wisdom request: barrel bands, heat, and accuracy

[Treeman72]

I've bought a mossberg 464 with a 2-7 Leupold vx2. It returns some great 1.25" groups and some not so great 3" groups or worse with the same ammo. Remington 170 and Federal 170. How much does a barrel band and heat impact accuracy. Honestly, the last time I did 50+ rounds it was quite fatigueing and flinch inducing. I wanted 2 tight groups in a row and never got it. Any education on heat and barrel bands? Or is fatigue and inconsistency the issue?

I want to be ready for deer season; my first . Finally made the time for hunter ed class to get away from paper targets.

[Pete44ru]

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With all due respect, you don't have a target rifle there - you have a deergun, which is expected to shoot a max of maybe 3x at a deer before it's history, one way or another (dead or gone).

I suggest ensuring the POA & the POI coincide for at least the 1st shot from either a clean or dirty bore (hunter's choice), and hopefully also for the next 2 shots from a (definitely) dirty bore.

A little practice is always good - best on some blank brown cardboard 18"x12" ovals placed at random distances, from 25 to 125 yards away.

One shot on each, & see how close to the center of the simulated deer's vital area your hurried shots come.



.

[Griff]

Well, here's my condensed theorem:

Yes, barrel heat can, and does affect accuracy. Mainly thru how the heat expanded metal interacts with the bands. If the bands make contact with a cold barrel, when that barel heats up, that becomes a pressure point. Same with the wood, just as on any other wood stocked gun. Never crank down on band screws in an effort to keep them from moving, or not mre than neccesary to prevent excessive movement. Snug to the wood, not the barrel.

If the screw in the mag end cap is in direct contact with a cold barrel, it can become a real point of concern, usually causing shots to string vertically.

[J Miller]

I've had many Win 94s in 30-30. All of them carbines with barrel bands. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never had one that was prone to change POI as the barrel heated up more than just a little bit.
Most of my 94s would keep good ammo in 2" to 3" groups at 100 yds, and that was more dependent on me than how hot the barrel was.

However, as I said those were Winchesters and not Mossbergs. So try loosening up the band screws just a wee bit and then see what happens. And take your time shooting. That lever gun isn't a combat weapon, a meat getting weapon. Shooting a lot of ammo fast can lead to fatigue and that leads to increased group size and poor shot placement.


Joe

[AJMD429]

There is an article by Paco I think on the forum on 'accurizing lever guns' covering this. Marlin did some of the stuff on their XLR lever guns. Still the first shot is all that has to be perfect in a hunting gun like that. The barrel won't move more than ainute or two of angle within the next two shots eve if fired quickly.

Here's Paco's article - http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/chapter23.htm

[Treeman72]

Still trying to choose my hunting ammo is all. Range days are a much higher volume of fire than any hunt. Fusion 150, Remington 170, Federal 170, and Leverevolution have all made some decent groups followed by a 4" group.

I'll take my boresnake next time and clean after every 2 shots just to finalize my decision. The ammo shortage left me buying 3-5 boxes at a time as the brand was available. Shooting 5 shots in a few minutes makes the barrel pretty hot.

[Paladin]

I try one round at the 100 yard zero to try to leave the rifle for at least 20 min with the bolt open before I start a 3 shot group and bore snake it before I let it cool so it will be as close to the condition I will use it when I am hunting.

[AJMD429]

I try one round at the 100 yard zero to try to leave the rifle for at least 20 min with the bolt open before I start a 3 shot group and bore snake it before I let it cool so it will be as close to the condition I will use it when I am hunting.

Yup. I'll sometimes cool down the barrel with a spray of WD-40 down the bore, just so I don't have to wait so long.

Or take a book to read.

The problems come when you try for that three-shot group, and it opens up, or you wind up sighting-in with the barrel heated up, and maybe even get a nice group, but then when you start out the next session with a cold barrel, the first few shots are NOT at 'zero'.

Zero your sights with a nice cold barrel, so that FIRST shot is totally dead-on, and if you take your time and 'aim small' when you have the deer in your crosshairs, that will be the ONLY shot you need to fire, so there won't be any worry if you're two-inches-off-at-a-hundred-yards with some un-needed 'followup' shot. . .

[Rifleman]

I've had many Win 94s in 30-30. All of them carbines with barrel bands. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never had one that was prone to change POI as the barrel heated up more than just a little bit.

That is my experience also.

[wll]

I've bought a mossberg 464 with a 2-7 Leupold vx2. It returns some great 1.25" groups and some not so great 3" groups or worse with the same ammo. Remington 170 and Federal 170. How much does a barrel band and heat impact accuracy. Honestly, the last time I did 50+ rounds it was quite fatigueing and flinch inducing. I wanted 2 tight groups in a row and never got it. Any education on heat and barrel bands? Or is fatigue and inconsistency the issue?

I want to be ready for deer season; my first . Finally made the time for hunter ed class to get away from paper targets.

Treeman,

What range were you shooting at ? If you were shooting at less than 100yds, the parallax for that scope is either 100 or 150. Any movement of your head will change point of impact, even though it looks like you are spot on.

Parallax can make a huge difference in accuracy.

wll