Browning BAR scope bases and accuracy?

[hometheaterman]

So I was talking to a local gunsmith that's got a BAR himself, as well as recently buying one for his wife. He has owned several throughout his life. When I've told him about the accuracy I'm getting, he suggested that I change the base. He told me that the first one he had, he got it shooting about 1.5" groups and that was the best groups he could get. His brother wanted to buy it from him and he decided, to let it go, yet his brother didn't want the scope, or the bases that were on it as he said they were too big and heavy. He told him to put a 2 piece Weaver base and Weaver rings on there for him and a 2-7 scope. He said after doing that, when they shot it, they were getting .75" groups from it and their groups literally shrunk in half.

He then mentioned that a few weeks later he had a customer come in and tell him that it had fixed his groups too. Apparently the customer had changed scopes several times thinking the scope was bad, checked the rings and mounts and made sure they were tight, and could never get it to shoot any better. He claims once he changed to 2 piece bases it started shooting great.

He also tells me that he's tried this with a few other BAR's, and that just changing to a 2 piece base it seems to cut the group size in half. When I asked him why they would make a difference, he told me he couldn't tell me as he wasn't sure himself, but that everyone he has messed with it has made a big difference.

I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I'm just wondering if I'd be better off to get rid of my Leupold one piece base and go to a 2 piece base, or will it most likely not matter?

 

[dogrunner]

HTM: I have three BAR's..............two in '06 & a .338.........One of the '06's is a lightweight model along with the .338, both carry Leupold two piece QR rings & bases & Bushnell Elite series glass. The older gun has one of the first Nikon 3X9's, marketed back in the '80's,that gun has a steel receiver and it's mount is a one piece Redfield bridge mount. Any one of those rifles will hold under an inch at a hundred, I suppose I could tweak my handloads to bring the group size down somewhat, but they're hunting pieces and do exactly what I want, balancing accuracy with power and a quick followup shot. I most seriously doubt that merely changing mounting assemblies will have as much effect on your rifle as will a balanced and tailored load.