22 Accuracy Problem

[DeepSouth]

I have a 22 Browning A-Bolt that my dad bought me for Christmas in 1993. When I first got it I shot it a lot, probably +/- a brick a month for two or three years, needless to say it has had thousands of rounds through it. It shot dang-it good, commonly clover leafing at 50 yards. I bought a new scope for it several years ago because a cross hair broke on the old one, but haven't shot it much since.

For the past 6 or 8 years it has just hung in the gun rack, occasionally coming down to shoot at an Armadillo or plinker in the yard. Well my oldest son was in need of a good 22 so I got it out and tried to check and make sure it was still zeroed, and it looked liked I tried to pattern my 12ga.

I have since tried probably a dozen different kinds of ammo and the best 'group' I have gotten was probably around 4" at 50 yards. I have checked the bedding with the dollar bill down the barrel method and all seemed well. I have cleaned the barrel until I thought I was going to remove the rifling's with bore cleaner. I have also bought a new scope for it mainly because I was never happy with the old (cheap) one, but I figured it was possible (but not likely) it was the problem, I have not installed and sighted in yet,

I don't know if this is something that happened suddenly or gradually because I haven't shot the gun a lot over the last decade or so. I wouldn't think sitting in a gun rack would hurt it but I'm trying to think of anything. I know it has had several thousand rounds through it but I can't remember ever hearing of a barrel getting 'worn out' on a 22.

As you can tell I am no gun smith, I'm just wondering if I might be overlooking something obvious. If any of you guys have an idea of something it might be I'd be interested to know it.

Thanks for reading my long winded post and for any info you migh have.
DS

 

[BADUNAME27]

Two things to check.

The barrel may be leaded up real bad.

The barrel may be due for a replacement.


K, here's smallbore 101:

rimfire ammo, regardless of how good it is uses a solid lead bullet. That bullet will smear itself into a bore over time. The only way to get it out is to use a solvent with strong capillary action. Lead won't react the way copper does when exposed to ammonia.

KROIL is really good for scrubbing lead from a smallbore barrel. It stinks to high heaven but it gets it done.

Typical smallbore barrels will begin opening up around the 30-40 thousand round mark. The throat area will develop a crescent moon shadow/shape/look to it. It'll start down low around 5:30/6:30 and will gradually creep up to almost 3 and 9 o clock. If you look at it with a bore scope it'll have a frosty look to it.

If you have this, time to either get a new gun or hang a new barrel on it if you want it to shoot well again.

I've built a big pile of smallbore guns used in ISSF/Olympic competition. They last a long time, but there is an expiration date.

Good luck.

Chad

 

[Chawbaccer]

Check the crown, you may have gotten a ding on it during storage.

 

[Runningman]

I have also bought a new scope for it mainly because I was never happy with the old (cheap) one, but I figured it was possible (but not likely) it was the problem, I have not installed and sighted in yet,

What changed? I think you may have answered your own question. Try out the new scope you already own it. Get a baseline with your new scope.

I have had accuracy problems go away, getting rid of cheap scopes a few times over the years. The most extreme example was a marlin bolt 22 that would shoot 1 1/2" 50 yards groups on a bad day with so so ammo. Did some scope swapping and put a cheap china made scope on this marlin. Turned it into an instant 6" grouping 50 yard gun! No more cheap china made scopes for me.

Something else you might check is make sure the action screw(s) are snug. Wood can contract over the years and change the tension on the action screws.

Also are you testing off a benchrest set up or what?

 

[rcmodel]

I betcha the new scope fixes it.

Cheap scopes are known for things like brittle plastic turret parts and glued-in lens.

Over that much time just hanging around, something probably came unstuck inside the old cheap scope.

I collect old winchesters. The Browning barrel is at least as good a quility, and probably better steel then they used 50 - 100 years ago.

They don't just suddenly wear out and start shooting shotgun patterns unless the muzzle crown got dinged.

rc

 

[CZguy]

Yep, I think Runningman and rxmodel have it figured out.

I have a Remington model 34 given to me by my Grandfather fifty years ago that I've been trying to wear out ever since. It still shoots just fine.

