Winchester supergrade 338 winmag won't shoot. Need help please

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Boogershooter

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Been trying to find a factory ammo for my new rifle that it shoots well. I've limited myself to 200 grain bullets because for atleast this year I won't be going after elk. I started with the hornady sst's and winchester powerpoints. Neither shot better than 4 inches. Decided it may be the scope after some 10 inch groups. As a rule I give the barrel 3 minutes between shots for a 3 shot string. Completely remounted the nikon monarch 7 checking every screw. Nothing loose. Cleaned barrel and tried again. Couldn't get any two shots within 3 inches of each other. Took gun apart and sanded down one small tight spot in the stock. Yes a $bill would slide past but a Lil resistance before the sanding but definitely free floated now. Tried again. Same erratic (pattern) because it defiantly wasn't a group. Took a leupold off another rifle and tried it. First two shots at 100 yards were half inch apart but third was 4 inches high. Waited 10 minutes to fire 4th shot and it wasn't even on paper. Had two other accomplished shooters try it and couldn't do any better. Only two because nobody else would shoot it. Is my recoil killing scopes or do I have a bad barrel?
 
can you tell us about the ammo?

I figure you have something else going on from what SHOULD be an MOA rifle. check the crown(nicks, damge). check the barrel(chatter, bulges). check the stock fitment(loose, any play?). what's the brass looking like afterwards? are these handloads?
 
Hornady sst 200 grain factory and winchester 200 grain power points factory. 2 gun smith's looked at the crown they said it looked good. Throat also looked good. No visible marks on the brass
 
I've had a Leupold on my Savage from the start and had no problems shooting full house handloads up to 275 grains. That experience and your description says it's probably not the scope.

I did experience some loosening of the action screws during range sessions early on. Now I check them every time I start a session. That's on the Savage Accustock, and it may not apply to your Winchester, but check it out.

It may be that your rifle simply doesn't like 200 grain loads, although that would surprise me. But try some other weights.

Finally, and no offense meant, are you and your fellow experienced shooters experienced with the .338? I am a big proponent of this round, but it does take some getting used to. Good luck with your rifle.
 
If you're not flinching, then I'd look at the scope/mounts. The telling piece is the behavior of the scope on a second rifle.
 
sounds perplexing, I agree to trying a different bullet weight ( though the 200 grain would be reasonably light for the caliber )... if it's not that, or the scope or mounts, next place I'd look would be the bedding... & then perhaps inspect the chamber, & then slug the bore...

if everything checks out, you can also look for a shooter expirienced in shooting light weight magnums off the bench, & see if that is the problem... or try shooting while standing, with a field rest & see if that helps... 338 Winmag is both punishing in a light weight rifle & when shooting prone or off the bench, as I'm sure you are witnessing
 
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What rifle support method are you using to test? I strongly recomend a sturdy front rest and a rear bag. This will omit as much as possible shooter deficiencies and allow for consistiant shot repetability.when I began testing my .300wm. Sondero I got quickly frustrated as my barrel shot poorly with 180's to 200's. Best I was getting was 1.75 moa at 200 meters. I got a tip from another 300wm precision shooter to load up 208 amax's and try H1000 powder. I did and wow what a huge difference in a bullet! This combo immediately got me to about .8 moa at 200 meters.
 
Did you try lining up the cross hairs on the target and dry firing it to see if your moving? 338's can be pretty rough recoil wise. As Road _Clam said a good rest is very important.
 
I know you said there was nothing loose but when you tried the second scope I assume it was on the same mount and rings. If so the mount with rings is the only thing besides the rifle that you have not changed. I'd be looking at them real hard before I went to the trouble of dealing with a sick rifle.
 
Free floating gives no guarantee of anything. Federal match grade doesn't come in .338 Win Mag.
"...my recoil killing scopes..." Not a chance of that happening with 2 or 3 shots.
Sounds like a flinch to me. A Win M70 Supergrade only weighs 8 lbs. 8 oz. Muzzle energy of the Hornady 200 is 4076 ft/lbs. It's gonna smart to shoot.
 
You might try having a buddy load your rifle for you,and slip you an unloaded chamber once in a while.
That may tell you the problem.
As you shoot,really focus on seeing the crosshairs on target when the rifle jumps.Be able to point to a target on your bench and say "Right here" is where the crosshairs were.
 
Yes the two other guys that have shot this rifle are very accomplished shooters. I know when I flinch because it does happen from time to time. The blast from my lazeroni will get you even tho it doesn't hurt. I have some 225 and 250 ordered. Not many gun shops here in la carry a big selection of them. Yes we have done everything to the gun we know of short of removing the barrel then putting back together. Throat looks great. Crown looks great. I pulled a S&B off one of my sako's just to try when the ammo arrives. That scope has never left it's mate since the day I bought them but hey marriages don't last like they used to. I don't think it's the scope, I think the barrel has a defect that we can't find. If'n the new ammo don't cure the bacon then a new barrel will b ordered. It won't be from FN tho. I love model 70's but if I'm gona rebarrel now I may go ahead and get what I want.
 
I stand corrected. It is the same base and rings but Ive never had a issue with leupold base and rings. Give me 10 mins and that won't b a issue anymore.
 
I'm right handed. My right hand is the only hand that touches the gun. I shoot off a cement 6 inch thick table. I shoot from bags 99% of the time. I did try a led sled but made no difference. The recoil on this gun truly isn't that bad. I have 5 1/2 lb 308's that are alot less comfortable to shoot. I'm not the greatest shot but I'm not a rookie.
 
Sorry I keep posting but it was bedtime in a madhouse. Yes the monarch 7 was remounted on a old very accurate remington 700 in 30-06. Scoped tracked almost perfect. It was 6 inches high and 6 inches left. I moved 24 clicks both directions. Was still a inch left and 2 inches high. I moved 4 clicks both directions and was 3/4 inch high dead on left/right. Fired a proof shot to be sure and it was on the money. This is 100 yards. Let the barrel cool off for 1 hr and played with a couple other rifles. Put it on the bench and shot a five shot group. Scope stayed true.
 
So you've verified that the optic is good. You could try pressure bedding the barrel with a few business cards to see if that will "tune" the system to produce a tighter group with some of the commercial ammo you have on hand.

Or you could see if a handloader would help you work up an accurate load for the rifle. More than once I've worked up a load for someone else's rifle and given them the recipe so they can load their own once they get set up.

Sticking with commercial ammo makes it difficult to figure out how to make your rifle shoot tighter.
 
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