Love the gun, hate how it shoots

[outdoorguy]

I have an 17 HMR that shoots great (Savage), but didn't want to beat it up in the woods, night preditor hunting, so I got a good deal on a Rossi single shot 17 HMR. Scoped it, twice, still the best groups are over 3" at 50 yards. The gun is so ugly it's cute and very handy, but I can't get it to shoot. I wasn't expecting a target rifle, but most HMR's shoot very well , and if this gun could have kept to 1 1/2" I would have been happy. but three inches and it just seems to scatter the shots around. Any suggestion. I'm going to shoot it tonight with forearm off and suppoting it with the frame to see if there is any indication that floating the forearm will help. I've shot three brands of ammo with no improvement. I would hate to dump the gun and move on, but three inch groups on a gun meant to shoot at night when you are already visually handicapped is not practical. Is this a fluke of these guns, or was I just lucky and got the one with the bad barrel? Anyone else have a Rossi HMR? How's it shoot. The only other thing I can think of is one of those rubber things that goes over the barrel to deaden vibration. Maybe it's that long whippy barrel that is the problem.

Oh first post by the way. I like the forum.

Outdoorguy

[mardrobe]

I can't help you, but will be following the thread as I have the same problem.  I took mine out yesterday and had 2.5 to 3 inch groups using CCI Gamepoints and FMJ rounds.  In addition to the large group size at 50 yards, I also found that the FMJ centered 6 inches to the left of the Gamepoints.  Both were 20 grains.  I am going out again this afternoon or in the morning to try differnt types of ammunition.

[outdoorguy]

Ok, I removed the forearm and fired 10 rounds at 50 yards at a 2" target dot. It seems this would simulate free floating the barrel. Group measured 4" top to bottom and about 2 1/2" wide. Not encouraging. This was with Federal TNT's. I placed a rubber gromet that just fit over the barrel stud and tightened it firm but not tight. The groups seemed to improve. the first three shot group was around an inch. The second maybe 3/4". Then a 5 shot group, 4 went into 2" with a 5th opening it up to 4" I think the gromet helped maybe by giving the barrel a consistent pinch point but once it started to heat up it sprayed bullets. My feeling is that there is little you can do to improve this barrel, and it may stem from the odd way they shaped the barrel beyond the chamber, that off center slope. I will continue to work on the problem, but it may be without a solution, short of a new heavy barrel and I don't think it's worth the money. I can buy a Savage that I know will shoot under an inch at that range and probably under a 1/2" for $179, with backup shots. Luck I've only got a hundred in it and may at some point come up with a heavy barrel to experiment with. I see Rossi has no email contact on their web site. I could send them a snail mail, but feel if they wanted to deal with customer complaints they would make it easier. I'll will update any further.

Outdoorguy

[mardrobe]

I called Rossi customer service and was told they could work on it if I send it to them, though they would need the gun for 3 to 4 weeks.  They also indicated the guns are only tested for 1 inch groups at 25 yards.  I took the gun apart and found that the bracket on the front stock was mounted off center which was putting a lot of pressure on the left side of the barrel.  Also it fit very tight and was difficult to remove.   I smoothed it out with sandpaper and have it fitted without binding now.  I also added a felt pad just behind the mounting lug to give the barrel slight clearance from the wood.   I will shoot it tomorrow and report the results.

[outdoorguy]

The more I handle this gun the more I like it. I placed a piece of thin dense cardboard right at the front of the forearm to form pinch point and turned the stock screw in firmly, the group tightened to right at 1 1/8" at 50 yards with Fed TNT's and raised the groups about 2 1/2" which I recentered. I'm going to lay off messing with it for a few days as my brothers are coming to the woods for a few days varmint hunting.

ODG

[myarmor]

You might want to look over at the NEF/H&R Centirefire forum and check out the FAQs page at the top. Though they are a different rifle most of the principles apply.
For example your bore may be very rough and may need a polishing. I haven't heard a lot of rimfires that need this, but there have been a few.
Also I would carefully check out the muzzle. Use a Q-Tip around the end to see if there is any slight nicks  on it.
Another thing that might help out a lot is to bed your forearm. This would give you an even and consistant pressure on your barrel.
 Again all this is in the FAQs page over there. Sometimes it doesn't have to be the exact same rifle for good suggestions to work.


-Aaron

[J. Plate]

Just to add....and, as was said above, it's a different gun....

but...I have the NEF Sportster in HMR and have had no luck getting the 20 gr. stuff to group as well as the v-max stuff.   I would try buying a box of the 17 gr. V-Max stuff in any of the brands that have it......Hornady being a starting point.   For most of the HMR's, the v-max bullets are the top shooters.

[mardrobe]

I have improved my Rossi some, though still not what I would like out of this caliber.  During my last shooting session, I discovered that if I sight in with 20 grain Hornaday or CCI Gamepoints the rifle will shoot both to the same point.  However if I switch to 20 grain FMJ the groups move 6 inches to the left and 17 grain Federal Spitfires were off the target at 50 yards.  (about 12 inches).  What would cause this much left to right movement?

[mardrobe]

The above results were at 50 yards.

[outdoorguy]

After working the gun over, bedding it at the pin junction, adding a pinch point at the end of the forearm, switching to Hornaday V-Max and adding a SVL De-resonator it is shooting consistantly 3/4 to 1" at 50 yards.

[mardrobe]

What is a Deresonator?

[myarmor]

Here's one with a decent description.
http://www.ramseyoutdoor.com/products/details.aspx?g=hunting&sg=&ssg=&pid=12051&bid=SIMSVIBRATI&rid=3
I have never used one, but seems they can be useful at times...though they are Uuuuugggllllyyyy