 

[DeepSouth]

Well last night I took the gun down as far as I was conformable and throughly cleaned the action, bolt, trigger assembly, barrel, and everything I could get to. I sighted in the new scope and guess what. My first group was less than an inch at around 40 yards, using a hand rail on the front porch as a rest. So I think when I get out some bags and really check it (and fine tune the sight in process) I'll be happy with the results.

I guess the problem was the scope, but man I think I cleaned junk out of that trigger from 1993, there was even a LOADED 22 bullet lodged down in there. Thanks for all the advice and info. I just wasn't to optimistic about the new scope, I figured a 22 would be okay with nearly any scope.....Wronge again, but this time I'm glad.

Thanks Again
DS

 

[DeepSouth]

Update

I bought another 22 so this one kind of got pushed to the back burner for a few months. Anyway I finally got to take the gun and put in the ol trusty lead sled and I the best I could get out of it was about 1 1/2 groups, at 30 yards. Obliviously I think it should do better.

If any one can think of something else I'm open to suggestions. I'm thinking about just replacing the barrel just to have that eliminated, but somehow I'm betting that will set me back a dollar or two more than I want to be set back.

 

[rcmodel]

Again, the same suggestions would apply to this rifle that applied to the Browning.

Clean the crap out of the barrel with a bronze bore brush & nitro solvent, and check the action screw/screws and scope mount.

Again, .22 RF barrels will last longer then you will, unless abused somehow.
Replacing a .22 barrel that once shot good is a waste of mony as nothing happens to them over a lifetime of shooting unless you screw it up with a cleaning rod or it rusts shut.

rc

 

[CZguy]

Again, .22 RF barrels will last longer then you will, unless abused somehow.

I agree completely. I've always been amazed at the threads that make a .22 barrel sound like a 22-250.

I have my grandfathers old Remington model 34 that has been shot by three generations, and it still shoots good.

 

[mbogo]

As rcmodel said, check the screws on the bases and rings.

If tight, see if you can turn the scope while it's in the rings. If so, remove the top half of the ring, lay a small piece of friction tape in the bottom ring and re-mount the scope.

mbogo

 

[NCsmitty]

Even with thousands of rounds through it, a good quality 22rf barrel will last an average shooter their lifetime and will still be able to pass it on to the next generation.
You need to look for a mechanical reason for the issue, if you have eliminated ammo or shooter error.

rcmodel pretty much summed up your options.

Clean the crap out of the barrel with a bronze bore brush & nitro solvent, and check the action screw/screws and scope mount.

NCsmitty

 

[moosehunt]

LongRifles knows what he's talking about, but few of us have eyes good enough to see the differnce he's talking about (looking at the targets). He's talking where 0.02 is the difference between 1st and 10th. In the real world (that's where the rest of us are), if a .22 rimfire shot good once, it still will. If not, it's mechanical, i.e. screws, bedding, sights (scope), heaven forbid--SHOOTER ERROR! And one can shoot a .22 till hell feezes over without cleaning the barrel and it won't lead up--unless there's a problem within the barrel.

 

[KodiakBeer]

You haven't shot it since 93 - had your eyes checked lately?

 

[Zeke/PA]

Some time back , my older neighbor claimed inaccuracy in his ANCIENT .22 Mossberg.
The bore was REALLY leaded up and took some effort with Hoppes #9 to see the otherwise sharp rifiling.
I replaced the scope with a 4X Nikon Pro Staff and once again the rifle shoots great as in 1& 1/4 groups at 50 yds.

 

[DeepSouth]

Mounts are tight, screws are tight, new scope is secure, bedding looks fine, action locks up good as it ever has, barrel has been cleaned very, very well and appears to be in good shape but I honestly don't really know what to look for, it has a recessed crown that looks fine, I can read 2 lines below the 20/20 line on an eye chart, The lead-sled pretty much removes the shooter error, and I had a long time friend of mine take it home with him and try it out, he called me a couple days later and said "I don't know what you did to this thing." He has been a shooting buddy of mine since before I got the gun so knew how accurate it used to be.



rcmodel
Sorry for the confusion, this is the same gun. It just took me a few months to get it on the bags so I could really see what it was doing. My original assessment (in post #7) was unfortunately wrong.


Sad to say but I'm getting the feeling the gun will wind up in a corner somewhere so I can remember the good days, before it went to crap. It really was the most accurate 22 I have ever seen, now it's shooting 2" at 30 yards which makes it a paper weight.