Marlin XT 17HMR Synthetic

[ford8nr]

Bought one new this past week cause it was a deal I couldn't pass up. Cleaned it and threw a Weaver CKT15 scope on it. Got it out to the range today, weather HOT with a 10-15mph wind at my back. Shot 5 shot groups with Winchester 20gr at 50 and 100. Interestingly there was very little change in POA. Shot the 10" steel plate at 230 yards with only about 12" hold over. Problem is best group at 50 was over an inch and at 100 almost 3", ANY of my .22lr's could beat that. When I pulled the action from the plastic stock to adjust the trigger I did notice there is no good mechanical lock up with the action. The rear screw goes through a hole in the stock then engages the action over an inch away with no other support. The front action screw goes through a hole and engages a dovetailed piller but the piller doesn't bottom out in the stock. I suspect with either epoxied pillers or a different stock it might be a shooter. Being disappointed and knowing what it will take to make shoot (having done the plastic stock modifications on an Axis in the past with good success), I think I'll just move this one along.

Next I may try some CCI ammo and see if that helps ...

 

[ajd3530]

I have the XT-17 with the heavy barrel and wood stock. I have had best results with CCI 20gr Game points, Federal 17gr VMax, and the CCI A17 ammo.

 

[Sniper66]

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sounds like poorly constructed rifle? Good luck anyway.

 

[Kookla]

ford8nr- I'd try some different ammo and see what's what. Could be it just doesn't like that ammo. If it still persists, you could send it back to Marlin.

 

[dranrab]

What is the right way to ethically handle selling a known poor shooter?

Don't forget to get your $25 rebate on that gun.

 

[natman]

Here's how I bedded my Marlin. The "pillar" on the barrel is more of a recoil lug. With the synthetic stock, you don't have as much risk of compressing the stock, so pillars aren't as beneficial. See post #3:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168944

 

[ford8nr]

Range report 2

Got a chance to get back to the range. Picked up a box of CCI Polytips. This morning after reading tuning tips for this rifle I epoxied the front dovetailed barrel stud mount to the barrel, centered the barrel and tightened. 6 hours later it was range time. Between my son in law and I we ran about 100 rds down range. By the end of the night the CCI Poly tips were grouping fairly tight, 5 shots at 50yds just under 1/2" and 8 shots at 100 just over 1" (1.1). Shot a final group with the last 5 Winchesters at 50 and it was .7" Not steller but MUCH BETTER. Might just need some fine tuning and break in.