Moved back to Oregon from florida in December and finally got an opportunity to get out and shoot a couple weeks ago. Have little problem with my 7-30 Waters contender barrel.
The two loads I had were both worked up in florida, and were fairly accurate, 2-3" at a hundred yards(since I'm a lousy pistol shot, I'm OK with that kind of groups). Problem is, I get back to Oregon and can't hit the target at 50 yards. I resighted with a laser boresighter, but still couldn't hit paper. Then I had a case seperate about a 1/4" above the rim. Happened to be the last shell in that box so I changed barrels and started shooting my 41 mag. I had no problems with this barrel and shot about a 4" group at 50 yards with open sights. So to my way of thinking, it can't be the frame or I would have problems with all the barrels, is that wrong? I just don't believe it is a headspace problem, or I would have noticed it before.
The loads I was shooting were:
36.5 grains Varget and 120 grain Sierra FP
36 grains Varget and 120 grain Nosler FP
Any suggestions or ideas on how I should proceed from here?

It sounds to me like you are sizing the cases too much. With a Contender or Encore barrel you want to determine how much of a gap there is between the frame and the back of a given barrel, usually it is less than .003. Once you know that distance you will want to size your cases so that they protrude from the barrel around .001-.0015 less than that number. If the cases have been loaded enough times it is not uncommon to have a seperation, especially if they are being sized a little more than they need to be. Your data doesn't seem too hot as it's about 2.5 grs more than Nosler recommends with that powder and a 140gr bullet, but you might want to double check your sources. I'd check to make sure your scope was not damaged during transit, if you boresighted it and it still won't print I'd look at the scope or the bases, bases should be pretty obvious if they are loose enough to cause the problems you are having. Although the Waters is a rimmed cartridge, you will need to headspace on the shoulder for best case life. You really can't create a true headspace problem with a rimmed case as it headspaces on the rim...but you don't want it to headspace on the rim...just the shoulder in this instance.

Edited to add that you might want throw away the rest of that batch of casings and start fresh.

completely unrelated to the issue, but why are you using flat point bullets?

Just curious as I use spitzers almost exclusively unless I have some factory Federal ammo.


What kind of glass are you using?

Dunno bout the barrel to frame relation...but there might be somthing to that, as well...

D

Darrell, I got a really good deal on some Nosler and Sierra FPs and in testing them, I found they shot as well as the spitzer style bullets at the range I shoot this barrel, (100 yards or less). Which is why I am concerned, both of these loads were very accurate when I originally worked them up. Now I have to figure out what changed other than the fact that I moved across country, I just don't the move making that much difference.