Why Your Hunting Rifle Sucks

However is it actually the gun’s fault? How are you aware whether or not a rifle will be redeemed otherwise you’re looking with an actual lemon? That’s the query we purpose to reply right here. In case you’ve ever discovered your self muttering curses to your looking rifle on a drying-up blood path, you’ve come to the proper place.

Poor accuracy is the primary grievance about any looking rifle. Uncomfortable ergonomics will be neglected and a creepy set off will be forgiven. But when the rifle can’t put a bullet the place it’s aimed, it’s not a lot good to anybody.

The excellent news is that looking rifles (particularly these with slim profile barrels) will be choosy about ammunition. That is not factor, precisely, nevertheless it’s encouraging in case your looking rig isn’t capturing sufficiently small teams. You would possibly simply not be feeding it what it likes.

Discovering the proper ammo will be time consuming and costly, however the course of is nearly at all times value it.

In my expertise accuracy testing lengthy weapons, I’ve been constantly amazed at how a lot a special field of ammo can enhance group measurement. I’ve seen rifles throw 2.5-inch teams with one bullet weight/ammo maker and sub-one-inch teams with one other. Bullet weight normally makes the largest distinction, adopted by bullet type and ammunition producer.

This Beretta BRX1 is a stable instance. It didn’t just like the 130-grain managed growth tip bullets loaded by Sig Sauer, however as quickly as I switched to 140-grain Accubonds from the identical firm, the common five-shot group measurement shrank by 41%.

You gained’t at all times see that sort of enchancment. Generally, a rifle can have an accuracy ceiling that no ammunition can break. But when your looking rifle sucks as a result of it’s not correct, it is best to begin by attempting a special field of bullets.

In case your lengthy gun isn’t performing in addition to you’d like, your first query ought to be: does it have to be cleaned?

A grimy barrel can affect accuracy, and a unclean motion can cut back reliability. In case you don’t need your looking rifle to suck, be sure that it will get cleansing each occasionally.

Accuracy and reliability falling off? Begin by giving the gun cleansing.

How a lot this improves the rifle’s efficiency relies upon lots on the gun. My accuracy testing includes lengthy days on the vary throughout which I’ll shoot dozens and generally a whole lot of rounds. Some weapons deal with that gauntlet like a champ, and I don’t discover any accuracy or reliability points. Others have to be cleaned in the course of the course of that testing.

Take note of how your rifle is performing and the way lengthy it’s been because the final cleansing. Increasing teams are a positive signal it’s time to interrupt out the bore solvent, and a sticky bolt will be dramatically improved with some cleaner and a small quantity of gun oil.

In case you geek out over gun hygiene and wish to know extra about how and the way usually to scrub your weapons, try this text.

Shotgunners perceive the significance of a gun that matches, and the identical holds true for rifle hunters. Establishing a rifle for you’ll be able to vastly enhance your capturing expertise and aid you get pictures off extra shortly and precisely.

The rifle’s size of pull ought to let you shoulder the gun with out having to lean forwards or backwards and simply attain the set off. The comb top ought to let you keep cheek weld and a transparent sight image on the identical time.

Most significantly (for my part) the scope shouldn’t be mounted too far ahead or backward. As Cal explains right here, the scope ought to be mounted in order that once you get behind the rifle, you find yourself within the scope’s “eye field.” The attention field is the place your eye must be to acquire a transparent sight image with none black across the edges. For many scopes, that’s between two and three inches on full magnification.

The scope ought to be mounted in order that once you shoulder the rifle, your eye is the right distance from the optic.

Earlier than you tighten your scope rings, get behind the rifle and slide it forwards and backwards till you’re comfy with the place the scope is. Then, mark that place on the scope tube with a pencil so you’ll be able to reference it once more if you must take away the scope from the rings. Lastly, tighten the scope in that place.

Your mind isn’t the one factor that will get barely rattled by the recoil of a centerfire rifle cartridge. The screws that maintain the scope rings to the motion, the scope to the scope rings, and the motion to the inventory are all liable to loosening a bit of with every shot. Over time, that loosening may cause critical accuracy issues, all of which can make your looking rifle (you guessed it) suck.

Ensure all of your motion and ring screws are tight earlier than sighting in an optic.

Fortuitously, this drawback will also be simply solved. Confirm all of your screws are tight earlier than every journey to the vary and undoubtedly earlier than every looking season. In case you discover that one of many screws has labored itself unfastened, you might must re-verify your scope’s zero earlier than taking a shot on an animal. If it’s a single screw on a scope ring, you’re most likely protected; if it’s an motion screw or a unfastened scope rail, you’ll wish to take one other journey to the vary.

It’s additionally a good suggestion to confirm that every one the screws are torqued to the proper specs. Your rifle’s person’s handbook ought to checklist the torque weight for the motion screws, and the identical goes on your scope and scope ring manuals. Most actions fitted to an artificial inventory ought to be tightened to about 60 inch-pounds; scope ring bases are normally 30-40 inch-pounds; and scope rings are about 20 inch-pounds. However it is best to at all times examine your person’s manuals to substantiate.

Inch-pound torque wrenches can be found at most sporting items shops or on-line. I’ve used a Wheeler FAT Wrench for years and it’s nonetheless going robust.

All of the rifle maladies we’ve lined to this point will be simply fastened. This one, not a lot. Rifle barrels can turn out to be pitted if rust is allowed to develop and eat away on the metal. The lands and grooves simply previous the barrel’s throat also can put on out over time, which will increase the gap a bullet has to journey to succeed in the lands and grooves that start the rotation. Each points can considerably diminish accuracy because the imperfections within the barrel impede constant bullet flight.

In case you’re questioning whether or not your barrel is worn or pitted, a gunsmith can use a bore scope to examine the bore for injury (low-cost cameras will be bought on-line, however I’ve discovered that they don’t seem to be even definitely worth the $50). Or, you can also make an informed guess. In case you bought the gun from the used rack and it’s been completely cleaned, excessive inaccuracy could also be because of pitting. A from-the-factory gun used to shoot hundreds of rounds might be worn out. However in case you bought the gun new, haven’t shot it a lot, and are nonetheless experiencing accuracy points, it’s unlikely to be a worn or pitted barrel.

This new barrel ought to final a number of thousand rounds, however as soon as it will get worn out, the Solus motion permits for straightforward substitute.

Deep cleansing with a product like JB Bore paste can take away floor rust contained in the bore, but when these issues are vital, there isn’t a option to repair both subject besides by changing the barrel. A professional gunsmith could possibly aid you with that, although there are some rifle designs that don’t permit for straightforward barrel swaps. That’s a part of the rationale it’s sensible to buy a rifle or motion that lets the person swap barrels at residence, just like the Aero Solus motion we lined right here.

There are, sadly, many extra causes your looking rifle would possibly suck. It is likely to be chambered in a caliber that’s under- or overpowered for the sport you’re chasing. The gun is likely to be too heavy for you or too gentle for the recoil. The motion is likely to be damaged or broken in order that it doesn’t cycle reliably, or the inventory is likely to be worn or cracked in order that it doesn’t maintain zero.

Figuring out and fixing issues along with your looking rifle will be irritating and time-consuming, however we’ve all been there. Don’t let it discourage you from getting out within the area, and don’t hesitate to maneuver on if it’s simply not working. There are many weapons within the sea.