Effects of Action Screw Torque on 22 LR Accuracy - 50 & 100 Yard Test (2023)

Introduction

Testing the effect on accuracy of various amounts of torque on the action screws of the CZ 455 Precision Trainer at 50 yards and 100 yards with 4 shot groups from 5 in/lbs to 40 in/lbs in 5 lb increments.

Torque measured with a Wheeler Fat Wrench.

Rifle Specs:
CZ 455 Precision Trainer
Lilja 22 LR Match Barrel
Silencerco Sparrow Suppressor
Manners Composite Stock + Southwest Precision Cheek Rest
Yo-Dave Trigger Kit
Sightron SIII 10-50 x 60 mm optic
DIP 25 MOA Extended Rail
Harris 6-9 BRM-S Bipod
Ammo: Lapua Center X - 40 gr Sub Sonic
Oversized Bolt Knob

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Video

Well, another episode of long-range shooters of Utah today, we're going to be talking about torque settings on your precision, 22 to see how the torque of the action to the chassis affects accuracy now for every chassis or every action, or every stock it's going to be a little bit different.

So make sure that you consult your owners manuals and make sure that you take a lot of caution, because you can very easily damage your stock, the biggest problem that you would face would be over tightening those action, screws and crushing, your stock, which would definitely cause a problem.

So you want to be very cautious in doing what we're about to do what we want to show.

You is how changing the tension on those action.

Screws can affect how tight of a group you can shoot or how accurate the rifle can be.

So what we're going to be shooting today is my precision.

Trainer, cz, 455.

A lot of guys ask what the difference is between the precision trainer and the tacticool, which besides about a three or four hundred dollar price difference.

It is the stock and the stock only everything else is exactly the same.

This one has a Manor stock.

The other has a Boyd's, tactical stock just to very quickly cover some of the differences from this rifle to a factory precision.

Trainer.

It does have an aftermarket barrel.

This is a Lilja 22 match barrel actually made by Lilja it's been threaded for a Silencerco sparrow I've got an aftermarket bolt knob on here that a local guy built I'm running a site on s3 10 to 50 by 60 as you can tell that is a lot of scope and it's kind of laughable that it's on a 22 22 long rifle marksman challenge that we compete in this is almost a must if you want to be in the top five or ten, because we're shooting very small targets, things as small as matchsticks toothpicks, playing cards, sideways and we're also shooting things at a hundred yards and beyond.

And you really have to have that high magnification in order to see misses of those little 22 bullets at those kinds of distances.

So great optic, highly recommend the sight Ron's.

My other rifle that I compete with has a site, Tron s5, which is basically the same scope, except that it's got a 34 millimeter tube and some little fancier features.

So check out another video to talk more about that optic other than that.

I've got a yo Dave trigger kit.

I've got a Southwest precision, cheek rest on here and a Harris VRMs bipod and that's pretty much good as far as the rifle goes.

Analyze were shooting Lapua, Center X with ammo it's really important to test different lots of ammo.

You may find a lot of center X that shoots amazing.

But then the next slot doesn't shoot well at all so it's, not so much how fancy the ammo is, but it can be just the lot number of the ammo.

So it defined a lot of damage to finding that works really well.

Today I've got this one I know this one shoes, you know, we've got our targets set up at 50 yards, basically, there's, eight, bull's-eyes, I've, got them set up with different torque settings and I'm going to shoot a four shot group.

And each one of those and see if we can pick up any change between different torque settings.

So as a standard when I compete, my rifle is typically set up at about 40 pounds, that's a little above, what is recommended which I think is about 35 so once again, you really need to be careful when you're doing this.

So what I'm going to do is back it out and I'm actually going to start it just 5 inch pounds of torque then go to 10 then to 15 20, 25 30 35 40 and then shoot the groups and see how they pan out.

So to start out with this is the torque wrench we're going to be using it's a standard wheeler fat rack.

