Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Mossburg project rifle

  1. #1
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Cool Mossburg project rifle

    I have once more run into a deal I could not refuse, and I am now the gardian of a Mossburg 100ATR in .308.

    After mounting and boresighting the 6-24x scope on this bad boy I headed to the range with a box of Wally World Federal 150 gn.

    I was on the paper plate after two shots and started dialing in at 100yds.

    Looking through the scope I was not impressed. Then I remembered I was dialed up to 20x!

    Out of the box with this crap ammo and no modifications or tuning I had the last three shots in a 2" group.

    The adjustable trigger on this rifle is a real bonus. It starts at what I normally hope to obtain after several hours work, and it gets better as you shoot.

    Now I an saddled with the tuning work. Glass bedding the action and developing a proper reload to match the rifle.

    The action/stock has a really sloppy and unsupported fit. The stock is hollow and the two screws that hold the action in do not even have support pilliars. There is a metal tab at the front of the receiver that wobbles around in a slot in the plastic. I am pretty sure a good application of JB Weld in the right spots will close the groups nicely, along with some consistant ammo.

    With a little work it will be as good as my 91/30 MN!
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?


  2. #2
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Haven't hear too much about the Mossberg rifles, but one of our Duck's Unlimited dinner guns I think is that model but in .270.....haven't won one yet....LOL

    I agree every once in a while a good deal comes along........
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  3. #3
    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    3,825

    Default

    I had Mossberg a Ducks Unlimited 4x4 in 300 mag, and the stock was literally a piece of junk. I never shot the rifle because I was actually afraid that the recoil of the 300 mag cartridge might rip the action right out of the stock. The barrel and action seemed to be OK, but if I had of kept that rifle, I would have found a better stock and thrown the Mossberg stock in the burn barrel!
    On the forearm part, the stock was actually warped pretty bad, and to get a good free float, I would have had to remove a lot of material out of one side of the channel, then the stock would have looked terrible. I cant remember seeing a worse fit up on a stock.
    Last edited by Wildthang; 04-04-2012 at 03:22 PM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    They aren't an expensive rifle I think we pay about $250 for the one we raffle off, and that's with the scope and all.
    The ones we got were all laminate, the silver and gray.....
    Haven't tried one....so this thread does interest me.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  5. #5
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    This one is free floated all the way back to the action, even the chamber area.

    Most rifles do well free floated but free floating is only part of the operation. The action need to be secure in the bedding. Mossburg seems to think that as long as the stock is plastic and the barrel floats they do not have to do any further thinking or work on the system.

    For the price I paid I can not really complain. If they did a complete bedding job and tuned the rifles they would have to charge like the big boys do and I could not afford them. I am getting a hair over 2 MOA as is and all work will be for the closing of that measurement. $10 worth of JB Weld will do most of the bedding and cure the hollow stock problem.

    I found some 168 gn boat tailed soft points in the bullet box and I think I will build the loads around that. After I close the groups down as much as possible I will try another box of the factory ammo and see if it works better, just in case I ever have to pick up retail ammo or surplus.

    In the past two months I have purchased two boxes of factory ammo and that is more than I have purchased in the previous 30 years. I have been reloading everything I shoot for as long as I can remember. I have about 2,000 empty once fired .308 cases but none loaded up right now.

    I would be reloading right now if we were not having a thunderstorm. I get real jumpy when I hear thunder since my tornado experience last month and I do not want to be playing with powder during a storm, even though I know smokeless powder is not prone to going off due to static.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  6. #6
    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    3,825

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kyratshooter View Post
    This one is free floated all the way back to the action, even the chamber area.

    Most rifles do well free floated but free floating is only part of the operation. The action need to be secure in the bedding. Mossburg seems to think that as long as the stock is plastic and the barrel floats they do not have to do any further thinking or work on the system.

    For the price I paid I can not really complain. If they did a complete bedding job and tuned the rifles they would have to charge like the big boys do and I could not afford them. I am getting a hair over 2 MOA as is and all work will be for the closing of that measurement. $10 worth of JB Weld will do most of the bedding and cure the hollow stock problem.

