BFR Accuracy - Disappointing
- Thread starter Gdawgs
- Start date
Well Magnum Research shipped my gun back to me yesterday(exactly four weeks after I shipped it to them). Unfortunately, they didn't let me know they shipped it, so I wasn't home today to sign for it. Hopefully the Fedex man shows up around his usual time tomorrow so I can get it back. I hope they fixed it!
Walklightly
Moderator
If that was the case it would be blowing out bullet shavings out of the sides, wouldn't it?
I got the gun back yesterday. Included was a target with 4 shots placed in a 3/4" group from 25 yds. On another sheet it showed what work was done. It said "None. Only shoot 460 S&W ammunition".
So I took it back out to the range to try some more rounds that I loaded up. I tried some 460 loads that I lightened up a bit (44 grains of Win 296) and some more 460 brass loaded with Trail Boss powder and the lead bullets.
Both types seem to be shooting reasonably. I had a feeling I was flinching pretty badly and maybe that's why my full power loads aren't grouping well. So what I did was just loaded up one live round in the cylinder, gave it a spin and played Russian roullette with the target. I was flinching pretty badly. It's hard not too since the recoil is pretty brutal. I focused really hard on trying not to flinch, and I actually shot a fairly decent group, maybe 3". Better than I have ever done before.
A couple things I've learned. 1) This thing is extremely fussy when it comes to ammo. Like I mentioned before, a 45 Colt load with Unique powder is useless, but other powders give reasonable results with the same bullet and similar velocities (going off the load charts, haven't chronied anything yet). 2) Full power 460 loads have a LOT of recoil, and they are difficult to shoot well(at least for me).
So at this point, I'm going to do some more experimenting with powders and bullets to see if I can find a good load that this thing really likes. Maybe I'll put a scope on it and see if that helps me.
I really want to love this gun, but so far I don't.
Now onto Magnum Research's customer service. I can't say much good about it. There was absolutely no communication whatsoever. You would think they could have at least sent an email saying they received it, but nothing. I called them a couple weeks into it asking what the status was. He said it was still on the bench and they would just ship it to me when it was done. He said it was usually a 2-3 week turn around time, but the accuracy ones can take longer. I requested that I be contacted when they ship it so I would know when it would arrive so I could plan on being home(since you have to sign for it). But they didn't. I received it back in four weeks, which I feel is very reasonalbe (even though they didn't do anything).
Now here's what really ticked me off. The gun comes with plug screws in the two threaded holes for the scope mount. These were missing when I got it back(I'm assuming they mounted a scope on it to test for accuracy). The ejector was also broken. Well not technically broken, but had fallen apart. I know that didn't happen during shipping, so it had to have fallen apart when they used it. So I took it apart and got that fixed. Then(yep, one more) there is a screw that holds the front of the trigger guard in place. That is missing as well. I didn't notice that until I was cleaning it last night, so I'm not sure when that came out. I called MR this morning and they are going to send me the replacement screws.
Anyway, if I can come up with some good loads for this thing, I'll probably keep it. But I have a feeling I may be trading it off for something else somewhere down the road(maybe not that far off).
As a side note, I also brought with my dad's Remington XP-100. Here's a target I shot. This was 5 shots from 50 yds. So that made me feel pretty good. The upper four shots made just over a 1/4" group.
So I took it back out to the range to try some more rounds that I loaded up. I tried some 460 loads that I lightened up a bit (44 grains of Win 296) and some more 460 brass loaded with Trail Boss powder and the lead bullets.
Both types seem to be shooting reasonably. I had a feeling I was flinching pretty badly and maybe that's why my full power loads aren't grouping well. So what I did was just loaded up one live round in the cylinder, gave it a spin and played Russian roullette with the target. I was flinching pretty badly. It's hard not too since the recoil is pretty brutal. I focused really hard on trying not to flinch, and I actually shot a fairly decent group, maybe 3". Better than I have ever done before.
A couple things I've learned. 1) This thing is extremely fussy when it comes to ammo. Like I mentioned before, a 45 Colt load with Unique powder is useless, but other powders give reasonable results with the same bullet and similar velocities (going off the load charts, haven't chronied anything yet). 2) Full power 460 loads have a LOT of recoil, and they are difficult to shoot well(at least for me).
So at this point, I'm going to do some more experimenting with powders and bullets to see if I can find a good load that this thing really likes. Maybe I'll put a scope on it and see if that helps me.
I really want to love this gun, but so far I don't.
Now onto Magnum Research's customer service. I can't say much good about it. There was absolutely no communication whatsoever. You would think they could have at least sent an email saying they received it, but nothing. I called them a couple weeks into it asking what the status was. He said it was still on the bench and they would just ship it to me when it was done. He said it was usually a 2-3 week turn around time, but the accuracy ones can take longer. I requested that I be contacted when they ship it so I would know when it would arrive so I could plan on being home(since you have to sign for it). But they didn't. I received it back in four weeks, which I feel is very reasonalbe (even though they didn't do anything).
Now here's what really ticked me off. The gun comes with plug screws in the two threaded holes for the scope mount. These were missing when I got it back(I'm assuming they mounted a scope on it to test for accuracy). The ejector was also broken. Well not technically broken, but had fallen apart. I know that didn't happen during shipping, so it had to have fallen apart when they used it. So I took it apart and got that fixed. Then(yep, one more) there is a screw that holds the front of the trigger guard in place. That is missing as well. I didn't notice that until I was cleaning it last night, so I'm not sure when that came out. I called MR this morning and they are going to send me the replacement screws.
Anyway, if I can come up with some good loads for this thing, I'll probably keep it. But I have a feeling I may be trading it off for something else somewhere down the road(maybe not that far off).
As a side note, I also brought with my dad's Remington XP-100. Here's a target I shot. This was 5 shots from 50 yds. So that made me feel pretty good. The upper four shots made just over a 1/4" group.
bluetopper
New member
The gun is going to shoot where it's aimed.............and the hotter the load the better groupings you will get. You will also have better luck with downloads if you use 460 brass. The gun is designed around the 460 cartridge so don't berate it if you use something different.
Mastering the super magnums takes savvy and experience.
Mastering the super magnums takes savvy and experience.