bushmaster varminter

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - bushmaster varminter

Posted: 7/28/2005 6:12:19 PM EDT

how well can aperson expect one of these to shoot? i have shot 5 different kinds of ammo, all from a benchrest at 100 yrds and the best group i have gotten is 1.5 inches. any help please? thanks in advance.

Posted: 7/28/2005 6:25:27 PM EDT

[#1]

Look here: How Accurate is a Bushmaster?

Posted: 7/28/2005 6:35:48 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
how well can aperson expect one of these to shoot? i have shot 5 different kinds of ammo, all from a benchrest at 100 yrds and the best group i have gotten is 1.5 inches. any help please? thanks in advance.

Ammo make and weight? Any handloads?

Posted: 7/28/2005 6:36:21 PM EDT

[#3]

Iron sights or optic? If optic, what type? How good are you usually shooting?

To be honest, the weapon is probably more capable than both of us....

Posted: 7/28/2005 7:08:30 PM EDT

[#4]

What optic? The rifle is capable of 1/4" groups at 100 yards. So it's either you or the optic. Or both.

Posted: 7/28/2005 7:35:59 PM EDT

[#5]

Most rifles can outshoot the rifleman unless there is a problem with the rifle or ammo, as an example my best group with handloads has been .222" inch at 100 yds, but with some types of factory ammo, XM193 for an example, the best groups run around 2".

Lots of variables involved!

Posted: 7/28/2005 7:38:18 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Most rifles can outshoot the rifleman unless there is a problem with the rifle or ammo, as an example my best group with handloads has been .222" inch at 100 yds, but with some types of factory ammo, XM193 for an example, the best groups run around 2".

Lots of variables involved!

True. You said you shot 5 types of ammo. What were they?

Posted: 7/28/2005 8:41:40 PM EDT

[#7]

check out the ammo oracle and you'll see that xm193 general gives 1-2moa performace--something confirmed on the board here by lots of shooters including me. I can get .5-.75MOA with black hill out of my varminter but only about 1.2-1.5MOA with xm193. If you're getting 1.5MOA you're probably getting max performace out of that ammo. Try some match grade stuff--federal or Black Hills and make sure you've got a weight appropriate for your barrel's twist. IF your still only getting 1.5MOA, its you or there's a problem. A factory varminter should be getting at least under 1inch at 100yrds (1moa). IF you can't get under an inch, check your optics (make sure it is solid), then check your free float tube and make sure it isn't in contact with the barrel.

Good luck

Posted: 7/28/2005 9:10:12 PM EDT

[#8]

I have a BM 24 inch V-match with a leupold 3x9x40 scope. With Hornady varmint ammo 55 gr V-Max it will shot dime size groups at 100 yards. With my handloads I get quarter size groups. I suspect that the Varminter should get about the same and probably better due to its target trigger. Out at 300 yards oranges are challenging but fun!

Posted: 7/28/2005 9:33:47 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
i have shot 5 different kinds of ammo, all from a benchrest at 100 yrds and the best group i have gotten is 1.5 inches.

[Clinton]I feel your pain [/Clinton]

Man, I have been there, done that. My Varminter is finicky like you wouldn't believe. Winchester, Black Hills, Remington -- no luck. I've had the best success with Federal 50gr JHP, though I don't have a group size to give you -- I pretty much gave up trying to get pinpoint accuracy from the darn thing. I have a .223 Savage bolt-action that will go 1/4 - 1/2" with almost anything I feed it. But not the Varminter!!!

Give the Federal ammo a try, if you haven't already.

Posted: 7/29/2005 3:38:17 AM EDT

[#10]

i have shot 52 gr blackhills match, ultramax with 55gr nosler balistic tip, winchester 55gr silvertip, my handloaded bullets with 55 gr basliistic tip with 25.4gr of benchmark and a 69gr sierra matchking. the scope is a luepold vx2 6-18. I hade a springfield scope on it and then switched to the luepold to make sure the scope was not a problem , this scope was on a savage 12 vss and this would shoot a 1/4 5 shot group on a good day from a benchrest and a 1/2 on a bad day. i live in the dakotas and shoot thousands of rounds at prariedogs in a year so i am used to shooting off of a bench. This gun has also had the factory 2 stage trigger replaced with a chip mcormick single stage and the trigger pull is about 2 lbs. sorry i should have posted all of this the first time. Im new, I will learn I promise .

Posted: 7/29/2005 4:38:46 AM EDT

[#11]

Sounds like you shot plenty of ammo and some good selections to boot. I'd call Bushmaster and send the gun back, I have a bushy chrome lined superlight that shoots that good. The only varminter that I've shot does 1/2" groups with the ultramax 55 gr balllistic tips. Bushmaster touts this gun as being extremely accurate, I bet they'd take care of it.

Posted: 7/29/2005 5:10:00 AM EDT

[#12]

I have a rifle built up to the bushmaster varminter. Shooting Winchester 45gr bulk pest ammo from Wal-Mart, at 100 yards, it tags .22MOA. Only issue i have had with it is it is a picky eater, and you gotta clean it well. Every 100 rounds, I run some solvent through the bore. If you are feeding it good ammo, and its clean, then check the crown, as well as the scope mounts. Even a LITTLE play in those mounts can throw your groups wild. 'QD' mounts will add at minimum 1 MOA. Make sure you get properly setup for cleaning, autos are a little trickier than bolt actions. Get some chamber stars to get those damn lugs, as grit in there can also throw a curve at ya. If its clean, mounts are tight, and the ammos good, then it probably needs to go back to BM.

*EDIT* Splelling

Posted: 7/29/2005 5:15:34 AM EDT

[#13]

I have a Varminter and all I shoot out of it is Bulk ammo from Cabelas 55gr FMJ

the pick is a small pellet gun target that's in my hand. I shot the little metal bar holding the target to the uframe. it's about the size of a wood match stick.

my varminter can shoot five shot groups at 100yards the size of a dime.

Posted: 7/29/2005 5:50:10 AM EDT

[#14]

I called bushmaster and the guy told me to try a couple of different bullets and if that dont work give him a call and he will figue something out. I guess we will see.

Posted: 7/29/2005 6:37:10 AM EDT

[#15]

My Varminter can shoot 1/2 inch groups (at 100) with Winchester and Remington UMC 55grain. I have a Simmons scope on it and love the combination.

Good luck with yours. Hope you find the problem that's causing you to shoot 1.5" groups!!!!

Posted: 7/29/2005 8:00:00 PM EDT

[#16]

Bushy has excellent customer service. I am willing to bet if you still have no luck they will replace the bbl. Maybe even the whole upper. I sent a lower back to them due to poor machining. They were supposed to switch the old parts to a new stripped lower and send it back to me. They sent be a brand new complete lower.

Posted: 8/17/2005 5:14:06 PM EDT

[#17]

I thought i would update you guys on bushmasters great customer service. The gun smith shot my rifle and agread that it should shoot better then that so they are going to rebarrel it and reshoot.

thanks bass

Posted: 8/17/2005 5:17:49 PM EDT

[#18]

I thought i would update you guys on bushmasters great customer service. The gun smith shot my rifle and agread that it should shoot better then that so they are going to rebarrel it and reshoot.

thanks bass

Posted: 8/17/2005 5:29:22 PM EDT

[#19]

Good to hear. Another +1 for Bushy CS

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - bushmaster varminter

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