When it just will just not shoot….

And by this I mean accurately.  Each type of rifle will have a certain level of expectation for accuracy.  Generally, a factory rifle should not out shoot a custom built rifle.  But all rifle can run into issues. As modern manufacturing techniques improve, more and more ‘mass produced’ bolt actions are shooting below 1 MOA.  But when a gun will not shoot to expectations, what to you do?  Here is a simple list of things to check on the gun itself

1. Check the bedding screws.  Are they tight?  And when tight, is the action tight in the stock?  A long screw will be tight, but not hold the action properly in the stock.  With the stock held by a vise or in a cleaning jig, grab the barrel and see if it moves.  There will the normal flex of the barrel, but you should not see the action shift in the stock.
2. Barrel channel clearance.  Most modern rifle are meant to have space between the barrel and the stock.  The old method to test this was to slide a dollar bill between the barrel and stock.  The thickness of the dollar being the proper clearance.  I have found this to be an issue with many of the new injection molded stock.  Over time and exposure to heat, the stock will move.  So this is something to monitor.
3. Scope mounts.  Check all the screws,  This means the bases and scope rings.  Especially with larger caliber firearms, the shock Put on the scope and mounts is massive.  If you are comfortable, remove the bases screws, clean, and re-install with a fresh coat of blue loctite.
4. Muzzle brakes – Does your rifle have one?  If so, shoot a group without the brake on the rifle.  The are are various ways a break can affect a rifle’s accuracy.
5. Scope – Even the best scopes can fail.  Swap out the scope and see what happens.
6. Twist rate – Especially in the 223, it is wise to confirm the twist rate of your gun.  You may not be shooting a ammunition that can preform properly in your gun.  Take a cleaning rod and get a tight fitting patch in the bore.  Mark the top of the rod.  Push the rod until the mark comes back to the top.  The distance the rod move will give you an idea of the twist rate of your barrel.  In factory built 223 Rem, it can go from 1 – 7 in to 1 – 12 in.  One will stabilize 69gr bullet, one will not.  So save some frustration and know the twist rate of your barrel.