[badshot]

As most of you know I have a mini-cannon 300 RUM in a Sendero SF. I am trying to decide if I want to invest more money in it and have it accurized or if i should just sell it and go get me a 700P in the same caliber. I really want to keep the Sendero since I already have some extra money invested in it with the muzzle brake (thats a requirement for me on this cannon). I have talked with Hill Country Rifles and have a few questions about some of the things he told me. He told me they would put my HS stock in a mill and take a layer off the aluminum bedding block and rebuild it with bedding material. Does this sound right? Then I aked about (per JeffVN) squaring and truing the action. He said that is not needed on the Sendero. Does that sound right or has it already been done when building the rifle at the factory?

I am trying to contact Patriot Arms to ask these same questions also. But Jered must be out playing with Francis today.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mele]

Well, in terms of keeping the rifle, it depends if you like the stock or not. The 700P and the sendero have the same barreled action, so there is no advantage there. If you want the 700P stock, then switch. Personally, I'd probably just keep the sendero, you wont take the hit of selling it for a loss.

The actions could certainly use a squaring, they are not squared at the factory because in their mind, its as square as its gonna get from them. You may not see as much of an approvement because of the heavy barrel.

Shaving the block down and then glass bedding is a decent idea and can lead to good results, but its generally not needed unless you are looking for the last bit of performance.

MEL

 

[badshot]

Mel,

Thanks for the reply. I feel a little better now about going out for the accurizing. if anything it cant hurt? Then I could always go back for the squaring later as finances permit. I just want this thing to shoot as good as it looks. Now to address the scope questions I'm having by putting it on another rifle before I send it in to be checked out.

Thanks again.

By the way, when can we start looking for that review of the patriot?

 

[mele]

VERY SOON!

I just finished the shooting portion of the eval on saturday, the rifle is shipping back to patriot arms today.

I am trying to post the review this week, but I just found out this morning that my grandfather died last night I'll be leaving town on thursday to go to the funeral. So that will slow me down.

MEL

 

[badshot]

I'm sorry to hear that Mel. My condolences to you and your family.

So far I have talked with Hill Country Rifles and KDF about the accurizing job. Both have stated that the Sendero probably wouldnt need truing the action and that I would see an improvement in the bedding of the action and a few other small adjustments.

I am still trying to reach Jared at Patriot for his opinion then I will be making a decision on who I send it to. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Jeffvn]

Mel - My condolences to you and your family.

As to the Patriot write-up I'm sure it can wait until you get back - I know Jered's work, and I am confident that it is going to be a good review when you release it.

The 300 RUM is just not grouping worth a darn, regardless of load, which is why Bobby is asking the accurizing questions.

JeffVN

 

[badshot]

I just talked with Jered. Boy is he ever a talker. He advised me to send the rifle back to Remington and have it checked out before I do any gunsmithing work.

 

[boisedarc]

Hey, have you checked the chamber? I've seen alot of sloppy factory Remington chambers coming out lately. I would go out on a limb and say that if you were to set it back and recut the chamber with a nice match grade reamer you would see some awsome results. One smith I would highly recommend talking to is Speedy Gonzales at sg&y rifles, he is real nice and is the best benchrest gunsmith in the country, his prices are very good as well. His site is sgyrifles.com. But like I say take a good look at your chamber, if you reload this should be an easy check. Hope you get her shooting.

 

[Jeff_850]

Mel,
im sorry to hear, my thoughts are with you and your family

 

[mele]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts and kind words.

I didn't want to wait to get the review out until I got back, so I wrapped it up this morning. Check it out

http://www.snipercentral.com/genesis.htm

How many rounds are through the RUM? Has it always grouped bad? Or just something new?

MEL

 

[badshot]

I would guess that i probably have between 250-300 rounds through it and have yet to really get a group I trust. Some days I can get a good group then others that same load wont group. I am thinking its the scope and will find out for sure this weekend when I put my Leupold on it and put my NightForce on my 25-06. I know the 25 groups fairly well (an inch at 200 yards) with my handloads. Thanks again for your help Mel and my condolences to you and your family.

I read the review on the Patriot. It sounds like Jered put out another shooter like Jeff's. How did it group at 400 yards?

 

[mele]

Yeah, sounds like it might be a mounts/scope problem on the RUM. Especially if behavior is erratic like you describe.

In terms of the Patriot Arms:
The furthest out that I measure groups was 300y, and Just a few of them, groups were about .75 MOA, but those were not really good groups coming from the shooter. At my personal range, I was shooting a steel plate at 300-600 yards, and it was constant "gonging" at 400. 500 was easy and dead on with easy 1 MOA maintained. At 600 things got interesting because I was shooting alone and without a spotter.

