Shot these today, starting left to right, all the same load. The flyer in the first group was a hard bolt close. Started with a clean barrel and waited about 7 minutes after the first group. Shot the 2nd group and was wondering what was going on. Waited about 30 minutes while I shot another rifle. Last 5 still not impressive. So how do i go from the 1st group showing so much promise to the next two showing no promise? Let's assume it's not the shooter and something is going on with the rifle.
Scope is a Leupold 6.5-20 Long range in NF rings and one piece base. Everything is tight and torqued to spec. Load is 51gr of H4831sc and Berger 87 VLDs about .010 jump. Weather conditions were fine, little breeze, distance 100 yards.
Yes everything is snug and torqued, action screws as well. I was thinking scope, but I had this on another rifle with no issues but that doesn't mean things can change. Just wondering if there were other thoughts as to what might be going on.
Too much coffee? Not setting your rifle on the bags the same each time? Last time I saw this, my nephew was setting his sling stud on the bags and it was throwing everything off. Got him setting it right and his groups tightened right up.
Is the action bedded? Sure looks like something is shifting around.... Was the flier in the first group the last shot in the group?
Bob
Last edited by Sheister; 03/17/19.
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
I was shooting off a bipod with a leather rear bag for all the shots. Rifle is bedded and is well built. You mentioned swivel stud and I did shift the rifle height a little on the second two groups. Maybe the stud was catching in the bag? Worth taking a look at for sure. The flyer was the 3rd shot in the first group. Based on the first group the load would appear to be very good. For now I’m going to load more and bring a second scope and pay attention to the rear bag and swivel stud. I’d welcome any other thoughts and ideas.
Good to check and double check everything when this happens. I was referring to the front sling stud, but if you were using a bipod it doesn't really matter much. Might try a front bag instead of the bipod just for giggles to see if something weird is happening with the bipod mount or stock flex, or.....
Groups just don't go south like that unless something is loose, or some other cause that should be reasonably obvious once you find it... at least in my experience...
Bob
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
Try it without the bipod, just on bags. Put the front bag way back, about under the front of the receiver. If that works mo better, you may need a little relief in the barrel channel.
There is no way to coexist no matter how many bumper stickers there are on Subaru bumpers!
Barrel copper and or carbon fouled up in a hurry, your cleaning techniques were not good, left carbon in the barrel from previous firing? Wind picked up? Changed directions load is no dam good?
Different lot# of bullets different lot# of powder
brass variations for a number of reasons
5 shot groups really heat up a barrel in this caliber, you are looking for bug hole groups, let the gun cool on 3 shot groups, repeat the group for consistancy.....
If nothing much changed related to brass, components, being of the same lot #, then one of three things happened
1.your barrel fouled 2.or wind changed directions
3.Years ago, I used regular cloth shot bags with washed play sand, and I was able to shoot very small groups, rear protector bag of course. If you are not shooting an Atlas or similar high quality bi pod, then the Bi pod issue is huge is highly probable.
.I hope you will buy a Lyman bore scope if you don't have one, carbon build up is something you are going to be chasing.
I'd consider the possibility that first group is a fluke, a result of a very small sample size.
I'd also look at all 3 targets overlaid as a single group as a more representative view of the rifle's accuracy.
I'd consider that hard bolt close ... why? Could the rest of the shells have the same issue though to a less noticeable degree causing them all to be fliers?
Is this a brand new, unproven barrel? Why is the load what it is? What else have you tried? If this is just something you put together because it was somehow recommended, but never tested in this rifle, then this sort of accuracy is not at all surprising. You're going to need to do real load development with different powders, different charges, and varying seating depths.
Also understand, if this is a new gun, some guns simply are not accurate with boat tails but are with flat based bullets ... and vice versa.
Tom
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Hard bolt close suggests a super tight case, neck or throat especially in cold temperatures. Re-size the cases a little deeper. But first, as mentioned by others, make sure the bore is clean and if you have a skinny barrel, let it cool after just 2 shots. They always 'walk' on the third shot. Also, don't forget to clean the throat, neck and chamber wall with a larger diameter -wet with cleaner- nylon brush after you clean the bore. rotate the brush at the shoulder area to get in the edges. My favorite recipe for a good bore scrub is make about 10 smooth full-length passes back and forth with a caliber specific bore brush wrapped in 0000 steel wool and soaked in Hoppe's No 9 cleaner. It should take a little extra effort to run it through. Then, wrap a piece of white paper towel around the brush and give it a squeeze. See how much dirt you took out. I actually found flakes of steel in one of my barrels using this method. Follow up with a wet and dry patch. The dry patch should go through easily with little resistance. You can actually feel if the bore is clean and it should squeak. Works for me.
I didn't say never, but there are plenty of counterexamples to always in this situation. Think of the population of Melvin Forbes NULA rifles with their skinny barrels.
Did you check cartridge run out? I would follow the previous advice but shoot more groups to see if there is a pattern. The first group could have been a fluke. Also if the barrel is new it may still be getting smoothed out.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
Hard bolt close suggests a super tight case, neck or throat especially in cold temperatures. Re-size the cases a little deeper. But first, as mentioned by others, make sure the bore is clean and if you have a skinny barrel, let it cool after just 2 shots. They always 'walk' on the third shot. Also, don't forget to clean the throat, neck and chamber wall with a larger diameter -wet with cleaner- nylon brush after you clean the bore. rotate the brush at the shoulder area to get in the edges. My favorite recipe for a good bore scrub is make about 10 smooth full-length passes back and forth with a caliber specific bore brush wrapped in 0000 steel wool and soaked in Hoppe's No 9 cleaner. It should take a little extra effort to run it through. Then, wrap a piece of white paper towel around the brush and give it a squeeze. See how much dirt you took out. I actually found flakes of steel in one of my barrels using this method. Follow up with a wet and dry patch. The dry patch should go through easily with little resistance. You can actually feel if the bore is clean and it should squeak. Works for me.
I like this cleaning routine. Thanks for posting it.
