call and what were you able to sell the rifle for, Pennie’s on the dollar or pretty good deal?

Thank you guys!

 

[ddowning]

What does the gun weight? Have you shot other guns better that weight the same? What is your accuracy goal? What do the groups look like after 10 shots? If you really want to go wild you could go to 20 or 30 shots. Let the gun cool as often as you like.

Most important aspects to top accuracy, shooter, barrel, bullets, brass. The bedding needs to be decent. That's it. A hunting weight rifle that shoots 20 shots into 1 moa or better is pretty good. One that will do it in 3/4 minute is damn good. In my experience, it is fairly difficult to get even a prs weight rifle with top components to keep 20 inside 1/2 moa. It is doable, but it is not automatic. For the most part, it has nothing to do with reloading. Take 6 dasher or 6.5 creedmoor. There is a load that is close to what nearly everyone is using. Lapua brass, a berger bullet, varget or 4350, cci or federal gmm. There is a reamer that is pretty much the same that most people are using. A cut rifled barrel worked over by a really picky gunsmith and it will shoot the known good load as well as pretty much everything else. Reloading can take a 2 moa gun and make it a 1.5 moa gun, maybe. But you're not going to turn a 1.5 moa gun into a half moa gun by reloading.

 

[wpeach1912]

Barrels and reloading components (mainly bullet consistency and shape) from a hardware standpoint. Some cartridges are inherently more consistently accurate than others due to chamber designs and powder column dimensions. 30-06 would not be on the good side of either of those

 

[nm.otter]

What does the gun weight? Have you shot other guns better that weigh the same? What is your accuracy goal?

This

Single biggest contributor would be a different (lighter recoiling) chambering IMO.

 

[Chandler1836]

What does the gun weight? Have you shot other guns better that weight the same? What is your accuracy goal? What do the groups look like after 10 shots? If you really want to go wild you could go to 20 or 30 shots. Let the gun cool as often as you like.

Most important aspects to top accuracy, shooter, barrel, bullets, brass. The bedding needs to be decent. That's it. A hunting weight rifle that shoots 20 shots into 1 moa or better is pretty good. One that will do it in 3/4 minute is damn good. In my experience, it is fairly difficult to get even a prs weight rifle with top components to keep 20 inside 1/2 moa. It is doable, but it is not automatic. For the most part, it has nothing to do with reloading. Take 6 dasher or 6.5 creedmoor. There is a load that is close to what nearly everyone is using. Lapua brass, a berger bullet, varget or 4350, cci or federal gmm. There is a reamer that is pretty much the same that most people are using. A cut rifled barrel worked over by a really picky gunsmith and it will shoot the known good load as well as pretty much everything else. Reloading can take a 2 moa gun and make it a 1.5 moa gun, maybe. But you're not going to turn a 1.5 moa gun into a half moa gun by reloading.

Thank you for the info. I’ve already taken the scope off and am waiting on the new scope to ship, but it’s around 11-11.5lbs fully loaded with the bipod on. Whe you suggest shooting 10-30 shot groups, do you mean shoot at the exact same aim point 10-30 times letting the barrel cool (if need be) or do you mean shoot different groups till I’ve sent 10-30 rounds down range? I’ve done the latter and most groups are inside 1.5” with rare few over that and rare few under an inch as described on my best hand load so far.

I don’t own another rifle in the same weight category, but I do own a Tikka CTR in 6.5 cm that I can group inside 3/4 MOA with factory ELD-X bullets. However, that gun is closer to 15lbs and has a much lighter recoiling round.

I am absolutely new to “bedding”, I don’t really understand the internals of bolt action firearms but I am eager to learn if it can help me improve. I’m not sure if Tikkas are bedded from factory or not, but I assure you I have don’t nothing to the internals of the gun.

I 100% believe I can improve the groups by growing as a shooter. The barrel is factory and has a slower than average twist rate at 11.25 instead of the faster 1:10’s that are coming out for 30-06. I like Barnes and have yet to try new brass to see if that changes anything, but I agree that reloading probably won’t make it a world beater in accuracy.

I was shooting a 3-12 scope that was pretty unimpressive optically but it held zero and took some game, but I am ordering a Nightforce NX6 3-18 when they start shipping to dealers to see how much of a difference premium optics make for my eyes. I know the extra zoom won’t hurt my groups lol.

