Does this sound like a stock flex issue?

[kjd]

Hey all,

I recently got a 2nd hand Steyr Pro Hunter in 270 and am having issues with it that is making me lose confidence in it.

I developed a load for it using win brass (fully prepped) and 140gr Nosler BTs and it is getting .6-.7in 3 shot groups and 1” 5 shot groups which were shot prone in bags.
I’ve noticed the foreend is flexi as hell and am wondering if I am missing simple shots as I switched to shooting sticks and bipods.

Last week I missed a few shots that were easy shots that I made easily with my 223. I tested the rifle using bipods and found it was shooting 2in higher than when I checked zero the week before.

It groups fine and on zero but just not having a lot of luck actually in the field or when I checked it with bipods.

Is this a stock flex issue especially as you tend to push into bipods for a steady shot?

It would be a shame to move the rifle on when it could be something simple like that.

Am thinking of getting it bedded and having the foreend stiffened by a smith.

[Camel]

Yeah, sounds like it could well be your problem, stock flexes up and pushes on the bottom of the barrel, causes shots to go high. Bedding and floating the barrel will help. Dunno about stiffening stocks, but if it stops it flexing upwards, its worth doing.

[kickinback]

It brings to mind what Nathan Foster has to say about bipods

Regardless, I’d restock it with a Boyd’s or similar and bed it.


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[The Raven]

Do you know if the stock has support points for the barrel in the fore-end?

Marlin used it on some of their stocks, two small bumps that touch the bottom front-end of the barrel. These have been alleged to cause POI and accuracy issues with many owners grinding them down to fully float the barrel. They claim it improves overall accuracy but as the Marlin stock is rather flexy to begin with I simply changed to a Boyds stock.

[billsshed]

The old bipod bounce. POI from prone to sticks to bipod will change a little. Just the way you hold it will change things. There is a lot of threads about the same question.
Bipods can make a good rifle just shoot odd. We always talk about consistency, changing the support structure ( hold and front support) is far from consistent. The rifle seems to shoot well enough. Big difference between a 223 and a 270. More practice for the operator? We are always quick to blame the hardware.

Bill

[kjd]

The old bipod bounce. POI from prone to sticks to bipod will change a little. Just the way you hold it will change things. There is a lot of threads about the same question.
Bipods can make a good rifle just shoot odd. We always talk about consistency, changing the support structure ( hold and front support) is far from consistent. The rifle seems to shoot well enough. Big difference between a 223 and a 270. More practice for the operator? We are always quick to blame the hardware.

Bill

Thanks Bill.
Have been in this game a while now and fired all sorts of cartridges and think I have a fairly good feeling as to whether it is me or the rifle that is not working. Most cases it is me, this time I have a hard time believing it due to the variety of factors I listed above.

[trevort]

It brings to mind what Nathan Foster has to say about bipods

Regardless, I’d restock it with a Boyd’s or similar and bed it.


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should I have heard of him?

[kjd]

Do you know if the stock has support points for the barrel in the fore-end?

Marlin used it on some of their stocks, two small bumps that touch the bottom front-end of the barrel. These have been alleged to cause POI and accuracy issues with many owners grinding them down to fully float the barrel. They claim it improves overall accuracy but as the Marlin stock is rather flexy to begin with I simply changed to a Boyds stock.

She is fully free floated. Maybe a new stock is the go but it’s a PITA for a Steyr.

[billsshed]

The old bipod bounce. POI from prone to sticks to bipod will change a little. Just the way you hold it will change things. There is a lot of threads about the same question.
Bipods can make a good rifle just shoot odd. We always talk about consistency, changing the support structure ( hold and front support) is far from consistent. The rifle seems to shoot well enough. Big difference between a 223 and a 270. More practice for the operator? We are always quick to blame the hardware.

Bill

Thanks Bill.
Have been in this game a while now and fired all sorts of cartridges and think I have a fairly good feeling as to whether it is me or the rifle that is not working. Most cases it is me, this time I have a hard time believing it due to the variety of factors I listed above.

Fair call then. I had M77/Mk2 and those paddle stocks did not go well with a bipod.
Hope it turns out well.
Bill

[220]

Recoil and bipods just dont seem to work.
110's H&H will shoot close to moa with modest cast loads, 270gr @ 2000fps off sandbags, put a bipod on and you cant do better than 6" Doesnt matter if you hold the fore end or not how tightly or where it just refuses to shoot with a bipod.

[daisy]

Saw this product from NZ. Don't know anything more about it.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/shop/M ... r+Kit.html

[kickinback]

It brings to mind what Nathan Foster has to say about bipods

Regardless, I’d restock it with a Boyd’s or similar and bed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

should I have heard of him?

Google is your friend


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[macca]

There are bipod and there are things that sit under the rifle and create all sorts of dramas.
Whilst any flex and recoil will exasperate the issue of bipod bounce. Whilst you got a similar group with the bipods( all be it higher poi)
In the field the ground may be affecting the bipod. Example one leg in dirt the other with a stone under it. The recoil and jump will move the bullet away from where you aimed. I experimented with these scenarios a lot when I started long range hunting. Pre loading the bipod seems simple but doesn't always work out. As 220 said the more recoil the more difficult to group with a bipod as the torque on the stock increases.
I hope the new stock or stiffening the old one fixes the issues.
Cheers

[Tony Z]

The rifle groups good on multiple sessions so you can rule out stock flex as that in itself would destroy groups. POI shift is evident so my money is stress on the action, scope mounts or the scope itself. Or as Bill and macca have said, bipod bounce is a seriously overlooked issue. The POI shift with some bipods shot from ground to something less giving like a bench or concrete etc, is not to be underestimated.
If the barrel is felt to move within the stock channel while the action screws are alternately loosened or tightened, that would be the main contender for POI shift as the action is clearly under stress. Bedding alleviates the stress.

[kjd]

Thanks everyone seems I have some experimenting to do.