Went out shooting for the second weekend in a row today. I am doing some work off of the bench with a 30-06 (Remington 721) last weekend i sat down and the first three shots ended up in right about a half inch group. Did that last saturday. Last sunday i shot a five shot group where the first three shots did the same thing and the last two spread out. thought maybe it was me. Today i shot the first three shot group. measures .493" c to c. i shot that group adjusted my scope and immediatly shot another three shot group. it measured just about 2.25" I set that one aside and let the barrel cool a while. after cooling the next group was just under and inch with the first three shots. after considering this for a while i can only conclude that barrel heat is the culprit. i shot it till hot and slid a dollar bill btwn barrel and stock so i know it isn't stock pressure. Anyways. anyone have and thoughts on that for or against?

Hi Rifleshooter09.

Could be barrel heat, could be a lot of things...

If you're shooting like that then I presume that the rifle is put together well. No loose screws etc.

Barrels do funny things when heated so it could be anything and you're just going to have to find out the hard way. It could be the powder fouling the barrel - how often do you clean the barrel? How do you do it? I went through a stage of rodding with a brass brush after every shot. Didn't make me any better though...

With my .17hmr I boresnake every 4 shots - 'cos that's what's in the magazine. When I'm done it's Butch's solvent and brushes until it's all sparkly.

Oh! fire a round and eject the spent cartridge straight away. Leave it for a minute - loading the bullets one by one instead of a magazine helps - and then fire your second shot. Could be anything but it's a common thing to happen.

D

I hate it when that happens. I agree with Daveyboy, it could be one of several things. Overall, it really is not that bad if the first three shots group well. That should take care of 99% of your hunting situations. If the bore is clean, the barrel is floated and everything is tight that may just be the way it is. Changing powder and bullets might help, but maybe not. All the best...
Gil

I probably have 50 rnds throught a totally cleaned barrel that i haven't touched in 50 rnds. Normally when i clean it i brush it thouroughly with hoppes and a brush. then it gets a treatment or two of Wipe Out. Usually takes two cause on a hunting trip a couple of years ago. got some moisture in the muzzle and it kinda pitted the crap out of it. the first few shot from a totally clean barrel are kinda awry but once the barrel is fouled and the pits fill up with copper it shoots like a mad dog. I think you are right. I just have to shoot it cold. lol was talking to my dad the other day. he told me. heck he said the first shot is usually the only one that matters.



watch yer topknot

I agree with your dad. For my hunting rifle, I like to fire 1 shot and then clean the barrel and wait till it is stone cold again, maybe even the next day. I do this for at least 5 shots at the same target and that gives me a real good idea where the POI will be in that hunting situation. Also, as I found out last year, it's a good idea to do this in late October so that the air temperature is about the same as it will be during deer season.

Blaine

So, so true. It is my firm belief that the first shot out is the most important. As a question to all, "How many out there have a firm knowledge of and have a log of their "Cold Bore Shots"?" How many have heard of and actually know what a "Cold Bore Shot Log" is? Once I learned this some years ago it has become my most important record for any of my rifles.

Flint54 wrote:

8) How many have heard of and actually know what a "Cold Bore Shot Log" is? Once I learned this some years ago it has become my most important record for any of my rifles.

Please enlighten us master splinter...

cheers

As It's a hunting rifle, you should know where your first, absolutely cold shot lands and it should be in that "one inch above the bull at 100yards or there abouts according to point blank".

Thing is that most of us place the centre of our group there and the barrel is far from cold when we do it.

Imagine that you are out on a hill, rifle has been out of the bag for hours and is at about freezing. Pretend that its snowing. That's the difference between a cold shot and a group.

Never thought of having it in a log though... On a range it doesn't matter if the group is different, it's that first shot that matters.

Over to Flint for his view on things - fill us all in!

D

I have a "first shot log" although it is not always at the same temperature as those I face when hunting. The point of impact with my loads changes little with temperature changes and my groups generally orbit my first shot. I did have to free float my barrel a second time to get this to be true - the clearance between barrel and stock was insufficient when shooting in warm temps and my stock would touch and move my barrel as it warmed up. Now that I have enough clearance my groups don't migrate - they just expand as I tire.

I think I'll publish an article on "Cold Bore Shot", it comes in very handy at times as you know where your shot will go when you pull the trigger.

Flint54 wrote:

I think I'll publish an article on "Cold Bore Shot", it comes in very handy at times as you know where your shot will go when you pull the trigger.

Great idea.....I'm sure it will be a help to all.

Blaine

"Cold shot" Simply put is the very first shot out of a cold barrel, In some cases the very most important shot, As in case of police snipers and what not.