    I found some 168 gn boat tailed soft points in the bullet box and I think I will build the loads around that. After I close the groups down as much as possible I will try another box of the factory ammo and see if it works better, just in case I ever have to pick up retail ammo or surplus.

    In the past two months I have purchased two boxes of factory ammo and that is more than I have purchased in the previous 30 years. I have been reloading everything I shoot for as long as I can remember. I have about 2,000 empty once fired .308 cases but none loaded up right now.

    I would be reloading right now if we were not having a thunderstorm. I get real jumpy when I hear thunder since my tornado experience last month and I do not want to be playing with powder during a storm, even though I know smokeless powder is not prone to going off due to static.
    Well like I said, the action and barrel looked good on mine, and if it had been a .308, I would have kept it and found a wood stock for it. But I had no use for a .300 mag here in Ohio!
    Post some groups for us when you get it tuned in Bwudda!

  7. #7
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    I did the bedding of the action this morning between taking trash to the dump and scattered posts here.

    I agree with you WT, this stock is crap. I have both Ramline and ATI stocks that cost $40-$60 retail that are twice the unit this thing is. If I filled this thing up with acraglass it might make a stock. One look and you instantly know why the weight is only 6 pounds. I looks/feels like it belongs on something that has Daisey stamped on the side.

    I usually only do one mod at a time just to get measurements on each operation, but this stock is so bad I am went ahead with the bedding.

    I still have 10 rounds of factory ammo I can use as a control on the next trip to the range. I also loaded up 20 rounds with 4 different powder charges for the 165 gn HPBT bullets so I can see what it likes best.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  8. #8
    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    3,825

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kyratshooter View Post
    I did the bedding of the action this morning between taking trash to the dump and scattered posts here.

    I agree with you WT, this stock is crap. I have both Ramline and ATI stocks that cost $40-$60 retail that are twice the unit this thing is. If I filled this thing up with acraglass it might make a stock. One look and you instantly know why the weight is only 6 pounds. I looks/feels like it belongs on something that has Daisey stamped on the side.

    I usually only do one mod at a time just to get measurements on each operation, but this stock is so bad I am went ahead with the bedding.

    I still have 10 rounds of factory ammo I can use as a control on the next trip to the range. I also loaded up 20 rounds with 4 different powder charges for the 165 gn HPBT bullets so I can see what it likes best.
    So you are actually going to bed that stock, is that what you are saying

  9. #9
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wildthang View Post
    So you are actually going to bed that stock, is that what you are saying
    Yep, the stock is all secured to the action now. All supports are reinforced with epoxey, front and rear action screws are now secured through pillars, the recoil lug is bedded in and the rear of the action is now supported.

    Pulling the action out of the stock now makes a sound like a cow pulling her foot out of a mud hole!

    I will have to wait until the wind dies some to test for accuracy improvement. We have had a real stiff wind here for severral days.

    I have 20 rounds of reloaded 168 gn BTSP in 1/2 grain steps for the accuracy test. This bullet and the IMR-4320 powder I used has always shot into less than an inch from my 30-06 rifles and that is my goal for the Mossburg.

    From the factory the Mossburg will not beat my reworked Mosin, although it does weigh 4 pounds less.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  10. #10
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    I want opinions on acceptable accuracy. Are we there yet?

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    The shot inside the diamond is not a flier. It is the last shot from the previous group using another powder charge. This rifle likes what it likes and blows the group if you do not feed it what it wants. But when you hit the magic number it will walk the dog!

    That group is .385" center to center at 100 yards.

    The second group was a paltry .585" so I did not even show it. Two shots were stretching the same hole out and the third was 1/2" off. I thought I had a winner that second group and the third shot blew it.

    The plate is sitting sideways from it's target position. The shots walked vertically as the charge increased by 1 inch per 1/2 grain.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 05-16-2012 at 04:31 PM.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  11. #11
    knifemaker p moore's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Col. MS
    Posts
    105

    Default

    I guess that would fill the freezer. Glad you got it worked out.

    Paul
    I like this little guy

    http://pmooreknives.webs.com

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •