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541-T Walks point of impact lower as barrel warms up

PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:32 am
by n4rod
I recently purchased a 541-T heavy barrel 22 rimfire bolt action rifle off the internet. It's in really good condition with only a few use marks in the stock. I mounted a Leupold VX2 6-18X40 AO scope using an EGW picatinny rail mount and Burris XTR rings. The scope is kind of overkill for a rimfire, but I mainly hunt squirrels in the woods and wanted something that would reach out for those long shots.

I have a 25 yd range at my house so decided to sight it in and put it through a thorough test. I used both Wolf Match Extra and Federal Gold Medal Ultra Match UM22 ammo. After considerable testing I noticed that the first shot out of a cold barrel was 1 - 1.5 inches high at 25yds. Then as I shot it, the impacts "walked" down 1 - 1.5 inches, so that by the time I shot 10 rounds it was dead center where I had it sighted in at.

The other thing I noticed is if I loosened the front receiver screw, the impacts lowered on the target. So I figure that when tightening that screw it pulls the barreled received down into the stock which puts upward pressure on the barrel by the forend. As I loosen that screw, it releases the upward pressure on the barrel, which causes the barrel to move lower and the gun to shoot lower.

I also have a 541-S Custom Sporter and it fires all shots into the same hole, regardless if it's the first shot out of a cold barrel, or the 10th shot out of a warm barrel.

Anyone had this kind of situation from their 541-T and how did you solve the issue?

Thanks,

Rod

Re: 541-T Walks point of impact lower as barrel warms up

PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:09 pm
by n4rod
I think I discovered what is causing this "POI walking" while I shoot this 541-T HB. During assembly at Remington whoever was putting this gun together wasn't paying attention to details and dropped a heavy barreled action into a 541-T contour barrel stock. The barrel doesn't fit into the barrel channel. It's jammed against the sides of the barrel channel with a 1/4 inch space between the underneath of the barrel and the bottom of the barrel channel. That's why the impacts lower when I loosen the front receiver screw. When tightening that screw it forces the barrel upwards, causing higher impacts. When loosening the screw it relieves the upward pressure on the barrel and lowers the impacts on the target. It will take a 3/4 inch dowel and some rough grit sandpaper to open up the smaller barrel channel so the larger heavy barrel fits. Then some fine sanding, and sealing will get the gun back working correctly. That's what happens when you make 2 different size barrels and 2 different size barrel channel stocks. You have a 50/50 chance of getting the correct barreled action into the correct stock. Mine didn't come out so good, it was on the loosing side of that equation.

Rod