Shooting high and low out of control

[Coltsmoke]

I put together a Hawkens with a Green Mountain 1-28 twist barrel. I tried the 320 gr. maxi-ball and it shoots anywhere from 12" low to 12" high, back and forth out of control. I had this barrel in another stock and hunted with it for years without any problems useing the same load.

I read a post somewhere can't remember where, the guy had the answer to this problem. Any ideas?

 

[paulvallandigham]

For that wide a swing in POI, I would be looking at that barrel to tang fit, and checking to see how loose the barrel is in the stock. Some people drill holes in the base of the tang, and thread the holes for screws, which they turn in to fix the position of the barrel as it hooks into the tang mortise to stop movement. Glass bedding the back of the barrel mortise will usually end the lose play of the barrel in the stock.

Try putting cardboard, or paper wedges under the barrel first, to see if that doesn't get the POI more consistent. That will tell you a lot of about where the problem lies, and what needs to be done.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I put together a Hawkens with a Green Mountain 1-28 twist barrel. I tried the 320 gr. maxi-ball and it shoots anywhere from 12" low to 12" high, back and forth out of control. I had this barrel in another stock and hunted with it for years without any problems useing the same load.

I read a post somewhere can't remember where, the guy had the answer to this problem. Any ideas?

Not logical that a stock would impact preformance of the barrel :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:
BUT I personally solved a similar patterning issue w/ a 1 in 28 GMB by simply applying a over powder wad; I found best a .54 wad in my .50 barrel. HUGE improvement!!!! That was GREAT advice off this forum.

 

[rebel727]

Not logical that a stock would impact preformance of the barrel :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Sure it is if you think about it.If the barrel can move in the stock you'd expect shots to be all over the place. Heavy muzzleloading barrels don't have the barrel whip hipower barrels do but the barrel fit is still crucial.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I know of a CVA mountain rifle, the one with the two wedges, that shot all over the place, simply because the stock warped over the dry winter. It took the use of a hammer, and steel screwdriver to get the rear key out of the barrel. My friend tried the gun with just the forward key in place, and it went back to shooting well. He later recut the dovetail slot in the stock for the key and filled in the old one. He had to move the stock escutcheons, but when he finished the gun looked fine. His son " Borrowed" the gun for deer hunting many years ago and hasn't returned it yet!

So, don't think that problems with the stock can't cause problems with the barrel.

 

[Coltsmoke]

Paul, you may have hit something there with the wedge. When I fit the wedge to the rifle I had to put just a slight bow in it to snug it up. If you put it in flipped over you have to tap it in with a hammer. That is exactly what I done, picked up a small hammer laying there and just knocked it in.

The barrel fits good in the stock no movement at all. I was useing a felt wad over the powder. I'll put the wedge in right and try it again.