Hello again Coleman.
So far, I have only shot 17 groups, and three deer with it, and since floating the barrel, it has done real well with the 5 different loads I have put through it.
Before the barrel was floated, I shot four 3 shot groups after sighting in the scope. Two groups with Federal 150 grain Power shock bullets, which were under 2 inches. Then two more 3 shot groups with the favored hand loads for my 700 Remington. these two groups were about 1 1/2 inch, and the load consists of Hornady 150 grain sp, Winchester primer, Remington case, and 58.7 grains of IMR 4350.
After floating the barrel, I fired 10 3 shot groups. 2 with 150 grain Federal power shok factory loads, 2 with 150 grain Remington Core Loct factory loads, 2 with the 150 grain Hornady hand load, 2 with the same hand load with 3/10ths grain less powder, and 2 with the hand load with 3/10ths more powder.
8 of the groups were sub minute, and for sure, 1 of the other two was my fault, with a called flier.
The day before leaving for deer camp, I wanted to see if extended fire would cause the point of impact to change, so I fired three 5 shot groups as rapidly as I could, using five each of my hand load, the Federal factory loads, and three with the Remington factory loads. The point of impact didn't change, and if I would have slowed down a bit, the group sizes would have been smaller, but they were still acceptable hunting accuracy.
I have only fired 150 (my favored weight for deer) grain bullets, but the rifle didn't seem to care what brand or load was used.
When the weather gets nicer here in Minnesota, I will be doing more testing with my handloads, but the factory stuff was only purchased as a control measure, to see how the rifle liked them. They will be the last factory loads this rifle sees, at least as long as I am still around ?