Basically, you have a dial down at the bottom where you can change the torque setting.

And these are the action screws that we're going to be tightening and shooting our groups.

So right now I've got it set at 35 pounds.

I'm, pretty sure my rifle is set at 40, which looks like it's about 35 or 40.

Let me crank it up to 40 and let's actually start on the high end, 40 40 and shoot our groups and then work down from there and see how they open up if they really open up a lot I'll, just stop so let's go and get started so I've got a GoPro downrange, just in front of the target rifle should be sighted in here at 50 yards last shot.

So basically a one-hole group I'm going to back this out and it's safe so I'm going to back it out a couple of turns sure it's, good and loose.

And then back this down to 35 inch pounds and then tighten it once again and there's 35 inch pounds.

So it did open up a little bit.

And the results of my test may be different from what yours is.

Your rifle may shoot better at a lower torque setting.

You just really have to go out and test it see.

So you really like beauty and that last one I could have been just me, but up to that point that was a we had going.

And it may be that I'm a little too close, maybe I should be out at 75 yards or further for this test so we're at 25 pounds, inch down Wow.

So that one fall apart.

So we've hit 20 now and it's really starting to fall apart.

I was kind of inconclusive all right.

So the results weren't super conclusive, except that definitely the 40-pound torque on my rifle was the best.

So it shot the best group.

And then you do see a little bit of progressive opening, especially on the 5 pounds, but I would have expected to see a more drastic change I assume that my you know being a Manor stock, maybe it's bedded, pretty good from the factory, or, you know, it fits in there, pretty nice and snug plus.

It is a 22.

So unlike a centerfire rifle you're, not getting a lot of vibration I.

Suppose if I took it out and kind of shook it between each one and got it loosened up a little bit, we'd probably see some bigger differences, I think I'm going to repeat this test and do it at a further distance, 50 yards, really isn't that far even for a 22, especially that one so I might stretch it out to 75 or 100 and see if we can see anything else opening up more so well, we'll do that and see if the results are any different all right so just shot the first group at 5 pounds and it actually, it was pretty incredible 100 yards.

So I'm, not sure how viable this festival is.

But a crate does amount of 15 pounds I'm going to go in ten pound increments.

Now, instead of five just to make this go a little faster, and we are shooting it, 100 yards, Wow, still, looking that's bizarre.

So as you can see from the end of the video there we're able to shoot some pretty incredible groups of 100 yards.

The one that could be covered up with a dime is pretty amazing for five shots out of the 22, pretty amazing for any rifle, definitely sub MOA by a long shot.

So pretty awesome we're able to shoot that one thing you'll find is you is you shoot these rifles? For instance, when you send your rifle into like the Lapua facility, and they do a test of various lots of ammo and kinds of ammo.

They run it through a optical sensor at 50 yards in the hundred yards, it's, not always the case that the lot number or the ammo that shoots the best at 50 yards also shoots the best at 100 yards and vice versa.

You might find one that shoots great at 100, but doesn't shoot quite so good at 50 22 long-rifle is just a really goofy tricky thing and that's.

What makes it so much fun to go out and shoot because it's very challenging, and it really levels the playing field and I thoroughly enjoy it.

So, thank you for tuning into the video, obviously, the test wasn't, the end-all be-all, most conclusive test in the world that the tighter you torque, your settings, the better it's going to shoot every rifle is completely different.

But get out there try some new things test out your own rifle.

See what torque settings it's like see what ammo it likes and see if you can get amazing groups like this out of your rifle as well.

If you have any other ideas of videos that we can do feel free to share those with us at info at long-range shooters of Utah comm, you can shoot us an email also if you can hit that like button here on the video and then share the video with your fellow shooters and your clubs and groups on Facebook and social media.

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And we look forward to seeing you guys out of the range thanks for watching dead air.

Armor all right, Kelly, McMillin, right, shot, show 2016, we're gonna give it a shot right now.