 

[Chandler1836]

Barrels and reloading components (mainly bullet consistency and shape) from a hardware standpoint. Some cartridges are inherently more consistently accurate than others due to chamber designs and powder column dimensions. 30-06 would not be on the good side of either of those

Thank you for the response. I am a little concerned your answer may be the reality check I need for this gun. I picked the 30-06 because it seemed versatile enough grain weight wise to take game here in Texas where I live and anything else I’m lucky enough to hunt in North America. However, it seems a lot of folks prefer newer case design, long sleeker bullets, heavy for cartridge with fast twist barrels, and people seem confident in the stopping power on big game even if the caliber is smaller.

Basically, the reality check may be to let this gun be a “good” gun and try for a “exceptional” gun on a new(er) caliber.

 

[CMcCormick1805]

I lean a lot toward the barrel. I think Tikka barrels are an outlier when it comes to the contour for the performance. I personally prefer a bit larger contour barrel as it is stiffer.

As an example I’ve seen a heavy unknown contour on a Bergara Wilderness Ridge out shoot a Tikka factory barrel. My M40 contour on a Bench Rest 308 can hold .75 inch 5 shot groups. I like the Bartlein 3 contour most and have one on my custom Tikka.

On the flip side I’ve seen those spaghetti barrels like the one on a Kimber unable to group. A shooting partner also shoots a Weatherby vanguard with a smaller contour barrel that was not only a pain to do load development for but also struggled to group on most factory 7mag ammo we used.

At the end of the day larger contour barrel = heavier rifle. That does aid a bit in accuracy with a heavy recoiling cartridges.

 

[Cherokeeguide]

Only 2 of the loads could get to 1 MOA in a 5 shot group, and it never shot less than that.

However, the best 5 shot group is still just .918” at 100yd.

What are you bitching about here, exactly?

What you're getting out of your .30-'06 is about what my AR-15 A4 style rifle in good, old-fashioned 5.56 NATO does with 77 grain TMK hand loads. The 600 yard slow-fire 10 ring is 12" in diameter. When I don't hit inside of that, it isn't a rifle problem. My rifle is mechanically accurate enough to score 200/200 in 600 yard slow-fire prone. The problem I have is a me problem; I drop points because of errors in wind-doping. A half-minute rifle isn't going to fix it. Until I get this "fundamentals of marksmanship" shit down pat, I don't need a full-race 13.5+ pound "Service Rifle."

What you're getting out of your .30-'06 is enough mechanical accuracy for me to hit a broadside mule deer buck in the heart, every single time, out to 300 yards.

And, I know this isn't popular to say around here, but 300 yards is my limit on game in a sport hunting situation. That works for me, so far. I've had a hunting licenses and hooved game tags every season since I was an 11 year old kid in 1976 and, so far, the longest shot I ever made on a game animal in a sport hunting situation was a 278 yard poke at a California high desert mule deer with Ruger No.1 B in .300 Weatherby Magnum.

If I were 30 years younger, I'd fill tags all over North America and kill African plains game with the same .30-'06 rifle you're bitching about. On this continent, I wouldn't have to shoot anything with it more than once.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I hunted with a 2 moa 30-06 for 30 years, and didn’t know any better. I killed a buck most years because I learned how to stalk, because I knew I could only depend on my gun to about 300. Took one shot beyond 200 yards.

Couple years ago I switched to a 7-08, and I shoot a bit better now. Around 1 moa. I’d say I’d take a shot to 400 now. But I still think stalking is most of the fun. Even guys who are capable to 7-800 yards will tell you almost nobody should be taking those kinds of shots. My son was a scout-sniper in the 82nd airborne, and even he’s pretty serious about keeping it inside of 400.

All this is to say 1 moa is good. More than adequate for most real world hunting situations. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a factory rifle that shoots better than that, so I’d hang on to that tack driver -06 you got there. On this forum you get the impression that everybody is going .223 or 6mm, and that only an idiot would shoot anything bigger. There’s plenty of evidence that .223 kills but we all knew that already from the Vietnam war. Hunt with whatever you are confident with.

You (and probably almost anybody) will shoot better with a lighter caliber. I certainly do. Last piece of old fart wisdom. Don’t base any decisions on 3 shot groups. 10 shots or more to get any statistically meaningful data.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

I've never owned a 30-06 that was fantastic accuracy (and have tried a few times). Also, have owned a few Tikka over the years, one on particular was crazy accurate, but most were right around 1 MOA to 1.5 if I sent enough bullets for a statistically meaningful sample size. I'd say you are right in the ballpark of what I'd expect for an OEM Tikka in a decently recoiling cartridge like 30-06.