What part of the rifle makes the most difference?

KnotRight

KnotRight

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I am asking these questions because I have really never been into precision long range shooting. With my Savage Axis (6.5 CM and 308 and stock changed to Boyd adjustable stocks) I am shooting 1 MOA or less at 100 yards and hitting 20" steel at 500.

Is the barrel the most important part of the rifle (outside of the scope)?
How much does the receiver make in accuracy?
Bolt?
 
1A. Technique
1B. Barrel
2. Trigger
3. Ammo
4. Stock
5. Optic
...
237. Receiver (assuming the receiver is not actually defective, as in barrel/receiver interface is square, flush and secure)

In that order.
 
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Tim said:
1A. Technique
1B. Barrel
2. Trigger
3. Ammo
4. Stock
5. Optic
...
237. Receiver (assuming the receiver is not actually defective, as in barrel/receiver interface is square, flush and secure)

In that order.
Click to expand...

You forgot to add

6. Doing the magic accuracy enhancing fortnite dance correctly before the shot.
 
I'd say shooter before trigger, unless you're trigger is heavy as crap. I shoot to 1000+ and my trigger is at 7oz. My factory savage barrel on my 6.5 lrp would group a 5 shot group at 300 yards .5" all day.

To me, a basic rifle with OK factory ammo will hit plates at 500 no problem. Since you've got Boyd's stocks, I'd have them bedded, get a good trigger in it and work up a hand load that it likes
 
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Working on your fundamentals of good marksmanship is most important. After that, I think a good trigger is key. A factory barrel and decent glass will get you far, but a hard, crappy trigger is very limiting.

Me, personally, I'd upgrade first the trigger, then glass, stock, and lastly barrel, unless there was an issue with the barrel that required earlier replacement.
 
You have to keep the scope full of fluid. After that, and other than the nut behind the trigger, you can only go so far with a factory gun and factory loads. The more quality improvements you make generally means the better the shooting. I think Tim boiled it down to basics.
 
90% shooter remember it’s the Indian not the arrow. Yes some rounds are better then others but if you can shoot u can shoot. If not buy a 6.5 creedmore and stay at 100 yards and impress your friends all day long.
 
NB, I want to go past 500 yards but have to wait until the expland the lanes. There are a couple clubs open on weekends that go out to 1000. I am waiting on a invite to one of those.
 
Hmmm I shoot past 1000 very often if u want a challenge go with .308 if u want a laser beam go with 6.5 creedmore. .308 is accurate I have shot bowling pins at 1000 yards with.308 but 6.5 I could hit on the first or second shot at 1000 instead of my fifth or sixth shot with.308.
 
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You have to have an accurate bbl and a good trigger unless you can master a bad/heavy trigger. My long range shooting mentor has mastered the heavy trigger and he's been at it a long time. I can shoot an inexpensive 18x scope out to 1000yds. Setting up a rifle to shoot 1000yds takes elevation. If your scope doesn't have approx. 36 mins of elevation above 100yd zero, then you need a 15 or 20 minute base. There are people who can shoot lower powered scopes w/o a LR base out to 1000yds but they are probably not 60yrs old. Also, I have several factory bbl rifles that are sub MOA and will ring steel at 1000yds. I've also had factory bbl guns that would not shoot inside an inch at 100yds. I either sold them or rebarrelled them.
 
Tim said:
1A. Technique
1B. Barrel
2. Trigger
3. Ammo
4. Stock
5. Optic
...
237. Receiver (assuming the receiver is not actually defective, as in barrel/receiver interface is square, flush and secure)

In that order.
Click to expand...

The problem with this priority is that mastering 5 out of 6 won’t produce good results if just one of them has a major problem. You should confirm that all areas are match grade. If 5-shot groups are still greater than 1” at 100yds, then start to suspect the receiver/chamber. If groups are small, then fine-tune.
When I get a new rifle, I start with known good ammo and optic, tighten the action screws, and then measure group size. If I’m not immediately satisfied, I systematically check everything on Tim’s list


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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