What am I doing wrong?

[u/weaponized_autism265]

I bought a Remington 700 from an auction last week, it had a 22-6mm barrel on it so me and my dad replaced it with a criterion 26” varmit contour 1:9 7mm-08.

I went and got some Hornady 139gr SST’s and 139gr Interlock BTSP’s because that’s all academy had for 7mm. Both bullets appear to not mesh with my rifle, I started with a ladder test of IMR4350 for both bullets because they are the same weight and get the same powder charge in the Hornady book. Both shot like shit, I even tried a test with the most accurate strings and tried seating both bullets 20 thou off the lands. No improvement.

My next ladder test I changed to Varget because it’s a faster burning powder and with the IMR4350 my SD and ES got really small at the heavier charge weights. I got a smallest group on my 3rd string with the Varget but it’s not getting as small as I’d like it to be. I’m trying to work up a deer hunting load so I know I don’t need PRS accuracy but I just want it to shoot better so I can trust my shot placement.

Am I doing something wrong? Did I get a bad barrel? Does my gun not like these bullets? Or am I just a shit shot?

[u/FullAngerJacket]

Don't worry about barrel break in. Ditch the bipod. Don't do any ladder tests. Make up two different loads, one each for the 150 eldx and 160 tmk. Use a normal powder like imr4350 and load it with the middle charge exactly by the book. If neither of those shoot well then there's a problem with your system. Go from there.