Winchester Featherweight Incosistent Groups

[high country]

as much as it sucks.....pull the scope again. throw the alignment dowels in it, tighten the rings and see what is up. typically when a gun goes 3moa it is either not stabilizing bullets or optic related.....imo. I would suggest pulling the bolt and making sure the base screws do not contact the bolt. if everything is hunky dorie, go to the range and add a bit of pressure to the barrel out near the tip of the stock.....about 5lbs worth should do......does your group change in size, or just move up? if it changes in size we can get to it.

when you shoot from the bench does your barrel touch anything?  what is your technique for bench shooting?

[davew]

I've got an older Featherweight model 70 that shoots much better with a pressure point on the barrel than with it free floated.  When I floated the barrel, it wouldn't shoot less than 2" groups.  With a pressure point, I can get sub 1" with the right loads. 

It's a 30/06, and shoots much better with 180's than 150's.  You might want to try different bullets through yours, too. 

I glass bedded the action and put the pressure point in using fiberglass tape and epoxy resin. 

[Sporting_Man]

Thank you all. Decided to sell (maybe trade) the rifle.    I don't want to deal with it, because if I modify anything on, it will be worth less money - should I eventually have to sell it.
Besides, ammo is not cheap, so excessive range visits cost serious money, escpecially for rifles that are inconstistent like this one.

[wsmnut]

Don't give up yet.  I  had a Model 70 Classic Sporter from New Haven that performed very much as you have described.  Tried everything.  Multiple loads, different scopes, had it properly bedded, clean, fouled, cold, warm.      It would occaisionally group a nice cloverleaf, and I would think "cool" got it.  Then the next time out, not so good.  I finally took it to my local gunsmith and had him check the barrel, after a discussion of what I had gone through. He scoped the bore and said "There is nothing to be done for this barrel."  It had a rough spot about 3/4 of the way down the barrel that was abrading the bullet on the way by.  It would smooth over a bit as you fired it, and at a certain level of fouling would yield a decent group, then it would gather too much copper and start throwing bad shots again.
I called Browning/Winchester Service.  They said "send us that rifle".  A few weeks later they sent me a NEW rifle.  How is that for customer service?
Give them a try.

wsmnut

[Bob33]

At least try a few groups with foreend pressure before giving up.  Take a business card or two and slide them between the barrel and foeeend tip.

[buckman]

It would be a shame to give up on a gun that you like so well. I see you have had quite a few suggestions and all good ones I might add. Here’s a couple more you might mull over before throwing in the towel. I see all the ammo you have been using is 130gr. My first suggestion would be to try shooting a few round of 150gr ammo. Second suggestion would be to take the gun to a local gun smith and have him hone and crown the barrel. All this would take less then 100 dollars. Hope this helps…

[Alchase]

Some great advice given here. Personally I would start with the cheapest and in my experience the most common culprit the gun not liking the ammo. I would do as suggested and move up in bullet weight. Then if no improvement, I would try another bullet or two before giving up on the rifle.

[MagKarl]

I have a similar rifle, mine is an early 90's Fwt in 30-06.  One of the biggest factory flaws in these rifles is the lack of solid bedding.  Have you personally inspected your bedding?  Mine is currently disassembled for a  bedding re-do.  The factory bedding is a little squirt of hot glue gun type gunk at the recoil lug, that's it.  Mine was broken, half stuck to the stock, half to the barrel.  I have not heard or read of anyone bedding a M70 action that did not get an improvement in grouping.  I wish I was done with mine and could tell you how much it helped, but I just haven't had time to get it done yet.       

[woodswalker]

The factory bedding is a little squirt of hot glue gun type gunk at the recoil lug, that's it.

Yup, that is why mine get PROPERLY rebedded...then shot for group and pressure upward applied to check that.  THEN I get serious about shrinking the groups.

[GoldTip]

I had an early 90's featherweight in 22-250.  Only gun I could never get to shoot consistently.  tried everything mentioned here, including trigger work and rebedding.  Never, ever got it to shoot consistently.  Finally traded it off at a gun show on a 25-06 that has always shot lights out.  That Model 70 featherweight is the only gun that I don't regret getting rid of over the years.

[Sporting_Man]

Well, it's happened - I simply traded it in for another Winchester 70. This time, it is a Sporter in the same caliber. Not a fancy wood like the other one, but this barrel looks heftier and bottom line - 24'' barrel is more appropriate for 270Win IMO. Sure enough, not as pretty as Featherweight (this is more like plain jane wood), but I will know how to appreciate and love it if it turns to be a good performer.
What I like about this one is a comfy cheekpiece, which gives a better ballance for sure. The Sporter should be much more consistent - it better be!!! I am hoping for the best. Will slap a Leupold VX-II 3-9X40 on it and hit the range on Friday.
Thank you all for encouragement and advice.