7mm Mag mannlicher accuracy help

[cowboy77845]

Just got my 7mm I have looked for for years. Beautiful. It is an AV (any ideas on D.O. M.) stamped action Took it to range. Fired 165 gr Federal, 160 gr Federal, 139 gr Hornady and 150 gr Remington. It shoots 2 rounds close (under an inch) and throws the third one somewhere. Goes from about 3/4 in. to 3 in (100 yds).:frusty:
What can I do to improve accuracy. My gunsmith suggested full length glass bedding. I thought glass bedding action and slightly relieving remainder of stock. Help!!

 

[Hootsmon]

I wouldn't expect a Mannlicher to be a tack-driver, but 3" is a bit sad. A realistic goal would be, maybe 1.5"?

First thing to check is the scope. Try a different one. You need to eliminate that variable from the equation. Scopes (and mounts) are responsible for more misplaced shots than anything else. Dude I know bought a cheap rifle, put a BSA scope on it. Out at the range and 40 rounds later, it still wasn't sighted in and it probably never will be.

Next, the bedding. If a gunsmith has Acraglass, everything needs to be bedded. If he has a lathe, everything needs to be crowned. I would want to see actual evidence of a problem before throwing money at it to "see if it works". The Sako has a two-piece stock which defeats the purpose of full length bedding because the barrel supports the front piece. The concept of full length bedding is that the stock supports the barrel. It could be bedded up to the barrel band but it's pointless going any further than that. Since the Sako has a fairly heavy, short barrel (it's stiff), I don't see much to be gained from bedding. If I was to bed it, I would do like you suggested. Really, I would just put a thin shim under the action recoil lug to raise the barrel very slightly from the stock, just to see if it made any difference to groups. If it did, then pursue bedding the action.
Some may argue that a bit of upward stock pressure at the front of the main stock (at the barrel band) would be a good thing. Could well be.

Check the crown is ok. If it looks good, it probably is good. I've never heard of a bad factory crown from Sako, but being a flat crown, it is vulnerable to damage if it is bumped.

But check out that scope first.

 

[cowboy77845]

Hootsman. I appreciate your response. Have a Zeiss scope on it that I have used before. Previously no problems. I think maybe the first thing to do is select a bullet weight, use a rest, and see if it shoots in a consistent manner, two close, then flyer. If the first two shots go to aim point repeatedly, I think I'll leave things a alone. Two shots at deer are the most I can expect.

 

[roninflag]

cowboy- my 30-06 is not great either. you are going to shoot deer?? i would use the lighter weights from 150 down. 120 or 140 balistic tips if you reload. also, since i have longer range rifles; i carry the 30-06 when i am in an area with shorter range shots.

 

[cowboy77845]

In rechecking my rifle before doing anything, I discovered my action has been bedded and the bbl floated all the way to the bbl band. I also discovered that if I loosened the rear tang screw , I could get a 3/4 turn tighter on the front screw and retighten the rear screw to about where it was before. I think someone did not tighten the front stock screw correctly. If the group does not improve I will glass to the bbl band. I have some 154 gr Norma that I want to try. I like everything about Norma but the price. I should add that I have had the condition with the stock screws occur on my other 7mm mag. I am no smith but I always tighten the front screw and then the rear. I my case this time the group that looked like this( . . .) caused me to recheck stock screw as I did. I could not tighten the screws any tighter when I attempted to tighten them as they were. Made me wonder if the seller used a torque wrench and tightened. Seems to me if the rifle was bedded. There would be no wood shrinkage to consider.