[Josey Wales '94]

We (my dad and me) went out to our lease yesterday to try out some 200 gr 30-06 handloads we loaded for elk. 200 yrd zero. We shot about 15 rounds and were doin real good, but eventually, about 25 rounds into it, the groups opened up so bad we werent even hitting the 8"x8" paper any more, either of us. Is this due to a hot barrel? We let the rifle sit and sighted in my AR, then shot the 100 yrd target we then had set up. Approx. 1.5 MOA.
Please tell me if you have any other suggestions on this.
If it is the barrel being hot, then will a Savage 30-06 be a better quality rifle. This is a Remington model 710

[powg]

shooting that many rounds through any sporter barrel with out cool down will cause groups to scatter ...200 grn is a heavy bullet just shoot 3 rounds then let it cool completely. the 1.5moa is a very good group considering the 710 is remingtons lowest priced bolt gun ....but it is a good value that can be updated with better quality items such as a metal triggerguard /floorplate assy. better stock ,etc and still same money ..the savage is a great gun with great accuracy out of box...in essence its a toss up ,as far as elk loads try the barnes 165 -168 triple shock x bullets...they will shoot flatter ,penetrate and expand at all ethical ranges and not beat you up like a 200 grn will in a light rifle ...good luck on your elk hunt

[cpttango30]

If you are shooting rackin round shooting one right after another yes barrel heat was the culprit. Now if this is a wood stocked or a cheap plastic stock like most low end guns today (Think Remington SPS) the barrel heat could heat the stock and cause it to flex and add more pressure to the stock barrel contact.

[spittinfire]

I have a Mossberg ATR which is an entry level rifle, in 30-06. When I shoot this rifle cool down time is manditory. It doesn't take long for the barrel to get hot and groups to open up. As mentioned, I shoot 3 shots and let it cool, then 3 more until I get it sighted. I often take several other weapons to play with while I'm sighting it in because if it's 85 outside the cooling down takes a little time.

[robocop10mm]

25 rounds in, say, 30 minutes is a lot of shooting for a lightweight barrel.

For a hunting load, you are really looking for what is called a cold bore zero. you wnat to set the scope for where the first round is going to hit. If you are hunting deer/elk the first shot is the absolute most important one. To obtain this zero, you have to start with a cold barrel.

1.5" from that gun and that bullet weight is outstanding, go with it.

[joshfireart]

One shot one kill. I Had a 710 300 WIN MAG. it was very accurate, but it was the worst riffle i have ever owned the bolt system was terrible the bolt would open when you where walking, and on a quick reload it would hang up. I bought site unseen NIB from a guy who needed the money real bad, he told me it was a REM 700. glad to see it go new hunter happy as a clam

[hunter Joe]

Thumbs up to the above posters, good advice brought by all.

[stalkingbear]

To begin with, the model 710 is the biggest centerfire POS that Remington has ever put out. There's 2 kinds of model 710s-those that have messed up, and those that will. They are not worth trying to upgrade anything on except perhaps the scope. I'd STRONGLY advise trading it in before you have bolt problems. I used to have people that bought them at Wal-Mart bring them to me to fix/return to Remington. This was numbering in the dozens btw so I DO know what I'm talking about. They were designed to be disposable after several hundred rounds. You cannot change everything on them as 1 poster suggested. The barrel cannot be changed.

Now that my rant is over, as a rule of thumb-never get a barrel so hot you cannot hold it firmly in your hand. The reason a barrel gets inaccurate or walks when hot is stress. Stress relieving should be done after all machining or rifling takes place. That's seldom the case with cheaper factory barrels.

Heat is a barrel's worst enemy. What you're doing when getting it hot like that is burning up the throat. It's severely damaging your barrel throat by shooting it that fast. You'll soon experience accuracy deterioration as the throat burns up. Go get/trade for a Savage or Marlin XL-7 and you'll be a LOT happier.

[skullcrusher]

Great thread.

Was there not a massive recall on the 710? I seem to remember one, but I don't know what the major problem was with them. I believe Remmy replaced the 710 with the 790 which is now the cheapest bolt gun they make. Just throwing that in there, and if I am wrong let me know.

[stalkingbear]

It's the "improved" model 770 which replaced the model 710. Personally I wouldn't have either 1. It just don't make sense to buy them when much better rifles are out there for the choosing at around the same price range.