22lr On Target Inconsistent

[cz74]

Summary of my recent range experience, appreciate any feedback.

Range Condition: Outdoors at 100 yrds, base of hills, very windy, come in gusts and all directions. Temp: 90 degrees
Paper Target: 12"x12" shoot-and-see
Rifle: Savage Mark II bolt-action 21-inch barrel
Scope: Vortex 4-12x44 set at 12x magnification
Previously sighted zeroed at 100yrds
Ammo:
Aguila Super Extra 40gr copper-plated
CCI Blazer LRN 40gr
Federal bulk pack 36 gr hollow point copper-plated

Shooting from bench position, rifle on bipod. Cold barrel with Federal 36gr, excellent 1-inch grouping of 10 shots. Not sure of windy speed guess 5-10mph. Second and third excellent grouping of 10 shots each with Federal

Stick on new shoot-see target. Switched to Aguila, condition same. Spraying shots all over, even off paper target! Could not get consistent grouping. Nothing changed on scope or hold. Bit more windy and all directions. Shot 40 rounds.

Stick on new target, switched to CCI Blazer, was even worse! Completely miss target, high, low, left, right, all over the place. Getting more windy and hot. Occasionally got lucky and hit red dot on target.

Switched back to Federal, same spraying all over, I did got a good 10-shot grouping at last, but rest not.

Question: inconsistency could it be due to barrel getting too hot? Wind gusts from all directions could be reason? Appreciate any suggestions to improve my shooting? Thanks!

[Calif Hunter]

I would say the wind conditions. 10 MPH will definitely affect slow-moving non-aerodynamic bullets. Gusty, inconsistent wind even more so.

[Wordupmybrotha]

You answered it...it was getting more windy. That's my guess.

[cz74]

100 yrd for .22lr drops a lot. Will CCI Stinger help?

[G-forceJunkie]

If your going for accuracy, stop shooting HV crap ammo. Don't shoot in the wind. Bring the target to 50 yards and only when your punching dime sized groups, then move it out farther. And make sure the barrel is not leaded up.

[3006]

At about 60 to 75 yards a 22lr high velocity round drops below the speed of sound and the bullets destabilizes.
I have model 52 Winchester that will stack them all most in the same hole at 50 yards and opens up to about 3inch at a hundred with high velocity rounds. On windy days I don't bother shooting a hundred yards with the 22s try 25 or 50 yards and if your shooting 100 try subsonic ammunition and you will have better luck.

[Mr. Blue]

If your going for accuracy, stop shooting HV crap ammo. Don't shoot in the wind. Bring the target to 50 yards and only when your punching dime sized groups, then move it out farther. And make sure the barrel is not leaded up.

+1 the random bulk boxes can be a variable. The wind for sure as well.

[Sheldon]

Barrel may have leaded up or scope mounts loosen up? Wind would have to pretty bad to push a bullet that much to miss paper, I would think.

[sofbak]

In addition to the wind and hv ammo issues already pointed out, the Savage mkII is sensitive to fastener tension or torque on the two screws that hold the receiver in the stock.

Is the rifle in the synthetic stock? If so, the issue of torque/tension loss is amplified. Repeated recoil causes the metal plate under those screw heads to "scrubs" on the synthetic stock, accelerating the loss of tension on the screws.

I put my mkII in a laminate stock from boyds, routed the bottom to accept the plate, and bedded the bottom plate into it.

That metal is thin, and will barely take the proper torque without collapsing.

DIP industries sells a heavy bottom plate kit-thicker metal and longer screws to correct this issue.

Most mkII shooters find that a torque value between 15 and 18 in-lbs is the sweet spot for best barrel dynamics.

I carry a wheeler fat wrench when shooting mine, and check torque before shooting.

[The War Wagon]

I would say the wind conditions. 10 MPH will definitely affect slow-moving non-aerodynamic bullets. Gusty, inconsistent wind even more so.

You're shooting 100 YARDS with a .22?!

1) YOU da' man, &


2) At those distances, a mouse fart, or stray butterfly, will knock THAT off-target!!!

[cz74]

In addition to the wind and hv ammo issues already pointed out, the Savage mkII is sensitive to fastener tension or torque on the two screws that hold the receiver in the stock.

Is the rifle in the synthetic stock? If so, the issue of torque/tension loss is amplified. Repeated recoil causes the metal plate under those screw heads to "scrubs" on the synthetic stock, accelerating the loss of tension on the screws.

I put my mkII in a laminate stock from boyds, routed the bottom to accept the plate, and bedded the bottom plate into it.

That metal is thin, and will barely take the proper torque without collapsing.

DIP industries sells a heavy bottom plate kit-thicker metal and longer screws to correct this issue.

Most mkII shooters find that a torque value between 15 and 18 in-lbs is the sweet spot for best barrel dynamics.

I carry a wheeler fat wrench when shooting mine, and check torque before shooting.

Thank you for this valuable information! I will try it.

[FeuerFrei]

Shooting a 12x12 in. target is very doable at 100yds. and at 200yds. We use steel for the 200yd and over. Can't see the holes on paper very well. YMMV.

My not NASA recipe:

Savage mk2 w/16" barrel and 4x12 glass. OEM sans mods.
Aguila subsonic ammo
Calm day
No coffee for 2 hours before hand
Build a good support for the rifle to snug down into

That's it.

*Consider muscle/eye focus fatigue because of long durations of being on the rifle. Take breaks in between strings. That helps.

[Mr. Blue]

Barrel may have leaded up or scope mounts loosen up? Wind would have to pretty bad to push a bullet that much to miss paper, I would think.

Not when it comes to 36/40 grain .22 rounds