MEL

 

[Jeffvn]

Mel

I'm glad you thought the Patriot Arms was a worthwhile test. That skinny little barrel probably turned droopy after about 5 quick shots.

My GTR is virtually the same, except I have a jewel trigger (with safety)and the #7 taper Broughton 5R canted lands 12 twist barrel on it.

In my unoffical testing, I've found that the rifle is good for at least 65 rounds before opening up and demanding a cleaning, and that it is not opposed to shooting tight groups even when the barrel to too darn hot to hold onto (let it sit in the Texas sun for 3 hours when its 95+ degrees and you don't even need to shot it to burn the skin off your hand). ALl-in-all, I've put 1,100 rounds through it in about 8-9 months, and it out-shoots me every day I pick it up.

You gotta love it when your equipment eliminates all your excuses for screwing up on the range.

JeffVN

 

[badshot]

Mel,

Its interesting you mentioned scope and ring problems. I tore up 2 Leupold rear rings due to recoil and the heavy NF scope. I then switched to the NF 20 MOA rail and NF rings. I went back this last weekend and double checked the rail and rings and they were both very tight. Could I have possibly done something to the NF scope when that Leupold ring wasnt holding and flopping around when the rifle fired? Please tell me no, thats $1400 there. The scope is made to handle a 50 BMG which I would guess kicks a whole bunch more than a muzzle broke 300 RUM.

 

[mele]

Badshot:
Well, I cannot tell you NO, but I can tell you not likely. But there is always that chance.

Jeffvn:
Yep, it certainly was related to heating up of the light 5.5 barrel. Once cooled (didn't even need to be cleaned) she tightened right back up and was a tack driver again. This is not uncommon for shorter barrels. Its not like it opened up a lot, but it was noticible and did jump above .5 MOA.

MEL

 

[badshot]

Well I figured out today that my problem lies in my scope (Nightforce NSX 5.5-22 x 56) and not in my rifle. To figure this out I exchanged the scope from my 25-06 (Leupold VXIII 4.5-14 x 50 Long Range) to my 300 RUM. I fired about 10 shots of a box of plain green box 180 grain partition bullets of factory ammo.I was firing at a rate of about 3-4 shots in 30 minutes from my RUM to keep barrel heat down. The Leupold on the RUM held a decent group for factory ammo at 100 yards.

With my Nightforce now moved to my 25-06 which I know shoots about 1/2 inch groups with my Nosler Ballitstic tip hand loads. I was very dissappointed to see that group go to about 5 inches. This tells me without a doubt that my Nightforce is not holding a setting. The NF will be going back to the factory this week.

Now do I leave the Leupold on my RUM and work a handload up or do I move it back to my 25 and get it ready to hunt? I hate decisions like that.

I know Jeff, I have the 7 mag but I am planning to have my GF using my 25 since it doesnt kick at all now.

 

[Jeffvn]

Get ready to hunt of course.

Not to worry, I'll let you shoot my Patriot Arms for a while longer, at least until I get bored shooting the Hammonds.

But you're going to need to bring your own ammo - I can't be expected to supply the targets, the rifles AND the ammo. :lol:

We need to make sure Topo keeps showing up with that killer tent of his - its too darn hot to shoot out there in the sun for very long.

JeffVN

 

[badshot]

You got that right about that tent. That was great. I'll start getting my own ammo, that wont be a problem. How much you gonna buy the brass for?

I'm still a little frustrated aobut that scope and at what you told me about NightForce and muzzlebrakes. That really makes me wonder about them.

 

[Jeffvn]

Just remember one anticdote does not mean the scopes are crap. Give them their one chance ot make it right. If that does not make it right, time to move on.

Oh yeah I was talking the US Optics forlka about "Jeff's perfect reticle" and they have one graduated in MOA, not Mil. I'll post the scan later today. Sorry Mel I'm just not happy with Mil scale scopes. MOA scale is SO MUCH easier to use (at least for me - ).

JeffVN

I'll pay double for the brass what you are paying to use the rifle - what's that amount again - oh yeah ZERO

Actually I have 1,000 .308 Lapua cases being delivered this week from Powder Valley at $31.50 per hundred - easily the best price on the web - and they had it in stock. After the prep work is done, I'll not be reloading Federal GMM brass anymore - too soft and ages too damn fast - as you know.

 

[badshot]

I just spoke with NightForce. They said they tried all sorts of impact testing and other tests and couldnt find anything wrong with the scope. But they tore it down and rebuilt it completely. If there wasnt anything wrong with it why did they rebuild it? Anyway, It left the plant yesterday and the guy told me it should be here tomorrow. Thats pretty good turnaround considering they got it Tuesday of this week. So it looks like I am going to be testing it again on Sunday.